Sermon Text: Ephesians 1:15-23, Acts. 1:1-11
28 May 2006
My middle son Andrew graduated this past week. Now this is the second high school graduation I've attended in recent years, and I like them. They're long, and the seats aren't comfortable, but I like them.
What I like about high school graduations is that for this one evening at least, the hundreds of young people who are graduating are soaring. The speeches are all about looking ahead to the future. They have titles like "We Are All Dreamers;" "Perseverance;" "Success;" and "Spreading the Light." What's next is on everyone's mind. And what's next is full of hope. They are all dreaming about the future.
When high school graduates step off the stage with diploma in hand, whoever they were in high school doesn't even matter any more. It doesn't matter if they were a nerd, a jock, a cheerleader. They are off to new schools, new friends, new jobs.
Graduation is an initiation -- a birth into a new stage in life. In order to go onto what's next, it's necessary to let go of past identities and start and be something new.
There was something like that going on with the disciples in today's reading from Acts. When we look in on them, Jesus is trying to prepare them for what's next. He has a mission for them, but they don't quite get it. Should we be surprised? The disciples always seem to not quite get it. In today's scripture from Acts, we read that after his suffering, Jesus appeared alive to his apostles for 40 days, presenting himself with many convincing proofs. Evidence -- and all these appear in the last chapter of Luke's gospel. Appearing to Mary Magdalene and Joanna and the other women at the tomb. Appearing on the road to Emmaus. Seeing the disciples -- showing them his hands and feet. Eating with them. They were all the witnesses to these things.
Yet evidence wasn't what they needed. And it wasn't going to be enough for these disciples to get it. We can tell they don't get it by their question. "Lord is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?"
This question shows just how much the disciples were still stuck in their might-have-been should-have-been could-have- been thinking. And just how far they still were from understanding God's future for them. Jesus has this sort of mild, gentle answer -- it's not for you to know. What a calm response. Jesus should've grabbed them by the shoulders and said HELLO! Where have you been these past three years? When I am going to get through to you? You knuckleheads! It's not about the kingdom in Israel. Can't you get the vision for the future? We've been talking about the kingdom of God all along, not the kingdom in Israel.
No wonder Jesus tells them to wait in Jerusalem. No wonder it takes rushing wind and tongues of fire on Pentecost 10 days later to get their attention. To get them to notice that it was time to go forward, trusting in God's promises instead of staying stuck in the past.
It must be human nature to get stuck. Carl Sandburg put it in a humorous way when he said "There is an eagle in me that wants to soar, and there is a hippopotamus in me that wants to wallow in the mud."
As we look into the future, we sometimes let our past stories determine our futures. Then we're stuck.
This is the time of year for graduations. But you may be shocked to learn - I know I was - that 30 percent of America's high school students leave school before they graduate. Why this is happening is a complicated problem which has recently been in the news. But certainly one of the causes is that these adolescents get stuck in their thinking about who they are. One of these dropouts was interviewed in Time Magazine and said, "My mom quit school, and my dad was a troublemaker. My teachers would ask about my name, and I knew what they were getting at." So she dropped out, stuck in not only her own past, but in her parents' past.
Getting stuck is not just for kids. All of us are capable of getting stuck in past mistakes, failures, bad habits and addictions. You may know that at this church we have 12 step groups meeting almost every day. These groups are here to help people who are stuck. Whatever the addiction is -- alcohol, drugs, eating, sex, gambling, smoking -- these eventually become part of a person's identity. There is something in all of us that longs for a larger vision -- but we stay stuck in the past because the past is what we know best. The past is where we've formed our identities. We'd rather stay stuck in the certainty of our past stories, than trust in the promises of God's future story.
The same thing happens in churches. We are in a time of great transition here at First Christian Church, possibly great transformation. We have a new pastor coming on board, Roger Sizemore, and everybody wants to know what's next. It's all going to depend on how big our vision is. We as a church can limit God's possibilities if we resist change, keep comparing him to every pastor we've ever had here, wish that things were like they used to be, and keep thinking that's not the way we've always done it. If all we want is to restore the glory of our past to First Atlanta -- then our vision is too small.
The only way to get un-stuck from the past is to replace our vision with a bigger vision for God's future. In case you think this sounds like hard work -- you're right. But we have got to get over thinking this is all up to us. Sheer force of will can't get us to what's next.
When Jesus is talking to the disciples about this bigger vision -- his kingdom vision -- he makes a promise. You're going to receive the power of the Holy Spirit. It's the same power that is spoken of in the letter to Ephesians that we heard today. It's the immeasurable greatness of the power of God.
We really do have to get over thinking this is all up to us. There is such an emphasis on our independence in the U.S. -- it's part of our history, that it is difficult for us to live our lives surrendered to God's power. We think we can manage on our own. But interestingly enough, even 12 step groups -- even recovering alcoholics know that the only way to recovery is by surrendering to a higher power -- God. That is the power we are promised in today's readings.
And along with that promise of power is a commissioning - a challenge. Jesus promises these apostles that he's going to give them power to be witnesses to the kingdom of God from Jerusalem to Judea and Samarian and to the ends of the earth. That's a mighty big job for a bunch of disciples who just barely squeaked by in discipleship school.
There is a legend that is told concerning the return of our Lord Jesus Christ to heaven after his ascension. It is said that the angel Gabriel met him at the gates of the holy city. "Lord, this is a great salvation that you have brought to the world," said the angel. But the Lord Jesus only said, "Yes."
"What plans have you made for carrying on the work? How are all to know what you have done?" asked Gabriel.
"I left Peter and James and John and Martha and Mary to tell their friends, their friends to tell their friends, till all the world should know."
"But Lord Jesus," said Gabriel, "Suppose Peter is too busy with the nets, or Martha with the housework, or the friends they tell are too occupied, and forget to tell their friends -- what then?"
The Lord Jesus did not answer at once; then he said in his quiet wonderful voice, "I have not made any other plans. I am counting on them."
We are them. Christ is counting on us. We are the ones Christ has commissioned. The mission of Jesus Christ is a mission to be witnesses outside these church doors. We really are the ones who are to go out to the ends of the earth. And we have to take that commission much more seriously. To do that, we have to be much more outward looking than inward looking.
What's next at First Atlanta is nothing less than kingdom work. It's big work because it's kingdom of God work. It takes kingdom vision to see it and Kingdom power to do it. And it's our work -- because Christ is counting on us.
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