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In relationship with Jesus, we are in relationship with God

A sermon preached at St. Peter & St. Paul, Marietta, GA

by The Rev. Tom Pumphrey, May 10, 2020

The Fifth Sunday of Easter: Acts 7:55-60; 1 Peter 2:2-10; John 14:1-14

John 14:1-14 Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.”

In our prayers in worship we sometimes pray for a child expected to be born soon and the child’s parents. Sometimes we give thanks for the birth of a child, for indeed the birth of a baby is a wonderful and joyful occasion. But wouldn’t it be strange if someone were to ask the new parents “so what’s the big deal? What do you get out of this baby? What are the benefits of this baby to you?”

Of course, the parents don’t answer by listing the tax breaks or the additional labor the child might supply. The baby isn’t valuable because of some utility he provides. The blessing is found not in some product the baby produces. Rather, the blessing is found in the baby himself. So it is with other important people in our lives. Children or spouses or friends aren’t measured in the quantity and quality of favors provided. They themselves are the blessing. The relationship is where a lasting difference is found.

Jesus’ disciples were learning this truth about Jesus and about God the Father. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus speaks with his disciples at the last supper. They are beginning to understand him, but like us, they are still learning. Some of Jesus’ followers saw Jesus as a means to a new situation in the Holy Land—where God would kick out the Romans and restore Israel to independence. Some wanted a political revolution or a social revolution. They sought the truth about the Pharisees or the truth about the Romans or the truth about the Pagans. And some, like Thomas and Phillip, also sought the truth about God.

Jesus taught them many things about the truth of God. He taught them many things about following God’s ways, and about eternal life. But Jesus sought not just to give them information. Jesus didn’t simply bring some external benefit for them. Jesus brought them God himself.

Jesus said to them, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

I think that we also seek the way, the truth and the life. And yet, we find those true things hard to find. This epidemic seems to have intensified the emotional fil

Jesus comes to us to reconnect us

A sermon preached at St. Peter & St. Paul, Marietta, GA

by The Rev. Tom Pumphrey, April 26, 2020

The Third Sunday of Easter: Acts 2:14a,36-41; 1 Peter 1:17-23; Luke 24:13-35

Luke 24:13-35 Now on that same day two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Today is the third Sunday in the Easter season, and today we hear another encounter with Jesus, risen from the dead. I love this story—there is something exciting and engaging about this encounter on the road to Emmaus. There is such drama in this encounter, so much personal passion of these eyewitnesses, sharing all their sadness and confusion, then how their hearts burned within them as Jesus moved mysteriously in their lives. Here they were, disconnecting from the rest of the disciples, perhaps fearful of staying in Jerusalem. But Jesus goes to them to reconnect them and turn their sadness into joy.

The scene is on the first Easter day—the day that Jesus rose after his crucifixion. At this point, the disciples seem to be hiding and afraid. Jesus had been arrested and crucified. What would happen to them next? These two were on their way out of town. Perhaps they were afraid. Perhaps they thought their hopes were over, and that there was no more future for them with Jesus’ disciples. “We had hoped he was the one to redeem Israel,” they said. So they left Jerusalem, in some ways isolating themselves further as the disciples scattered.

You can feel the sadness in their words, the loss,