Readings for Fourth Sunday of Easter

• Acts 4:5-12 
• Psalm 23  
• 1 John 3:16-24  
• John 10:11-18

"Our Cornerstone," Rev. Fred KInsey
Peter and John, and all the disciples, were building their lives anew, in Jerusalem.  Jesus had told them to wait there, the day he ascended to the clouds, and they would receive a ‘new’ kind of power.  And after Pentecost, it started to come together.  They had built their lives on following Jesus, during his life.  But what were they to build their lives on, after he died and was raised, and on the 40th day, ascended to God’s right hand? 
 
In our reading from, The Acts of the Apostles, today, we see Peter and John filled with a new confidence in their building project.  A confidence they never quite had with Jesus, in the flesh. 
 
Sometimes, they had asked for power, like when John and James, the sons of Zebedee, who were once part of the family fishing business, asked for special places, to sit, one on either side of Jesus, in the kingdom to come; in their visions of that victorious Davidic kingdom! 
 
Peter had confidence too when he correctly named Jesus as the Messiah, in the midst of that swanky Roman resort town, on their northern border.  But all those moments of braggadocio, were short lived, as Jesus necessarily, and decisively, dashed their hopes, and corrected their false expectations.  All their dreams of being on easy street, becoming royalty and princes in a Davidic Shepherd-King monarchy were misplaced. 
 
Jesus didn’t even try, really, to let them down easy, but told them boldly, and directly, that these were visions of earthly kingdoms, built on faulty foundations.  Yes, they would learn more of the heavenly built kingdom if they continued to follow Jesus.  But they should know, his, was a servant-based model.  A kingdom and realm that challenged the earthly powers, built on human-made power, with the subversive power of God, built on communities of justice and love, and constructed in solidarity and faithfulness, with communal banquets for the poor, the humble and meek. 
 
John and Peter, once they received Jesus’ Spirit at Pentecost, the spirit of life, in this alternative, sharing, prophetic movement, spoke in a new way, now, says the writer of Acts.  They spoke, boldly!  Nothing enrages the earthly powers more than bold prophetic speaking, especially when it stirs up, and ignites, God’s people; when it, gives them, hope! 
 
Take Alexi Navalny!  He knew full well when he returned to Russia he would be arrested and thrown into jail.  Even though it was the Kremlin who tried to assassinate him by poisoning, not too long ago.  But because Navalny speaks boldly against the sins of Putin, against his falsely earned riches and the Herod-like power he wields, nothing could be more challenging.  Bold speech aimed in the right direction, can have the power of creation itself. 
 
And Navalny is not only popular at home but around the world.  His spirit, is much greater, than his fleshly existence.  As soon as he walked off his Lufthansa flight, he was arrested and put in a Soviet jail, and apparently, they are trying to poison him again, in there.  But world pressure has come to his rescue, at least for the time being.  Death and resurrection, takes many forms.
 
Peter and John are thrown into jail for speaking boldly about the power of, resurrection, forgiveness, and new life; and because all the people of Jerusalem were listening and thousands believed.  And the people believed, because, Peter and John healed a man that couldn’t walk, like Jesus had done. 
 
It was late in the day when they were arrested, so the authorities waited until the morning to bring them before the high court, and they asked Peter and John, not about resurrection, but about what power, what name, did they use to do this healing?  Because first of all, they couldn’t believe that Peter and John were speaking so well, so boldly, knowing that they were “uneducated and ordinary men.”  And secondly, where did they get this power, a power that was so very threatening to the high courts’ existence.  This was an ‘existential problem’ for the priests. 
 
But the power, “the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,” the crucified and raised one, Peter, was happy to tell them!  If it were, you and I, we might think we were being more crafty, if we didn’t say that, so, directly.  We might realize how it could get us in trouble in that situation – you know, if we spoke too boldly.  But Peter knew what he was doing.  He knew it was an existential problem, and that it could cost him.  He didn’t do it foolishly, but confidently.  Boldly, as a new servant-leader.  This name of Jesus, this power of Jesus, his Spirit, his gift and promise of resurrection for all, was so much greater than any threat, from the offended, confused, high court, that Peter was happy to talk about it, all day long. 
 
And so he did, inspired now, quoting Psalm 118: “this Jesus is ‘the stone that was rejected by you, the builders’…” that is, the high court that Jesus had roundly criticized for its worldly thinking and hypocrisy – the same rulers who were caretakers of the temple building.  And, “this stone that you rejected,” said Peter, still singing from his Psalm book, “has become the cornerstone,” a new foundation of a living building, the one by whom all “mortals,” of every nation, may find healing and salvation. 
 
And here, the high court had thought, in rejecting him, that they had saved their jobs and positions.  But now, the crucified one was clearly back, in a whole new form.  The spirit of Jesus had risen and taken residence in his disciples, and thousands of followers. 
 
So, Peter and John were, once again, following their Master and Lord.  Only now, finally, it was in spirit and truth, not with eyes closed, but with new eyes altogether, fixed on the for-real prize.  Peter and John were building their house, their lives, on the cornerstone, the cornerstone that they too, had rejected, not too many days before. 
 
Yet, that’s how they knew to, share the good news, to invite others, boldly – these priests included.  For like them, Peter and John had mistaken Jesus for a rival political power, but they had come to find, that the true Messiah was a cornerstone of a whole new building, of a new power rarely seen on earth, because its origin was from the heavenly realm, the Lord of Life – one who didn’t need to be in rivalry with anyone, or anything, else. 
 
Jesus is the stone that is a stumbling block for so many, who exposes false earthly-powers, but who is also at the same time, the foundation of a new temple, whose stones cannot be thrown down – a new spiritual construction that has no ending.  Jesus is that new cornerstone, that new temple.  If we follow, we build our lives on this crucified Messiah, the Savior of the world. 
 
For Peter and John, it was existential too.  It was life and death.  The authorities of this world could order them, to be crucified too, but Peter and John rested in the promise of, life in the new age, the promised resurrection that was already holding them up, and sustaining them every minute, of every day; the foundation and cornerstone that was their rock and their salvation; the new temple that they rejoiced in, and at whose feet they worshipped, and who they could talk about, without end. 
 
Let us build our lives on the sure foundation, the stone that is so often rejected, but which God has made the cornerstone of our very existence.  The foundation that holds us up, and lives and breathes, everywhere we go.  Jesus Christ of Nazareth, our life and our salvation.  

Readings for 3rd Sunday of Easter, 4/18/21

• Acts 3:12-19  
• Psalm 4  
• 1 John 3:1-7  
• Luke 24:36b-48

"Innocent Victim," Rev. Fred Kinsey
We kind of stumbled into the protest rally for Adam Toledo on Friday evening in Logan Square.  I thought it was supposed to be on Saturday, but the hoards of people walking down the boulevard past our apartment carrying, Justice for Adam signs, was unmistakable. 

We had already ordered our pizza from Reno, a restaurant right across from the Monument and public square where the protest rally was getting underway, so we quickly put on our coats and rushed out the door to join in.  Not ideal, but we had a half hour before our pizza was ready to pick up! 
 
It was by far the biggest rally I’d seen in Logan Square.  Bigger than last year’s BLM protests in the same spot.  Though, I would say, this was a continuation of that movement.  And, part of the growing attraction here, has been, you can easily march to Mayor Lightfoot’s house, which is just a few blocks away. So, this particular gathering wasn’t just 50 or 100 people scattered on one side of the LGSQ Monument, but was filled all the way around, and spilling out into the round-about street circling the Monument, where Milwaukee Ave, Logan Blvd, and Kedzie intersect. Police were out, redirecting traffic, all around, for blocks.  Most people were wearing face coverings, but around the Monument protestors were packed-in pre-pandemic style, and social distancing was scarce, except towards the fringes, where Kim and I found space. 
 
As we gazed at all the protest signs: No Justice, No Peace; Defund the Police, and Justice for Adam, amongst others, Kim reminded me how Daunte Wright’s mother had said, “there’s never going to be justice for us. [to me] Justice would bring our son home to us.”  And I recalled, that after Adam Toledo’s family had viewed the video, of his last moments of life, earlier in the week, the thing they urged Chicago to do now, was to focus on changing the systems that killed Adam: “The Toledo family implores everyone who gathers in Adam’s name to remain peaceful, respectful and nonviolent, and to continue to work constructively and tirelessly for reform,” as they stood in front of cameras they had never wanted to see.
 
The unyielding resoluteness, to yet another senseless death, this time of a young teenager, 13 years old, seemed to pervade this gathering, like a vigil as much as a protest.  Just a day after the tragic video was publicly released of the needless death of Adam, city officials were framing the shooting in ways to protect the police and demonize the child. 
 
But traumatized protestors were disbelieving.  Jasmine Rubalcava, who lives “minutes away” from where Adam Toledo was shot in Little Village, brought her four-year-old son to the [LGSQ] protest. Like many Chicagoans, she opted out of watching the footage, saying, “no matter what’s in the video, he didn’t deserve to die.”  (https://blockclubchicago.org/2021/04/16/thousands-march-in-chicago-to-protest-police-killing-of-13-year-old-adam-toledo-adam-deserved-to-live/ )
 
Karina Solano, an organizer with Únete La Villita, said, “Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing excused CPD having shot and killed him. Nobody deserves to die at the hands of the police, especially not kids. We don’t need to see the video to know that Adam deserved to live,” Solano said.  (ibid.)
 
It is this idea of ‘the innocent victim’ that theologian James Alison identifies in the gospels, and in our Gospel Reading from Luke today.  Jesus, the innocent victim, having been raised on the third day, just as he said he would, has revealed in his death and resurrection, the victory of love and peace and justice.  Nothing, nothing, nothing, can excuse the death of Jesus, the innocent victim.  Just as Peter says in his sermon from our Acts reading today: “Jesus…,” “the Author of life,”  whom you handed over and rejected… though he… [deserved] release,” you killed, and instead let go, a guilty man, Barabbas, in his place.  This is the fear of the families of George Floyd, Daunte Wright and Adam Toledo, but also of black and brown families everywhere, in America.  The fear of their sons, becoming ghosts.
 
When Jesus appears to the disciples, in the evening, on Easter day, according to Luke, they are still confused and not yet, the believing Apostles, as we think of them today.  Out of nowhere, Jesus suddenly stands among the disciples, like a ghost. And the first thing he says to them is, “Peace be with you.”  Because, they are startled!  You and I couldn’t do that, suddenly appear.  But Jesus addresses their fear, and the inner dialog they are having with themselves, still so full of confusion on this Easter resurrection evening. 
 
So, to assure them he’s not just a ‘spirit, a ghost,’ as was fairly common for people to do, then, and now, Jesus asks for something to eat to demonstrate he is more than a scary apparition.  They gave him a piece of broiled fish, which he chewed and digested before them. 
 
But his appearance as a New Being, an eschatological promise of new life, and the first-fruits of ‘the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come,’ had more meaning than the prosaic debate between, spirits and physicality. 
 
Jesus has returned like this, to confirm to them that he is the Messiah, the one who is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and thus, be our Lord of Life.
 
As Brian Robinette says, “The resurrection awakens true memory. It unseals the collective amnesia that has allowed us to suppress the injustice of our violent exclusions and expulsions,” as we did with Jesus, and like the world would have us do with Adam Toledo and Daunte Wright, and like we sometimes do to any person who is not allowed in as a full human-being, but is victimized.   
 
But, Robinette continues, “the risen One appears to [us] in the midst of an unbreachable divide to restore communication … and offer [us] a renewed innocence, a second innocence. This new innocence is the offer of forgiveness. Just as Peter welcomes those responsible for Jesus’ murder to embrace the forgiveness offered to them by God, so too do we find running[,] throughout the New Testament[,] the intimate association of resurrection, forgiveness, and newness of life.” 
 
And so precisely in our gospel today, the innocent victim, Jesus, inspires Luke to encourage us, “that repentance and forgiveness of sins are to be proclaimed in his name to all nations.” 
 
Why is it that the families, and especially the mothers of their black and brown sons, are the ones calling for peace, even amidst receiving the news of their own sons’ becoming “innocent victims?!” 
 
There is something that the mother’s, and families, and now even spreading to Chicagoans, and dare we say beyond, have experienced, in the loss of such unnecessary lynching’s.  The transformation through death and deep grief, comes only in walking through, anger, denial, depression and every other emotion, that creates in us a holy resolution, to somehow move forward, to demand not just justice, but, new life, a new reality, a well-deserved healing and peace, a new way of being. 
 
Never again do we want to see innocent victims!  And so, it’s on all of us to demand and create the change Jesus came to give us.  We can’t opt out because of white privilege; we can’t opt out even when our own dear child has been taken.  We can’t rest on our laurels, knowing that Jesus gave his life for us 2,000 years ago.  The ‘new life’ is a gift from God, but only if we make it into who we are, if we pray and work for it to come equally for all of us. 
 
As we see in our Gospel reading today, it’s almost impossible to understand Jesus in his resurrected body, that first-fruit of the new creation God is making, already, now, through him.  Was he spirit or flesh?  Ghost or person?  How could he be like us in the ordinary function of eating, but so unlike us in appearing and ascending? 
 
But what is possible, is to love Jesus and love the Word of God, and thus to share in the journey of ‘understanding’ how he is ‘fulfilling scripture’ as our ‘suffering’ Savior, and our risen “innocent victim.” 
 
In the midst of gathered communities every week, God is opening our hearts and minds to understand “that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations... You are witnesses of these things.”