2 Easter Saved as Family

Second Sunday Easter Homily

Acts 4:32--35     Psalm 133     1 John 1:1-2:2     John 20:19-21

We were created to be the children of God. The Original Blessing was lost in Eden, but in Jesus Christ a New Family is created. Salvation is life as church—the ones called together in Christ and sent out into the world to gather all creation into His family.

The sin of Adam produced individuals who are at odds with one another, sometimes violently. On the cross, Jesus—the lonely victim of human injustice and violence—absorbed this sin and took it to the grave. In the resurrection, God declared victory over human foolishness and sin and offered a second chance to become the family of God.

Out of love, God has chosen to make humans the lords of the world. We are given responsibility for its brokenness and healing. He is with us, but it is also our work. Too often we prefer to simply blame God for the earth’s troubles, "we act as those who have no sin." (1 John) Sin, however, is very real.

This is why Jesus (Gospel) gives the church the Holy Spirit and the power to forgive sins. It is a huge scandal, even many Christians refuse to believe it is true. “Only God can forgive sins,” they piously declare. Yes, and God forgives through the church: “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven, whose sins you retain are retained.”

Thomas believed because He saw Jesus. He was among those, in the letter of John “[who] declare to you what was from the beginning.” They tell us “what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands.” Salvation, like sin, is tangible. Salvation, like the church, happens in a flesh and blood world. The theosis transformation into the sons and daughters of God happens in the ordinary events of our daily lives. It is why Jesus became one of us.

We are not angels, we are humans, wonderful, horrible, sinful, grace-filled humans.  And salvation is family life—the family of God in Jesus. It requires lots of repentance and lots of forgiveness.

So we pray Psalm 133 with the pilgrims walking to Jerusalem. The oil on Aron the priest and dew on Mount Zion, tangible reminders of what is good and pleasant when God is among us. The reunion of Jacob’s family, a sign of all humanity gathered in love as God promised Abraham, what God has achieved in the Risen Lord in the church already, and better days are coming.