“Intimacy with God”                                               May 16, 2010
John 17:  20–26                                                    The Rev. Dr. Beth Braxton

Rather than preach on a prayer; I am going to offer a prayer as my sermon. I am going to let you eavesdrop on my prayer to God.

Dear God,
Today I would like to talk with you about our church. O God, you know what a beautiful group of people gather here to worship you. They have different backgrounds and different political views. They are in different stages of their lives and in different places in their spiritual lives. Some are care-free and some are hurting; some are hiding secrets, some are open books. You know us and know our needs. But we come here together to learn and experience more of what it is to be your disciples through Sabbath time and Sabbath worship, through study of your word, and in giving ourselves in service to those in need. (I call it “Worship Plus Two” – my little quip to remind the church folk of our mission; that coming together like this to praise you and hear your word is central to our life together and that we each need to be on a inward journey of study and prayer, breathing in your love and on an outward journey of breathing out your love in service, giving of our talent and time to others.) I pray your Holy Spirit will encourage each person gathered here today to be on an inward journey and an outward journey.

O God, who calls us in a variety of ways to do your will, you know that today is special in the life of our church; it is confirmation Sunday. As these young people make a profession of faith to accept your Son as their Lord, I want to remind them and all of us of the significance of their decision and the challenge to live as Jesus’ disciple today. O God, who has made yourself known most clearly to us in Jesus, I want these young people to know Jesus as the way, the truth and the life for their lives! I want them to experience Jesus as the way and the truth and the life of their lives! Therefore I pray that they will read the gospel story over and over again and let Jesus’ words and ways seep deep into their souls, so mirroring his giving, his loving, his compassion and forgiveness that they become second nature to them. Oh God, you know how hard this is for them and all of us.

Our culture is a culture of acquisition; we have an economy that is dependent on wanting more, requiring more. We have a huge advertising industry designed to stir up appetites we didn’t even know we had. We even refer to ourselves as consumers, more than citizens, much less than Christians.

Oh God, in whose light there is no darkness at all; shine your light upon these people so they may see themselves first as Christians – Christ bearers. And help these young people to know that life is not just about acquiring another new thing, nor about building their GPA, their long list of extra-curricular activities; it is not about building muscles or building an image, it is not just about building a resumé for their career, it is about building the kingdom of God. It is about being salt and light for the world. It is about practicing resurrection with our lives, knowing that hope overcomes despair and love defeats hate; forgiveness builds a new life; giving encouragement overwhelms cynicism; laughter releases more endorphins than criticism; the Spirit conquers fear, and life overcomes death!

O God, who through the prophets of old called us to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with you, we thank you that your Son showed us that way. To follow Jesus is to enter into a way of life that gives the character of kindness and the shape of justice and the direction to do your will. To follow means picking up the rhythms and ways of doing things as Jesus did. To follow Jesus means that we can’t separate what Jesus is saying from what Jesus is doing and the way he is doing it. Oh God, you know how easy it is for us to say that we believe all this, to pay lip service to being Christians, but how hard it is to live your ways; doing unto others as we would have them do unto us; not judging – not seeking revenge – but turning the other cheek; forgiving 70 times 7; being peacemakers – loving even our enemies; being servant to those in need.

Thank you, oh God that you created us for community and gave us each other for strength, help and encouragement in your way of life. Several of our confirmands said in their statements of faith that the church was like a second family for them. I am glad they feel the quality of community as family. I want them and all of your people here to know what the science teacher Dr. McNeish observed a number of years ago about geese and then shared in a sermon with his congregation. I thank you for his scientific perspective complimenting a theological understanding! He noted five facts and correspondingly five important lessons which geese teach us about community, indeed our church community!

FACT 1:  As each goose flaps its wings it creates an "uplift" for the birds that follow. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.

LESSON:  People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another. Your word reminds us “to press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 3:4)

FACT 2:  When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it.

LESSON:  If we have as much sense as a goose we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others. Your word says to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not to our own understandings; in all our ways acknowledge You and you will direct our paths.” (Prov. 3: 5-6)

FACT 3:  When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into formation and another goose flies to the point position.

LESSON:  It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other's skills, capabilities, and unique arrangements of gifts, talents, or resources. Your word says, “When Moses grew weary holding up his hands so the Israelites would prevail against the Amalekites, Aaron and Hur held them up for him.” (Ex. 17:10-13) “Bear one another’s burdens” (Gal. 6:2)

FACT 4:  The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

LESSON:  We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one's heart or core values and encourage the heart and core of others) is the quality of honking we seek. Your word says, “The body’s growth is building itself up in love. (Eph.4:16)

FACT 5:  When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.

LESSON: We will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong. Your word says, “help the weak; visit the sick.” (Matt.25:39) (Preaching Illustrations.com)

We are grateful that you show us your ways so poignantly in the lives of your winged creatures.

Oh God of creation, so many of your creatures teach us. As I read the prayer your son Jesus addressed to you, I could not help but feel the incredible intimacy of this prayer. It is a beautiful description of the oneness of your relationship and how he shared the love the two of you have with the disciples. Jesus was so close to you that he could lay with confidence all his concerns before you. He lets the disciples know that he entrusts their future to you. Jesus lets them know that the love with which he has been loved by you will be in them.

Impress upon us again the realization that having this intimate relationship with you, Oh God, is a key to our life as your Christians. I read a story this week about one of your most magnificent creatures that illustrates this reality.

In December of 2005 a group of divers headed out about eighteen miles west of San Francisco to see if they could find a humpback whale they'd heard was caught in crab traps. From the boat they could see her back, just a little out of the water. But they couldn't make out the rest of her. With really too little information to make it safe, the divers jumped in the water to see what was going on. They found her weighed down by some 20 crab traps and buoys and tangled in a mess of rope. When one of the divers moved toward her to investigate further, the whale flung her massive pectoral fin down in the water pushing the diver back with the force of the water and reminding the rescue team that this is one of the largest animals on the planet. Carefully, the divers positioned themselves away from the fins and went to work. Using curved knives they began cutting the ropes. The diver who was working around the whale's face noted that as he worked her grapefruit sized eyes followed him. After painstaking work, the divers released the last of the ropes that had entrapped the creature. Just seconds after the last rope was cut, the whale swam away. A few minutes later, from the surface of the water, one of the divers realized that she was headed back their way. The massive whale was swimming toward the surface, right for him. In the brief time it took, the diver imagined the very worst. But the whale stopped inches away from his chest. Then she gently pushed him with her nose. Then she pushed him again. He was completely confused for a few moments, and then it occurred to him that she was being playful. Then she lifted her head above the water and faced him. Just eighteen inches from his face, she stared at him for what he said felt like thirty seconds. Looked him straight in the eyes. Then she moved on to the next diver, and then the next. In turn, she approached each diver and looked them straight in the eyes. Whoah!! (Episode on Radiolab))

The intimacy and joy given to both whale and divers reminds me, O God, of your intimate love, not just for your son Jesus but for all of us. This incident reminds me of your incarnate love. You look into our eyes and love us with a love that will not let us go. Indeed you embody us and call us to live your love, to break the ropes of the captives, to preach good news to the poor, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.

O God, who continually seeks us out and never leaves us alone to find our own way home, we thank you for the insistent yearning to know you, for the mystical presence of your grace that has worked miracles in this place, and for the trembling of our hearts that signals a new call for our response. Breathe deep into our lives that hunger for more then the next new thing. Breathe deeply into our lives and restore us to intimacy with you that you desire with each of us.

Now, Oh God of magnanimous love, move your Spirit powerfully in this place that each confirmand may make a commitment, and each one of us a renewed commitment to the vows made in our baptism to love you and serve you all the days of our lives. I offer this prayer in the blessed name of your son, Jesus, who showed us the way, Amen!