Lectionary Readings for Sunday 5.5.24 (Easter 6, Year B)
The interwoven story of Christ in the Scriptures
Enter the Story
Eastertide
The Season of Easter (often called Eastertide or The Great Fifty Days) is the theological center of the liturgical year. It begins with the Easter Vigil on Saturday evening and continues fifty days until Pentecost. In sum, the season is a celebration of Christ’s resurrection, the events that proceed from the resurrection (discovery of the empty tomb, appearances of the risen Christ, the ascension, and the gift of the Holy Spirit), the beginnings of the post-resurrection church (as narrated in the Acts of the Apostles), and the theological and existential implications of the resurrection for a life of faith. 1
Weekly Collect Prayer
O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Liturgical Color - White or Gold
Monday 4.29.24: John 15:9–17 (The Jesus Story)
As with last week’s Gospel lection, this week’s reading from the farewell discourse in John names the intimate relationship between God and Jesus and Jesus’ followers. To live out of that love from God and Christ, disciples must hold an ethic of loving one another.
John 15:9–17 (NLT)
9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.
10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!
12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.
13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.
16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.
17 This is my command: Love each other.
Summary: Jesus calls his followers to love one another just as he has loved them. There is no greater than to lay down one’s life, as Jesus does, for one’s friends. Through this obedience to Jesus’ command to love we bear fruit that lasts.2
Questions
If this story happened today, what would it look like?
What is the story showing or telling me?
Could it make a difference to my life? How? Did it? How?
How does this passage point to Jesus?
How does this passage connect or conflict with Jesus' teachings, loving actions, or mission?
How does this passage shape me to be more loving like Jesus?
Tuesday 4.30.24: 1 John 5:1–6
Throughout the season of Easter, we have been reading through 1 John and have heard the commandment to love one another emphasized repeatedly. In today’s passage, the commandment is the foundation for a claim that faith in Jesus Christ leads to new birth.
1 John 5:1–6 (NLT)
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too.
2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments.
3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.
4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.
5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
6 And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross —not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony.
Summary: When we love God and keep God’s commandments, we love God’s children. It is by this love that we know that we are born of God, and it is this faith that overcomes the world.
Questions
If this story happened today, what would it look like?
What is the story showing or telling me?
Could it make a difference to my life? How? Did it? How?
How does this passage point to Jesus?
How does this passage connect or conflict with Jesus' teachings, loving actions, or mission?
How does this passage shape me to be more loving like Jesus?
Wednesday 5.1.24: Acts 10:44–48
Last week’s reading from Acts told of Philip being carried away by the Holy Spirit after he baptized the Ethiopian eunuch. This week’s reading speaks of the Holy Spirit coming upon Gentiles who were listening to Peter preach, which leads to their being baptized as the first Gentile converts to Christianity.
Acts 10:44–48 (NLT)
44 Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message.
45 The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too.
46 For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God. Then Peter asked,
47 “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?”
48 So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days.
Summary: As Peter preaches to the Gentile believers in Cornelius’ house, the Holy Spirit comes on them and they begin to speak with other tongues. Peter then baptizes them confirming that God’s salvation is for the Gentiles as well as for the Jews.
Questions
If this story happened today, what would it look like?
What is the story showing or telling me?
Could it make a difference to my life? How? Did it? How?
How does this passage point to Jesus?
How does this passage connect or conflict with Jesus' teachings, loving actions, or mission?
How does this passage shape me to be more loving like Jesus?
Thursday 5.2.24: Psalm 98
When the Holy Spirit comes upon those listening to Peter’s sermon, they break into spontaneous praise of God. In a similar vein, today’s Psalter reading calls all the earth to sing new praises to God, who is the righteous judge and ruler of the world.
Psalm 98 (NLT)
1 Sing a new song to the LORD, for he has done wonderful deeds. His right hand has won a mighty victory; his holy arm has shown his saving power!
2 The LORD has announced his victory and has revealed his righteousness to every nation!
3 He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel. The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
4 Shout to the LORD, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy!
5 Sing your praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song,
6 with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn. Make a joyful symphony before the LORD, the King!
7 Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the earth and all living things join in.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands in glee! Let the hills sing out their songs of joy
9 before the LORD, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with fairness.
Summary: An exhortation to all creation to praise God for the wonderful works God has done, revealing God’s righteousness to all nations and bringing God’s justice into the world among all people.
Questions
If this story happened today, what would it look like?
What is the story showing or telling me?
Could it make a difference to my life? How? Did it? How?
How does this passage point to Jesus?
How does this passage connect or conflict with Jesus' teachings, loving actions, or mission?
How does this passage shape me to be more loving like Jesus?
Friday 5.3.24: Find the Story Threads
How does these passages point to Jesus?
How does these passages connect or conflict with Jesus' teachings, loving actions, or mission?
How does these passages shape me to be more loving like Jesus?
Check out my post this Friday where I will share the Story Threads that I found.
https://pcpe.smu.edu/01b_Year_B.pdf
https://sacredise.com/