Reading: 1 Peter 1:17-23. Gloria and her husband Glen lived in one of the posh sec­tions of a Los Angeles suburb. The wealth Glen inherited from his family enabled him and Gloria to live in luxury, which both of them enjoyed as much as anything in their lives. Glen died in his early fifties of a stroke, and after Gloria had mourned properly for a decent length of time, she was determined to make their house one of the best in the city of upscale homes. Her late husband’s wealth continued to fuel her dreams and she used much of it to complete her dream house.

“It’s my life,” she would declare to visitors who came to see her and her house. “It’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of,” she repeated over and over to a succession of friends and an increasing number of people who were just curious about her place.

Yet not too far from her mansion lived Stan and Betty, an older couple whom Gloria and her late husband had known years ago. They lived in a modest three bedroom house which was comfortable but not pretentious. Since they were both now retired, they spent some of their spare time making minor repairs and touching up the paint job from time to time. But their house was not all they lived for. It was a dwelling, and it kept them safe from the elements. That was how they viewed their house.

That basic difference in their viewpoints became obvious when the tragic fires hit the hills of Los Angeles. The fires start­ed in several locations, some probably from natural causes, others perhaps intentionally set. In any case, the great fires wreaked havoc on a large number of people in the hills of the suburbs of Los Angeles.

When the brush fires, fueled by high winds, found their way to Gloria’s house, she was away on a brief trip. But she heard about the fires before returning home. The news reports put the fires in her neighborhood. “If I hear the fires have destroyed my house,” she told her friends before returning home, “that will be the end of me – there’s nothing left. Noth­ing.” She cried uncontrollably for a few moments, then repeat­ed, “I have nothing to live for if my house is gone. Nothing.”

Meanwhile Stan and Betty were told by authorities they must evacuate immediately because the fires would soon en­gulf their neighborhood. After they had moved to a safe area, they watched the fires slowly eat their way from one house to the next. They were silent as the flames licked their house and in a short time reduced their house and possessions to ash­es. They held hands and said nothing for a moment.

Finally Stan said, “It was only a house...wasn’t going to last forever anyway, was it, honey?”

Betty said softly, “It served us well while it lasted.” She paused and then added, “We’ve got some things that are far more lasting than that house anyway. We’ve got each other.” She paused again for a moment, “and we’ve got our faith in God.”

“Fires can’t take those things away, can they?” Stan re­plied. There were a few tears in their eyes. Stan squeezed her hand ever so lightly.

-- Merle G. Franke

Lectionary Tales for the Pulpit

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LIVING OUT THE EASTER JOY

In his first letter, the Apostle Peter not only calls us to live out our salvation, but he also offers us practical help in how we can do it. Opening the first reading on this Sunday, Peter reminds us that we should live the life on earth as those strangers. According to Peter’s words, as Christians, our major citizenship is not any nation of the world. Our highest calling is to give our primary fidelity to God and his kingdom. Living under the teaching of Saint Peter, we consider ourselves merely pilgrims or strangers on earth. This is our temporary dwelling place. We have a citizenship in the kingdom of God which is eternal.

As Peter speaks about this concept, he reminds us of who God is and who we are. We should remember Who it is that we call upon as Father. He is the One who judges each one’s work without partiality. With this in mind, we should conduct ourselves in reverent fear. However, the kind of fear which Peter suggests is not caused by emotional infirmity. It is a healthy of fear. Perhaps, we should understand the word “fear” as “awe.” We should be in awe in the way we live in the presence of God. We need to live in constant recognition of who God is and who we are.

Peter suggests we need to live not only as strangers, but as those who have been redeemed by Jesus Christ. He says that we have not been redeemed by the “futile conduct” handed on by our ancestors. Why? It is because one generation can only pass down the temporary things of life from one generation to another. We come into this world with nothing, and we leave this world with nothing. Peter suggests that even gold and silver are ultimately perishable. Yet, these things are ultimately vain. They provide a false sense of security. All we have gained in life is lost except for eternal salvation for those who have trusted in Christ.

In comparison to eternity, Peter states that our salvation has not been bought with the best of temporary materials like silver or gold. Our salvation has been bought with the incomparable eternal – the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. In other words, we have been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. This blood was given by the Lamb of God.

Peter continues by stating that Jesus “was known before the foundation of the world.” That is, he did not shed his blood on the Cross by accident nor by a terrible mistake wrought by hateful, sinful persons. His death and the shedding of his blood was the plan of God from the beginning of the world.

Because we have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, we are to live with our faith and hope in God. Through him we have come to believe in God. This God is the One who raised Jesus Christ from the dead.

The teaching of the Resurrection of Christ is central in the proclamation of Peter. He understood the significance of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ not only in theological concepts but through his personal experience. He knew the agony, the sorrow, and the disillusionment that he experienced after he had denied his Lord.

Peter also knew the joy of the Resurrection. It was he who ran with John to the tomb where Jesus had been laid – it was empty. He saw the resurrected Christ. His broken relationship was healed, and once again he walked with Jesus.

Peter knew even more about the Resurrection of Christ on the Day of Pentecost when he was filled with the Holy Spirit. The resurrection power of Jesus Christ flooded into his life. He was able to minister in the power of the resurrected Christ.

With all of this wonderful resurrection power and glory of Christ, we should be those who live with our faith and hope in God.

Faith is the grasping of Almighty power,

The hand of man laid on the hand of God –

The grand and blessed hour

In which the things impossible to me

Become the possible, O Lord, through You.

Therefore,

Put your trust in God; in duty’s path go on;

Walk in His strength with faith and hope,

So shall your work be done.

Commit your ways to Him, your works into His hands,

And rest on His unchanging word who heaven and earth commands.

Rev. Linh N. Nguyen