Stay With Us

Easter 5B; Acts 8:26-40; 1 John 14:15-21; John 15:1-8

St. Paul’s, Smithfield, NC 4/29/2018

Jim Melnyk: “Stay With Us”

Have you ever caught yourself talking to someone special in your life who is no longer in this part of eternity?  Any of us who have lost a parent or a very close loved one probably can identify with the question.  There are times in my life when I catch myself asking, “What do you think, Dad?” or “I wish you could see this!”  Sometimes we sense the presence of those we love, but no longer see, or can almost hear their voice.  Movies seem to love the idea of guidance from the spiritual world.  In Top Gun Maverick says to his recently killed copilot, “Talk to me Goose!”  In Field of Dreams, which I just wept through the other day, Ray hears a voice saying, “If you build it, he will come.”  Ebenezer Scrooge begs of his late partner Jacob Marley, “Speak comfort to me!”

We don’t like to be left alone, do we?  We don’t like to be left behind.  We find it hard to let go of those whom we love – and our hearts and minds, our books and movies, all acknowledge that truth.  It’s hard to let go of people we love, especially when they have been the ones to help us when we were confused, hurt, or sad.  “Talk to me, Dad.”  “Help me, Mom.”  “Be with me.”  “Show me the way.”  We even have prayers that help us give voice to those needs.  You may recall this one from our evening prayers: “Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope, that we may know you as you are revealed in Scripture and the breaking of bread” (BCP, p 70, 124, and 139).

On the night Jesus was handed over to suffering and death he spent precious time with those whom he loved most.  He prayed with them.  He ate with them.  He washed their feet.  Most of all, he spoke with them about what would become his continuing presence in their lives despite the horrific events about to unfold.  Five chapters of John’s gospel – five chapters out of twenty-one – comprise what are known as the Farewell Discourses of Jesus, including what we call the Priestly High Prayer of Jesus – all of which are for his disciples and friends, and for those of us who follow.  Jesus reminds them of his ministry and his mission.  He reminds them that he has been sent from God and that he will be returning to God as well.  Because of his great love for the women and men who have become not only his followers but his friends, Jesus seeks to comfort them in the face of his coming death.

Jesus tells his friends, “I am the true vine, and my Father the vinegrower…. Abide in me as I abide in you.  Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me (John 15:1, 4).  A little earlier in the conversation Jesus says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate – a Counselor, to be with you for ever.  This is the Spirit of truth…. You know him, because he abides with you, [as do I], and he will be in you” (14:15-17).  Jesus promises the coming of the Holy Spirit in their lives and in our lives so many ages later. 

Those present with Jesus do not understand all that he has been telling them in that moment – on that last night.  They have seen the wondrous works of the Son of God and still they do not understand.  They have heard the words of their teacher: “I am the Light of the World.  I am the Bread of Life.  I am the Resurrection and the Life,” and yet they cannot grasp what he is telling them on this fearful night – they do not understand the fullness of who Jesus is for them and for the world – the One sent from God. 

It will take the resurrection of Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit in their lives to underscore all that they have heard and learned.  It will take the resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit in their lives for them to finally grasp the reality that the power of God’s love is so great that Jesus and God have a way to be fully present with them – and to be fully present with us today.

Every baptized person in this place has received the Holy Spirit of God in their lives.  Even those who have not yet taken that step toward baptism are God’s own beloved, and have been touched by God’s Holy Spirit in some way, shape, or form. 

Baptism opens us to the very Spirit of God dwelling within us, and those who have been baptized are “sealed by the Holy Spirit…and marked as Christ’s own forever.”  The Spirit of God, present in and a very part of the God-human Jesus, is offered to each of us, and seeks to dwell within our very souls – a reality which has the power to change lives and draw people into the presence of the Living God.

Anglican scholar and priest J.B. Phillips wrote, “Every time we say, ‘I [or we] believe in the Holy Spirit,’ we mean that we believe there is a living God able and willing to enter human personality and change it.’”  That’s what we believe happens to us in our baptisms.  That’s what we believe happens to us each time we gather together as the body of Christ – as God’s people – and receive Christ’s body and blood at the holy table – when we take Christ within ourselves in the mystery of Holy Eucharist. 

The gift of God in the person of the Holy Spirit calls us into newness of life, into changed personalities and changed ways of living; and that same Spirit of God gives us the power to be different – the power to be transformed – the power to be children of God – and the right to be called God’s beloved. 

The author of First John reminds us that through the gift of God’s Holy Spirit in baptism “God lives in us, and [that God’s] love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:12b).  He reminds us that “we love because God first loved us” (4:19), and challenges us, “How, then, can anyone who follows Christ carry hatred in their heart toward anyone?”  We are called by God through our baptisms – through the gift of God’s Holy Spirit – to proclaim God’s love and grace by both word and deed in our lives every day.

Over the past two weeks we’ve heard about what it means to be Easter People – followers of the resurrected Jesus.  Two weeks ago we heard a quote from author Robert Roth who says, “Resurrection isn’t…safe.... Resurrection calls us out into the world with Christ. We must feed the hungry [and] work for peace…” (Sojourners Online, Preaching the Word, 4/15/2018).  As the Psalmist proclaims, “The poor shall eat and be satisfied” (22:25). No qualifiers.  No check list.  Just fed.  So, we come to know that feeding the hungry and working for justice in this world is part of what it means to be Easter people in our world.

And last week Lorraine challenged us to become holy action figures for Jesus – Easter People who act out the love of God in and for our world.  She challenged us to find ways to be about Jesus’ work of feeding and healing, comforting and encouraging – all the while working for true justice, and being witnesses to the Love of God that brings us all into fullness of life! 

The neat thing is that God doesn’t wait for us to remember all that, or wait for us to get up the nerve to ask, “What do you think I should do, God?”  God is already present with us in the power of the Holy Spirit reminding us of our call to follow Christ and to be Christ in our world – and asking us, “How can I help you be an Easter Person today?”

 

Tell Out My Soul

Easter 3B: Luke 24:36b-48; St. Paul’s, Smithfield 4/15/2018

Jim Melnyk: “Tell Out My Soul”

The other day a friend of mine posted a question on Facebook.  “What movie traumatized you as a kid?”  There were a lot of expected answers:  The Exorcist, The Shining, Poltergeist, Jaws, It – even Bambi!  The list goes on and on.  I remember seeing an old black and white film as a child – Nosferatu, which was the original movie based on Bram Stoker’s book, Dracula.  I’m willing to bet we can all relate to such a question. 

Now, think about the stories of our faith – which story or stories traumatized you as a kid?  Even now as an adult?  The Binding of Isaac?  The Crucifixion? There are probably more than a few.  The Disciples probably could throw in a few stories – like a ghostly Jesus walking out to them on a stormy lake, or disappearing seemingly into thin air from an inn on the road to Emmaus, or popping in more than a couple of times when they all know they remembered to lock the door….

The disciples can be a puzzling bunch – and it probably bears repeating one more time.  It seems as though getting everyone on board with this whole resurrection thing is as difficult as finding hens teeth!  And understandably they’re as jumpy as a bunch of cats in a room full of rocking chairs!  Everyone knows they are followers of Jesus – and they can’t forget the turn that took place on Good Friday. 

Today’s lesson from Luke finds them all hanging out discussing with each other the report from Cleopas and his companion – possibly his wife – Luke has a tendency to not name women.   The two are sharing their experience of meeting the risen Christ while on the road to Emmaus – explaining how they didn’t recognize him, even though he spent the whole journey opening the Scriptures to them and explaining to them why it made sense that the Messiah would die.  They tell the other disciples about their stop for dinner – how they invited Jesus to join them for the meal – and how Jesus, taking bread, blessing it, had finally been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. 

Suddenly, in the midst of their discussion with Cleopas, in pops Jesus.  Just like that – scaring them out of their wits! Luke tells us the followers of Jesus are both “startled and terrified.”  Jesus’ “Peace be with you” just doesn’t cut it this time.  So he shows them his hands and feet and he invites their touch.  Still, even in their joy, the disciples struggle with disbelief – wondering how all this can be. 

And so Jesus asks them for something to eat, and enjoys a little broiled fish with them – demonstrating for them his full, physical presence.  My friend Rabbi Raachel Jurovics comments with a chuckle, “What a delicious touch to say, ‘Got anything to eat?’”  All of this is designed by Jesus to put their hearts at ease and show them that he is indeed living flesh and bones – for what kind of ghost can be touched or can share a meal?  The wonder of a physical resurrection of Jesus, then, is how it touches upon our own physical selves.  As Richard Rohr writes, "Christianity makes a daring and broad affirmation: God is redeeming matter and spirit, the whole of creation.”

And then once again Jesus gives them all a tutorial on Moses and the law, the prophets, and even the Psalms, giving us a sense that for followers of Jesus, “Easter [has become] the event through which Scripture is to be interpreted, and [that] the Resurrection must now be proclaimed to the world” (Synthesis CE, 4/15/2018).  And so upon hearing this teaching from the risen Christ, the disciples gathered will soon be sent out into the world to proclaim “repentance and forgiveness of sins” in the name of Jesus.  And once again there’s that whole thing about being sent out.  There just isn’t any way of escaping what Jesus expects from those who choose to follow in his name.

In only a matter of a weeks after this momentous encounter with the risen Christ, the disciples who spent the days immediately following the crucifixion hiding in fear, will find themselves boldly going where they never thought they would.  They will find themselves standing fearless before hostile crowds as followers of the One Whom Death Could Not Contain.

Author Robert Roth comments, “Resurrection isn’t…safe.... Resurrection calls us out into the world with Christ. We must feed the hungry [and] work for peace…. What happens [in this life] is of eternal significance – and it’s time to get to work as Easter people” (Sojourners Online, Preaching the Word, 4/15/2018). 

But that’s the challenge for us, isn’t it – to live as Easter people in a world that doesn’t always reflect the promise of new life?  How do we live as Easter people in a world where there are things like poison gas and Tomahawk cruise missiles – in a world where violence is all too often a first response?  How do we, as followers of the Prince of Peace, respond to acts of terror and acts of war – especially when calls to find peaceful solutions seem contrary to our desire for speedy action? How willing are we to speak truth to power if and when we see that power conflicting with the heart and soul of the gospel?  The truth is, following Jesus is costly – it isn’t safe.  Many of you may recall the words of Dorothy Day from our Lenten sessions on hazardous saints, “When I feed the hungry, they call me a saint.  When I ask why people are hungry, they call me a Communist.” (Note: Though attributed to Day, this quote may have actually first been said by Dom Helder Camara, Archbishop in Brazil.)

The disciples gathered together with Jesus on that first Easter evening were “startled and terrified” by his presence, thinking they were seeing a ghost.  But isn’t the call to live as Christ lived just as startling and terrifying when we consider what that means?  Isn’t it just as startling and terrifying to be called out into the world to preach repentance and forgiveness to those for whom repentance and forgiveness never even rate a second thought?  Aren’t we all too often willing to let some other person deal with that part of the gospel imperative and comfort ourselves with the lovely strains of “Jesus loves me, this I know…”? 

The call and the challenges inherent with the call are real – and can be terrifying at times.  And we don’t always succeed in our task.  As our patron saint reminds us, “I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do” (Rom. 7:18b-19).   But recovering fundamentalist and author Philip Yancey puts it this way: “The Bible tells of flawed people – people just like me – who make shockingly bad choices and yet still find themselves pursued by God” (Philip Yancey, Vanishing Grace).  God doesn’t give up on our world, and God doesn’t give up on us, either. 

“Jesus comes among us in surprise, and we journey from fear to trust, from doubt to joy, from disbelief to power, from grief to witness” (Roger A. Paynter, Feasting on the Gospels: Luke, volume 2).

So, while we won’t necessarily find ourselves like Peter or Paul, brought before rulers to profess the faith of Christ crucified and raised from the dead, we will always have the opportunity to proclaim the grace and love of God made known to us in the risen Christ.   As the hymnist Timothy Dudley-Smith proclaims:

“Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!

Powers and dominions lay their glory by.

Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,

the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.”  (Hymn 438 Timothy Dudley-Smith)