Easter 6 , May 5, 2013 (full size gallery)
First Sunday in May, Easter 6, felt like the first Sunday in April – cool and overcast. Small congregation of 38 for the first Sunday. We did have a few guests – Eleonore, Alan and Wendy and a newcomer Tony.
The Iris in the front were completely out in the front and the yellow iris near the Parish House are beginning.
This was a busy week with the Vestry retreat on Tuesday, Village Dinner on Wed, and jail ministry on Thursday. The retreat was written up here and the May newsletter. It also figured prominently in the sermon today. The readings are here.
We celebrated Alex and Nancy’s 30th wedding anniversary. Nancy also contributed an arrangement of fresh flowers for the altar.
It was Rogation Sunday. In honor of this event we used Eucharistic Prayer 2 from Enriching our Worship and a selection from David Adam for the Prayers of the People. There was an emphasis on God and creation, wise use of the resources and praises for those who till the land.
A great coffee hour compliments of the Carpenters and the Fishers – Tuna and Barbecue sandwiches, cheese, salad and Trifle and cookies for desert. Very filling!
The Ascension is this Thursday. Catherine was planning a service but her mother has an operating this week in NC. Friday is the shredding event at 4pm. Next week is an all-in-one service – Ascension, Easter 7, Mother’s Day and Founders’ Day.
Jesus continues to prepare his followers for his departure. The Gospel passage is both to instruct and provide promise for the disciples. The readings are here
Judas, son of James (one of the twelve in Luke’s list of disciples) has asked him: “‘how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?’” (v. 22). What the disciples are likely to fear most: isolation from their teacher and friend. All that they have done has been about being part of Jesus’ life and journey. But Jesus’ promises mean that they will not be alone.
From this question, it sounds as if Judas is expecting Jesus to reveal secrets, to give his followers knowledge hidden from the world at large Jesus answers, but not directly. In the era to come, when the Father and Son come, separation between God and those who love him will no longer exist (v. 23).
The word used is “abide”, used over 40 times in John’s Gosepl .How do we prepare for Jesus to abide with or in us? Abide signifies to stay, to remain, to dwell, to lodge, to last, to persist, and/or to continue. We are to make time and space now to welcome Jesus in his relationship to the Father and the Spirit into our lives
By keeping Jesus’ commandments (14:15) and by loving Jesus, which inevitably and inextricably means keeping his word. Loving Jesus implies obeying him. This is not a totalitarian obedience but a freely voluntary participation is essential to John’s vision. It is closer to holding, paying attention to and protecting Jesus word
The results of loving Jesus and keeping his word in v. 23 are: The Father will love that one . The Father and Son will come to that one. The Father and Son will make a dwelling with that one
We prepare for Jesus to abide in us by welcoming his gift of peace (14:27) and responding to his presence with faith in the absence of sight (14:18).
Jesus commands that we serve one another – just as Jesus washed his disciples feet, so he expects us to serve each other (13:14-15). Jesus commands that we love another, even that we love another as Jesus loved us! (13:34). And Jesus commands that we love one another even to the point of giving our life for one another (15:12-13).
John’s language can seem polarizing. This aspect of John’s vision is partly result of his circumstances in which his community was under attack and persecution; you either were a fully devoted, loyal participant of John’s community or you were a danger to the community. This historical context does not need to be repeated, and does not have any theological significance for understanding John. The key is see John’s passage as organic. Everything comes as a complete package and so our experience of any part will only be as rich as our experience of the part we least participate in.
The message Jesus brings is “from the Father” (v. 24); Jesus is his agent. Jesus’ words will be complemented by the actions of the “Holy Spirit” (v. 26), who will be “Advocate”, i.e. helper and counsellor to believers. He will cause the disciples to remember (“remind”) what Jesus has said, and help them to understand the true significance of Jesus’ words and deeds (“everything”).
Jesus gives to his followers “peace”, (v. 27, shalom) – a very different gift from worldly gifts. ). He does not describe the peace he offers, though from his words in John 14:27, we may conclude that his peace offers the disciples both comfort for troubled hearts and courage in the midst of fear. It is not the same as absence of war but an internal feature of wholeness, completeness. It envisions the full prosperity of a people of God living under the covenant of God’s demanding care and compassion are rule
The command to love the promise of peace are all bundled up. And like love, peace is a mark of true discipleship that is required of the disciples — then and now.
This is not a passive peace. It is an active working toward peace in multiple situations. This Spirit and peace will propel the disciples and later the church into active discipleship and mission
In loving God, we come to know him. If they really knew Jesus, they would rejoice at his coming departure (v. 28). The Father has sent him into the world to do his will, so in that sense “the Father is greater than I”. Jesus has told them this so that when they see his manner of leaving (“it”, v. 29), they “may believe”.
Recall Judas’ question "How is it that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?" (John 14:23). These are the ways those who love Jesus will continue to see and know him after he goes away: in the home that the Father and the Son make with them, in the work of the Spirit to call to mind everything that Jesus taught, and in their ongoing experience of peace that comes from him and not from the world.
By telling us what is going to occur in advance, we may be confident that the ruler of this world actually has no power over Jesus; what is about to happen is because Jesus is keeping his Father’s commandment (and thereby showing his love).