Fifth Sunday of Easter (A)—Acts 7:55–60; John 14:1–14

 

Rembrandt: The Stoning of Saint Stephen

(1625, first signed painting, age 19) 

Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon

Acts 7:55-60

Prelude to a Fall

Who knows if Saul, in seeing Stephen's faith so strange,

Was set to wond'ring if he simply was deranged,

Or if forgiveness was some quality divine

In Jesus that, in Stephen had life redefined?

I think he wondered, as he pondered what to do,

If all his zeal was misplaced, which next construed

A twinge of doubt in what he'd been, 'long with remorse,

Which then portended being knocked right off his horse.

Scott L. Barton

But filled with the Holy Spirit, [Stephen] gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he died.

 

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 John 14:1–14

 

 

Way, Truth and Life

I am the way, and I am the truth;

I am the life by which you may live;

Let no one say that for God to be real,

One must utter God's name; then God will give.

"Is that what I said? Oh no! Read the text!

Right! It's my way, how I lived that's the key;

My goal is never to make folks perplexed,

But if you live my way, surely you'll see

The Father who lives in me, living in you!

You'll have all you need; all you ask will come through."

Scott L. Barton

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it."