"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." (John 13:34)

Welcome to Prime Timers, a Christian Education Group at St. Martin's for Episcopalians aged fifty and above. We are following a course of study based on the Revised Common Lectionary. You are invited to join us in the Parlor near the church offices, Sunday after the 9:00am service, 10:15am to 11:00. A warm welcome, with coffee and donuts, is available to all.

Masolino da Panicale, Healing of the Cripple and Raising of Tabatha (right view), 1426-27, Fresco, at the Cappella Brancacci, Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence

Prime Timers Celebrate Good News

We celebrate our members Good News at Prime Timers with a $1 contribution to Henny Penny, our Good News chicken. Periodically Henny donates the money she collects to a charity, currently the Amistad Mission in Bolivia. Today Marty gave thanks for the simply gorgeous day this morning. Murray congratulated his daughter for her achievements in architecture at school. And Anne told us her grandson got a 98 on his biology exam.

Check your calendar!

The Prime Timers monthly get-together will be at Fadi's Grill, on Westheimer just east of Dunvale. Dinner organizer Lynn was looking for "Jesus food" to celebrate Jesus and Easter, and Fadi's specialty is Mediterranean food! Dinner is Tuesday, April 27 at 6:30pm. Let Lynn know if you are coming by calling her at (281) 495-3832.

The Loving Shepherd

Carol Hartland led the Prime Timers today on Good Shepherd Sunday. Our reading from the New Testament is John 10:22-30, where the Jews confront Jesus, asking him to say plainly whether he is the Messiah or not. Jesus responds with a metaphor about sheep, and of course Jesus is the great shepherd. Today's lectionary readings are full of sheep and shepherds, including Psalm 23. The modern version we read from the New Revised Standard Edition just does not have the poetry of the one we grew up with, so here is the King James Version:

¹ The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.

³ He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil:
for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Carol described a video she saw about some Christians re-enacting the events of Jesus' crucifixion in Jerusalem and how the Israeli police stopped the procession temporarily, apparently just to do it. Murray pointed out that many of the Christians in this area are Arabs! Carol recalled the story of the Maccabees. This is the story of four brothers, heroes, who mount a campaign during the tumultuous years of 175-143 BCE to prevent the eradication of Judaism by the Seleucid empire! Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV plundered the temple and outlawed the religious practices of the Jews. This leads to the first Jewish war of independence and three generations of Mattathias's (Maccabeus means "the hammer") fighting for independence from the Seleucids. This is chronicled in the books of 1 - 4 Maccabees. These books are part of the Apocrypha, or hidden, books not part of the Bible and it gets complicated which books are in which editions! 1 and 2 Maccabees, for instance, are part of the Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew bible. While there are four books of Maccabees the first is considered the closest to a historical record.

Sheep are in Revelation 7:9-17 as the people are promised (Rev 7:16-17) Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. ¹⁷ For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Finally there is Acts 9:36-43 with Peter continuing Jesus work and miracles, raising Tabitha from the dead.

In the notes for our class, Dr. Terry Parsons says:

“How does one get to be one of those sheep who knows the Master’s voice, a member of the flock that cannot be snatched from his hand? The Gospel suggests that we need to act as though believing is a choice, the product of a free will rather than the prize in a debate. The time comes when evaluating the evidence
must end. Eventually all the questions we have to ask become evidence only of our own procrastination. The deep chasm of uncertainty that stands between the known and the possible has no bridge except our own choice to believe.”

Carol concluded class with a short prayer.

The Readings for Sunday, May 2nd are from Lectionary Year Three, Easter 5-C, "The Son of Man is Glorified"

The Readings for this week are Acts 11:1-18; Psalm 148; Revelation 21:1-6 and John 13:31-35. The text this week is from the King James Version.

Acts 11:1-18

¹ And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. ² And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, ³ Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. ⁴ But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, ⁵ I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me: ⁶ Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. ⁷ And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. ⁸ But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. ⁹ But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. ¹⁰ And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven. ¹¹ And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me. ¹² And the spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house: ¹³ And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; ¹⁴ Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. ¹⁵ And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. ¹⁶ Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. ¹⁷ Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? ¹⁸ When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

Psalm 148

¹ Praise ye the LORD.
Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights.

² Praise ye him, all his angels:
praise ye him, all his hosts.

³ Praise ye him, sun and moon:
praise him, all ye stars of light.

⁴ Praise him, ye heavens of heavens,
and ye waters that be above the heavens.

⁵ Let them praise the name of the LORD:
for he commanded, and they were created.

⁶ He hath also stablished them for ever and ever:
he hath made a decree which shall not pass.

⁷ Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:

⁸ Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:

⁹ Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:

¹⁰ Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:

¹¹ Kings of the earth, and all people;
princes, and all judges of the earth:

¹² Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:

¹³ Let them praise the name of the LORD:
for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.

¹⁴ He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD.

Revelation 21:1-6

¹ And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. ² And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying,

Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

⁴ And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

⁵ And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

⁶ And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

John 13:31-35

³¹ Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. ³² If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him. ³³ Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. ³⁴ A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. ³⁵ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

NIV

Many thanks to the Web Gallery of Art for the photo of the medieval fresco depicting Peter raising Tabitha from the dead.