Today’s Scripture

Psalm 67         Acts 14:8-18    Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23    John 14:23-29

 

(Jesus said), “My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”  John 14:23b

 

            We live in troubled times.  Throughout the world we live in the shadow of acts of terrorism.  There are civil wars raging in many countries, change of leadership by military force, and our nation’s own wars active in Afghanistan and Iraq and sitting on the edge of war on other fronts.

 

            We live in troubled times in our own nation.  The economy and the political tensions at all levels of government is obvious.  This week’s news is headlined by a 50-year-old racially based murder case re-opened.  Time does not heal wounds and scars reopen in all kinds of domestic and legal cases.

 

            At home we live in troubled times.  We are concerned about safety on the streets in many perspectives.  There is strife in workplaces and the threat of even having a workplace from day to day.  Our city is in the midst of major redevelopment not just in the downtown area but many neighborhoods.  Then there are the interpersonal relationships at work, in the neighborhood, and within the family. 

 

            The disciples were living troubled times too.  The tensions between Jesus and the temple leaders had escalated rapidly.  There was wonder what the conniving leaders were going to pull off at any moment.  (Those watching the Gospel of John movie in Bible Study have seen how this was building up.)  There were the tensions between Jerusalem and Rome.  There were the tensions within the group of disciples as Jesus proclaimed how near the kingdom is yet they could not see any evidence of a kingdom as they would recognize one.  There were the tensions each one felt as he had given up everything to follow Jesus these three years.

 

            Now, Jesus is talking about a future, about going away, and they cannot go with him.  There are a lot of unanswered questions and the disciples are greatly troubled individually and as a group.

 

            Now Jesus talks about peace.  Peace amidst all of these tensions.  “What is this peace going to be like?”  “How are we to recognize and know it?”  Then Jesus confuses us all a bit more as he says, “I do not give as the world gives.”  In this world, peace comes when one forces another to give up something of wealth, power, and ownership.  This peace is prefaced by love, love as Jesus has been showing.  Love, as Jesus calls on us to imitate him in loving by completely surrendering self as he does.  Jesus declares this peace comes from loving him and obeying his teaching.  When you do this, “My Father and I will make our home with you.”  This peace comes when Jesus sends his comforter, the Holy Spirit, to work the miracle of faith in your hearts, to sustain you in that faith no matter how tough things are in this world, and to remain true in faith in Christ for forgiveness of sins and everlasting life.  It is a different type of peace than one we try to find amidst shell casings, selfish pride and ambitions, and the tensions that exist and are real in our minute-by-minute lives.

 

            Paul reminds us that our bodies are temples, holy places.  These humble and sinful bodies of ours are temples of the Holy Spirit.  [1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.]  We ask, “How can God be in my body?”

q       Where God’s word is in your thinking, there is God.

q       Where faith in Christ is in your heart, there is God.

q       Where obedience to Christ is in your life, there is God.

q       Where God is, there is peace, knowing that:

o       he has made you pure again in:

§         forgiveness of sins

§         baptism

§         Christ’s body and blood given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life.

 

This peace cannot happen without God’s word.  We know from Scripture that Jesus is God’s word.  Jesus, the Word, is with God.  Jesus, the Word, is from before the beginning of time.  Jesus, the Word, is God.  Jesus, the Word, became flesh and made his living with us in order to redeem us, to buy us back into eternal peace with God through him. 

 

            Later this week, on Thursday, we gather here to celebrate Christ’s ascension.  It is the second most important festival day of the church year next to Easter.  On Easter Christ overcomes death and the grave.  On Ascension, God declares his work of redemption complete and restores him to the greatest of glories in his heavenly throne, ruling over all in heaven and on earth. 

q       Jesus’ earthly ministry and work is now complete

q       Jesus is now at home with the Father

q       Jesus is preparing your eternal place their in his father’s house

q       Jesus is ruling over all things in heaven and on earth.  Nothing is outside of his realm and power.  Nothing can ever stand between you and him, you and the peace he has won for you.

q       Jesus will come again to take you to be where he is.

 

Jesus gives different than how the world gives.  We celebrate this glorious day of his ascension in spite of the rest of the world totally ignoring it.  Have you ever seen a .com catalogue, department store or discount chain selling clouds?  Is the date changed so we can have a long weekend?  Do you get the day off work?   

 

      But, for those who believe and obey Christ, we know that:

q       Jesus became man for us

q       Jesus suffered and died for us

q       Jesus rose from the dead for us

q       Jesus ascended into heaven for us.

q       Jesus sent the comforter, the Holy Spirit to be with us in the meantime.

q       Jesus will come again for us at the last day to begin eternity with him.

 

That is the peace that Jesus has brought and again today brings to you.  That peace is his love.  That peace is his love that lives in your hearts as you know him and obey his teaching.  That peace is knowing that all sins are forgiven through faith and in your baptism.  That peace is knowing that although there is nothing you can do to save yourself, Jesus has done it all for you and God gives it freely to all who trust in him through Jesus Christ alone.  Peace is knowing that forgiveness of sins comes by God’s grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

 

q       Where there is God there is his Word.

q       Where there is God there is the water of baptism for infants through the oldest person alive.

q       Where there is God there is bread and wine, bringing the forgiveness of sins in that sacrificed body and blood for you to eat and to drink.

q       Where there is God there is forgiveness of sins

q       Where there is God there is his unlimited love, grace.

q       Where there is God there is perfect and eternal peace.

 

This peace that transcends all of our understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Amen.