White knuckles or peace?

Easter 6c, May 5, 2012 - John 14:22-29 with Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5

We talked last week about this wonderful world. Our world is filled with wonder of so many kinds. Watch the sun rise, the tides come in, a new baby, a puppy, people in love. At the same time our world is marked by pain, chaos, unpredictability, loss and even horror. These realities continue to unfold. I received pictures of Shirley Seller's grandson, and was blessed to meet Sabrina, one of our day care worker's brand new daughter, Ciara. We see other wonders – good mothers and fathers, nurses, doctors, teachers, farmers, mechanics, foresters. But other realities also impinge upon us. There was a horrific car crash near the US border. The gaps between rich and poor deepen. At times we realize our problems are serious, without simple solutions – regardless of what some may claim.

 

Once again into the midst of this, comes today's Scripture. We see Paul being led by God to share the Gospel far beyond his comfort zone. We are privy to a vision of God leading seriously oppressed people to new hope and life. God will be clearly present to people. Darkness will be banished, as will pain and suffering.

 

This is a wonderful vision of a new city. Sometimes we glimpse amazing realities in our own city – art displays, scientific and medical advances – phenomenal food and diversity. But alongside of that is also the graffiti, the human trafficking, addiction, battles for turf – and incredible hunger and fear. To all of this comes God speaking through Scripture.

 

Jesus is saying goodbye to his closest followers as He makes his way to Jerusalem. Jesus and his disciples are troubled on many fronts. He keeps speaking of his own approaching suffering and death. They are trying to deny this, but are troubled. They cannot understand why so many others do not trust Jesus or believe in him. How can this be? It's a good question for us who belong to a shrinking church in North America, surrounded by so many people who do not see the infinite value of each person, the worth of creation as a gift to be treasured, and worked with, not only taken from.

 

To these circumstances, the disciples' reality Jesus gives both a command and a promise. The command is this - "If one loves me, they will keep my word." Now I am convinced that the "word" Jesus refers to here is, that those who love him are called to serve one another. They are to love one another not in word (only) but in also in deed. It's a tall order. Love those who love us – maybe? But love even those who seek to harm us –  how on earth? Nevertheless, this is the command Jesus issues to his disciples as he is saying goodbye to them.

 

But along with this command are two promises, both for those early disciples and we who would seek to follow him now. "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them and we will come to them and make our home with them." And then just a bit later, "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives."

 

Can we take Jesus at his word – both the command and the promise? Do not forget how he has loved us!

 

His command is important. But not easy. To serve and love – across the board. Is it true that if we don't or can't keep the command we won't experience the promise? Or is this possible - that the command and the promise of Jesus are inextricably linked? Maybe this is akin to actually  loving someone. In loving we are often  loved, before, during and after any effort we make. In all of that we experience meaning, hope and purpose while receiving respect and love ourselves.  

 

Is it possible that as we seek to love and serve at the very same time we are gifted with the presence of God and so experience God's peace? Such peace is not an absence of strife, anger or difficulty but an amazing yet very real sense that we are not alone. We are then gifted with a stick to itness" that does not depend upon another's affirmation or even success as we usually measure that to keep us keeping on.

 

Do you know this reality - a reality where as you seek to love and care for someone else you been led way over your head to what you thought you were capable of. And yet,  in so caring you have been upheld, strengthened, and nurtured somehow. Then in the midst of all of that, you realized that you were not alone. Somehow God was there, is here! What you were and hopefully are attempting to do is not only good but of God. As such it is part of who you are to be as Jesus' follower, as a child of God. (Pause)

 

So, I tell you a story. One late night a group of youth were out partying. Seven of them piled into a van and roared away. The driver was definitely "under the influence". He sped up a hilly approach. He forget to slow down or check both ways before crossing the highway. Unwittingly he proceeded directly into the path of an oncoming pulp truck. Although the operator of this fully loaded truck tried valiantly, he could not avoid striking the van. Miraculously only 2 of the seven youth were killed. The others escaping not only with their lives, but physically completely intact.

 

Later that week, the funerals were held for the two deceased young people. Following the funeral a number young people gathered at the mother of the one boy who had been killed. She had lost her 17 year old son.  She was engulfed in grief, in many ways feeling very alone as her husband had been killed in a separate accident some years before.

 

I will never forget watching her walk across her living room to embrace the driver of the van in which her son had lost his life. She spoke gently but genuinely to that tall but devasted young man. The mother was barely 5 feet tall. Yet she held him and rocked him.  She said, "No one forced my son to get into your van. He is responsible for that decision. And I want you to know that although you made a serious mistake .... I love you and I forgive you and my son. I also believe that God forgives you. I will pray that with God's help you can forgive yourself." Then she just kept on holding him for what seemed like a very long time.

 

How could that mother do this? In some ways it's impossible to say. But I do know that she offered new life to that young man that day – a life that on his own he may never have been able to discover. Even in the midst of her tears and pain I sensed a glow I have rarely seen before or after. Perhaps such is the peace that the world cannot give both for a mom bent over with grief and a young man burdened by guilt.

 

May it be so with us – for Christ's sake and the love for the world. Amen.