Eastertide

May 30, 2019

Scripture Reading: Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21

‘See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone’s work.
‘It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.’
The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’
And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come.’
And let everyone who is thirsty come.
Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift. —Revelation 22:12, 16-17

The older I get the more I realize I want the Bible to say what I want it to say. I was raised by the world’s greatest egalitarian, my mother, who instilled within me early that there was no one on this earth I was better than and there was no one better than me. God loves all God’s children at the same level as individuals. The surgeon who removed the tumor is no more important to the success of the surgery than the staff who sanitized the operating room. And then I read Revelation 22:22 where Jesus promises to repay according to everyone’s work. Faith and Works have challenged each other for centuries in Christian thought and practice. I think the truth lies in their interdependence.

Ephesians 2:8–9 reads, For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast.

So what do we make of the above scripture from Revelation on rewards based on work? It seems to be stating what we say today: Christ models for us that when someone does something good for another, we need to pay it forward. Jesus received his reward and he wants to share it with everyone and he wants to repay it according to everyone’s work. Now what does that mean? If we accept the pay it forward idea, when Jesus shares his reward with us, we are to share that gift with others and that gift is somehow tied to our vocation or avocation in life. We are gifted by Jesus in ways that encourage or enable the outcomes of our labor.

Galatians 5:22-23 describes the fruits of the Spirit, which are among Christ’s gifts to us. They are love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. All are important in our building relationships with one another and with all others. Such gifts enable the oneness that is so very important to the actualization of the Kingdom of God. They are gifts of grace that embellish our works.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for compelling us to greater works still as our faith calls us to do all we can to be one with each other in a world ruled by love Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.