Today's gospel passage is the
conclusion of the Farewell Discourse – that long monologue that
runs from the time Judas leaves to betray Jesus to the time Jesus and
the disciples leave for Gethsemane. This is a long passage running
4-1/2 chapters long. And today's passage comes from not only the
Farewell Discourse, but specifically from what is called the High
Priestly Prayer that brings to an end the Farewell Discourse.
Today's passage encompasses the final third of that prayer. It is
here that Jesus is preparing his disciples for his imminent
departure. Liturgically speaking, we are in the same boat as his
disciples as we celebrated the Feast of the Ascension last Thursday –
we are being prepared for his departure.
“Little children, I am with you only
a little longer. I give you a new commandment that you love one
another as I have loved you. Do not be troubled; believe in God,
believe also in me.”
These are some of the words Jesus
speaks to his disciples in his last hours. As I said, the Farewell
Discourse ends with the High Priestly Prayer of Chapter 17. This
prayer focuses on Jesus asking the Father to glorify the Son so that
the Son may glorify the Father. This prayer confirms the Son is
co-eternal with the Father. This prayer asks that the Father be
present in Jesus' disciples. And this prayer asks that those
disciples, and all who come to believe through them, may become one
just as the Father and Son are one. And this is where we are today –
at the close of the High Priestly Prayer.
In this final section of the prayer,
Jesus widens its scope to move beyond the eleven remaining disciples
to all those who come to believe by way of evangelism. But even in
this widening, the goal is always unity – unity in God and unity
among believers. “I ask that they may become one; As you are in me
and I in you, may they be in us; that they may be one as we are one.”
Over the course of this Ester season
I've preached on not being afraid and seeing how things can change as
long as we keep the resurrected Christ as our focus. I've preached
on not fearing outsiders and doubts as we reach out our hands in
love. I've preached on not fearing persecution or death as Christ
has given us freedom to live without fear. To live fearlessly as
members of the community of God. To allow God to change us into holy
people. When we live fearlessly, recognizing that God changes not
only us but the world around us through us, we are that much closer
to not only the kingdom, but the unity for which Christ prayed.
People have heard me refer to John as
“the gospel of the walrus” because it sounds like that song at
times: “I am he and he is me and we are all together.” Today's
lesson, and all of Chapter 17 for that matter, can sound that way.
But that really only scratches the surface of this passage and
chapter. It then becomes our duty to explore and dig deeper into the
pages of scripture.
In today's passage, and in all of
Chapter 17, Jesus prays for unity among the eleven disciples and also
among those who come to believe through their word. This is deeply
significant, and not simply because John is focusing on unity, love,
peace, and all those nice things we hope the Church will be.
Last Wednesday I was at a clergy
meeting with Bp. Sutton. The point of the gathering was to discuss
the book, “A Door Set Open.” The book's focus is how the Church
can/should change while still being focused on mission and hope.
Throughout the book the question is asked, “What is the mission of
the Church?”
In our discussion someone said that a
parish can become so inwardly focused that it has no external
mission; but a parish can also become so focused on mission that it
offers no internal support. This comment stayed with me as I got
back to the office to work on the sermon. It occurred to me that
this High Priestly Prayer of Jesus is saying the same thing.
“The glory that you have given me I
have given them, so that they may be one as we are one.” This is
part of Jesus' prayer for unity. When we are living in unity in the
Father and the Son, we are expressing the glory of God. Remember,
though, unity is not conformity.
When we pray with and for each other,
we are in unity. When we remember to care for each other, we are in
unity. When we visit the sick and home-bound, we are in unity. When
we stand with each other in good times and bad, when we apologize to
others and forgive others, when we live as if we were in the kingdom
of God now, we are in unity.
“I ask not only on behalf of these,
but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their
word.” This is part of Jesus' prayer for mission. We do not
belong to the world, but we are in the world. And, just like the
disciples, we have an obligation to tell the world of the Good News
of God in Christ.
There are, of course, a variety of ways
in which to do this, and I'm sure you can come up with a list. Some
of those ways of evangelism are less effective than others; such as
standing on a street corner with your big floppy bible yelling at
people to repent of their sinful behavior, or telling people they
should come to church because we've got nice people. But when we can
articulate how the mission of our parish aligns with the mission of
God and how they both intersect with the needs of the world, we will
be more effective evangelists.
All of this is also reflected in our
own mission statement to Worship, Welcome, Serve, and Encourage.
Through these acts we become unified in God and community. Through
these acts we go forth in mission. Through these acts, we become
God's representatives on earth. We are as ready as we will ever be
to go forth in the name of Christ.
As this Easter season winds down, let
us hold to the prayer Jesus prayed for us before his departure. Let
us remember that in our unity we can live fearlessly, and in our
mission we can change the world.
May we be one as he and the Father are
one.
Amen.
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