This will be the week before Pentecost: some will wish to focus on the Ascencion of Christ, but I’ve chosen to look at the readings for the Last Sunday of Easter. These will recognize the host of unnamed teachers, parents and preachers who’ve informed each of us and helped us to grow in the Kingdom of God. I personally thank those little-remembered Sunday School teachers and other kind adults of the Dalton (United) Methodist Church: the snippets of understanding they shared have helped build Discipleship in me. These are the saints to whom I give much thanks for telling me the Stories of Jesus. How about you? Who’re those who have paved your way through the swamp?
Acts of the Apostles 1:15-17,21-26 is the oft-overlooked story of the replacement of Judas as a Disciple. “12” was the magic number, for this was to reflect the 12 Tribes of Israel–named after the sons of Jacob. So, said Peter, we’ve gotta cast lots for a worthy replacement; this way, God will control the outcome and everyone will be satisfied. We read that one Matthias was chosen…and we never heard anything about him after that! His nearest competitor was a fella called Justus, another unknown to history even though the others thought quite a bit of him. So who were these guys? What did they “accomplish” in these formative days of the Church? We’re here today because they helped other ordinary folks to know something about Jesus.
The Epistle, I John 5:9-13, continues with the passing on the riches of holy-history through the generations. Written towards the conclusion of the First Century, The Elder acknowledges the power of oral transmission within his developing community. “Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts….And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” Who were the several unknown but vital persons who passed on their experiences to the coming generation? They spoke not only of factual events, but also of how God sustained and transformed them as individuals and within the faith-group.
The Gospel continues to examine Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer at the Last Supper, this time from John 17:6-19. Don’t get lost among the many words, but try to isolate and identify the Good Will Jesus has for all his friends. He speaks of being “sanctified”–made holy–among the many distractions of the rest of the world. John, bless his heart, often divides life into black ‘n’ white, and remembers the Lord’s words as separating the Kingdom of God from the World. But to his credit, here he pictures Christ as NOT removing His People from their evil surroundings, but rather sending them out again to tell the Holy Story. “There’s no hiding place down here!” The community needs to gather from time to time to refresh themselves and be renewed by the spark of each other–but this shouldn’t be seen as abandoning the world.
These words will be told again, this weekend…all because Somebody Somewhere fanned a spiritual spark which caught and burned. I couldn’t begin to thank all the ordinary folks who took time & energy to help mold me, and probably you can’t either. But I can pay it forward: I hope that now that I’m full of years a few can look back with appreciation at this Unknown Preacher for telling God’s Story again & again in order that an anonymous seed might take hold and grow some more…
In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King
My meeting with lessons assigned to the upcoming weekend can be observed every Tuesday at this spot on Facebook or at horacebrownking.com
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