May 18, 2014

Helen Jacobi

Acts 7:55-60     Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16     1 Peter 2:2-10     John 14:1-14

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“Do not let your hearts be troubled”… If we had stuck to the lectionary this reading would have been the reading at my induction service on 1 May.

But Bishop Jim and I didn’t think it was a very encouraging start to a new ministry “do not let your hearts be troubled”!

It is however perhaps an appropriate reading for today as across the church we absorb the decisions of our General Synod on same gender blessings.

“Do not let you hearts be troubled” will be being preached in different ways in the pulpits of our churches this morning.

This passage from John is often read at funerals; it is heard as a reassurance for those mourning – there are many rooms in my Father’s house and I go there to prepare a place for you. It is seen as a reassurance about heaven, and life after death.

The context in which we use scripture so often colours our thinking about a passage –

John the gospel writer did not have funerals in mind when he wrote these words.

“Do not let you hearts be troubled” is not actually about sadness at a funeral, but about deep distress, fear, and agitation in the face of persecution and suffering.

It is the outrage we feel at the sentencing to death of Meriam Ibrahim for being a Christian in the Sudan, it is the outrage we feel as we wait for the return of the Nigerian schoolgirls.

Jesus is telling the disciples to stand fearless in the face of persecution, as he will stand fearless in the face of death.

He tells them there are many rooms, or many places to dwell in his Father’s house – and again this is not about heaven – but John the gospel writer’s core theology of being in relationship with God.

The awkward translation “dwelling places” is trying to get at the double meaning of the word as a place, and as a metaphor for the “indwelling of the Holy Spirit”.

John’s theology is all about Jesus being the incarnation of God “In the beginning was the word and the word was with God” (John 1:1).

For John, Jesus is God in the world, right there in the flesh.

So when Thomas, ever practical, who can’t think in images or metaphors, says “we do not know the way to this house, where are you going, get the map out and show us the way.”

Jesus replies – I am the way – I know God, God dwells in me, and God dwells in you too, because you have known me.

Exasperated Philip joins in “show us the Father and we will be satisfied” just show us already! where, how , what, on the map, in a place.

Jesus, rather exasperated, says “Have I been with you all this time and still you do not know me?”

Knowing, abiding, dwelling, being in relationship; these are the things John writes about.

There are many rooms in my Father’s house; there are multiple ways to be with God because this is about relationship, not about a physical place.

The disciples know Jesus, he has said to them: abide in me as I abide in you; be with me, walk with me, to the cross, and you will know God.

The line “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” has been used over the centuries as an exclusive line, to exclude other religions, and to claim Jesus as The (only) Way to God.

Many a bumper sticker has been sold with Jesus the way printed on it.

But again the context we use scripture in can distort the original context –

Gail O’Day says “this is not the sweeping claim of a major world religion, but the conviction of a religious minority in the ancient Mediterranean world. These verses are the confessional celebration of a particular faith community, convinced of the truth and life it has received in the incarnation.”[1]

John’s community hear these words after and in the midst of persecution and opposition and struggle.

And they experience the indwelling of God with them, they experience God incarnate in their lives, and they are grateful.

Our reading from Acts today describes the martyrdom of Stephen, the first martyr of our faith, a gruesome account.

But Stephen knew and proclaimed Jesus as the way he knew God.

So in our context what do we do with Jesus’ words?

We are invited to dwell with God in our lives and relationships.

We don’t have to come to a beautiful church to find God (although sometimes it helps), we are invited to find God in our workplaces, on the streets, in our families, in our struggles and joys.

When you stand up to a bully at work or school you are following the Jesus way;

when you volunteer your services at the City Mission or on a school committee or board you are following the Jesus way.

When you cook dinner for your family and love your kids even when they do unlovable things you are following the Jesus way.

When you step up to lead as a member of the Vestry of our parish you are following the Jesus way.

The Jesus way is the way of offering and service, it can be quiet or it can be bold,

it may take you on a path you are unsure of,

you might want to be careful as it can lead to the cross or to stoning.

Our General Synod which met this week looks on the surface to have chosen a careful version of the Jesus Way.

They were examining how the church might move forward on the matter of same gender blessings and the inclusion of gay and lesbian Anglicans amongst our clergy.

The Synod has mapped out a pathway to move forward but we have to wait another two years at least for actual progress while an approved liturgy for same gender blessings is written and the implications are thought through some more.

Marriage is not yet on the table.

So that seems very slow and very disappointing.

We have waited long enough and we do not want to wait any more, yet here we are.

On the positive side, the decision to move forward was unanimous. So that means that some in the church whose views on these matters we would find repugnant, have agreed that the church can move forward.

Now in our internal church workings that is a huge step forward.

To those outside the church and those waiting it is pretty meaningless, internally it is significant.

The church has also offered an apology

All too often our Church has been complicit in homophobic thinking and actions of society, and has failed to speak out against hatred and violence against those with same-gender attraction.

We apologise unreservedly and commit ourselves to reconciliation and prophetic witness.

An apology without immediate change and action might seem a little empty, I have heard some this week welcome the apology and others see it as indeed empty words.

For some the wait in front of us will be too long and they will give up on our church and walk away.

And since God does not just dwell in the church God will walk with them.

And for those of us who hang in here and wait and push and stamp our feet for a faster pace God will walk with us as well.

And we will stand with those who continue to be hurt by the church.

If we stay in the church and wait and work for change we are forced to stay and work with those with whom we disagree, and whose ideas and theology we find oppressive and exclusive.

Jesus invited all to his table, the sinners and the tax collectors and the Pharisees.

The Jesus way includes them all.

That is hard to stomach some times but it is the Jesus way.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled” – do not be distressed but stand firm, stand tall, kia kaha.

God dwells in each and every one of us and in the people walking past our doors this morning.

Jesus invites us all to walk the Jesus way, abiding together in the many dwelling places of the house of God.

[1] Interpreter’s Bible vol IX p 744 Abingdon Press 1995