Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? It’s one of the options for a concluding collect. If you turn in your Prayer Book to page 395, collect number 6 reads:
Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles, “Peace I give to you; my own peace I leave with you:” regard not our sins, but the faith of your Church, and to us the peace and unity of that heavenly City, where with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, now and for ever. Amen.
So that’s my sermon in a nutshell...Jesus’ farewell discourse that includes absolution of sins and a blessing.
But I think it’s worth it to look a little more deeply into what exactly Jesus is telling the disciples in this reading from John. So let’s set the stage.
Remember Holy Week? It may seem strange that in the Easter season we’re going back to stories of Jesus pre-crucifixion and resurrection. But that’s where we are. We’re in the upper room with Jesus and the disciples. Jesus is preparing them for his crucifixion. This is his farewell discourse. In the Gospel of John, the farewell is 4 chapters long, beginning in chapter 13. This discourse is meant to help the disciples understand what’s about to happen, and then prepare them for what comes next. In our lectionary cycle, the reading gets put here...just before the Ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. We have lived through the arrest, trial and crucifixion of Jesus, we have experienced his resurrection, and now we are waiting for what comes next.
Do you remember the first time you or your children left home...perhaps it was for college, or because they had accepted a job somewhere else...it’s a bittersweet experience. It is a time of joy--a time when anything is possible, there are new opportunities ahead, and life is changing in an exciting way. But it’s also a time of grief--the nest is empty, the house is quiet, life is changing and identities are being reformed. In the same way, Jesus reminds his disciples that his departure, while it may be sad and seem hopeless in the moment, is one that will change life in a new way. Jesus has to depart in order for the disciples to fully become who they are called to be--preachers, teachers, healers, and prophets. Jesus has to depart in order for there to be joy.
And in this bittersweet moment of intimacy between Jesus and his friends, he gives them a gift. He says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” Jesus gives this friends the gift of peace...and as we know, these are similar words after his resurrection when he appears in the upper room again! So what of this gift of peace? As we know, it isn’t peace as the world might define it--it isn’t about a sense of calmness or serenity, it isn’t about an end to war or strife (even though that would be great), it isn’t about everyone getting along in a friendly hippie-like commune. This peace is the antidote for anxiety, fear and troubled hearts...this peace is about experiencing the presence of God.
And what does the presence of God look or feel like? According to theologian Peter Carmen, the closest we can get to experiencing the evidence of God is love in action. Think about that...the evidence of God, experiencing the presence of God, is the experience of love in action. We practice this love in action every Sunday when we exchange the peace...we have confessed, been forgiven and reconciled, and a new community of love in action is formed. And we know from our lived experiences that this is but one way to practice love in action! FISH, the Voucher Program, Good Neighbor Saturday, the Warming Shelter, Ascension School, visiting a friend who is lonely, giving a hug to someone who’s heartbroken, smiling at a stranger...this is love in action. This is the peace of God that Jesus gives to the disciples and to us. This is the gift and inheritance that Jesus leaves for the world--love in action.
So some of you may know my colleague and friend, David King. He’s the pastor at Our Redeemer/Asbury. He was here last Sunday visiting with our youth group. I like David a lot and I really respect him as a pastor. He’s incredibly smart, thoughtful and witty, and is a constant reminder of what love in action can look like. Unlike me, you probably won’t find David hanging around at the Warming Shelter, you won’t see him at a protest downtown, and he probably won’t be writing Letters to the Editor every time he witnesses an injustice. But about 10 years ago, David and his wife adopted a son. And in these last two weeks, they’ve welcome twin girls into their family as well. This is love in action. Without any big announcements, parades, or press coverage, without drawing any special attention to himself or his family, David and Melissa are using the gift that Jesus left for all his friends...they are expressing their love in action by welcoming in two girls into their lives.
My point is this, whether you’re out there making a ruckus for justice, or calling someone just to check in and see how they’re doing, whether you’re preparing to send your child to college, or hugging a dear friend who’s grieving...use the gift that Jesus gave you...put your love into action.