Readings: Acts 2:42-47; John 10:1-10
Matt and I caught up with some of our friends the other night for dinner. Helen works as a volunteer coordinator at one of the big hospitals. Just after she started all the managers got together for an orientation session where new staff give a small talk introducing themselves. This usually means a show and tell, providing details about family, interests, past jobs, and how they have ended up at the hospital. My friend gave hers, indicated she was married, had three daughters, liked camping and the outdoors and had pictures of the girls and rocks from the outback to prove it. The last item she showed was a cross, indicating she was a Christian and that this was an important part of her life and how she saw the world and lived in it. She did however qualify her faith statement with the fact she was not out to bible bash anyone, just in case they were worried. While she herself felt quite vulnerable announcing her Christian roots to the wider audience, many people afterwards and in subsequent weeks sought her out. They either talked to her about their current faith, their lapsed faith or just said that the way she dealt with her volunteers and the way she dealt with people in general was an inspiration to them and made them see Christianity differently.

Being a Christian today entails more than just words. It entails harmonising what we think, say and do into a complete whole that inspires, comforts, supports and changes the world in which we live, even if it is only the people we work with. While my friend is a Christian model to her fellow workers the readings today remind that Jesus is the ultimate model we follow. Jesus models what it really means to be God centred, and life giving, in a day to day setting. His setting may be 2,000 years old but there are some universal truths that are just as valid today as any time in history. Maybe that is why his earlier followers were called people of the way. Following Jesus was and is a way of life, not a set of rules.

In the reading from Acts we get a sense of what the early disciples thought of this way. Here was a new community, formed out of the life, struggle, suffering and death of Jesus. Out of that suffering came new life and established a new way of being. These disciples changed from a frightened, confused group who fled when Jesus was arrested, to a dynamic and radical community centred on prayer, fellowship and worship. A common life was born out of Jesus and enlivened by God’s spirit. An entirely new economic order also arose, a new way of thinking and living which affected their relationship to money and the distribution of goods. As a sign of this new relationship they prepared to sell everything they owned to give to those in need. Economics suddenly became a matter of faith and fellowship.

As it was for them so it is for us. Jesus is the good Shepherd who offers a more abundant life by transcending the rules of authority and the calls from phoney politicians, false religious leaders, greedy economists and a culture based on power and money. He instead leads us to a new space of friendship, sharing and service. His way transforms us so that we see the world differently and think and act differently. For us today this means that -

When we think of the poor we do not think of someone earning $150,000, which is rich by world standards.

When we think of love we do not think of one night stands and abusive relationships, which are destructive and harmful.

When we think of disagreements between nations we do not think of war, which only leads to despair and death.

When we think of compassion we do not think of what we will get in return but what we can give, and give and give.

When we think of inclusiveness we do not think of detention camps and a people whose length of life is 20 years shorter than every one else, but who we can welcome into our home and church and society.

When we think of justice we do not think of revenge, for revenge leads to more hatred.

When we think of community, we do not just think of our family, but to all of life, human and non human.

And when we think of hope, we do not think of a far off mystical place where all will be well. We look for hope in this world, with all it challenges and disappointments.

The earliest disciples engaged in radical, self denying action. Are we sufficiently inspired to do the same? Because once we have changed, have seen this new vision, there is no going back. We are people on the way.