Fifth Sunday of Easter

Readings for the 5th Sunday of Easter:

Acts 11;1-18

Psalm 148

Revelation 21:1-6

John 13:31-35

There are so many preaching paths suggested by the text for this Sunday.

Frm the Gospel there is the so called new commadment:

A new command I give you: Love one aother. As I have loved you, so you must love on another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples ...."

Several images spring out from the Revelation passage:

This apha and omega symbol uses the first and lst letters of the Greek alphabet to make thepoint that God is the first and the last - the beginning and end of creation - the fist word (Logos) and the last word (shalom) of creation - starting full of goood intentions and ending in perfect peace in spite of the "sin" of human being and because of the mercy of God.

From Revelation - some wonderful texts:

I saw a new heaven and a new earth
Now the dwelling of God is with people, and he will be with them. They will be his people, and God hismself will be with hem nd be their God. He will wipe every tear from teir eyes ....
He who sat on the throne said: "I a making everything new"
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning ad the End."
"To the one who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life."

This is called Jesus Weeps

http://www.newpantagruel.com/issues/1.2/janknegt/mansorrow.jpg

referring to the time Jesus wept overJerusalem.

It could have been Chester, Liverpool, Baghdad. We are called to leave Babylon - a name not to be taken literally, but meant to indicate the places where Jesus weeps - the places were relationships have broken down - recalling the story of the Tower of Babel which describes the building of a city nd the arrogance of te planners who thought hey could touch heaven itself with their design and work. The story goes that God had to do somethng abot their arrogance, so he gave them gift of languages - and none o them could understand one another. It as chaos - it was a babble. Arrogance and chaos remain features of our community life - Jesus weeps over it and wants us to leave it behind - for a new city - gift of God - his design and build.

NEW is a word which links the Revelation and Gospel redings. John sees "a new heaven and a new earth" - th old ones hae passed away, and he hears the voice from the throne of heaven (God) saying "I am making all things new"

This is continuing God's creation story. The old order needs to pass away as it has become corrupt. Then Jesus gives a new command for the new order of things. "A new command I give you: Love one another."

Martin Luther King commented that it as if God gives us a new house. The catch isthat we all have to share it. That's what make it necessary to have a new command - a new of beng with one another.

Radio 4 organied a reunion of the planners of Milton Keynes - a new city. They were all very young and ideaistic when the city was planned. Some dreams have been realised - others dashed.

They spoke of the opposition of the villagers who were going to have to bear the brunt of the change. There was a lot of opposition from them.

Raises the questions:

How would we go about planning a new city?

What would we put into it?

Would we oppose the changes?

Do we oppose the plans for the new cit/order God has?