Sixth Sunday of Easter
Sunday, May 29th, 2011click here for past entriesLoving God, you make your presence and power known to us through your Holy Spirit and continue to reveal yourself to us through Jesus. Teach us to recognize you wherever we encounter you, even as we serve as your hands and feet in this world; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
When Paul speaks for the first time to the people of Athens (which we heard in the First Reading today), he tells them that the true God - the God who made heaven and earth and all that is in it - is not as far away from them, or us, as we might think. In fact, “in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Not only that, we are God’s offspring – God’s children.
Paul follows this message with a call to repent – to turn around and change direction – to turn toward the God who has created us. Paul announces that a day of judgment will be coming – judgment that is right and just. And guess who the judge is going to be? – It’s going to be Jesus - the same one who loves us so much that he would die for us. Yet, how many of us picture an angry God the Father instead, sitting there ready to throw lightning bolts? The judgment will not happen like that. In fact, some passages suggest that the judgment has already come for the ruler of this world, and that those who believe in Jesus are no longer even under judgment (Jn. 5:24; 12:31; 16:8-11).
However, the gospel that we heard today from John does not focus on fear of judgment. Instead, it focuses on loving Jesus. Jesus says, “They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them” (Jn. 14:21). I do need to add to this, though, that God’s love always comes first. “We love because [God] first loved us” (1 Jn. 4:19). We do not need to earn God’s love. It is already there. God is not sitting there waiting to condemn us. Instead, God is waiting to welcome us and to save us.
At the same time, God is waiting to make his home with us and in us and among us. The gospel today talks about the Advocate and the Spirit of truth that was going to be sent to Jesus’ followers. In other words, this is the Holy Spirit, who would live in and among Jesus’ followers and would reveal the truth to them and would fill them with love and joy and peace.
Now, have any of you ever seen the Holy Spirit? Can you tell me what the Holy Spirit looks like? (Fire? Wind? Dove?) That’s a tough one, isn’t it. However, we get a couple of really good clues from today’s gospel. The first clue is that the Holy Spirit looks a lot like an Advocate - a parakletos - a Helper. An advocate is one who is called to your side as a source of help. An advocate is one who intercedes on your behalf, seeking justice and seeking help. An advocate speaks up for you when you are not able to speak up for yourself. And so, whenever you have seen one person standing up for another – that is what the Holy Spirit looks like.
At the same time, today’s gospel implies that the Holy Spirit looks a lot like Jesus. Jesus says, “On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you” (Jn. 14:20). And so, whenever you have seen somebody who acts a lot like Jesus, that is what the Holy Spirit looks like. Whenever you have seen somebody who is filled with the love of Jesus and who passes that love on to others in both words and actions, that is what the Holy Spirit looks like. In fact, there may be times when the Holy Spirit looks a lot like you.
Now, don’t get me wrong here. I’m not saying that you are God or anything like that. However, every time you show the love of Jesus in what you say and how you act, others will be able to see the Holy Spirit in you. Every time you show compassion for those who are hurting or outcast, or you share your bread with the hungry, others will see the Holy Spirit in you. Every time you exhibit peace or joy or generosity or patience, others will see the Holy Spirit in you. Every time you stand up for others who cannot stand up for themselves, others will see the Holy Spirit in you.
And so, did any of you see the Holy Spirit this week? Did you see the Holy Spirit either in yourself or in somebody else? (Can you tell me about it? Where did you see the Holy Spirit?) I saw the Holy Spirit last night when I was dead tired and didn’t feel like writing one more sermon. I woke up from my nap and was suddenly able to write. That was the Holy Spirit. I know because I prayed for help.
Here’s another way to think of it: Has God used you lately to bless somebody else by doing good for them? That’s God’s Spirit working through you in order to minister to somebody else. Has God used somebody else lately to bless you by doing good for you? That’s God’s Spirit working through that person in order to minister to you.
God is in us. God is among us. In him we live and move and have our being. Jesus did not leave us orphaned. God remains active. This is, indeed, good news! Amen.
Easter 6(A) Acts 17:22-31
May 29, 2011 John 14:15-21
St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church
Pastor Lynne Hutchison
© 2011 Lynne Hutchison All Rights Reserved
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