May only the word of God be spoken, may only the word of God be heard, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the holy spirit. Amen.
Q: Who was the greatest financier in the Bible?
A: Noah; he was floating his stock while everyone was in liquidation.
Q: Did Eve ever have a date with Adam?
A: No. Just an Apple.
Q: Where was Solomon’s temple located?
A: On the side of his head.
Q: Where is the first tennis match mentioned in the Bible?
A: When Joseph served in Pharaoh’s Court.
Q: What did Adam say on the day before Christmas?
A: It’s Christmas.......Eve!
Q: How does Moses make his coffee?
A: Hebrews it. [1]
[1] Lectionary Levity, page 134.
The Church teaches that we have one bible, made up of two Testaments, which reveal to us the nature of God. These jokes are good to remind us of the relationships that God had with some of the characters in the Old Testament. And Israel is pictured as the vineyard several times in the Old Testament. “The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel (Isaiah 5:1-7). “Yet I planted you a choice vine” is God’s message to Israel through Jeremiah (Jeremiah 2:21). And there are many more examples, the vine had actually become the symbol of the nation of Israel. It was the emblem on the coins of the Maccabees. [2]
But here in the Gospel of John, Jesus makes it clear that the Incarnation of God, is the key to the capacity of any human to bear fruit. Jesus said, “I am the true vine.” “The fact that you are a Jew will not save you. The only thing that can save you is to have an intimate living fellowship (RELATIONSHIP) with me, for I am the vine of God and you must be branches joined to me. Jesus was laying it down that not Jewish blood but faith in him was the way to God’s salvation. No external qualifications can set a person right with God; only the friendship of (the relationship with) Jesus Christ can do that. [3]
When I was in the position that Shelley Martin is currently in, as aspirant for Holy Orders, like she did, I too had to interview with the Bishop – to be endorsed into the process for ordination. It is pretty scary, meeting individually with the Bishop for the first time. So, I prepared and prepared and prepared. I thought that I had covered all the basis, I could articulate my “call” story. I could talk about how God had acted in my life. I could retell the story of people who I admired who were slow at answering God’s call like I was. I felt well primed to explain that indeed God was calling me to ordained ministry. After a lot of practicing, I headed down for the interview with the Rt. Rev. Catherine Maples Waynick, the first female bishop of the Diocese of Indianapolis. After the pleasantries were over – How are you, I am fine, how are you……. We sat down across from each other and she asked me this question: “So, tell me about your relationship with Jesus?” GULP. GULP. GULP. I really had not thought about it in those actual terms – a relationship? I said, well ----needing to by some time to think… we are on a first name basis – He calls me Jim and I call him Jesus!
How would you answer that question?
Relationships, you can’t live with and you can’t live without them. They get even more complex in the time of the Covid! Everything we do is about relationships. Jesus was good at relationships. He built them. Relationships are the state of being connected – connected to each other. Did you know that Jesus has been called the world’s greatest salesman? After all think about what Jesus did.
He talked 12 of the most unlikely characters to be in relationship with him. To be connected. And to becoming His evangelists – to reveal the perfect love of God in this world.
[2] William Barclay, The Gospel of John Vol 2, pa 173. [3] William Barclay, The Gospel of John Vol 2, pa 173.
The definition of an evangelist is a person who seeks to convert others to the Christian faith, especially by public preaching. [4] And the Christian Faith is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. His message has endured over 2 millennia, attracting billions of followers, and the respect and love of generations. So, tell me about your relationship with Jesus?
Jesus got people to look at their relationships with their creator, their families, their friends, and even their enemies. He got people to change the way that they looked at the world. And then they were able to do wonderful things! [5]
It is all about relationships. The Gospel of John is relational. This section Deacon John read today is called “the final discourse.” Jesus is saying good-bye to his disciples. But it is a very troubling and pastoral moment for Jesus. He is saying “I am leaving you.” I am not going to leave you orphaned but I am leaving. He does send the Holy Spirit to descend upon the disciples at Pentecost. How are they going to be able to hold on to the promise! Like all good relationships this is not mutually exclusive. Jesus is dependent on His disciples and His disciples are dependent on Jesus.
After Jesus left, the Disciples had to be thinking, “How are we supposed to understand what life looks like now for us?” We are in that same boat. I wonder what empowers us to make a difference in the world? How are we still nourished by Jesus in his absence? How does Jesus still matter? May I suggest that by abiding in Jesus the power of Jesus is still present and unleased in the world. So, Tell me about your relationship with Jesus?
We hear a lot of talk about abiding in Jesus Christ. “It is true that there is a mystical sense in which the Christian is in Christ and Christ in the Christian.” [6] So how do we abide in Christ? If we follow his example by the way he stayed in relationship to God, we know that again and again he withdrew into places alone to be with God. We have to keep contact with Jesus. Like all relationships we have to take the steps to keep in contact.
[4] https://www.lexico.com/definition/evangelist Accessed May 1, 2021. [5] Anderson, Dave. Sell it like Jesus. Page 3. [6]William Barclay, The Gospel of John Vol 2, pa 175.
One example is to keep a specific time each day to pray, it only has to take a few moments to communicate, to connect, and a 5G network is not necessary. Talk to God. Read his word. Be mindful. Show gratitude. Listen to God. Prayer gets us connected to God.
We have to continually seek Jesus out in our daily existence so that we do not forget him. Then and only then can we become the good disciples, who enrich our own lives, our contact with Jesus makes us a fruitful branch. And that brings glory to God. When others see what that good disciple is doing, they know that it is their faith in God that makes them like that. God is gloried when we show ourselves to be disciples of Jesus and we bear much fruit. [7]
Justine Welby the Archbishop of Canterbury described our Role as Christians like this. “God has put us in this world to change it, to be different. And amidst suffering and amidst joy and with purpose, to be those who leave behind us a different and infinitely better landscape then the one we walk into when we’re born.”
So, tell me about your relationship with Jesus. AMEN.
[7] William Barclay, The Gospel of John Vol 2, pa 176.
Preached by the Rev. Jim Said at St. Augustine of Canterbury, Augusta GA (05-02-2021)