Going back to the Acts story for the conclusion was probably not the best move because it introduced a new topic in the conclusion. But, it is such a great story and seemed to fit (at least in my mind) the sermon, I included it. This is my penultimate sermon before beginning my sabbatical, which is an interesting time in my own work. In fact, next week is a special sermon for Pentecost integrating some jazz/gospel musicians, so this was really my last "normal" sermon for a few months.
“People of God” May 12, 2024, SAPC, Denton; John 17: 6-19; Richard B. Culp
John 17: 6-19 ”I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them.
And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.
Introduction: The Gospel of John continues with Jesus’ final words before his betrayal and crucifixion.
We heard what is known as Jesus’ “final prayer.”
It feels a bit like and intercessory prayer,
like the prayers of the people we pray each week when we ask God to intercede or take action in particular situations.
As we hear Jesus praying to God for what he would like God to do, we get a sense of what is important to Jesus as he reflects on his disciples and the ongoing tasks before them.
Let’s look at a few of these concerns Jesus has as he prays over the disciples.
Move 1: First of all, Jesus prays about the disciples’ relationship with the world.
a. Biblical scholars point out that The relationship of Jesus and his disciples to the world is complicated in John.
1. The disciples were chosen from the world (verse 6),
2. are in the world (verse 11),
3. are hated by the world (verse 14),
4. and are not of the world (verses 14, 16).
5. not taken out of the world (vs. `15)
6. On top of that, Jesus prays that the disciples be protected from the “evil one” who is at work in the world, but not that they be taken out of the world (verse 15). (Glatfelter Professor of Biblical Studies United Lutheran Seminary Gettysburg, Penn; https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/seventh-sunday-of-easter-2/commentary-on-john-176-19-4).
b. Historically, some Christian groups have removed themselves from the world.
1. last fall, my wife and I were on our way to College Station for a football week-end (I had to come back Saturday because it was a night game),
we had a friend from OH with us who wanted to see the Aggie marching band, so we were driving over Friday afternoon.
our friend also has always been fascinated with the Brand Davidians.
So there we were, between Waco and College station, wandering the back roads until we found the place where David Koresh and the Branch Davidians lives and went under siege wiht the FBI back in 1993.
there was a gate to the entrance fo the compound (yes, it’s still there). It said you could drive in and drive around for $10, but it didn’t really feel like the kind of place I want to drive into.
But our friend jumped out of the car and walked about to ge a better view, while Leslie and I waited in the car. I was ready for a quick get away.
Nothing dramatic, but there on the backroads outside of Waco was the place the Branch Davidians withdrew from the world and created their own little. world. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Koresh)
2. not the last nor the first group to interpret their calling as followers of Christ to mean withdrawing completely, or as completely as possible from the world.
3. But notice that in John’s depiction of the relationship the disciples have with the world, they do not ignore the world
or remove themselves from the world
or decide that they do not care about the world.
4. Instead, just as the Father sent Jesus into the world, so too Jesus sends the disciples into the world to continue his mission.
c. Jesus’ prayer for the disciples, prayer for us, calls us into a challenging,
sometimes uneasy
but nevertheless an relationship with the world
1. to tell you the truth, some days I do not watch to watch to hear or read about the world.
2. too many challenges;
too overwhelming
too often a reminder of my own failings and participation in all that is wrong in the world.
3. Wouldn’t it be nice if Jesus said, “Go and hide from the world…”
or go and do your thing with the people just like you and stay away from anyone else…
or, you do your thing and don’t worry about anything else.
Instead, Jesus says, “God sent me into the world, so now I send you into the world.
As people of God, we are called engage the world.
Move 2: Secondly, Jesus also reminds us that we become people of God through him:
a. A frequently occurring Greek word in this passage is the root word for “give”
it occurs 9 times in this passage [75 times in the Gospel of John]
1. We hear It acknowledged that the Father gave the disciples to Jesus (verses 6, 9).
2. We note that Everything (verse 7), including the words (verse 8) and the “word” (verse 14) that the Father gave Jesus, Jesus has given to the disciples.
3. Even The “name” that the Father gave Jesus is the name which protects the disciples (verses 11-12). (https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/seventh-sunday-of-easter-2/commentary-on-john-176-19-4
b. Christ is the one who connects to us and connects us to God.
1. Just as Christ is God’s son, so we are God’s children.
2. The care and concern God has for Christ, is the care and concern God has for us.
3. the call and mission God has for Christ, is the call and mission God has for us.
We are connected to Christ, and in that connection we are connected to God.
Move 3: We also notice the life of discipleship is about continuing to grow in faithfulness and service to God, which we call sanctification.
a. the passage in John calls this sanctification.
1. theological term, we probably don’t use as often as we should.
2. To sanctify is to be made holy, or set apart.
3. We often think of the Holy Spirit as part of the sanctification process.
4. Shirley Guthrie in his book Christian Doctrine describes sanctification as how a person grows in the Christian life by obedient response to God. The Holy Spirit works in us to bring about sanctification.
5. Guthrie defines sanctification by distinguishing it from justification.
He notes that justification is God saying, “I will be your God.” and sanctification is God saying, “You shall be my people” (Guthrie, 331, Revised edition).
b. the ongoing question for us - how do we grow in our faithfulness and response to God’s grace in ways that reveal to the world we are God’s people.
1. William Willimon, retired Methodist bishop and former chaplain of Duke University tells this story: Willimon had a friend who was an international economist. This man had quit going to church. He was in Russia at an academic meeting and had occasion to talk to a communist. She asked, “Do you believe in God? “ He said that he did. Then she asked, “What difference does it make in your life that you believe in God. I don’t believe, but if I did believe it would complicate my life considerably.”
Willimon’s friend could not come up with a difference in his life, so he decided he needed to get back to church and work on his life of discipleship,.
2. How is your life complicated by your living as a faithful disciple of Christ?
3. we are not of this world, but are sent to be set apart while living in this world, it means that:
we are not sent to simply affirm the way of the world because the powers of the world decree it.
or accept the injustices of the world because everyone in decision-making positions accept the injustices
or look at what is wrong and say that’s just how it is.
3. As we live into sanctification, our lives should become more complicated because the Spirit is calling us in ways that are different than the ways the world calls us.
4. I read a commentary this week that noted this Sunday was Mother’s Day, but the lectionary Gospel lesson we read emphasizes Jesus’ relationship with God as his father.
Maybe this text would be better served for Father’s Day.
Maybe - but it seems to me that when we celebrate Mother’s Day, we celebrate the mothers who do not get to pick and choose what day they get to be mothers.
Once they are mothers, everyday gives them the opportunity to live out what it means to be a mother.
4. So too, as Christians, everyday is the next opportunity for us to live out and grow in what it means to be a follower of Christ.
Conclusion: Acts story
leadership search
casting lots
As if the ONC put a photo of everyone in the church on a wall and then took turns blindfolding members who threw darts at the wall - whichever photo the darts stuck to would be the new Ruling Elders and Deacons.
Sounds a bit ludicrous.
Except - except that we are told the Justas and Matthias were already prepared for the leadership, they had already been following Christ and now the resurrected Christ.
The disciples did ask God to direct them in their choice, but presumably either could step up into leadership.
Would that everyone one of us, be so hard at work in our calling as disciples of Christ that any of would be prepared to step forward in leadership.
Such is Christ’s prayer for each of us.
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