Friday, May 14, 2010
Easter 7c - conclusion
Acts 16:16-34; Psalm 97; Revelation 22:12-21; John 17:20-26
Easter 7 is the last Sunday of Easter and if we haven’t figured it out by now the lectionary question of the resurrection season is what must I do to be saved? The scriptures teach that the Christ has done what we could not do. If that is true then the answer to “what must I do?” is nothing and we should be satisfied. But we have trouble with doing nothing so we require something even if it’s only claiming Christ as all in all. But contrary to religious opinion believing is not next to nothing. What if ‘what must I do to be saved?” is being satisfied that there is nothing to do? Then the something we choose to do is not to be saved but because we are saved. The Philippian jailer stands still because Paul and Silas choose not to run and washing their wounds the jailer is washed in the waters of baptism. The Lord as king who might bring a world of hurt to whoever boasts in worthless idols is himself lifted up so that by the cross the world of hurt is healed. The nasty may live next to the nice in John’s vision, but the end of the dream is an invitation to the thirsty to “Come” and receive the water of life as a free gift. And if the disciples satisfied in Christ live as one the world might notice and in noticing might desire to live differently, which is to say, more like disciples who live as one.
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My perspective on the nature of the gospel message has been slowly turning over the past few years. The bias to see the gospel as something we have to actively receive and believe to appropriate is heavy in our theology and proof-texting. But Wright offers great wisdom when he counsels that the gospel is more of a proclamation of what is already true and opening people's hearts to live according to what is already true. Or, as you say, "do... because we are saved".
ReplyDeleteAs St. Augustine wrote we are becoming what we already are, children of God. Or I've asked and answered it this way. What did you do to get saved? Nothing. What will you do because you are saved? Everything.
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