ICF - Professions of Faith

Sunday 27th April 2025 - 2nd Sunday of Easter

Acts 5:27-32 Revelation 1:4-8 John 20:19-31 Psalm 118:14-29
(Alternatives: Psalm 150)

In today's Gospel reading, a congregation might be encouraged to notice that the risen Jesus nonetheless chooses to show his followers the wounds and scars of his crucifixion. This reality is underlined through the subsequent interaction between Jesus and Thomas. This might be developed to consider the dual reality of Christian discipleship. One the one hand, the gathered apostles are confronted with the overwhelming reality of Christ's resurrection, then commissioned and empowered by the Holy Spirit to be those who make this reality known. Yet it is a scarred and wounded Jesus who commissions them, signalling that Christian discipleship is not without cost.

This reality is borne out in the experience recounted in the reading from Acts. The response of Peter is a clear and profound fulfilment of Christ's earlier commission, and a clear re-statement of the fundamental truths that the upper room encounter embodied. Yet it takes place in a context of opposition and hostility. This offers two possible strands of thought that might be further developed.

Firstly, a congregation might be invited to consider the contexts in which they are commissioned to make the message of the risen Christ known. For some this may well be a challenging and difficult environment, and so prayers for strength and encouragement might be usefully shared.

Secondly, we might recognise the role of the council as a civic body. Thus a congregation might be invited to recognise those who work in local and national government, civic authorities etc. We can recognise that they too will often face difficult decisions that might not align with the values and beliefs of our own faith community. It might also be recognised that the council in Jerusalem had a civic and religious identity. What role does our church today have in civic society and local community affairs? This question might well help identify both challenges and opportunities in this respect.

Those who use Psalm 150 have an obvious opportunity to focus on and celebrate various musical professions. The catalogue of instrumentalists might also lead to considering the dynamics of harmony and teamwork that are necessary in a successful ensemble. While not everyone will be a musician, work and enterprise requires similar dynamics to be successful and fulfilling. We might notice how the Psalm interweaves these human interactions with the praise and worship of God. How might our human interactions in the various spheres of our lives bring glory to God?