2024 Seventh Sunday of Easter
Click here for service at St. Luke, Rensselaer
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
O Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my rock and my redeemer. Amen.
When I was in a classroom in my youth, I remember our class was shown a film about the behavior of bears. What stands out in my memory is the way in which Mama bear separated herself from her young. The younger bears were about 16 – 17 months old, Mama bear did what she often did with her cubs to protect them from harm while she went afield in search of food; she made them climb high up into a tree and told them in stern bear language not to come down. Then, without any warning, she went afield and kept on going never to return. The young bears, moved by their empty stomachs, eventually come down. When they do not find Mama, they begin their new life as bears without a parent around to show them the ropes. The young bears quickly learn that they already knew just about everything they needed to know to live because Mama had been teaching them how to be a bear in the wild all along.
I remember being struck then by how cruel and abrupt this separation was. The day before it was just like any other day for Mama and her cubs. Then, suddenly, no Mama. No warning. No farewell speech. No tearful good-bye. No forwarding address. Just absence.
This remembrance came to me while reading the Gospel out loud the other day as I began to study for the sermon. The way in which black bears transition from a dependent cub to an independent adult is a sharp contrast to the way in which Jesus leaves His disciples. Jesus alerts his disciples that a change is coming. He does not abandon His disciples. He changes the way in which He is with them.
The Gospel reading from John 17 is nearing the end of an extended time of teaching that Jesus offers at the Passover meal. The high priestly prayer in John 17 is the culmination of the teaching that began in John 13.
In his high priestly prayer, he first prays for himself, then he prays for his disciples, and then he prays for all those that would believe in Him. As you heard, the Gospel reading is that part of the prayer where he prays for His disciples.
The Gospels record three instances when Jesus tells the disciples that he, the Son of Man, will be betrayed, suffer, die, and on the third day rise again. We know, also from the Gospels, that the disciples did not understand what he was saying. Here, again, Jesus uses a future and a past tense. “I am no longer in the world… I am coming to you…. While I was with them.” The disciples are again warned that a change is coming shortly. Unbeknownst to them, it would begin that night. At the conclusion of His prayer, he and the disciples went out and the great ordeal began with his betrayal and arrest.
We are reflecting on this prayer on the seventh Sunday of Easter. We are some weeks beyond the resurrection. In fact, on Thursday, we observed Jesus’ Ascension into heaven. The church has us reflect on Jesus’ words now because while Jesus is seated on the right hand of the Father in heaven, he continues to be with us in a very different way.
First, as the resurrected and ascended Lord Jesus, He is no longer subject to the space and time limitations he entered when he was incarnate in Mary’s womb. It was a normal pregnancy, and he was a normal little boy. Gravity held him down. He walked everywhere or occasionally used a donkey. He entered houses and buildings the normal way. Except for the one instance when he was walking on water, he lived a life subject to the forces and limitations of nature that normal people do. But, that is no longer the case. As the resurrected and ascended Lord Jesus, he can be on the throne seated next to the Father while simultaneously being in the consecrated bread and wine on the Altar of every Altar in the world at the same time. He can, while being on the throne, also be with us on our death bed and personally lead us through the valley of the shadow of death and bring us into heaven and seat us at His banquet table which will have no end.
Second, in Matthew 18:20 he promises us that when two or three Christians are gathered together, He is there with us. So, when we gather as a family for dinner and pray, He is there. When we gather as a Church and there is only a handful of us here, He is here with us. All the while, he may still be found on the throne. He is with us, but we cannot see Him. But, we can hear Him.
Third, he has given us His Word. His words and actions were remembered and written down. Each generation passes down the Holy Scriptures and the doctrines of the Church to the next generation. When we hear and read Jesus’ words, in fact, when we hear and read any part of the Bible, He is present with us. For where the Word of God is read and proclaimed, there is Christ Jesus. He is with us.
While Jesus is indeed dying on the cross, rising from the dead on the third day, and then ascending into heaven on the 40th day, he continues to be with his disciples, but in a way that is far different than they are used to and which they would prefer.
But, Jesus goes away, not only to ascend into heaven, but also to make room for the Holy Spirit to come. The coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost would not happen if Jesus were to stay. As we learn, the Holy Spirit is a very busy third person of the Trinity. The arrival of the Holy Spirit is the birth of the Church and its outward mission.
The Holy Spirit enlivens and strengthens the faith of the disciples. It gives the disciples the electric charge of conviction and courage. There is no more waffling or doubting after the Holy Spirit lands on the disciples. The Spirit propels the disciples to preach and teach with a boldness that they did not have before. Because of the Holy Spirit, the disciples do much of what Jesus did. In addition to teaching and preaching, they cast out demons and healed the sick.
From his heavenly throne our Lord Jesus looks upon the work of the church with approval as the Holy Spirit works through the Word to create and sustain faith so that we may receive God’s mercy and forgiveness. In his explanation to the third article of the Apostles Creed, Martin Luther explains, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.”
We need the ongoing presence of Jesus. We need his words too. Indeed, we need all of the Word of God. For they create and sustain our faith.
When Jesus prays, we observe that he makes a distinction between being “in or not in” the “world.” Sometimes it is said, being “of or not of” the world. In this context, Jesus wants his disciples to understand that the world is a dark and dangerous place. Satan and his minion work within the world to cast suspicion and doubt upon anything that is of God. Jesus is concerned that the disciples, and us, will be led into the temptation of disbelief. That we will make light of his promises. And, not orient our life around the mercy and forgiveness of his cross and resurrection. That we will not strive to be disciplined disciples who live by the guidance of the Word of God and not the morals and values of the world. Jesus dies to set us free from the bondage of “sin of the world.” He prays that his disciples remain faithful to their calling as he chooses to remain faithful to us.
The only way for us to live and operate in this world but not be “of” this world, is to have the cross of Christ and His truth before us at all times. Jesus prays that the disciples, and by extension, us, will be one, united in the courage of the conviction of the faith the Spirit has led us into. Jesus prays that our faith will remain strong. Faith in Christ crucified and risen for us is a truth that we need to be reminded of daily. Jesus died for us so that we can receive the abundance of God’s mercy. To seek the forgiveness of God is to receive God’s grace. God’s grace makes us holy. That God chooses to love and claim us despite our sinfulness, it a truth we need to receive regularly.
Yes, Jesus is leaving the disciples, but he is not going away. He may not be seen with human eyes any longer, but his Word abides. Where His Word is, there are His people, and he is there too. He promises us.
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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