Readings:
Sermon:
The glory of the Father is closely bound to that of the Son. Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross will result in his glorious salvation. Jesus will be with the disciples only a little while longer and where he is going they cannot yet come. What was going to hold them together in the face of Jesus’ death? So he leaves them with a ‘new’ command, to love one another as he has loved them – by this distinguishing mark they will be known to be his disciples by others. Many would ultimately lay down their lives for Jesus, but not until his death and resurrection had secured salvation for them too.
God delights in surprises; whether it’s the early Jews of the Christian church or us here today. Those Jews who accepted with grace that God could save Gentiles would experience a new freedom and openness in their lives and it’s a big thing to know Christ in our lives and an even greater thing to see him in others. If we look for Jesus in others, in finding him there we will experience more of him in our own lives.
How this works no logician or psychoanalyst can fully explain. It is divine alchemy at work. Can we find the Lord in those with whom we are less comfortable? - those who, like Jew and Gentile, have not traditionally been of our creed, culture or colour? It all proves that through God all things are possible and bound in his healing love. The Christian healing ministry is greatly misunderstood by many and can be interpreted very differently by factions within the Anglican Church. I don’t intend to open the Padora’s box of argument and counter argument about that; however, if we look again at today’s reading I believe we are given one of the closest insights into the healing power of God being expressed through death and the real victory of the cross. The glory of the Father is closely bound to that of the Son – his sacrificial death resulting in his resurrection and glorious salvation achieves the full healing power of God in his reconciliation with humankind.
We will only fully achieve our own healing reconciliation with God through our own physical death, however much we are in a right relationship with God in this life that relationship can only be perfected in our spiritual relationship with him in eternity. Many – regardless of whether they have a faith or not – come to realise death is the release from physical suffering and achieves the ultimate healing. Whilst we who are Christians know that with God and through the love of his Son, Jesus Christ everything and everyone is made new. And so we obey his command, to love one another as he has loved us.
Questions:
- How easy or difficult do we find it to love others in today’s world of political opposites?
- Are any wars, demonstrations or acts of violence justifiable?