Gospel for Sunday (May 22, 2022) - John 14:23-29
Jesus said to Judas (not Iscariot), "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
"I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, `I am going away, and I am coming to you.' If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe."
Just like Jesus in today’s Gospel, we are in a period of transition. The definition of transitions is “the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.”[1] I wear a pair of transition lens – when sunlight hits my glasses they transition to sunglasses. And when the sunlight is not so bright, they transition back to being clear. In fact, life is all about transitions. Is it not? Today we will acknowledge our graduates. Our graduates are transitioning from one comfortable location to a new uncomfortable one. But it is only uncomfortable for a brief time. Then another transition will happen, and the cycle repeats itself! Do you remember what it was like transitioning into being a first-year student in high school from grade school? Now finally you reach the senior level, there is a comfort there, one knows what is going on and then boom, transition time again, one goes back to being a first-year student again or starting the cycle all over again.
During the time I spent looking after my mom, I had the opportunity to watch the commencement ceremony from the Virginia Theological Seminary. The graduating Seniors now will transition into a new role outside of seminary, to their vocation, to their calling. I remember I felt both scared and excited at the same time. We have all been there when transition happens. We recently presented to the congregation a pre-funeral planning session. Many of you have participated and we have in the church office your funeral wishes. Death you could say is the ultimate transition.
Author King Duncan talks about a young man he met in the small town of Maryville, TN. Duncan had just finished speaking to a group on the healing power of humor. This young man came up to him to tell him about the death of his brother.
As the boys grew into their teen years, they began to develop biases about funerals. For example, there was one floral display that all three of them detested. Anyone who has ever gone to a funeral home in the rural south may have seen this arrangement. It is a wreath with a telephone in the middle of it and a ribbon fastened across it on which is printed the words, "Jesus Called." These three brothers disliked this particular arrangement intensely.
To make a long story short, one of these three brothers died as a young adult after a prolonged illness. The family was devastated. He was so young, and he was a fine young man. But now it was this family's turn to receive friends at the local funeral home.
You may have guessed it. One of the floral arrangements that had been set up in the chapel for the receiving of friends was the one with the telephone and the ribbon with the words, "Jesus called."
The two surviving brothers were enraged. Who could have sent this arrangement that they so despised to their beloved brother's funeral? They quickly made their way to the arrangement to read the accompanying card. And on the card was the signature of their deceased brother.
He had sent the arrangement to his own funeral as one last joke on his brothers. In a flash, said this surviving brother, their tears turned to laughter. What a gift this dying young man had given to his brothers. He had looked ahead to his journey of transition, and he had sought to make things easier for those he loved.
The healing power of humor can be demonstrated in many situations. But that is for another sermon.
The section of the gospel you just heard is part of the farewell discourse. Jesus is addressing his transition. He will be transitioning to the Father. Jesus tries to comfort the disciples at the beginning of Chapter 14. There are bibles at each pew someone open the bible to John Chapter 14, please. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. (John 14:1-2). We already know the end of the story here but imagine how the disciples felt. Jesus has not died and been resurrected yet. Here is the good news for them and for us, Jesus prepares a place for us in God, while he also prepares a place for God in us. [2] And because of that we are never alone. But wait there is more.
Then Jesus tells the disciples that he is going to send another counselor to be with them forever – the Spirit of Truth – the paraclete. The Paraclete is the Holy Spirit as an advocate or counselor who helps push along the indwelling of God in each of us. [3] No matter what we are facing. We are not alone. He lives in us and we in him. “While the disciples do not fully understand what is happening yet, we who read this have reassurance in the goodness and presence of God each day of our earthly lives.” [4] That is very reassuring to me – that we have the goodness and presence of God each day of our earthly lives! WOW. Think about that.
Jesus speaks of his ally the Holy Spirit and says two basic things; First, the Holy Spirit will teach us things. Christians are to be non-stop learners to the end of days. The Holy Spirit is to lead us deeper and deeper into the truth of God, each being a transition as we get deeper and deeper. We are to be perpetual learners, growing and deepening into our faith. The Christian who feels they have nothing more to learn is the Christian who has not even begun to understand what the doctrine of the Holy Spirit means. [5] Second, the Holy Spirit will remind us of what Jesus said, this of course could be a yearlong sermon series.
What I would like to point out today is Jesus offers the disciples and us his peace. Hear what Jesus says to the disciples, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” [6] In the bible the word Peace never simply means the absence of trouble. It means everything which makes for our highest good. “The Hebrew word for peace, shalom, has many associated meanings, including welfare, safety, tranquility, and friendship; but its primary meaning is completeness, wholeness, or even perfection.” [7] Jesus is saying my completeness, my wholeness, my perfection I give to you. That is what he gives to us.
And we have the power for transition each and every Sunday when we leave here to spread God’s peace into a world that needs that kind of Peace now more than ever. We cannot change others we can only change ourselves. You are not the same person you were yesterday, nor today and even tomorrow. We transitioned yesterday, we are in the process of transition today, and we look forward to our transitioning tomorrow.
We exchange “the Peace” at every Holy Eucharist through word and gesture. “It is a sign of reconciliation, love, and renewed relationships in the Christian community.” The celebrant initiates it by saying, “The Peace of the Lord be with you.” And the congregation responds, “and also with you!” It is not an earthly peace we are offering to each other, the absence of conflict, but rather a heavenly peace, the completeness of our faith in Christ Jesus who lives in each of us. His peace is one of conquest. It is a harmony and calmness of mind, body, and spirit trusting in the power and the grace of God. [8] No experience in life can ever take it from us and no sorrow, no danger, no suffering can ever make it less. It is independent of outward circumstances.
This is the Peace as expressed in the Priestly Blessing that comes at the end of the service. “And May the Peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, The Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.” [9]
KNOW JESUS KNOW PEACE
NO JESUS NO PEACE
References [1] https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/transition Accessed 05-19-22. [2] Lectionary Levity, 218. [3] Lectionary Levity. 218. [4] Lectionary Levity. 218. [5] Barclay, William. The Gospel of John. 171. [6] Harper Collins Study Bible, 2043. [7] The Peace of Christ by George S. Tate. [8] https://www.christianity.com/wiki/god/what-is-the-peace-of-god-biblical-meaning.html Accessed 05-21-22 [9] BCP 339
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