Last Thursdays sermon went extremely well. I re-worked it a little from what I posted. I went into more detail about how my brother-in-law had to rebuild the engine piece by piece over many months and that it wasn't a quick fix. I think it added a layer of complexity to the sermon that was needed.
The drama team did an excellent job and were definitely better than the actors in the youtube clip. They made it very fun and very Ukrainian by changing all the situations.
After the service there was a great response and a number of people came forward for prayer - one girl even dedicated her life to Christ which was a huge blessing to my life.
I'm preaching again May 6th for Pilgims - the interconfessional worship service at Youth to Jesus. Here's my sermon as it stands right now.
John 13:31-35 (New International Version)
31When he was gone, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. 32If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
33"My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
34"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
I’ve left a lot of places. I’ve said goodbye more times than I wish to remember.
Sometimes goodbyes are a lot of fun. A going away party is a wonderful celebration with friends and family before going to University or before leaving on a big trip.
Sometimes goodbyes are really painful and sad. I left the United States almost exactly a year ago – when I left I didn’t know how long I would be gone, or where all I would be going while I was gone. My grandmother is in her 80s and has been sick for quite some time. When I said goodbye to her before I left, it was one of the saddest things I have ever done.
Sometimes goodbyes are confusing. Our scripture today shares in one of those times. Jesus gathers his disciples together for a “going away party” in the upper room. Before they eat the meal, Jesus stood up from the table and wrapped a towel around his waist. Acting as the lowliest servant, he began to wash the feet of his twelve students. And, if this wasn’t confusing enough - during the meal he lifts the food and drink and explains that the bread is his body and that the wine is his blood.
And then, after all of these confusing acts, Jesus begins his goodbye speech. Which ends up being – you guessed it – confusing. Jesus explains that he is going away for a little while. He tells these men that they can’t come with him. Jesus tries to explain, in the best way – that He will die, but that this will not be a sad event. At the conclusion of this speech, Jesus gives the disciples a new commandment.
After all the things that were difficult for the disciples to understand, Jesus gives them a commandment that is simple enough for little children to grasp it and complex enough that 2000 years later we are still struggling to live it out.
Love one another. ----- As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
By this all men will know that you are my disciples.
I can’t walk around Ukraine without getting white marks on my coat. Everywhere I go, people are brushing white paint off of me. I try really hard to not brush up against walls – but it always seems that I have white markings on my coat.
People know that I have bumped into a wall by the marks on my coat. There is visible proof that I’m a clumsy American and can’t avoid walls here.
When we “brush up against Jesus” – how do people around us know that this has happened? Do they know we are Christians by our church membership record? By our attendance at events? By our position on the leadership team?
No! They know we are Christians by our love. Our love for one another and the world is like the white mark on my coat. It shows to the world that something has happened – that we have brushed up against Jesus and that we are changed.
The first century church wasn’t perfect – it had its faults – but their love for one another is something we can learn from them. As people began to follow Jesus, their lives were changed. These communities of people loved God and loved each other. They sold all they had and gave to the poor. They shared meals together and helped each other in daily life. When sickness came into the cities and the pagans around them began to head for the hills to keep from getting sick – the Christians stayed behind to take care of the sick. While most people ran and hid out of fear – the Christians remained and served out of love.
They will know we are Christians by our love.
While I was in University, I worked with a wonderful church in Georgia filled with wonderful Christians. My friends from church had wonderful southern names – unique to the region; names like Trey, Kip, Flay, Mignon, and a host of other really enjoyable names. One day I was traveling with one of the pastors to hear him speak to a group in a different church. He began to tell a story about someone in our church.
“I know this man named Kip … Michael, you know him.”
I shook my head in agreement – I certainly knew Kip. He was one of the leaders of the church, he really cared about the youth and young adults, and he drove a little VW bug even though he was a full grown man.
My pastor continued the story, “Kip was the meanest man you’d have ever met.”
I immediately interrupted Pastor Joe to let him know that I had misspoken – I didn’t know the Kip he was talking about. I must have know the other Kip, because the Kip I knew was a nice man, a family man, an excellent business leader, and a great Christian.
The Pastor looked at me and said, “Yes, you do. That’s the point of the story. Kip was the meanest man you’d have ever met – but then he met Jesus, and today he is a loving Christian.
They will know we are Christians by our love.
A few weeks ago I was out walking and I saw an old man getting picked on by a group of drunk men. They were poking him and laughing at him and being very mean. It was really an awful sight.
I had the privilege of watching one of our students, who will remain nameless, gently sit down next to the old man and ask him if he was okay and if he needed help. This friend told the men to stop doing what they were doing and stood up for this old, drunk, stranger.
They will know we are Christians by our love.
Look at the examples from history of great Christians – Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr., Оmelyan Kovch, John Wesley, or anyone else who is known primarily for their devotion to Christ. Think about their lives and try to think of one word to sum it up. I guarantee that any man, woman, or child who is renowned for their faith will have a life best summed up by the word LOVE. The love of an old woman as she holds dying babies, the love of a Pastor who was willing to sacrifice even his own life so his people could be free, the love of a Greek-Catholic priest who was willing to die to protect the week and vulnerable from the powerful, the love of a leader who believed that the message of Jesus Christ wasn’t just for the wealthy gentlemen – but that Jesus Christ was for all.
Love, love, love, love.
They will know we are Christians by our love.
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The love of Jesus changes our hearts – our love for one another changes the world.
Within this room, there is the talent, the commitment, the knowledge, the power, and the LOVE to change the world.
We love each other by serving each other. We change hearts, minds, and attitudes – not by arguing for the validity of our beliefs, but by serving others. We change the world by serving people.
Day by day, moment by moment, action by action we are building the future. We are either building into the status quo – doing the normal thing that everyone else is doing – or we are working to change the world.
We’re either working for ourselves or working for God. We are either serving ourselves or we are serving the living Christ through serving others. There are only two options.
The Bible paints a picture of what the world will look like some day. I believe that this is the direction we should be headed – that we should work toward this goal.
Revelation 21:1-5 (New International Version)
1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
5He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!"
This is the vision. This is where we are heading.
We make this a reality by following God, by listening to God’s spirit, and by serving others.
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes.” And he will use us to do it.
They will know we are Christians by our love. Are you ready?
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
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