Latest / Belin Memorial UMC / Rev. Dr. Sandra Stevens Poirel - "I AM"
Transcript
- Belin Memorial UMC: Well, good morning. It is so good to see all of you and the sun reflecting off the beautiful inlet. You've heard it several times. We are very grateful for God's gift of rain and the nourishment that it has provided not only the earth, but for us. Would you please stand for the reading of the gospel? The gospel lesson comes to us today from the 14th chapter of John. It is part of what is known as Jesus' farewell discourse or final discourse. We are going to read six verses. It covers three chapters, but I thought maybe ⁓ we would just share six verses this morning. If you're okay with that, I think we have a consensus. Jesus said, Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself so that. where I am there you may be also and you know the way to the place where I am going. I like to call him honest Thomas at this point. Thomas said to him, Lord we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way? And Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. This is the word of God for the people of God. You may be seated. I probably have an idea of what you're thinking about this text. Well, that's an odd text for you to choose for the fifth Sunday. of Easter. After all, we're in the Easter season. We are post resurrection. But this is also known as I am Sunday. And here we find ourselves stepping back into the pre crucifixion time. Actually the night. when we are approaching the end of the Easter season. I actually did not just randomly select this text. Every year, the gospel readings for this particular Sunday come from what is known as Jesus' farewell discourse. It is the winding up of Jesus' life physically with his disciples. Now you'll remember on what we call Maundy Thursday, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. This is actually following that event in the upper room in the Gospel of John. Jesus is about to be lifted up on the cross so that he might draw the whole world to himself. So when we think about it, it's really not so strange after all that this is our text since this Easter season is a time that we remember and we give thanks for the time that Jesus walked among us as humanity. So when Jesus spoke these words to his disciples, he was very clear what was ahead for him, but also for them. in the first century when they were living this out. He anticipates the confusion that his friends are going to be feeling and he knows it's going to happen in just a little while. So in care for them, he continues to build on the foundation that he has already laid so that they will have this to hold on to, to draw upon, to strengthen them in the time that they are going to need it, which he knows is very, very soon. And I think we can appreciate that. Memory. is a wonderful gift that God has given to us. Now granted sometimes it's taking me longer to remember some things than it used to, but memory, memory of places, people, and time spent with people that are important to us is a tremendous gift. So here's the context of what was going on when Jesus spoke these words to his disciples. Jesus knew that everything was about to change. Everything in his disciples' lives was about to be what they might feel turned upside down, and it was. beginning this very night, even though they weren't completely aware of it. Jesus is with his disciples. This is the night before he dies, and he is trying to prepare them for not only for what is coming, but for life that they will continue to live without his being physically present with them. So this is the beginning of the drama of Jesus' glorification. they were about to go through what they probably would have described as the worst night of their lives. So were they confused? Absolutely. Jesus has just summoned them to a dinner that he's prepared. He's washing feet and now he's preparing them for something. What they do know is something's up, something is about to happen, and whatever this something is, they don't anticipate it's going to be good. At least not in their minds at this point. Jesus had already told them multiple times that he would be betrayed. They had not wanted to hear that, by the time we get to this place, Judas has already exited. He has left the group. He is out making the arrangements as Jesus is speaking for his arrest. He will be arrested, he will be crucified, but he will be resurrected. He will be victorious over death, which is exactly what we celebrate during this season of Easter and every day of our lives. But how are they supposed to know that at this time? Judas has just left the group. He's out there doing whatever he's doing. They're not with him. And here is the reason that this text is such an important Easter passage. You see, we're situated in the season of Easter in the liturgical calendar. We're making our way toward the day of Pentecost, which is then followed by the day of Ascension. Jesus knows that he's going to the cross. He will die. He will be resurrected. And then there will be a time that he returns back to his father when he ascends. And amid all of this, Jesus is taking time to care for and comfort his disciples. He's offering them words of promise and of reassurance, and he offers the pastoral word, do not let your hearts be troubled to which they may say, What? But don't miss that detail. It's an important detail. That was very good news for them. It is excellent news for us. The disciples don't understand. They're terrified. He understands and we can identify. We like to know what to expect. Do we have any planners among us you don't have to answer but some of you are? You know the sticky notes and 48 highlighters and different colors, you're organized, you got the calendar, you know what's coming up and you're prepared. They have no sticky notes, no calendar, they have nothing. And they are scared beyond words. The one that they depended on to always be present that they can go back to is saying, I'm going to leave you for a while. but I'll still be with you. What? They have no idea what's coming, no matter how many times Jesus had tried to reassure them. We are told their hearts were troubled and Jesus knew a little bit about having a troubled heart. Three times in three chapters preceding this one, we hear that Jesus' heart was troubled when he wept for his friend Lazarus when he died, when Judas betrayed him, and the hour that his death was about to come. So he understood what it was to have a troubled heart. So he addressed them. He spoke simply. He spoke plainly. He spoke words of truth and of comfort. He didn't use any large theological constructs or words. He offered no parables, no stories, no illustrations. He spoke very directly. I find this comforting. That's one of the reasons this passage has become one of the most beloved. It is comforting, it's direct, and it is heartfelt straight from Jesus to people he loved and cared for and he knew they were terrified. There was a young female pastor who compared this to the way she as a mom speaks to her toddler. And I like that because you know I like for Jesus to speak to me like I'm a toddler. I might get it. It was the first day of preschool. Many of us remember taking our child to the first day of preschool. I don't know who was more traumatized, him or me. I think it was me. But he was pretty traumatized. Well, she drives up, she's got her son with her, she's dropping him off. This was an emotionally heart-wrenching time, but she understood what it was to have a troubled heart, so she spoke words of truth and comfort to her son to give him reassurance that he did not need to have a troubled heart. So she said, okay, I'm going away, but I will come back. I'll come back and pick you up. and then I'm going to take you home with me and you don't need to be afraid. While I'm away from you, I'll get everything ready for you and then when I come back, you'll be with me." And he was fine. I'm not gonna tell you she was, but the child then was fine. His anxiety was relieved. He trusted her. He knew if mom said, I'm dropping you off, I'm getting things ready, I'll pick you up, you'll be with me. He trusted her. It was relationship. This didn't happen in one sentence in one day at preschool. And here's the key about this passage. It's about relationship. When Jesus says, go to prepare a place for you so that wherever I am there you will be also. You're going to be with me. He never gave his disciples an address. He never gave a description of where this place is, except there many rooms. There's a place for all. What he did was make a promise. I'm leaving you physically for a while, but I'm coming back. And when I come back, I will have made everything ready and I'm going to get you to come with me so that we will be together. Words of comfort, words of promise, direct. So when the time comes, you have these words directly from me. That's what he did for his disciples. But you see, we are his disciples as well. So those words are for us too. Whatever you're facing or whatever you may face and there will be and maybe are times of doubt and trouble, fear and grief, pain and suffering, anxiety, injustice, whatever it may be, your heart is troubled. Jesus understands what it means to have a troubled heart. He has experienced a troubled heart. But when the time comes that you experience a troubled heart, we have a picture of what it looks like to trust God. Jesus invites us into that relationship. Complete dependence on Him because we can trust Him. Very plain, very simple, very direct promise in words. He summons us to stick with Him on the way. He is the truth and He is preparing the way and life to remain constant in our awareness of and in communion with Him wherever we are, wherever He leads, knowing and trusting that we do not know the future. but he is holding the future and he gives us those words on this I am Sunday. I am the way, the truth and the life. Do not let your hearts be troubled. and then comforted, rested, and renewed by his great love. Then we're prepared to be sent back out just as those disciples were in that room that night. He gave them words of comfort and peace. He fed them. He prepared them to be sent back out into the world so that Others may be strengthened and comforted and come to know the good news of the gospel that he had to offer as the way, the truth, and the life as are we. In a few moments, we will be invited by Christ to God's table to yet another meal to share in the means of grace to come and be fed and be nourished and be strengthened. and offer Christ yet another opportunity to speak to us. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.