Easter 7B - What Now?

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012 | EASTER

SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

YEAR B

             First Reading       Acts 1:12–26

             Psalm       Psalm 1

             Epistle       1 John 5:9–15

             Gospel       John 17:11b–19 

FIRST READING
Acts 1:12–26

 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,
                   “ ‘May his camp become desolate,
      and let there be no one to dwell in it’;
 and
                   “ ‘Let another take his office.’
 21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

GOSPEL
John 17:11b–19
 

11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.1 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them2 in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself,3 that they also may be sanctified4 in truth.

Lutheran Service Book Three Year Lectionary (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009).

What Now?

Grace, Mercy and Peace be unto you from God our Father and Savior Jesus Christ, His Son our Lord. AMEN

Our Text today for the Seventh Sunday of Easter comes from the Acts of the Apostles.

What now?

That is a question that I think every single person has asked at some point or another in their lives. If you have had an especially active life, you may have even said it a couple of times already. It can come in times of frustration, anger, productivity, sadness or confusion. What do we do now? A time that I can remember this question being asked often was the end of my sophomore year of high school, when my church suddenly found itself without a leader due to a heart attack. I remember hearing the elders asking in hushed tones, what do we need to do? I remember other congregation members asking similar questions. As the days and weeks went by the question remained on many people’s lips until a new shepherd had been called to lead our tiny flock. Gradually the commotion was over, and the constant what now faded into the background. “What now?” for as short of a question as it, carries with it a lot of weight. It fits into all emotions, and generally signals that change is about to happen. Whether small change or big change, we as human beings are not always ready for it, because we can only plan a short ways into the future, when our clearest vision is of the past. But we have been sent a helper, the Holy Spirit, so that we may be guided by the one who knows the past, the present, and the future.

I’ve got to believe that this question, “What Now?” was on the minds of the apostles following watching Jesus ascend up into the heavens. Just think about it for a moment. Passover came, which is always a busy time of year for the Israelites, and then your leader is betrayed by someone you thought was a friend, taken, put on trial, and killed all within a couple of days. Not only that, a few days later there started to be rumors that Jesus wasn’t really dead. And come to find out, he appeared in the middle of a locked room and proved that he wasn’t dead. He spoke and ate and taught the disciples for forty days after his resurrection until he ascended up into heaven not to be seen by the apostles again. All of a sudden The whirlwind has taken a rest, and everything is changed. The one that once was dead is no longer dead, and neither is he still on earth anymore, he pulled an Elijah and went straight into heaven without the need to die. And because of the actions of the betrayer there is an opening in the ranks of the chosen. What were the apostles to do? The steps of the apostles at this point were simple, fill the void left by Judas the Betrayer and beyond that pray and trust in God. The requirements were simple, “So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” Two men fulfilled those requirements, and they cast lots to let God decide between the men. They did these things to fufill what had been spoken by the prophets. Now what?

It would be a grave mistake to think that these men of God no longer had a purpose or a leader though, or to think that they were alone. We stand this day between Ascension and Pentecost, where Jesus ascended and the apostles went out with the Holy Spirit to witness about the Christ. Even though Jesus Christ was now no longer in the world, having come to the father, and they were still in the world, they were never alone. They had been taught the scriptures by the son of God, sanctified in the Word of Truth and consecrated by the blood of Jesus. They had been prepared for being witnesses to an incomparable event and yet they still had to manage what God had given to them in their time and place, for change was upon them.

There is a danger for Christians to underestimate the necessity of the day to day management that occurs in the church. It isn’t really important, only Sunday morning and the proclamation of the Gospel is important. And while that is first and foremost the responsibility of the church, there is a call to manage what God has given to us. Even the great and mighty apostles had to ask the question what next, because we still exist here in time and space. That is why Voter’s meetings, as dull or exciting that they can be are so crucial to a functioning church, because sometimes the roof has to be repaired or things need to be rearranged so that the word of God may be preached without being dripped upon and the sacraments may be accessible to all people. Even the mundane can assist the gospel. I want to be clear, for I know it could be taken this way, but this is not a reproach to the actions done or not done in a voters meeting, rather it is a pointing out that they serve more than an earthly function, but further the kingdom of God, by giving order in a small way. That is why Pastor begins each meeting with prayer to ask for God’s guidance, just like the apostles did when calling a new apostle to be one of the twelve.

And just like it would be dangerous to think the apostles were out on their own, so too should we remember that it is not through our own strength or power that we are able to care for the church, or even have a church in the first place. The question, “What now” stems from the fact that things change, that the earthly future is uncertain, that we do not always know what the best course of action is. Yet we too have a guide a counselor, the scriptures written through the power of the Holy Spirit. Through the spirit we are able to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, and trust that the Father cares for his church in this place and throughout the world. We may boldly confess in his name, trusting that he will make the rain fall when it is needed, and take care of us in our moments of need. Jesus asked of his father, I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. He has done that through his death and resurrection, so that we do not fear the future, for while our earthly future is uncertain, our heavenly eternal hope is in Jesus Christ, and the eternal life that he has won for us through his cross.

We are not always ready to ask the question, “What now?” but we can be sure and confident that we are not alone. We do not need to fear the changes of this world, for Christ is with us, his rod and his staff they comfort us. He protects and guide us through his spirit both now and forever more, so we can confess, CHRIST IS RISEN, HE IS RISEN INDEED ALLELUIA. AMEN.