Sermon, "One...Two...Three...Go!", by Pastor Ruth Foss, Suncook United Methodist Church, 5/20/2012

May 20, 2012
Seventh Sunday of Eastertide Ascension Sunday
Psalm 47:1, 6 Acts 1:15-17, 21-26
NRSV Bible 1 John 5:9-13 NRSV
Bible John 17:6-19 the Message Bible

“One, Two, Three. . . Go!”

A reading from the Gospel of John. . . chapter 17. . . verses 6-19 (I’m starting at 6 instead of 11b because I think we need to see the whole picture) and I am reading from the Message Bible Translation. . .

Good morning. Boy, it has been a beautiful week for weather. We have had more sun than rain this week. Since it has been a good week, Ray and I have been preparing the garden out back to be planted. I had forgotten how much you have to do to prepare the garden. You have to turn the soil. This year we even decided to add top sol from the compost pile so that the soil would be richer. Ray put about 20 wheel barrel’s full of the loom on the “back forty”. We weeded the stuff from last year. Then we had to buy plants and that alone took a lot of time and thought. It took a lot but because we prepared for the garden I think it will produce an abundance of vegetables. Preparing for things really does reap a good reward.

The first church was even prepared for. Before Jesus left this earthly realm, He prepared for what was to take place after He was gone. Jesus knew that it would take preparation in order for His disciples, His followers, to be fruitful. The disciples themselves had their own preparations to do. . . Let me explain. Because you see without theses preparations. . . I don’t think that the “Jesus Movement” would have taken place.

Let’s start with the Acts Scripture from this morning. You see in order for the first disciples to begin the church they needed to do some “corporate work”. They needed to fill the vacant position that was made when Judas betrayed Jesus and then committed suicide. They needed another apostle. Now this took place after the Ascension of Jesus and before the Spirit came on that first Pentecost. This person. . . Matthias, which means “Gift of Yahweh”, was there from the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry. He was there from Jesus’ baptism right up to His Ascension. He was able to testify. . . witness. . . firsthand about Jesus’ ministry and resurrection. But it really wasn’t the disciples that chose Matthias, it was God. They prayed about who should take Judas’ place. . . they had two choices and God chose him. (How ironic that his name would mean gift of Yahweh. . . God. He was a nameless disciple that we don’t hear anything about until now. We too are chosen. . . nameless followers that accept the call of Jesus to witness to His life and resurrection. . . ) Now that the corporate work is done. . . now that the position is filled. . . they are ready to begin.

Then we have the 1st John from this morning. These men believed the testimony of God that eternal life is found in Jesus. Through these men witnessing f the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, they were prepared to share their witness of Christ. Are we prepared, like these disciples, to share our witness? Are we ready to help prepare others hearts for the planting of God’s grace, love, hope and redemption? Are we ready to begin?

I think the most precious thing. . . most precious act. . . to prepare the disciples then and now was Jesus’ prayer for the disciples then and now. Jesus knew He was leaving earth and so in preparation of His going He prayed for the disciples that would carry on His work and share the story of His life, death and resurrection. He prayed for His followers then and now. . . this includes us, He prayed for you and for me. . . He prayed for protection from Satan and Satan’s schemes against those who would follow Him. He prayed that they, His followers, would be as one, working together for the kingdom. He prayed they would be made holy. Jesus was sent into the world to bring about change and now Jesus was and is sending His disciples. . . His followers. . . into the world. Now this call can be scary. . . especially for Jesus’ first followers. Jesus’ presence. . . His physical presence. . . is no longer here on earth.

So. . . could. . . no. . . can the church get along without Jesus? The answer is YES! And this is why:

1. The church has Jesus’ prayers (John scripture this morning)
2. The church is guided by the Ascended Lord (Acts Scripture from this morning.

And

3. The church is assured eternal life in Christ (that’s eternal life in Christ from this morning’s 1 John scripture)

Beloved Disciples of Christ, the church needs to prepare in order to be fruitful for the kingdom. We have the prayers of Christ to embolden us and to give us strength. God’s word is true and His word that claims Christ and His mission is as trustworthy today as it was yesterday and will be tomorrow. It is on and with His word that we can truly witness to and for our Risen Lord.

Within Jesus’ prayer we find four things that equip you and me, the church, and helps us as we witness:

1. Protection from evil
2. That we be unified
3. It fulfills Jesus’ joy

And

4. That the life of the church be different from the life of the world.

Let us go forth as Matthias, leaving behind our agendas and picking up the kingdom’s agenda. Let us share our story as the first church did. . . The story of love, forgiveness and redemption of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ. Let us be like that Faberge’ commercial and tell two friends and they tell two friends and so on and so on and so on. Let us also be that gift from God to world around us as we spread the good news. Let us choose the “highway” of life that leads to the cross. The life that is eternal in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Amen!

May 21, 2012
John 17:6-19 (The Message Bible)
John 17:11b-19
1 John 5:9-13 (NRSV)
Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 (NRSV)
Worship Theme: “The Church Prepares for Ministry in the World”
Call to Worship (Psalm 47:1, 6)
Unison Prayer (Abington Worship 2012)
Prayer of Dedication (GBOD Psalm 1)
and sermon, “One, Two, Three . . . Go!”
http://ahandmaidenofthelord.blogspot.com/2012/05/onetwothreego.html
by Pastor Ruth Foss
https://twitter.com/PastorRuthFoss
http://www.facebook.com/pastorruthfoss
http://www.ahandmaidenofthelord.blogspot.com
http://pastorruth.posterous.com/
A Handmaiden of the Lord
http://www.suncookumc.org
Suncook United Methodist Church
http://www.suncookumc.org
http://facebook.com/groups/136632035559/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Suncook-United-Methodist-Church/102221356487965
Suncook, NH
May 20, 2012
Seventh Sunday of Eastertide
Ascension Sunday
&
John 15:9-17 (Common English Bible)
Acts 10:44-48a (NRSV)
1 John 5:1-5 (NRSV)
Worship Theme: “That’s What You Call Love”
Call to Worship (Psalm 66:1-2, 4)
Unison Prayer (Worship Sourcebook ©2004)
as we all bowed our heads during the pastoral prayer
pastoral prayer
prayer before offering
Prayer of Dedication (GBOD 2012, John 17:6-9)
Hymn, “They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love” (TFWS #2223)
(John 13:34-35; Ephesians 4:4-6)
and sermon, “I Wanna Know What Love Is”
(with nod to Foreigner, acknowledgement of division
at the 2012 United Methodist General Conference on the issue of
same-sex marriage and ordination of gay clergy,
and the announcement this week that President Obama
believes same-sex couples should be allowed to marry)
by Pastor Ruth Foss
https://twitter.com/PastorRuthFoss
http://www.facebook.com/pastorruthfoss
http://www.ahandmaidenofthelord.blogspot.com
http://pastorruth.posterous.com/
A Handmaiden of the Lord
http://www.suncookumc.org
Suncook United Methodist Church
http://www.suncookumc.org
http://facebook.com/groups/136632035559/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Suncook-United-Methodist-Church/102221356487965
Suncook, NH
May 13, 2012
Sixth Sunday of Eastertide
Mother’s Day
&
John 15:1-8 (Common English Bible)
Acts 8:26-40 (NRSV)
1 John 4:7-12 (NRSV)
Worship Theme: “Life in Christ”
Call to Worship
Unison Prayer
Prayer of Dedication (Acts 8:26-40)
and sermon, “Piety and Production?”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
https://twitter.com/PastorRuthFoss
http://www.facebook.com/pastorruthfoss
http://www.ahandmaidenofthelord.blogspot.com
http://pastorruth.posterous.com/
A Handmaiden of the Lord
http://www.suncookumc.org
Suncook United Methodist Church
http://www.suncookumc.org
http://facebook.com/groups/136632035559/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Suncook-United-Methodist-Church/102221356487965
Suncook, NH
May 6, 2012
Fifth Sunday of Eastertide

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 21,110+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.