6 Easter C May 26, 2019
Acts 14:8-18 Ps. 67
Rev. 21:22-22:5 John 14:23-29
Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to. I do not give to you as the world gives. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."
The Gospel of John could include a study of the word, "world," or cosmos" in Greek. God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. Cosmos in earlier times referred to the physical world and the universe as we know it, but in the writings of John it is used primarily to refer to the lives of humanity with attitudes and values which stand in opposition to God.
The writer of John believed that Jesus came to teach us how to live in the world but not be "of" the world. How indeed can we live in our American world and not be "of" our American world? The Amish are in America but they don't really see themselves as being "of" America.
The Christians of the community of John's Gospel lived in the Roman world and since the power and the authority of the Emperor was so pervasive, it was impossible for Christians not to live in the Roman world. Christians actually enjoyed some of the privileges of the Roman World, the Pax Romana, the Roman Peace, the peace that came because the Caesar's armies defeated all opposition so that Roman law and order could be promulgated throughout the world. The practice of external law and order is a kind of peace and a very valuable peace. Such peace allows for everyday commerce to transpire without conflict.
Jesus was not a Messiah like a Caesar; he did not bring his angels to control the nations of the world and establish a theocracy with Christian laws for the entire world.
Jesus brought a different kind of law and order, a law of the interior world, a law and practice of the Spirit. How did this spiritual realm of Jesus come to be? He came and he taught words and life actions; he preached and he healed. He modeled what love and justice and peace would look like in human behaviors. And doing such in a profound way, he attracted followers. His words became interior to the lives of his followers. His words were spirit and life for his followers. They were like interior motivating engines of actions and behaviors of love and justice. They were dynamic; so much so that they were able to be replicated and passed on to new followers who passed this spirit of living, this way of love and peace on to others.
When the Gospel of John was written, it was written partly because the writers were amazed at the success of what Jesus had started and instituted in this world. Why are we still alive and well as a gathering community? Why are we writing a Gospel about Jesus of Nazareth? How are the words and deeds and practices of our community related to the life of Jesus? We must write the connection of our community experience with the life of Jesus as we remember him, as the memories of Jesus was shared by those who knew him.
How are the words and acts of the apostles and early Christians connected with the life of Jesus of Nazareth? This question is the question which is answered and explained by the writings of the New Testament.
And today, we ask, "How are the words and the acts of the people of St. John the Divine connected with the words and acts of Jesus of Nazareth?" How has the life of Jesus Christ been kept alive for you and me?
Well what have we done today? We've gathered. We've read Scriptures. We are listening to the feeble attempt of a preacher to explain to why Jesus is relevant to us. We are convening again the Christian meals as commanded by Jesus and as practiced continuously in our tradition. We've come to confess our sins; and hear the declaration of forgiveness. We've come to pass the peace to each other. We've come to worship in the silence of contemplation, in the singing of hymns with poetic words of inspiration. We've chanted the Psalms. And if we do not think that we are connected with Christ, it is because Christ in not out there, Christ is in here, Christ is through us doing Christly things through us.
I think we may often be childish and uninterested in church because we're still looking for Jesus as an idol out "there" to entertain us. We are supposed to be Christ doing the gathered church together. Christ is here because Christ is in us being and doing Christ through us. Jesus said that God would make the divine home within us.
Jesus said, "I am going away and I am coming to you." Each of your bodies is going to be a home dwelling for the abiding of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Friends, we come to church not to find Christ, but to be Christ. That is to let Christ by the Spirit pass through our lives as living conductors of the energy of the Risen Christ.
Let us accept the peace of Christ as a peace that is not out there; it comes when we cease to look for Christ as a sacred object of worship and when we become Christ being and doing the church when we gather together and when we disperse to take Christ in us to all of the places and people of our lives.
Please don't doubt that Christ is in and through you. If we as the people of St. John's will continue to gather, accepting that Christ is in and through us, then we will perpetuate the words and deeds of Christ to this community, for many years to come. Today we are gathered because we've said to God, "Mi casa es su casa," My house is your house. O God in your fullness abide in us always. Amen.
The Gospel of John could include a study of the word, "world," or cosmos" in Greek. God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. Cosmos in earlier times referred to the physical world and the universe as we know it, but in the writings of John it is used primarily to refer to the lives of humanity with attitudes and values which stand in opposition to God.
The writer of John believed that Jesus came to teach us how to live in the world but not be "of" the world. How indeed can we live in our American world and not be "of" our American world? The Amish are in America but they don't really see themselves as being "of" America.
The Christians of the community of John's Gospel lived in the Roman world and since the power and the authority of the Emperor was so pervasive, it was impossible for Christians not to live in the Roman world. Christians actually enjoyed some of the privileges of the Roman World, the Pax Romana, the Roman Peace, the peace that came because the Caesar's armies defeated all opposition so that Roman law and order could be promulgated throughout the world. The practice of external law and order is a kind of peace and a very valuable peace. Such peace allows for everyday commerce to transpire without conflict.
Jesus was not a Messiah like a Caesar; he did not bring his angels to control the nations of the world and establish a theocracy with Christian laws for the entire world.
Jesus brought a different kind of law and order, a law of the interior world, a law and practice of the Spirit. How did this spiritual realm of Jesus come to be? He came and he taught words and life actions; he preached and he healed. He modeled what love and justice and peace would look like in human behaviors. And doing such in a profound way, he attracted followers. His words became interior to the lives of his followers. His words were spirit and life for his followers. They were like interior motivating engines of actions and behaviors of love and justice. They were dynamic; so much so that they were able to be replicated and passed on to new followers who passed this spirit of living, this way of love and peace on to others.
When the Gospel of John was written, it was written partly because the writers were amazed at the success of what Jesus had started and instituted in this world. Why are we still alive and well as a gathering community? Why are we writing a Gospel about Jesus of Nazareth? How are the words and deeds and practices of our community related to the life of Jesus? We must write the connection of our community experience with the life of Jesus as we remember him, as the memories of Jesus was shared by those who knew him.
How are the words and acts of the apostles and early Christians connected with the life of Jesus of Nazareth? This question is the question which is answered and explained by the writings of the New Testament.
And today, we ask, "How are the words and the acts of the people of St. John the Divine connected with the words and acts of Jesus of Nazareth?" How has the life of Jesus Christ been kept alive for you and me?
Well what have we done today? We've gathered. We've read Scriptures. We are listening to the feeble attempt of a preacher to explain to why Jesus is relevant to us. We are convening again the Christian meals as commanded by Jesus and as practiced continuously in our tradition. We've come to confess our sins; and hear the declaration of forgiveness. We've come to pass the peace to each other. We've come to worship in the silence of contemplation, in the singing of hymns with poetic words of inspiration. We've chanted the Psalms. And if we do not think that we are connected with Christ, it is because Christ in not out there, Christ is in here, Christ is through us doing Christly things through us.
I think we may often be childish and uninterested in church because we're still looking for Jesus as an idol out "there" to entertain us. We are supposed to be Christ doing the gathered church together. Christ is here because Christ is in us being and doing Christ through us. Jesus said that God would make the divine home within us.
Jesus said, "I am going away and I am coming to you." Each of your bodies is going to be a home dwelling for the abiding of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Friends, we come to church not to find Christ, but to be Christ. That is to let Christ by the Spirit pass through our lives as living conductors of the energy of the Risen Christ.
Let us accept the peace of Christ as a peace that is not out there; it comes when we cease to look for Christ as a sacred object of worship and when we become Christ being and doing the church when we gather together and when we disperse to take Christ in us to all of the places and people of our lives.
Please don't doubt that Christ is in and through you. If we as the people of St. John's will continue to gather, accepting that Christ is in and through us, then we will perpetuate the words and deeds of Christ to this community, for many years to come. Today we are gathered because we've said to God, "Mi casa es su casa," My house is your house. O God in your fullness abide in us always. Amen.
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