SCRIPTURE: New Testament: Acts 1: 6-14

June 1, 2014

Seventh Sunday of Easter

Church School Celebration

SCRIPTURE: New Testament: Acts 1: 6-14

Gospel: John 17: 1-11

MEDITATION: Holy Spirit Power

It is so easy to think it is all about US when really it is not! It is not all about US, BUT ALL ABOUT HOLY SPIRIT POWER. It is in the power of the Holy Spirit that God enables us to do what the SPIRIT CALLS US TO DO. It is not what I want, it is not what YOU want, it is what GOD wants! I wonder if we as a community of faith are ready to accept that and work from that place of Holy Spirit Power. What do you think? Are we there? Are we ready for that kind of surrender to power?

This is the last Sunday of Easter. We have journeyed with the disciples through the old, old, story. We have cowered with them in terror and horror on the day after Good Friday. We have stood in amazement with the women at the tomb. We have huddled with the disciples behind locked doors which could not keep Jesus out. We have strolled along the road and been struck with AWE as Jesus told them, “I am here, I am walking with you.” And now, on this day, we like the disciples before us, hear the words that we have dreaded. Jesus says, “I am going now, BUT you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses … to the ends of the earth. The 11 remaining disciples heard these words and they believed them and despite their despair that Jesus would no longer be physically with them, they accepted the Holy Spirit and despite all odds against them they began to build a church. They had been given a reprieve. They had Jesus with them for 40 days after his death and now Jesus would no longer be with them. They grieved the end of a way of life they had come to expect, to count on, to trust. But their grief did not freeze them into inaction, blame or distress – It motivated them to get going, to get on with the work that Jesus had set before them. It is no different for us. That’s us NOW – we are the witnesses to the ends of the earth! How do YOU think we are doing at that?

I have been reading Nelson Mandela’s book Long Walk to Freedom. It was a long walk indeed. 27 years in prison. The first 19 years were years in which he lived a life of isolation from the rest of the world when his voice and his leadership were silenced by the Apartheid Government. The world though, had not forgotten him and the powers of the rest of the world continued to call for his release and for the end to Apartheid. Increased sanctions against South Africa began to have a devastating effect on the economy of that country and the government began to realize that something would have to change. In the last 9 years of Nelson Mandela’s captivity they began to negotiate with him. They seemed to be negotiating in good faith, but Nelson was not fooled. He held to his belief that only democracy and the rule of the people would bring a new life to his homeland. In the forefront the government seemed to be moving in that direction but behind the scene they continued to divide the people and the black leadership with increasing violence and hatred. Again Nelson kept his focus on what he believed. He did not waver. He knew what the government was doing. The government believed that dividing and conquering had always worked in the past. It took some time for them to realize that it would not work into the future. And slowly the world of South Africa began to change. Democracy was accepted, new laws were enacted and the message of Nelson Mandela, that there would be no revenge and no dividing of black from white would prevail. There was a power behind the people that could not be stopped. It seems throughout history, humanity has always had to deal with tactics of divide and conquer.

There is no doubt that we as a community of faith, have to deal with this same phenomena. There are powers outside of us which would divide us and use that power in a way that is not helpful to us. And there is a society outside of our doors that seems, in the most part, to believe that we are irrelevant. It seems as if the people who need us the most cannot hear our message of love and acceptance. It also seems to work as we have powers within our community which also would seek to divide us from each other. It is for sure partially a reactionary result of the outside stress. Last week we engaged in a ritual which reinforced for us that we are not separate. We have invited others this morning that were not here last week to join their symobolic action to ours. Our mingled sand is a statement that we will not be divided. It is a symbolic action that shows us that we are mingled together in community in a way which cannot be broken. Just like the disciples before us, we have a power that we depend on that is beyond ourselves. A power greater than any power that we as humans can exert. We just need to recognize that power, depend on it, lean on it, and ask it for courage and focus and love and peace and then WE WILL have the power which holds us together. The leadership of this church is working hard to deal with the powers from without. It is not easy work. It requires a focus and a determination which cannot be sustained if the community is not supportive of that effort. If we split, if we lose our focus, if we fight within our community then the outside forces will have succeeded. It is up to us. We have Holy Spirit Power, all around. We only need to recognize it and take hold with all our might and all our assurance that is where the real power lies. I urge you to speak clearly in love, in an open and honest way and in the appropriate places. I urge you to avoid the shadows, because it is in the shadows that division happens – it is NOT of the Spirit.

We have something else as well. Jesus prayed for his disciples in the gospel and that prayer is ours to claim as well. “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name – the name you gave me – so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. …. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.”

In those words, lies our power. It is not of us. It is the Holy Spirit Power that will guide and love and strengthen. It is all that we need. It does not depend on us alone. We CANNOT DO THIS WORK ALONE. We are a people, confused, fractured, lost in chaos at times. BUT we have all we need, swirling all around us. As we put our focus on that, as we strive to go forward with that power, we have ALL WE NEED. MAY IT BE SO!

AMEN