John 17:20-26

All Saints Lutheran Church

May 23, 2004 Seventh Sunday of Easter

Pastor Paul H. Knutson

“Trouble in River City ”

In the popular musical “Music Man” the instrument salesman creates interest in music by saying, “There's trouble in River City . Trouble starts with ‘T', that rhymes with ‘P', that stands for ‘Pool'”. To keep the children away from getting into trouble, he said, the parents needed to buy musical instruments so the children would play in a band rather than hang out at the pool hall.

The instrument salesman might agree that we have trouble in our world today. He could say that ‘T' rhymes with ‘P', and that stands for Politics . The state legislature is split along party lines and can't seem to get anything done for the good of the state. The national political scene is overflowing with presidential election year accusations telling us which person would be the worst president. And around the globe, politics is interfering with peace and justice in ways that scare us, especially right now in the Middle East .

The ‘Philosophy Slam' in Lanesboro , Minnesota , gives an opportunity once a year for high school students from around the United States to debate topics of interest. This year the topic was, ‘Is world peace possible, or does human nature make war inevitable?' It is a good question, one that we all wonder about.

He could also say that ‘T' rhymes with ‘C' and that stands for Church . The various church groups try to get along with each other, and still we have several hundred denominations in the United States , and twenty different groups within the Lutheran Church . Do you ever wonder why we have so much trouble getting along with each other? And then there are issues that divide us even within a church, such as style of worship, interpretation of Scripture, and sexuality.

We could also say that ‘T' rhymes with ‘Me' , and ‘Thee' , or ‘We' , to remind myself, and perhaps you, that trouble is not always outside ourselves. Trouble starts, and is sometimes most painful, in our personal lives and in our relationships with family and friends.

Can we find some word of hope today during this time in worship? The winning student at the Lanesboro ‘Philosophy Slam' won the debate with the argument that world peace is possible. It is good to hear the optimism of youth. Speaking of the world political scene, the United Nations weapons inspector, David Kay, said that for any hope of progress in the Middle East we need to change the shape of the game. Bishop Rogness, of the St. Paul Synod of the ELCA, spoke recently on the issue of homosexuality. He said that the ELCA needs to find a new way of discussing controversial issues. It is important to remember that we are a community in Christ, rather than a legislative body in which votes mean some people win and some people lose. And in our personal lives, ‘me' and ‘thee', we can find hope and new ways of looking at life when we listen to God.

Listen to Jesus praying for us

And so in today's Gospel, John 17:20 -26, we are going to listen to Jesus praying for us. We are privileged to overhear a conversation between Jesus and God. John, chapter 17, is known as ‘The High Priestly Prayer' in which Jesus, the high priest of salvation for all people, is praying to God, the creator of all people, on behalf of all who follow Jesus.

Jesus prays for the first disciples, for the church, and for us, that all believers in Christ may be one. And this prayer that we be one is not just for the sake of organizational efficiency, it is for the sake of mission to the world. Jesus pray that we may all be one, so that the world may know the love of God, and that God loves them.

This prayer is about the Power of One, one church that can give one message to the world, ‘God is love'. The Apostle Paul talked about this same power of one in his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 4, when he said,

‘I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.'

The power of one that Jesus and Paul talk about is an awesome power. And yet it is often misunderstood. Wedding sermons also sometimes confuse the new couple when the pastor quotes Jesus as saying, ‘The two shall become one'. Some people think it cannot be possible because it is not logical . Any time two or more people gather in the same room, there are bound to be at least two different ways of looking at something. And then some think that if it is not logical it must be magical . Maybe if we all hang around each other long enough some magic dust will be sprinkled upon us, and all our troubles will go away. But we all know that is not the way of real life.

So we come to recognize that Jesus and Paul are talking about a spiritual power. It is a powerful reality that is true because God creates it, God inspires it, and God invites us to be part of it. Of course there will always be disagreements and differences among people as long as we live in this world. But the bond that unites us is stronger than the divisions that divide us. That is because the bond that unites us is the love of God. That love is so strong that not even death can separate us from it. God is love, God created us out of love, and God created us for love. God wants all people to see the big picture, the beautiful Mosaic of Love that God desires for us and for the whole world.

John chapter 17 lets us listen to Jesus praying to God, asking that the disciples would all be one, completely one, ‘so that', as Jesus said, ‘the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me'. The power of one is a powerful witness to the world. It is the witness of Love. Individuals retain their uniqueness and diversity, but are united in the grand mosaic that gives witness to the love of God and to the God who is love.

Stay Close to the Heartbeat of God

In order to know the power of one, and the power of the love of God, we need to stay close to the heartbeat of God, through the Bible, worship, prayer, life in the community of faith, and service to the world around us.

There was a report that the newborn nursery in a hospital found a way to quiet the crying babies by playing some special music for them. The special music was the heartbeat of a pregnant woman. The babies would be reminded of the heartbeat they heard in the comfort and security of their mother's womb, and they would immediately relax and the nursery became quiet.

Believers are comforted and encouraged by hearing the heartbeat of the Creator, especially through the words and teachings of our Savior Jesus Christ, the One who is the reflection of God for us. Listen to the heartbeat, ‘I love you, love one another as I have loved you.' ‘Let them be one, so that the world may know that I love them.' And the heartbeat goes on in a steady rhythm, ‘Love, Love, Love'.

Jesus prayed that Christians would love each other, and love all people in the world, so that the world could see what love looks like. What a powerful difference love would make in the world of politics, in church discussions, and in our everyday activities.

We get a picture of life in the loving power of one when we continue to hear Paul's words in the fourth chapter of Ephesians:

‘Speaking the truth in love we must grow up in every way into Christ; let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up; be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.'

Listen to Jesus praying, for us, and for all believers, that we will be one so that the world may know the love of God. Stay close to the heartbeat of God. We are part of the answer to the prayer of Jesus when the people of the world can see through us, and our church, that God is love, and that God loves them, each and every one. AMEN