Sermon Text: John 17: 20-26 - Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
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7th Sunday of EASTER June 2, 2019
John 17: 20-26 Page 1
Sermon Text: John 17: 20-26
[Jesus prayed:] 20“I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf
of those who will believe in me through their word, 21that they may all
be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in
us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22The glory
that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as
we are one, 23I in them and you in me, that they may become
completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and
have loved them even as you have loved me. 24Father, I desire that
those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to
see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before
the foundation of the world.
25
“Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you;
and these know that you have sent me. 26I made your name known to
them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have
loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
Easter Sending Blessing
May the blessings of the ever-loving, ever-living, and ever-present
God, revealed as our gracious Creator ☩ compassionate Savior, and
generous Holy Sustainer, fill us with ever-lasting joy that offers never-
ending peace; for the LORD has risen! And God’s people respond:
Amen, Alleluia.7th Sunday of EASTER June 2, 2019
John 17: 20-26 Page 2
CHILDREN’S SERMON:
Theme: How many can be one
Object: Nativity Puzzle
Scripture: [Jesus prayed:] 20“I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf
of those who will believe in me through their word . . . so that they
may be one, as we are one, 23I in them and you in me, that they may
become completely one, so that the world may know that you have
sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Who likes to put jigsaw puzzles together?
This jigsaw puzzle belongs to CJ. The Puzzle when taken apart depicts in wood the Holy
Family in a Nativity Scene; but as you can see, when put back in the stable it is one piece.
Notice, how the pieces of this puzzle are different sizes and shapes. One represents Mary the
Mother of Jesus; and one piece represents Joseph, the stepfather of Jesus. Three pieces
represent the wise men. Several pieces are animals. One piece is the manager. The puzzle
frame represents the stable where they sheltered on Christmas eve when Jesus was born.
To tell the Christmas story, no one piece of the puzzle is more important than the other; they
are all joined together as one piece of wood when put back into the stable.
This jigsaw with its many pieces teaches us an important lesson about the body of CHRIST,
which we call the Church, which is another word for our family of faith we call, Shepherd of the
Hills. Like the puzzle, we are many different members to be one body; one congregation.
Today we head Jesus pray that his followers be one with him; one holy catholic (which means
universal) and apostolic church (which means to be a sent people sharing good news as Jesus
was sent by GOD to give us Good News); By what we say and do, the world will see and hear
GOD’s love working in and through us, as we feed the hungry; clothe the naked; befriend the
lonely; heal the sick and injured; help the fragile and weak; and forgive one another.
However, just as we sometimes have difficulty putting the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together,
as brothers and sisters in this family of faith, we sometimes struggle being kind and caring with
one another. Sometimes we hear our sisters and brothers in Christ say hurtful things like: “I
don’t like the songs we sing,” or “the pastor preaches sermons that are too long,” or “Our
church isn’t the same as once was.” When we act like individual members of the church
instead as a whole unified congregation, the world no longer sees us in Common-Union with
Jesus—loving GOD, loving one another, and serving the world.
Therefore, like Jesus we let us pray to be re-membered like the puzzle and made one:
Our Father in heaven—help us to pray and practice —how your love brings us together —and
how our love for others keeps us together—May our love for GOD—move us to welcome and
include--others to be one with us—in our family of faith—In Jesus’ name we pray_Amen.7th Sunday of EASTER June 2, 2019
John 17: 20-26 Page 3
I, Rev. Dr. Rob E. Sachs, prepared this sermon for Shepherd of the Hills (ELCA) – Stevenson, WA
God’s beloved daughter and sons, my beloved sisters and brothers in Christ,
grace to you and peace from our risen and living Lord Jesus; Amen.
Every time I hear this remarkable prayer recorded by John’s Gospel account; I
am awed by the meaning of the words spoken by Jesus:
“Father, I ask not only on behalf of these (meaning his original twelve apostles),
but also on behalf of all (meaning every baptized follower of Jesus since then)
who will believe in me and my words; that they may all be one; and so that the
love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them”
I cannot image Jesus facing his own death, yet taking the time to pray for you
and me long before we were conceived in our mothers’ wombs.
Yet, what I hear and see today is how the Spirit of the living and risen Jesus the
CHRIST, who originally prayed those words; continues to stir us Christians—
We respond with our hearts and voices with words of worship that claim us to be
followers of Jesus the CHRIST.
Yet, sometimes our hurting actions and words, like all humans, dismember the
prayer of Jesus so that we no longer act as one in Christ by loving one another.
How does this happen, that the power of prayer voiced by Jesus is unable to
prevent me and you from doing the things we promised GOD we wouldn’t do;
and change us to do the things we promised GOD we would do?
Do our attitudes and actions of intentional or unintentional selective listening or
biblical amnesia seem to be more powerful than the love of GOD in CHRIST to
live in us? Is this what prevents us living in CHRIST and loving one another?
How is it that our forgiven attitudes and actions, a result of GOD’s grace, then
produce this human condition and tendencies labeled by anthropologists,
psychologists, sociologists, and theologians as prejudices and phobias?
I will have some examples in a moment.
First, I want us more than anything else, is to hear today’s Good News, how the
Holy Spirit of our Triune GOD continues to speak the words of Jesus’ prayer into
our ears and breathe these words into our nostrils; to write his prayer of wisdom
into our hearts and minds; and feed his prayer into our blood stream and bodily
fiber; so that GOD’s will continues to be done on earth as in heaven.7th Sunday of EASTER June 2, 2019 John 17: 20-26 Page 4 Now here are some real and portrayed examples: In 1971, 16 years after the U.S. Supreme Court passed down it decision in the case—Brown vs. the Board of Education—T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington D.C.—like many school districts was forced to comply with Federal laws and integrate. This decision resulted in bussing many white students from wealthy neighborhood into blighted black neighborhoods and bussing some black students from impoverished neighborhoods into wealthy all white neighborhoods. Perhaps you have watched the 2000 movie, Remember the Titans. Did you know this true story is about that T.C. Williams High School, and one good example of how human prejudices of supremacy and phobias of racism is not only an American cancer; a cancer that continues to spread throughout our human race on a global scale. But that this movie, Remember the Titans, is one example of how Jesus’ prayer RE-MEMBERS how human prejudices of supremacy and phobias of racism can be eradicated, one person at a time, by changing the lives of Christians who are now reconciled in Christ. In 2015, the US Supreme Court ruled on a case against states that prohibited same-sex marriage, and therefore ban the practice of discrimination in every state; stating that marriage equality is protected under the 14th Amendment of the Equal Protection Clause. Maybe you watched the 1993 movie, Philadelphia, staring Tom Hank. Did you know this true story, was inspired by real people and events, as an example of how human prejudices and phobias of homophobia not only is an American disease; it infects humanity worldwide, and in some countries continues to be punishable by death. Nevertheless, as we listen to Jesus pray, the LORD, RE-MEMBERS how human prejudices and phobias can be eliminated one community and congregation at a time through transforming the lives of Christians reconciled in Christ. In 1993, the US Supreme Court ruled that undocumented persons in the United States have the same rights under due process as documented US Citizens, according to the 5th Amendment of the US Constitution. Yet, even if we have never seen the 1991 Turner Classic film, Crazy from the heart, we know how human prejudices of nationalism and phobias toward
7th Sunday of EASTER June 2, 2019 John 17: 20-26 Page 5 immigrants, is epidemic and continues to dismember the Church and body of Christians universally as if our will is greater than GOD’s. Nevertheless, as the church proclaims this prayer of Jesus, GOD’s word RE- MEMBER, the truth of good news; these kinds of human cruelties and hostilities can be abolished one person at a time through reforming the lives of fellow Christians reconciled in Christ. Hollywood productions of true stories such as these three moves are not, “block- buster films,” but they are some of the ways flim makers reveal ways that GOD works in our human cultures and through our various societies; depicting and exposing not only racial-religious-political-economic-cultural prejudices and phobias toward our neighbors and fellow Human beings— These films of true stories also reveal how GOD’s will is sacrificially love for us ih hopes we will receive and share GOD and show respect-justice-kindness- compassion-and hospitality toward one another—NOT because the US Supreme Court says—this is the LAW of the LAND. But because GOD’s will for you and me, for all people is the message of Jesus’ prayer—for CHRIST to live in you and me so that we together will hopefully love others as GOD loves us. For this prayer of Jesus to RE-MEMBER us as one people; is how GOD’s will to love and live continues to be done on earth as in heaven in, and through the Mission and Ministries of Jesus Christ’s universal church— Because the life-giving; life-redeeming; and life-sustaining love of GOD cannot and cannot and will not be forced or legislated, Agape love is freely received and freely given. Thankfully, the sacrificial Love of GOD this kind of freely given—freely received— freely shared through the power of prayer which does heal and forgive (although never forgets) the prejudices and phobias that continue to dismember, hurt, and infect generations of Christians and our fellow human-beings. After all, those Titan high school football players and students and parent did not realize at the time that they were God’s instruments to get through those turbulent times and ultimately give witness to the rest of the world; the meaning of faithfulness of belonging to one team; being unified not uniform, but as belonging and valued as one human race; one people of God.
7th Sunday of EASTER June 2, 2019 John 17: 20-26 Page 6 Nor in an 2018 interview celebrating the 25 anniversary of the court litigation that pitted an attorney with HIV & AIDs against his former employer, did Tom Hanks realize his words were prophetically true about “How much progress we have made, and how much more work we have yet to accomplish.” Even in last week’s US Court decision which denied the US White House Administration request to appropriate Pentagon funds to build a wall between the US and Mexican border— Again, these glimpses of GOD RE-MEMBERING us through Jesus’ prayer for love is the foundation and lens for who we are and whose we are as people of GOD, beloved sisters and brothers in CHRIST, with values and purpose to love. Last week I gave an example of the PHILOS of Jesus, the brotherly-love of Christ for us exercised as solidarity and mercy; practiced as care and compassion; and demonstrated by humility, hospitality, witnessed by a football coach father toward his son, a team toward their coach, and a community toward their neighbors. This week, these three court and movie examples of AGAPE of GOD, the sacrificial life-giving; life-redeeming; and life-sustaining love of Christ for us, portrays how GOD’s will continues to work on earth as in heaven— These contemporary examples help us RE-MEMBER Jesus befriended a thirsty unclean foreign woman guilty of adultery; so the spirit of Christ comes and meets us where we are to change us from living without CHRIST to living together in CHRIST. Help us RECONCILE, as Jesus befriended a tax collector labeled by many as thief and traitor up a tree, and went to his house to eat with him; so the real presence of Christ comes here and now to invite us to share in his supper, so that we are what we eat and drink, members One in CHRIST”s reconciled body. And, just as Jesus befriended a prostitute down in the dirt about to be stoned, and sent her away so her life could start anew; so the word of the LORD speaks to us and sends us back into our world, to reconcile our relationships with one another so that we will be at peace with one another and with GOD. In the same way, we RE-MEMBER, Jesus forgave a foreign soldier who crucified him and a disciple who betrayed him; by showing and telling us the power of AGAPE sacrificial love by saying, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do;” So this prayer of Jesus commissions us to forgive others as Jesus forgives us.
7th Sunday of EASTER June 2, 2019 John 17: 20-26 Page 7 After all, the LORD Jesus the Christ’s words, according to John’s Gospel account, will not be silenced—they rise up to proclaim GOD’s life-giving; life- redeeming; and life-sustaining Good news that we Christians are to live as ONE human race with all of our neighbors; created by ONE LORD of life for ONE valued purpose of: Loving GOD, loving others, and serving the world. Amen.
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