Sermon by Rev Sydney Maitland for Sunday 12 May 2019.
Readings
First Reading: Acts 11: 1-18
Epistle: Revelation 21: 1-6
Gospel: John 13: 31-35
Some of us are expert in DIY: whether this is in the kitchen, at the sewing-box, assembling flat-pack furniture or under the bonnet of a car.
Others, to be honest are nothing of the sort. Sewing on a button, boiling an egg, mending a fuse or changing a plug may be the limits of our expertise. Yet there is something profoundly satisfying in going that further step in repairing or assembling that piece of furniture, or preparing that 5-course meal.
There is something there which finds its satisfaction in completing that piece of work, building that item or achieving that task. It appeals to our sense of creativity and fulfilment.
So it may be quite disconcerting to read about the heavenly city coming down from heaven, adorned like a bride, and which is perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
John’s vision of the new Jerusalem was of a perfect community, already prepared by God for His people. If there is a parallel in the bible it is the Garden of Eden, in which Adam and Eve were placed to look after it and to husband it. But they did not have to complete it, extend it, renew or redesign it.
All they had to do was to find themselves by enjoying the garden and in finding companionship with one another and celebrating the presence of God.
There is something quite awkward about this especially in a time when much of the vision of the church is about repairing society and rectifying its many defects. This we would do on behalf of God, who placed the world in our hands.
Jesus may have died and risen but the task of looking after the world and bringing it to perfection is the task for humanity.
And accordingly much of the mission and witness of the church is more about repairing society than about proclaiming what God has already done.
And so John’s vision of the new Jerusalem was of a perfect community not designed by human ingenuity, philosophy or technology. It is already complete.
But then there was Peter’s experience of the vision of the animals in the sheet, just before he was summoned to the house of Cornelius.
Peter, now reinstated as leader of the apostles, having the full background of the Jewish scriptures and tradition and of course having been with Jesus for 3 years, was now challenged to step outside his comfort zone.
He was being asked to see things from a new perspective, and to step out with the vision that God had given him. This was not something he had to work out for himself – it was only a matter of following the guidance given him.
Yes, God was going to do a new thing – but only one which Jesus had already told the disciples about. They were to spread the message to all nations and peoples, all tribes and languages. And now God was saying that this was the place to start.
As leader of the disciples Peter would definitely have to lead but only as prompted by the Holy Spirit. And in case there was any doubt in the matter, the fullness of the Holy Spirit had come upon Cornelius’ household just as He had come upon the disciples themselves.
So for Peter, even when it meant stepping outside his comfort zone, it was still a no-brainer. All the guidance and instruction he needed was already there and there was nothing to work out. He just had to follow his instructions.
Again, no great works of art or philosophy or science or engineering. Just a simple obedience to the clear promptings of God.
And so with all this in mind we have the Gospel lesson in which Jesus gave His disciples a new commandment. Again it was not about building or creating or contriving any particular works of theology.
It was simple – at least, simple to say if not to do. Love one another. And to do it, not so much in the mood of their own feelings or sentiments, but with the love and the example of Jesus.
‘Love one another as I have loved you.’ That is the instruction and that is the mission. No great structures or institutions. Just to love one another with the same commitment and the same dedication as they had seen in Jesus as He drew them into His own life as He led and taught them.
They would all have their personal memories of blessings and challenges. They would all have their recollections of how disagreements among themselves were resolved by Jesus’ intervention who gave Himself totally to them and for them.
Now they must imitate and live that example as they related to one another and to those who in the future would become disciples.
That would be the mission and that would be the witness. This is what the world would see as they lived in community and served one another, each bringing personal aptitudes, abilities and spiritual gifts to bear on their lives in community. It would be far more dramatic and demanding than any number of works of art, treatises in theology or magnificent cathedrals. And all are qualified. And so with all this in mind we have the Gospel lesson in which Jesus gave His disciples a new commandment. Again it was not about building or creating or contriving any particular works of theology.
It was simple – at least, simple to say if not to do. Love one another. And to do it, not so much in the mood of their own feelings or sentiments, but with the love and the example of Jesus.
‘Love one another as I have loved you.’ That is the instruction and that is the mission. No great structures or institutions. Just to love one another with the same commitment and the same dedication as they had seen in Jesus as He drew them into His own life as He led and taught them.
They would all have their personal memories of blessings and challenges. They would all have their recollections of how disagreements among themselves were resolved by Jesus’ intervention who gave Himself totally to them and for them.
Now they must imitate and live that example as they related to one another and to those who in the future would become disciples.
That would be the mission and that would be the witness. This is what the world would see as they lived in community and served one another, each bringing personal aptitudes, abilities and spiritual gifts to bear on their lives in community. It would be far more dramatic and demanding than any number of works of art, treatises in theology or magnificent cathedrals. And all are qualified.
