1 John 3:1-2
What marvelous love God has extended to us! Just look at it—we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are. But that’s also why the world doesn’t recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what he’s up to.
But friends, that’s exactly who we are: children of God. And that’s only the beginning. Who knows how we’ll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we’ll see him—and in seeing him, become like him.
Today is the 3rd Sunday of Easter. Jesus’ disciples, it appears, are no less befuddled than they were last week.
Last week we heard what was, with the exception of his brief graveside conversation with Mary on Easter morning, Jesus’ first post-burial appearance, with the story of Doubting Thomas – the disciple who is more famous for missing that appearance than all the ones who were present that day. That story came from John’s gospel.
Today’s gospel reading offers us another first appearance – this time from Luke’s gospel account. This is the one that follows the Emmaus Road story. After they had recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread, the two men from that story had rushed back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples the amazing thing that had happened to them, when Jesus once again appeared in the middle of the room – frightening them all half out of their wits.
I said last week that these first post-Easter weeks are extremely important because they are the beginning of the formation of the faith we have inherited today. At the time of these stories, though, everything is still pretty chaotic. Jesus’ followers don’t understand what’s happening or what is expected of them.
The reading I choose from the offerings available to us this week is the epistle reading – specifically, what we just read from the first of the Johannine letters. We talked last week about the multiplicity of Johns in the New Testament. There is no universal agreement, but there does seem to be some consensus that the Gospel of John and the three Epistles of John were probably not written by the same author.
First John, written around the year 100, and the Gospel of John definitely have some similarities and the authors most likely came from the same community and tradition. Clearly, for the letter writer at least, the seventy years since Christ’s death and rising have produced an evolved Christology. Jesus is finally more than just a man approved and loved by God, a chosen and beloved son. For the Johannine writers Jesus IS God, the second person of the Trinity. The various Johns emphasize this in a way the other gospel and letter writers do not.
So, if this Jesus is Godself, then who are we in relationship to this Jesus/God?
The world does not recognize who we are because the world doesn’t truly recognize Jesus – but the suggestion is also heavy here that we don’t really know who we are, either!
We are children of God. And if that isn’t mind-boggling enough, the letter-writer here today assures us there is more to come! We have no idea how we are eventually going to turn out. But regardless of what more is coming, at this very moment, at the very least, we are CHILDREN OF GOD!
Does the world not recognize us because it doesn’t recognize Jesus? Or is it the other way around – perhaps the world doesn’t recognize Jesus because we do not recognize who Jesus really is. Are we showing Jesus to the world -- as he is -- or just our own idea of Jesus? Are not presenting a very clear image of Jesus in ourselves.
Are we, as Christians, modeling Jesus in a manner the world can see and admire? As I go through my day, is there any chance that the world around me is getting a clearer picture of Jesus and his love for them? So many questions.
So here are some thoughts to ponder:
Last week we heard what was, with the exception of his brief graveside conversation with Mary on Easter morning, Jesus’ first post-burial appearance, with the story of Doubting Thomas – the disciple who is more famous for missing that appearance than all the ones who were present that day. That story came from John’s gospel.
Today’s gospel reading offers us another first appearance – this time from Luke’s gospel account. This is the one that follows the Emmaus Road story. After they had recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread, the two men from that story had rushed back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples the amazing thing that had happened to them, when Jesus once again appeared in the middle of the room – frightening them all half out of their wits.
I said last week that these first post-Easter weeks are extremely important because they are the beginning of the formation of the faith we have inherited today. At the time of these stories, though, everything is still pretty chaotic. Jesus’ followers don’t understand what’s happening or what is expected of them.
The reading I choose from the offerings available to us this week is the epistle reading – specifically, what we just read from the first of the Johannine letters. We talked last week about the multiplicity of Johns in the New Testament. There is no universal agreement, but there does seem to be some consensus that the Gospel of John and the three Epistles of John were probably not written by the same author.
First John, written around the year 100, and the Gospel of John definitely have some similarities and the authors most likely came from the same community and tradition. Clearly, for the letter writer at least, the seventy years since Christ’s death and rising have produced an evolved Christology. Jesus is finally more than just a man approved and loved by God, a chosen and beloved son. For the Johannine writers Jesus IS God, the second person of the Trinity. The various Johns emphasize this in a way the other gospel and letter writers do not.
So, if this Jesus is Godself, then who are we in relationship to this Jesus/God?
- "...we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are. But that’s also why the world doesn’t recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what he’s up to. But friends, that’s exactly who we are: children of God. And that’s only the beginning. Who knows how we’ll end up! "
The world does not recognize who we are because the world doesn’t truly recognize Jesus – but the suggestion is also heavy here that we don’t really know who we are, either!
We are children of God. And if that isn’t mind-boggling enough, the letter-writer here today assures us there is more to come! We have no idea how we are eventually going to turn out. But regardless of what more is coming, at this very moment, at the very least, we are CHILDREN OF GOD!
Does the world not recognize us because it doesn’t recognize Jesus? Or is it the other way around – perhaps the world doesn’t recognize Jesus because we do not recognize who Jesus really is. Are we showing Jesus to the world -- as he is -- or just our own idea of Jesus? Are not presenting a very clear image of Jesus in ourselves.
Are we, as Christians, modeling Jesus in a manner the world can see and admire? As I go through my day, is there any chance that the world around me is getting a clearer picture of Jesus and his love for them? So many questions.
So here are some thoughts to ponder:
- How does a child of God act?
- What does a child of God do in this broken world?
- How do we all interact with other children of God?
- Is Jesus visible in and through us?
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