Acts 4:32-35, John 20:19-31, Psalm 133, 1 John 1:1-2:2
The reality of unity
The resurrection brought the disciples together in unity in a way that couldn’t have seemed possible before Jesus’ death, with all the squabbles and struggles for positions of status that were going on back then. Sadly, one of the things that turns many people from the church and Christianity today is the division and arguments between and within denominations and congregations.
It’s not that the importance of unity wasn’t recognised until the resurrection – as Psalm 133 makes very clear. It expresses a deep, heartfelt yearning for unity. David, who probably wrote this Psalm, knew intimately the effect of factional divisions and splits between God’s people. Look at what happened before and during his reign as king – civil war and conflict between Israel and Judah, within his kingdom, and even within his own family. Yet David foresaw a time when ‘God’s people live together in unity’ and ‘the Lord bestows his blessing… for evermore’. This is David’s vision of the kingdom of God, which is finally fulfilled through Jesus’ resurrection.
The ‘dew from Mount Hermon, falling on Zion’s mountains’ is an image of unity. Mount Hermon was at the northern boundary of the Promised Land, whereas Zion was on the edge of Jerusalem – two of the most disparate parts of the kingdom sharing blessing from God. More specifically, Mount Zion and Jerusalem are relatively dry areas, whereas Mount Hermon has the highest precipitation in the country. David’s vision of divine unity among God’s people, with the sharing of unequally distributed resources, is prophetic, as he foresees the way in which the disciples in Acts live out the kingdom of God after the resurrection.
Psalm 133 is a meditative psalm that celebrates the unity of those who share spiritual life together. Though the psalm was originally designed to celebrate the unity of a group of pilgrims heading toward the temple in Jerusalem, it quickly came to be used to express the unity of the whole people of God around the earth.
Luke, in Acts 4:32, describes the togetherness of the community in the phrase, they were one in heart and mind. It was a common expression in the day. Luke also speaks of the ‘great power’ of the sharing of the good news to others by word of mouth which is matched in the collection and distribution of the community goods. By living this way they are being blessed by God, in a fulfilment of Psalm133.
Contrast
This is in stark contrast to the disciples’ behaviour in John 20:19, when they hid from the authorities. The resurrection became very real to them when Jesus showed up. Our reading focuses on Thomas who was not present at the initial appearance. But when Jesus returns the following week, Thomas responds with praise, making his profound theological statement on the status of Christ.
To help Thomas believe, Jesus showed him the scars in his hands and side and invited Thomas to touch them. Thomas recognised Jesus and believed. Jesus’ words were not spoken to shame Thomas, but rather to build his faith. There are different understandings across the church.
We westerners think “Thomas” and hear “doubt.”
Eastern Christians think “Thoma” and see “touch.”
Thomas was not satisfied with other people’s accounts: he wanted to know by experience, which raises issues of what it means to believe. When these things were written, belief did not mean believing – as in giving mental assent to – a set of doctrines. In both Greek and Latin the meaning was to give one’s heart to. 40 years ago, when we would explain the faith we would often turn to John 1:12 and make this very distinction between assenting and trusting. We would use the example of a chair. Do you believe this chair will hold you? Your belief is not real or active until you sit on it.
We have come full circle. In our lifetime, believing in Jesus used to mean believing about Jesus – believe what the church and the gospel said about Jesus. Now we prefer to think believing in Jesus means having a relationship with Jesus in the Holy Spirit. The same idea Luke, John and the others had when they were writing. So we continue to make the distinction between second hand religion: believing what someone or some book or some institution told you, and first hand belief – giving one’s self in trust and faith.
While writing this I picked up a couple of random examples of human generosity.
In the “Grand Designs” programme on Thursday evening the family building the featured house, in England’s Lake District, ran out of money and were about to lose it all when a woman heard of their plight and loaned them 400,000 pounds, enough to see the completion of their grand design.
In John Campbell’s programme on Friday night he reviewed the generosity of a number of Kiwis who contributed $90,000 in one night for a boy to get his teeth straightened. Enough for his younger sister’s treatment as well.
People certainly can be generous. I don’t know if these examples have a direct connection to the resurrection, but I suspect they have an indirect connection. In this third example the connection is direct.
Last Sunday Bronwen and I took our youngest son, Tim, to Taranaki where we stayed with the family of a good friend of his. We were readily received in a loving and hospitable Christian family and had a great time. Bron and I went for a drive on Monday but our car malfunctioned and the AA man put it on a truck and took it to the Midhirst Garage. Everyone was very helpful and we found that everyone in the area knows the man with whom we were staying, Cliff Johns. The mechanics worked on the car on Tuesday but it wasn’t fixed so we stayed another night. It still wasn’t fixed on Wednesday but a Christian man happened to pay Cliff a visit. When he heard of our situation he offered to lend us his car to get home and to drive ours up when it is fixed. He has family here on the Shore and visits them frequently so that wouldn’t be a problem. Our car still isn’t fixed – they’re waiting for parts – but that’s why we’re here and why there’s a Rav4 outside instead of our Bluebird.
Concluding
The reading from Acts addresses the real life effects of the Risen Jesus really present in and among the Christians in Jerusalem. They shared everything they had. They couldn’t (and didn’t!) stop telling people about the resurrection. And they made sure that no one among them had any basic needs (food, water, shelter, care if sick, etc.) that were not met. There was simply nothing like this happening anywhere else in the culture. Here was real, embodied, mutual love, power, and care that was undeniable and unmatchable – giving real witness that the Lord they declared in their words was actually alive and active in their midst.
And so it is today. A friend was discussing this with me and he referred to the “gentle, non-judgemental care” he has observed and experienced from certain Christians he knows (contrasting with those he called “fair-weather friends”) which helps him to believe, as he put it, “Jesus does not demand; he earnestly seeks the welfare and salvation of mankind. The offer is always there and it’s unconditional. Jesus promises everlasting life – new beginnings – new spiritual life, new physical life. Make a come-back with his spiritual power.” Find out for yourself as Thomas did.
Through the resurrection, which ultimately led to the coming of the Holy Spirit, the disciples were able to become like Christ. That can be our experience too. The unity and togetherness that the disciples found is a reflection of the unity that Jesus has with his heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit. The resurrection has the same power to change lives today as it did 2,000 years ago.
Pray: In a culture that prefers garnering to giving, it is difficult to imagine living such a radical form of discipleship. Teach us, O God, how to “wear this world loosely” so that we might care and share more with the human family.