Fourth Sunday of Easter
A Lot of Nerve

Last week we saw how the disciples rejoiced to suffer for their faith. This week we see them turn away from their persecutors and begin preaching to the Gentiles. Even though they are thrown out of town, they still are filled with joy (Acts 13:50–52). Rejected by their own people, they are happy that the pagans not only listen to them, but also spread the word of the Lord. What I find interesting is that the disciples’ joy comes from their failure to convert the Jewish leaders in Antioch. If those Jews had become believers and had not rejected Paul and Barnabas, the disciples probably would never have thought to preach to non-Jews about Jesus.
I think that failure to convert their own people allowed them to see how God’s power was working for them. That’s why their joy was so great. They were not just congratulating themselves on how well they were preaching. No, they saw how God was doing the real work. That took the pressure off of them. They could stop worrying about every word of their preaching, wondering if they looked holy enough to impress people, or afraid that someone might make fun of them (or do a background check: “Isn’t that Saul, who used to persecute Jesus’ followers? He’s got a lot of nerve thinking he could now be one of them.”). None of that mattered, because they knew that the Spirit was leading them, as our second reading says, “to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17). They knew they were in God’s hands, as we heard in the Gospel (John 10:28).
Can we be like those disciples? Instead of getting angry at frustrations, can we see them as an opportunity to experience God’s grace? Do we let our failures get us down, or do we let God bring us through them, teaching us to rely on the Lord? When people reject us, do we give up, or do we trust God to help them? Are we ashamed of our past sins, or grateful for God’s forgiveness?
Of course, the disciples didn’t go around looking for ways to suffer. But they did look for ways to share their great news that Jesus is risen from the dead. Let us ask the Lord to send us the Spirit to show us how we can spread that same news.
Tom Schmidt

Short Version

Last week we saw how the disciples rejoiced to suffer for their faith. This week we see them turn away from their persecutors and begin preaching to the Gentiles. Even though they are thrown out of town, they still are filled with joy (Acts 13:50–52). What I find interesting is that the disciples’ joy comes from their failure to convert the Jewish leaders in Antioch. If those Jews had become believers and had not rejected Paul and Barnabas, the disciples probably would never have thought to preach to non-Jews about Jesus.
I think that failure to convert their own people allowed them to see how God’s power was working for them. That’s why their joy was so great. They were not just congratulating themselves on how well they were preaching. No, they saw how God was doing the real work. And that took the pressure off of them. They could stop worrying about every word of their preaching, or being afraid that someone might make fun of them. (“Isn’t that Saul, who used to persecute Jesus’ followers? He’s got a lot of nerve thinking he could now be one of them.”) None of that mattered, because they knew that the Spirit was leading them. They knew they were in God’s hands, as we heard in the Gospel (John 10:28).
Can we be like those disciples? Instead of getting angry at frustrations, can we see them as an opportunity to experience God’s grace? Do we let our failures get us down, or do we let God bring us through them, teaching us to rely on the Lord? Of course, the disciples didn’t go around looking for ways to suffer. But they did look for ways to share their great news that Jesus is risen from the dead. Let us ask the Lord to send us the Spirit to show us how we can spread that same news.
Tom Schmidt