Easter 6A    27/4/08 

 Acts 17:22-31            1 Peter3:13-22       John 14:15-21

Janine and Scott have brought Jamie today not only to have him baptised into the Christian faith but also to give thanks that both he and Janine are alive. Their story appears in this week's Chat magazine of how because of Janine's health doctors recommended a termination. Although afraid for her own life and her baby's life Janine honoured this gift of life and gave birth to this lovely wee boy. There are lots of arguments for and against termination but I believe God honours the sanctity of human life and whether Janine and Scott were aware of it or not, God answered the prayers of their families and indeed of this which I hope will become their church family. Mothers often ask us to pray for their children. I even had a grandmother stop me the other day to pray for her grandchild. The concerns range from whether the child would survive an illness to whether the child would pass an exam or whether the child would be called to fight in Iraq. Most often when people are in pain it is their mother who is the first to turn to God in prayer.

The reality of Motherhood is that along with all the joys and blessings of caring for a child there are also fears. Fears of what the future holds. We live in a society that seems to be getting worse by the hour. We fight against crime and injustice and drugs yet those things seem are on the increase. We all have hopes and fears for the children we raise. Will the things that we try to teach them here in the church and at home stick? Will they surrender themselves to God and receive strength for abundant living. Or will they give in to the pressures of this world and suffer the pain of a life lost in sin. Sometimes the fears overshadow the hopes. One of our greatest fears is of being alone, of being without any support. People are frightened to share their fears in case other laugh at them. Jesus knew the fears of being alone. He cried out on the cross,” My God, why have you abandoned me?” In that moment he took our sins on him and knew what it meant to be separated from God. In that moment he experienced true aloneness.

And so as we know from our gospel Jesus promised that his disciples would never be all alone. In today's gospel he tells his disciples that he will not leave them "orphaned" or in some translations "desolate." He will send another "counsellor" to be with them. Jesus promises that there is someone to stand with them, someone to guide, comfort and teach them.

Jesus fulfilled part of this promise after the resurrection. They were not orphaned - all alone. He appeared to his disciples for 40 days and he counselled them and opened their eyes. But then Jesus further fulfilled this promise when he sent the Holy Spirit. Ten days after he ascended to the Father, on the day of Pentecost, he sent the Spirit. And through it we received another advocate. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus and the Father are made present in our lives. That's why we anoint the child with the oil. This symbol of the Holy Spirit promises that they will never be alone whether in a crowd or when no one else is around.

But statements about keeping Jesus’ commands frame all this talk of being alone. Verses 15 & 16 say, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments, and I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor, to be with you for ever." the Bible is telling us that Christ is made present to us in our love for one another. That's why church is so important. Not the building but the community. Here we love one another in Jesus name and we live out God's love together in our worship and ministry. And Christ is present in that.

Then verse 21 says, "He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." Now it would be easy for me to say, "So if you want to have Jesus in your heart you must do what he says." But that doesn't seem to be that point here. Jesus is not saying, "If you don't want to be alone, you'd better do as I say."

It's deeper than that. Loving God and keeping his commandments are all rolled together. You really can't do one without doing the other. If you truly love God you will want to do his will. And you can't sincerely try to do his will without first loving him. In the same way loving God and knowing his presence are all rolled together. God is present in our love for him and in our actions that live out that love.

In the doing Jesus is there. In the loving of others Jesus is present. When we practice love, Jesus is made present to us in special way. Janine and Scott have already practiced love and faith and continue to do so in bringing Jamie to be baptised into the family of God.

And we continue that when we break bread and drink the cup we experience the presence of Jesus.   Jesus is truly present with us through the Holy Spirit. When we share Holy Communion or act according to Jesus' teaching, Jesus is in our hearts and souls; Jesus is really present by the Holy Spirit of God. So do not fear for yourself or your children, for Jesus has promised that we are never alone; we are not orphans.

The last thing a person who is genuinely concerned wants to hear is "Don't worry." You remember the a few years back there was a song that said, "Don't worry, be happy." It is good to be hopeful, but that attitude belittles peoples concerns. People don't need to be told, "Don't worry" they need to be told why they don't need to worry. Peter is telling the early church in the midst of persecution "Don't worry, be happy?"

Peter is not saying "Don't worry, be happy" to these suffering Christians. He is not ignoring the enormity of the troubles that faced the early church. Peter reminds the church of this truth. First Peter says "for it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God's will, than to suffer for doing evil"(vs. 17) Then he puts this suffering in context, "For Christ suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous in order to bring you to God."

This statement says several things to the early Christians. 1. Christ suffered for us. He knows the suffering we are going through. He can feel our pain. 2. Like us he suffered for doing good; for following God's will. 3. God willed his suffering for a greater good. It was his suffering that bought our salvation. He suffered and died so that all of us could live eternally. So our suffering must be for a greater good. Through their suffering in faith that faith has been passed on to us. The church should not fear for the future because their faith was in Jesus who is King of Kings

Have you ever feared for your children? The Bible has several very important things to say. 1. Jesus knows your suffering. He's been there. Jesus said, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem. How often I have desired to gather your children as a hen gathers her brood."(Matt. 23:37) Out of love Jesus wished to "Mother" his father's children but they would not let him.

2. Your worries and fears are sanctified by love. Your suffering is one born of love for your children. I believe God honours that love, just as God honoured the love Jesus had for us as he died on the cross. When we suffer for doing well we are following in Jesus' footsteps.

3. Your suffering is not in vain. God knows your concern. And when you lift those concerns to God in prayer God hears and answers.

4. Don't fear as the world fears because Jesus Christ is your Lord and Saviour. Simply put your trust and your children in Jesus' hands.

He is with us in the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the cup and the living of the Christian life.