Monday, April 21, 2025  

Today's Scripture
Acts 10:34–43

Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ — he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (NRSV)

Reflection

Much of my working life has involved telling stories — either writing them, editing stories that other people have written, or telling them to visitors who found me or had me for a tour guide. So it’s easy for me to look at these verses as a story, even as one of the first sermons. 

Peter seems to be disarming the modern saying “Consider the source” as he speaks here. “Consider the source” means “Think of who’s saying this” or literally “Think of where it’s coming from.” Peter gives his congregation guidance: The reminder (he is Lord of all) is just the beginning of assertions of what “you know” God did and what “you know” the disciples have witnessed.

But thinking as an editor, I can’t help noticing that Peter has left out the incidents he is so closely identified with in Holy Week. We know that before Jesus was put to death, Peter denied even knowing him. Some witness, right? 

But he was a witness — even “embedded,” we might say these days, right in the middle of the action. 

After all of the Lent and Holy Week stories of Peter’s adventures, here he is, preaching about what he’s gone though. It's as if he passed a great job interview and was chosen for more work. Can we say the same? How shall we say it and do it? 

Prayer
Heavenly Father, your Son Jesus saw human life in its roughest moments, and he triumphed. Send us now into new work, just as he received new life in resurrection. In the name of the risen Christ. Amen. 

Written by Margaret Laing, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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