Giving the life of God to one another

This week I am continuing a sermon series on the passages from Acts that share the Easter story. Acts is a helpful guide to how to be a church, as this is the book that recalls how it all started and how it grew beyond Jerusalem to the world.

On Easter Day we thought about dawn, that time between darkness and light, when we are moving from one to the other. We heard how Mary met the risen Jesus in the garden, and how it dawned on her who she was talking to. We saw how Peter and John ran to the tomb in disbelief, and then on arrival “saw and believed” as the truth dawned on them too.

Last week we thought about how Jesus is in the repair business, taking what is broken and lovingly restoring it. There is no such thing as a lost cause in God’s world. Whether a set of circumstances or a person, a shattered dream or an unrealised expectation, all sit within the hands of the one who is in the restoration business.

This week that theme continues as our readings share a theme of giving life.

In the passage from Acts Peter is the channel that God uses to bring Tabitha alive. In the Gospel Jesus speaks of giving life to his sheep, life that Jesus himself receives from his Father.

There are a number of ways to consider “give life”. Perhaps a sense of sharing that which enlivens you, or lovingly giving of yourself to another, and also a giving up your life to save another.

Firstly, let’s consider a sharing of that which enlivens you. By which we mean that which gives us life, makes us feel alive, then shared with others that they may have that treasure too. For example, when we radiate the joy of receiving good news, or when laughter is infectious and makes others smile. Here we are thinking of those times when our cup is filled to overflowing, and then pours out into the lives of others.

And then there’s giving of yourself to another in trust, commitment, and love. When we make ourselves vulnerable, giving ourselves to serve other people as we care for them and improve their lives. For example, when we look after a person in need, when we help a child grow into adulthood, or when we offer direction to someone who is lost.

We are speaking here of the giving of ourselves to another, the sharing of our gifts and time, that someone else may benefit and live more fully themselves.

And then there is the giving of your life to save another, the ultimate act of sacrifice, where we exchange our life for theirs, dying that they may live. For example, as soldiers do during a war, or a passerby may do by throwing themselves into a raging river to save someone who is drowning.

So, three ways to consider “giving life”, a sense of sharing that which enlivens you, the giving of your gifts and time to help another live well, and the giving up of your life to save another.

The impression we get from the reading from Acts is that the widows who were mourning for Tabitha had been enlivened by her presence and had seen their lives improved by her gifts. Perhaps there were some who would even want to swap places with her, if it meant she would come back to their community.

In this passage we also see Luke telling a story that establish Peter’s credentials. Credentials as someone through whom God is doing remarkable work. Peter has given his life over to God, that God may work through Peter to transform the lives of those who Peter gives himself to. And as we will see in next week’s passage from Acts this remarkable work is for everyone.

The reading from John’s Gospel reminds us that Jesus came to both give life and to give his life. The life of love and light he shared with the Father, the life of “oneness” described in the passage. And because Jesus came to give life and to give his life that “oneness” with God is now ours to live too. Jesus has removed all the blocks that prevent us from living at one with God, and at one with our fellow human beings.

We are promised that God will guide us to springs that offer us the water of life, to opportunities to thrive and grow away from that which stagnates and withers.

We are promised that, as we give ourselves over to be the those through whom God is doing remarkable work, every tear will be wiped away from our eyes.

Jesus tells us that his sheep hear his voice and follow, and in following receive abundant life today and forever.

We can ask ourselves therefore, are we following the guide or going our own way? Are we growing and thriving or crying out for that which enlivens? Are we listening and following, or getting lost amongst the bracken and ditches? Are we stuck in that which entangles and traps?

Jesus is the gift of God that gives us life and frees us to give life to others. The unity we now enjoy with God, frees us to live in unity with all people.

As churches here in the West Tone Benefice this calls us to build relationships with one another, relationships that give life to one another. We are asked to build relationships with the community, that we may be a source of life to them. To quote Pope Leo, the Church must illuminate the 'dark nights of this world'.

As we read these passages from the Bible we receive the bread of life. We are receiving that which enables us to give of ourselves in the service to others. That bread of life which we receive is offered to us, that we might be one with God, and one with one each other. That we might have life to the full, and together share it with the world.