Bible Study: Easter 3 (B) – 2012

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Acts 3:12-19

Peter has just healed a man on the front steps of the Temple in Jerusalem. Seeing the astonishment of the crowd at this healing, Peter makes a clear point that God did the healing – not Peter, who is merely an agent of God’s healing. In fact, God did something even more miraculous – the people rejected Jesus and turned him over to the authorities to be killed, but God raised Jesus from the dead. Peter tells the crowd that because of these events, they should repent and turn to God.

• As we move through the Easter season, in what ways is God calling you to newness of life? Is it through the miraculous? Or is it through the mundane, instead?

Psalm 4

We have all been a part of this dialogue at one time or another. Calling to God for help, and hearing God call us to repentance. God is faithful to his people, whether we dishonor his glory, worship dumb idols, or wish for better times. Even in those times, we are told to trust in God and offer the appointed sacrifices. God has plans for us and is working them out. As a result, we can lie down in peace.

• This psalm has characteristics of a lament. Is there a part of you that is praying a lament? What stands in the way of lying down in peace?

1 John 3:1-7

Christians are children of God, and that sets us apart. The world does not understand us, which should not surprise us, because the world did not understand Jesus. As God’s children, we have a special identity and special role in the world. We are a sign of the Reign of God, whether the world understand the Reign of God or not. We can take solace that God will be revealed in God’s time.

• How can the Church, and we as the members of the Church, take our place as the children of God in this world? How can we better live into this identity? How should our lives be ordered so that all of God’s children can come within God’s loving embrace?

Luke 24:36b-48

How would we respond if the Risen Jesus appeared in the room? I suspect that we, like the disciples, would be “startled and terrified” and would think we were seeing a ghost.

Jesus’ response to their doubts is lovely – he asks for a bite to eat. He sees their doubts, and rather than dwell on them, he seeks to show them how real he is by behaving in the most natural way possible, asking for a snack. He asks them for what they can give him at that moment in time.

• Where does Jesus appear in our lives today? I suspect we often do not notice, which may be worse than doubting. What do we need to do so that we can notice Jesus when he appears? What stands in the way of our seeing Jesus?

If we notice him, he may just stay awhile and open our minds to the scriptures – all while partaking in what we have to offer him, broiled fish or maybe something more.