Senior Sunday Sermon 2007, by Lisa Hawe

Theme “Unity” 

Scriptures John 17:20-26, Acts 16:16-30, Rev. 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21

I accompanied my son’s 4th grade class on a field trip to Heritage Village in Farmington.  We took a step back in time to the year 1900.  We learned about the black smith, barber shop, family gardens, the mercantile, church, train depot and the one room school house where grades 1-8 all learned together.  One of the last questions of the day was, “Would you have liked to have lived in 1900?”  I’ve been mulling the question over in my mind ever since.  In 2007 we have the advantage of modern conveniences like indoor bathrooms, the internet, TV, ipods and cell phones.  But back then, even though every day life was much harder, it seems like people depended on each other more.  Eighth graders helped teach the younger ones at school.  Families had to work together taking care of crops, chopping wood for heat, sewing and cooking.  I picture so much togetherness, like on the “Little House On the Prairie” shows. 

In 2007, I wonder how long I could survive alone in my home.  I bet I could go for months without seeing another person face to face.  I could order my groceries and do my banking on line.  I have plenty of entertainment.  I could earn a degree and find ways to earn money working from home.  I could call, email, text message and chat online if I got lonely.  I could even watch church on TV and give my offering by credit card.  But, would that really be good?

When we read the story of creation in Genesis, God says, “It is good,” a lot of times.  After each new thing that He creates, He says “It is good.”  But there is one time when God says “It is not good.”  Gen. 2:18 says, “It is not good that the man should be alone.”  Humans were never meant to live in isolation. 

Christian Unity - Vertical

              The gospel lesson today is a prayer that Jesus is praying for us.  He prays that we would be one as He and His Father are one.  He prays that the Father’s Love would be in us.  He says that He desires to be with us.  The fact that God’s Son prays for me and wants to be with me makes me feel pretty special.  That’s the first kind of unity I want to talk about.  Jesus invites us into a relationship with Him.  In the Revelation text He says, “Let everyone who is thirsty come.  Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.”

This relationship can be remembered by looking at the cross and seeing the vertical line.  God to us and us back to God.  One of my favorite verses is when Jesus says at the end of Matthew, “I am with you always to the very end of the age.”  Nothing can separate us from His love.  As awesome as that is, God says that’s not all I have in mind for you.

Christian Unity - Horizontal

              A little boy’s parents had put him to bed.  A few minutes later he called from his bedroom, “Will you come in here?”  Knowing he was trying to extend the bed time, the mother replied, “No.  You’re OK.  Just close your eyes and go to sleep.”  A few minutes later he called again, “Can I sleep with you?”  “No, honey, you need to sleep in your own bed.”  A few minutes later, “But, I’m lonely in here!”  To this the mother replied, “You’re never alone.  Jesus is always with you.”  He answered, “But I need Jesus with skin on!”

              We need to be Jesus with skin on for one another.  We need support, encouragement, accountability, & friendship.  That’s why it’s not enough to have a vertical relationship, we also need the horizontal relationship – person to person.

              I know that there are people who don’t think they need to go to church to be a Christian.  I know there are lots of excuses for not going to church.  But if we take those excuses and apply them to other things we do, or don’t do, it might sound something like this.

I don’t eat because:

• I tried eating once and I didn’t like it.
• I only eat on special occasions like Christmas and Easter.
• People who eat are just hypocrites – they’re not really hungry.
• None of my friends will eat with me.
• I don’t think eating does anybody any good – it’s just a crutch.
• I’ll eat when I get older.
• Grocery stores and restaurants are just after your money.

Making excuses about not going to church sound just as silly as these.  Church attendance for the Christian is as important as regular, balanced meals.  Without spiritual food, we cannot survive.

One year the president of the Special Olympics was asked to share his favorite memory from that year.  Without hesitation, he said it was the 100 meter dash.  Six developmentally challenged young men had been training for this race all year.  They wanted to win.  Although they couldn’t run well, they would give it their all.  Part way through the race, one of the athletes fell face first on the track.  The other runners took a few more steps but all turned around, went back to the fallen runner, helped him up, and ran hand in hand with him across the finish line.  All six crossed the finish at exactly the same time and all got gold medals.

              Our role as members of Jesus’ church is helping those who fall to get back up.  The church is not the place for competition; we must serve together in unity.  This was Jesus’ prayer for us.

              Usually when I’ve read the story about Paul & Silas singing praises in prison, (from our Acts text,) I’ve thought about the fact that they could find joy in even the worst of times.  This time, though, what struck me was the fact that they had each other.  How much easier it must have been to survive those terrible conditions with a fellow believer and friend by their sides.

              This horizontal relationship is not for our benefit alone.  Jesus says in His prayer that when the world sees the love we have in Him and in one another, there will be no denying that Jesus is the Son of God.  United Lutheran’s theme for this year says it well, we are “disciples for the sake of the world.”

A pastor I met does a lot of speaking engagements, so he often flies.  He said one of the first things that comes up in conversation when he is sitting next to a stranger is, “What do you do for a living?”  When he tells the person he is a pastor, the person is often uncomfortable and the conversation dies right there.  He decided to come up with a new way to tell what he does.  So he made a business card that says, “Atmosphere Architect - creating an atmosphere of love and acceptance where people can experience the grace of God.  All too often, people who are not believers come to expect anything but love and acceptance when they think of a Christian.  They may have been judged or seen Christians not getting along.  They may wonder, what’s up with all these denominations?

John 13:35 says, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

              A few years ago when our youth went on a mission trip to Chicago we taught VBS to a group of children in the city.  They were different from us in many ways.  We were different in race, economics, they were big city kids, & we came from a small town…  But, we spent the week singing together, making projects, playing, laughing, praising God and we grew to love each other in a short amount of time.  One of the boys was sitting on Megan Fricke’s lap and he asked her if he could listen to her heart beat. She let him.  Then he asked her to listen to his and she did.  Then he said, “See.  They’re the same.”  When the heart of Jesus beats inside of us, it’s possible to break down any walls and to change the world.       

When Christians have healthy vertical and horizontal relationships life is in balance.  We miss out if we think faith is all about just me and God and nobody else.  Likewise, if we spend all our time loving and serving people, but never get to know Christ himself, we’ve lost out again.  Both lines are needed to make a cross.  Both types of unity make up the Christian faith.

Graduates, you have shared a very special unity with each other as the class of 2007.  Some of you have been together for over 12 years.  It may seem hard to think about “unity” at a time when you are about to go in many different directions.  But your unity is not based on being the class of 2007.  It’s about sharing oneness in Christ.  As you go to new jobs and schools remember that Jesus goes with you and wants you to stay connected through prayer, worship and the Word.  I also encourage you to seek out Christian community.  Don’t give up.  If your first attempts don’t work out, keep looking.  Also remember that your church community here at ULC will always love you, support you, pray for you and welcome you home.  God bless you, class of 2007!