Seventh Sunday of Easter

7th Sunday of Easter (Sunday after Ascension Day) – Year B (RCL) 2009
Acts: 1: 15 – 17, 21 – 26; Psalm 1; 1 John 5: 9 – 13; John 17: 6 – 19
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Parish, Portland, OR
Sunday, May 24, 2009

STANDIN’ IN THE NEED OF PRAYER

Let us pray: God of truth and light we ask you this day to hold us in your light and bind us to each other in your truth. We are often tempted to live outside of – rather than live out your gospel message of love and truth. In the model of your Holy One, Jesus the Christ, you sent us the Word who taught us your words of truth and joy in you. Guide our hearts and our wills this day that we may look toward your Word for the promises which are fulfilled in Christ’s prayer that we all may be one. Fullfill in your people the good news which is proclaimed in your Easter joy. Amen.

(SUNG) STAND TOGETHER FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE,
WORK FOR WHAT MUST BE DONE.
LOVE EACH OTHER IN ALL THAT YOU DO,
TILL ALL MY PEOPLE ARE ONE.

One of the greatest gifts about being an ordained leader in the Christian faith is that people, all sorts of people from all walks of life – will ask you to pray for them and with them. In public services of worship – and in private moments in offices or hospital corridors, God’s people will ask you to direct their hearts and their souls toward the creator and lead them in prayer. It can be quite powerful to be left with the simple reality of another person’s fear and pain and then to translate that fear into words which address the very root of our heart, that is our connection with the God who loves us. To raise our mundane concerns into the petitions of the children of God, beseaching that God to act in powerful and healing ways in our lives and the lives of those whom we love, is an awesome responsibility. In the completion of the “farewell discourse” of the Author of John’s Gospel account of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth – that Jesus pauses before suffering and dying to lift those whom he loves to the heart of the God who loves them.

In the pericope for this 7th Sunday of Easter we reach the culmination of the farewell discourse and what has been called the great high priestly prayer. Jesus, knowing what is to come in following days pleads on behalf of those to whom will be entrusted the good news of the Kindom of God. In that prayer, which can seem wordy and stiff to the 21st century hearer – Jesus lays out all that has been done through his ministry and asks God to protect and sanctify those who will carry on the work of the Gospel. As I was reading this prayer and meditating on its message to me – I was struck by the author’s use of the word – Word. Two different Greek words are used to connote the different meanings which the author wishes to covey to the audience of Jesus’ use of ‘word’. The first, and most common one for this author is Logos. We are most familiar with that concept of Logos or word –from the prologue of this Gospel account. “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.” It is this Logos meaning to which the Church has assigned the concept of the Word become flesh and dwelling among us. The other Greek phrase which is translated is rhemata – which is perhaps better translated as “words” more along the context of those words being “commands” or “precepts” which are laid down to be followed. So, in this Gospel when Jesus refers to the “word” (singular) it might be taken in the context of the entire message which Jesus conveys in his ministry (logos); and when the phrase words (plural) is used Jesus is referring to those teachings which should be regarded as precepts or commands to be remembered and followed. Re-reading this morning’s High Priestly prayer in that context can help to open some new insight. Jesus is not claiming as might seem a little presumptuous that the disciples now understand all of the words which Jesus gave them. In fact, we know that at this point in the narrative they do not; and that they are far from understanding all that Jesus has done so far and will do for them in the next few hours. Rather, Jesus is praying for them and pointing out to God that they have received the Word – and have faith that the Word is from God, and is God. Jesus knows, as God knows, that the followers will be challenged in the days, weeks, months, years, decades, centuries and millenia before them to understand all that has been told to them. Yet Jesus also knows that God’s message in the Word will reach out to the corners of the earth and beyond because of this rag tag group of believers, filled by the power of the Holy Spirit which God will send to them. For the success of that mission and ministry – Jesus prays that, “they may be one, as we are one.”

(SUNG) STAND TOGETHER FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE,
WORK FOR WHAT MUST BE DONE.
LOVE EACH OTHER IN ALL THAT YOU DO.
TILL ALL MY PEOPLE ARE ONE.

This prayer for “unity” is a large part of the message which the author of the Gospel has Jesus convey in the farewell discourse. The cultural and societal context for this emphasis would be evident in the struggles that the Johanine community was having with the rest of the Church in Jerusalem and the Mediteranian. The Christian community out of which the Author of John’s Gospel account arises was deeply divided from the rest of the early Church in its undertandings of Jesus’ ministry and mission. Still, that community knew that the central message of the Logos or Word that dwells among them was the same for all believers. That essential truth was the Jesus the Christ was the son of God and that belief in that truth would lead to eternal life for all who followed. The particulars of how that Word was revealed, and how the followers would interpret the meaning of the words which Jesus spoke was up for discussion – the essential truth was not.

In contrast to that early Johanine community which we read about in the Gospel narrative – we hear a story this morning from the Lukan community which was struggling to figure out how to carry on the message of the Good News of God in Christ. From the Luke/Acts account this morning we hear the story of the succession planning of the Apostles. Desiring to have the full complement of Apostles, the gathered leaders discern a means to replace the Iscariot Judas – who as we know despaired and took his own life after the betrayal of the Messiah. The gathered eleven, soon after the Ascension, decide that they must devise a method for choosing another Apostle to carry on the important work of the community. Two individuals are proposed to fill the spot. Note, please, that no declaration of “purity” of theological or Christological understanding is required of the nominees. Leaders from among them who are respected and admired are offered for consideration and the new Apostle is chosen after prayer by the casting of lots. Can you just imagine the sense of relief on the part of Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus? I trust that both of the individuals named in the reading went on to fruitful and distinquished carrers in the Episcopacy – though the narrative does not specify that. The important point being made by the author of the narrative, is that the work of the Gospel needed to be done. The individuals whom God and God’s Holy Spirit will lift up for that work, need to be respected and admired members of the community – nothing more and nothing less. We have, in our perpetuation of the institutional Church created such barriers for those who wish to serve in God’s vineyard – perhaps we would be better served by the casting of lots. Members of our Bishop Search Committee, and the voting delegates of Convention take heed.

In all seriousness though – Jesus’ prayer whether “high priestly” or not – was a heartfelt pleading to God to care for and protect, to support and sanctify those whom Jesus would make responsible for the continuation of the Good News. Jesus knew what they and we would face in a world which would be hostile at best to the threat to its power. Jesus knew and knows the temptations and taunts which the evil in our world will throw against the power of good. In this farewell prayer, Jesus asks God to protect and defend, to set apart and sanctify that rag tag band of believers who would stumble their way to the resurrection moment. As they grew in number and confidence they would haltingly and boldy proclaim the Good News of God in Christ. They would challenge the religious and political powers of their day and speak truth to power. Emboldened by the power of God’s Holy and life giving Spirit they would change the face of the world – and leave it in our hands to continue the work. As Jesus prayed that prayer for them – so Jesus continues to intercede with God on our behalves. As we gather in Jesus’ name to do the work which we have been given to do, we also must realize that the message of unity – not the message of conformity – is essential to our success in witnessing to the evil of the world that God’s Good News continues to shape our hearts, our minds and our institutions. We are all one as children of God. Our job as the Church is to proclaim to a world which wants no part of truth – that we witness to Truth made manifest in the Christ. It is that Christ who was sanctified so that we may also be sanctified in truth, who calls us to live out in unity the example of Christian comitment to the poor and downtrodden of our world. It is that Christ who sanctified himself so that we may also be sanctified in truth, who calls us to live out in unity the good news of relief to those who are held captive and freedom to those who are bound in slavery. As we witness to the power of that sanctified Christ in our hearts, in our lives and in our Church – we continue Jesus’ prayer that we may be one as Christ and Creator are one.

(SUNG) TILL ALL GOD’S PEOPLE ARE ONE.


Amen.