Episcopal Church of the Messiah

Worship Service Sermons

May 31, 2009

Acts 2:1 – 11 Psalm 104:25 – 32 1 Corinthians 12:4 – 13 John 20:19 - 23

In comes Jesus, out go the disciples.

A story board for today’s lessons might go like this:

Frame 1: Quaking disciples locked behind the doors of a house.

Frame 2: Jesus appears in the room in their midst.

Frame 3: Jesus breathes on disciples and says, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

Frame 4: Divided tongues of fire resting on each of the disciples.

Frame 5: Doors of room fallen away, and disciples scattered throughout the world, talking with people everywhere.

Notice the two-fold nature of the action:

Jesus comes through the walls to the disciples.

The disciples break through the walls and go out into the world at large.

In. And out. An even, rhythmic motion.

Jesus comes in. The disciples go out.

Jesus comes in. The disciples go out.

It isn’t enough that Jesus has touched the lives of a handful of men and women who were his followers – had that been the case, the church would have died with them.

The Holy Spirit sends these disciples out to touch the lives of others in the same way. That’s how a handful of the followers of Jesus grew into the Christian Church in the world. They carried Jesus into the world in their own transformed lives, agents who spread the Good News like a virus or a wildfire, sowing Jesus like seed:

so that even today, lo! these many years later! Jesus continues to live among us…

As my Father sent me, so I send you!

Jesus in. Disciples out.

Let’s look at the two parts of this equation a bit more closely.

Anyone who spends as much time on the freeway as I, has plenty of opportunity to read bumper stickers. The one ahead of me the other day said: "The difference in me is Jesus."

The difference in me is Jesus.

The difference in me is Jesus.

I wonder how many of us could say that?

Or, would be comfortable saying that?

For most of us, the difference in us is hair color. Or weight loss. Or, perhaps, something like getting married or surviving cancer, or suffering a loss…

Can we articulate what makes us, as Christians, or, even more specifically, as Episcopalians and members of Messiah, different from the way we were before we were Christians? Or different from, say, someone who belongs to Rotary or another service club?

Can we say, "The difference in me is Jesus"?

Perhaps the difference Jesus has made in our lives has become familiar, or even forgotten.

Perhaps we are embarrassed to articulate the difference.

Or, perhaps it has gotten lost in our heads or in our opinions – in theology or politics or "right belief."

I remember my father talking about his conversion experience, about his experience of Jesus breaking through his walls of fear and despair and turning his life around.

The difference in him was Jesus.

And then he went to seminary – and couldn’t find Jesus. Jesus somehow got lost in the theology and politics and "right belief" of the church.

Jesus was no longer relevant as a relationship, a life-changing experience – but became a subject, something to be studied, indeed, mastered.

What happened to Jesus?

To the life-changing experience which presumably propelled all those students – and their professors – into ministry in the church in the first place?!

(Would the disciples have passed their ordination exams, I wonder?)

Now, those of you who know me know that I am certainly not anti-intellectual.

I love learning, and it is an important part of my life.

But I do think that sometimes we have tried to domesticate Jesus – and the church – with our learning, forgetting that the difference Jesus makes in our lives should be primary – and obvious! It should show in the way we live, and in the way we articulate who we are and why we do what we do! It should permeate every aspect of our being, because Jesus has turned our lives inside out and upside down and reshaped us in God’s image.

Because we carry Jesus within us, and we organize our lives around him.

Jesus in. Disciples out.

I will be watching with interest the upcoming National Convention of our church, this July in Anaheim. (I can put a plug in here for volunteers: what better way to experience the church than to BE there, a part of the action, rubbing shoulders and elbows with others who are part of the church?!!)

Will we find Jesus there?

Or will he be lost in the politics and the differing opinions and the assortment of opinions around the "right belief" of the organization?

Will people be able to see Jesus in the news accounts of this event? Will the action of the Spirit be evident – or will one faction or another try to harness the Spirit to their opinions?

Jesus in. Disciples out.

Let’s go to the second part of our Pentecost equation – the "disciples out" part.

Most of us, if we look back at the story board of this morning’s lessons, like to stop at Frame 3: Jesus breaks through our walls and comes to us. We receive the Holy Spirit – "Here, catch!" – and – do what?

Tuck it away for later?

Feel good about having received it?

Most of us have a sort of privatized Christianity.

Oh, we love to wear red on Pentecost.

And it’s fun to have the Holy Spirit Dove lead the procession.

But the being sent part?

That second part of the rhythmic Jesus-in-disciples-out equation powered by the Spirit? Ah, that makes us uncomfortable!

Jesus in, we like!

We can put him away neatly. Take him out like a talisman when we need something to help us through a rough spot. Have a sense of belonging to the body of Christ, to the family of Christians.

But let tongues of fire fall on our heads and allow ourselves to be propelled into the world showing people the impact of Jesus on our lives?

There we’re a bit more tentative…

And yet today’s lesson reminds us that when Jesus takes hold of our lives, when he breathes his Spirit upon us, Jesus is contagious! And, as Jesus’ disciples, we are to spread the Good News!

Jesus in. Disciples out.

The Los Angeles Times ran a feature story some time ago about a group of surfers whose lives were different because of Jesus. They have now made their mission field the beaches and the waves, sharing the Good News with other surfers as they catch waves, or hang out on the sand:

Your life feel kind of empty, Dude? Looking for meaning? Want something that lasts beyond the last wave - or your anticipation of the next?

Let me tell you about Jesus, how he has changed my life!

Jesus In. Disciples Out.

Today’s lessons make obvious several things: one, that the power of the Spirit isn’t something one can harness or control, but something that happens to you; two, the Spirit uses all our different gifts, each as it is unique to the individual – introverts or extroverts, affluent or poor, artistic or practical, educated or not …; and three, that the Spirit is not only powerful enough to embrace diversity, but that it actively seeks out that diversity, meeting each of us where we live, as who we are, talking to us in the language we understand.

When I was a kid, one of my favorite things to do was to blow dandelions (don’t shudder, all you gardeners!). I loved to see them break apart with the force of my breath, and float through the air, seeding the lawn with lots more dandelions for my blowing pleasure! That’s the kind of "spreading" of the Good News we hear about today! Jesus blows the Holy Spirit on our dandelion heads and Christians – followers of Christ – sprout everywhere!

It’s an appropriate challenge in today’s world – and for the challenges particular to Messiah today.

As the Father has sent me, so I send you.

Jesus In. Disciples Out.

Amen.