Easter 2C April 27, 2025
John 20:19-31; Acts 5:27-32; Revelation 1:4-8
I want to begin with a story. It was 2007. I had given notice to my work and our family (Andrew and two children) took off to Tasmania for a driving holiday. We were in Hobart for the AFL grand final and watched Geelong win by a record margin,119 points over Port Adelaide.
From there we visited Russell Falls in Mount Field National Park and then we enjoyed a glorious drive through the Central highlands. Our plan was to stop in Strahan, but we hadn’t booked ahead and there was nothing available for four people for under $300. So we drove on. Zeehan was full up, and once more we drove on. The next town was Rosebery. Rather than hunt around in the dark we went straight to the local pub and asked their advice. We were kindly directed to Tullah, where there was a mining camp converted into accommodation. $90 for four beds in very basic quarters, just what we wanted! Having arrived in the dark we had no idea of our surrounds – so you can imagine our surprise and delight to arrive at the breakfast hall and be wowed by the vista of a large lake before us. It was an unexpected and wonderful revelation – for us a totally new vision!
This is what John is doing – he is writing to the seven churches which are in crisis. He writes of a new vision, where the Empire of God comes to its full reign through Jesus, the Christ.
It will be helpful to note that John is writing at a time when the Roman Empire is at its most cruel and destructive, a madman (likely Nero) is Emperor, violent, paranoid, and very dangerous. John recognises the dire vulnerability of these churches and reminds them that God’s got this. In this sense John is writing a pastoral letter.
In the power of the resurrection, Jesus, in his death likened as the lamb that went to the slaughter, (not as sacrifice, but as slaughtered innocent) this same Jesus now reigns supreme with God, and the evil empire will soon be brought to justice. Death and violence will not have the last say in God’s kingdom.
John is sharing his vision of a just and peaceful world for each of the cities – which can be extrapolated to all Christian communities. It is also worth noting the letter is ‘Revelation’ in the singular, – just one vision, not ‘Revelations’ as it is often mistakenly called.
Revelation is written in letter form – intended to be read aloud as one letter in the worship of God.
The introduction tells us that the author is addressing seven Christian communities in Asia Minor – modern day Türkiye – with the vision of all that Jesus will bring.
Speaking of vision and new life I want to share some aspects of an exhibition I attended on Friday at Heide, the Museum of Modern Art in Heidelberg. The exhibition was called Blak In-Justice. It featured the work of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have been in prison. The Torch is an organisation that supports Aboriginal people to make art while in prison, helping them to give expression to their pain, but also their hopes and dreams for a just and peaceful world.
The art program helps artists find or recover aspects of their identity in profound and life-giving (life-saving) ways.
Incarceration is seen as a sort of tomb of death from which new life emerges.
A documentary was screened where a number of the artists in the program voiced their gratefulness to the program and the transformation in their lives. They spoke of how The Torch program helped them form community, strengthen identity and develop self-worth.
Image 1: Judgement by Peers. Gordon Syron, 1978.
Syron had requested that there be Aboriginal people on the jury which was serve at his trial. He was allocated an all-white jury which found him guilty. His artwork imagines a scenario where the colours are reversed.
Image 2: Deaths in Custody
Each death a person, a family member, a friend, each death counted.
Image 3: Brothers – Prodigal Son 3, 2020 – Tony Albert made a series of stained glass windows characterised by young Aboriginal men with target symbols on their chests. It gives voice to Albert’s own experience of being a target, but has something to say about sainthood and perhaps martyrdom, the title offering a sense of hope and return home.
Image 4: The Visit, Julie Dowling, 2002
Note the background is within the confines of a prison yard. The visiting relatives are depicted as bringing ‘Country’ with them, with peace and hope in a better future. From the dead, prisoner lives are given new hope, new life, a chance to be restored to family, and Country.
https://collection.artgallery.wa.gov.au/objects/22885/the-visit
Each of these artists envision a world where God’s kingdom is more complete, where people are reconnected to kin and country, where the justice system is just.
With the booing at the dawn service at the Shrine of Remembrance, when Uncle Mark Brown gave a Welcome to Country, I felt sadness for our indigenous family, I felt sadness for our country where people are becoming more emboldened to be rude and cruel.
Through Jesus, God gives us a vision of a world in which all people have the opportunity to thrive.
With thanks to the Torch program, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander prisoners are given the opportunity to make amends for the past and step into a future freedom.
Our God, the Alpha and Omega, is at work opening up new vistas, new possibilities, new freedoms for all of creation.
We get to be witnesses to the resurrection in real and tangible ways.
The stone has been rolled away! The tomb is empty!
Christ is risen. He is risen indeed!
We are so blessed!