i-church :
Goodbyes are never easy

Sermon preached at St. Mary the Virgin Church Harmondsworth
27 April 2008
Sixth Sunday of Easter

Goodbyes are never easy. And the final goodbye with approaching death is the cruellest of all. The dying often try to prepare their loved ones. Jesus was no exception.

Today’s gospel reading from John chapter 14 is a beautiful fragment from Jesus’ goodbye messages in John chapters 14 -17. The earlier chapters are Jesus’ goodbyes to his beloved disciples – time after time he tells them how much he loves them, tells them not to be afraid or troubled but to be brave and to trust in the Father and believe they too will one day be with him. Finally in chapter 17 there is Jesus’ magnificent awesome heart-rending prayer of farewell to the Father. Today’s gospel reading then is but a tiny fragment of that prolonged farewell – that necessary preparation – that final loving act.

Let’s look more closely. Jesus and his disciples were in Jerusalem. They’d just celebrated the Passover. During the celebrations Jesus had astonished his disciples by washing their feet. He was preparing them for his departure – doing all he could to show how very much he loved them. He knew the impact his death would have on them. So he was leaving them a precious memory – a memory not of heartache – but of bonding. Jesus was making quite sure those men would remember that night just as I guess we all remember exactly where we were on 9/11.

He’d already told them ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled.’ He’d already said ‘trust in me.’ But it wasn’t enough. These men had spent 3 years with Jesus: they’d listened to him, worked alongside him, watched him minister to the lonely, the sick, the outcasts. They loved him. Each one of them knew the light of Jesus’ saving love, the warmth of approval which fed their spirits. Jesus knew they’d be bereft – knew they’d be inconsolable, knew they’d be at a total loss without him. He could see they’d grown in faith but still they quarrelled with each other and challenged him. Without his leadership they’d be adrift. So Jesus continued to teach them. They were still spiritual infants and there wasn’t much time left.

Here’s his first message – a familiar one – ‘if you love me, keep my commands.’ But this is an instruction rather than a reassurance. And these men sure needed reassurance. Soon their Lord would be dead. He knew it and kept trying to reassure them. Listen to this promise, ‘I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you for ever – the Spirit of truth.’ Here Jesus is promising his disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit who brings truth – the Spirit who makes us all aware of our sinfulness, the Spirit who brings us to Christ, the Spirit who guides and teaches us – the Spirit who never leaves us. Then come these words ‘I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.’ Just let those words register. Magnificent words. Words which blanket. Words which are all we need to know. We’re not alone in this expanding universe. God is not a delusion as Richard Dawkins asserts. The universe is not a cold unfriendly habitat – it is held in God’s almighty hands and we are beloved sons and daughters of the Father – we each have a special unique place in his heart. Of that there is no doubt.

Alongside this promise – you are not alone, you will not be alone – ever Jesus had to hammer home the message again and again that he was leaving them. He knew that without constant repetition they’d kid themselves he didn’t mean it – go into denial. So listen to what comes next ‘Before long the world will not see me any more, but you will see me...’

How those disciples must have wondered. Jesus was going – he kept telling them and confusing them. The world wouldn’t see him but they would. You can just imagine their internal dialogue can’t you. What IS he talking about? What does he mean? How will we SEE him? Then come these words ‘Because I live you will also live. On that day you will realise that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.’

How puzzled they must have been. How puzzled I was years ago on my first retreat ever when I woke with some of these words in my mind ‘you are in me and I am in you.’ I wondered what on earth was going on. Now I know. And soon the disciples would know too. Jesus had promised them the gift of the Holy Spirit – of course they’d not be orphans – the Spirit of truth would fill their senses, the love of Father and Son would spill over into their hearts filling their minds – they’d never be the same again. No one ever is the same again when the Holy Spirit sets his or her heart and mind on fire.

The passage ends with Jesus again reiterating the primacy of love. ‘Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.’

A few years later Paul is in Athens preaching. His life has been turned upside down. He’s changed from a persecutor to an evangelist. And in the reading from the Acts of the Apostles we’ve just heard he challenges the Athenians who have inscribed an altar with ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Some of them weren’t too sure what was most important in their lives – quite who to worship – what came first. How sure are we? What comes first with us? What’s most important to us? Our families? Our health? Success? Fun? Living for today? One day like Jesus we’ll be nearing the end of our lives. Maybe we will like Jesus have time to prepare our loved ones. Maybe we won’t. Are we like the Athenians hedging our bets? Or do we have the blessed assurance that Jesus brings – do we know – really know that we are born of his spirit, washed in his blood?

Hear again across the centuries Jesus’ words of loving farewell to those perplexed men ‘ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.’ It’s never ever too late. Jesus is still saying ‘Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in…’

Keep listening. Always.

In the name of Christ – our Living Lord: Amen

Texts: John 14:15-21/Acts 17: 22-31
© Christine M Shilling UK 2008