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Sunday May 10, 2009 "Recognizing the Power of God" John 15: 1-8 |
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Location: Blogs Brad's BlogBrad's Sermons |
 | | Posted by: Brad Miller | 5/12/2009 3:06 PM | As we celebrate the continuation of Eastertide, the next three weeks we will undertake an exploration of something central to understanding God and our connection to God. For the next three weeks, we will focus on “The Power of God.” Today we will spend some time “Recognizing the Power of God”, next week we will turn our attention to “Celebrating the power of God” and finally, on the Sunday before Pentecost, we will delve into “Sharing the Power of God.”
Sometimes the power of God is seen as a liberating power, but other times, we fear that God’s power will be used to punish. At times, the power of God is so overwhelming as to leave us awestruck. At other times, the power of God is so subtle that we may even not make the connection that God is behind it. There are times when God’s power emboldens us to make a stand, and others when God’s power lets us know that it is okay to simply be, silent and passive.
All of us have seen the power of God. All of us have experienced the power of God. All of us, I dare say, have at times mistaken our power for God’s power. And all of us seek to harness God’s power in our lives so that we might walk stronger in our daily faith journey.
Sometimes, God’s power is so awesome as to be undeniable.
I have stood on the rim of the Grand Canyon with hardly a soul around and hardly been able to take in the majesty, the breath taking beauty of the place. A visual prayer, Carol called it. As I stood there, in total awe, at total peace, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this magnificent formation was nothing less than a display of God’s power.
I have endured classroom lectures concerning the formation of the canyon over the millennia. Lectures that on the surface tell the story of a process of seismic plate shifts and the eroding nature of a mighty river. Suddenly, in the midst of these dry lectures it hit me: God did this. It didn’t just happen. God’s power strengthened the river and moved the earth. God’s power is behind the beauty that we see today.
I have sat at sunset on the Gulf Coast, watching the sun slowly sink into the west, illuminating the sky and all within sight with a brilliant orange glow that comes from nothing short of God’s powerful hands.
I have listened as a former colleague of mine described the planetary motions and intricacies of celestial movement and heard in his voice the awe that comes from recognizing the mathematical precision that comes from only one place: God’s creative power.
I have had the privilege of visiting some of the most amazing human built structures in different parts of the world. From the Moorish beauty of Al Hambra in southern Spain, to the magnificent palace at Versaille, France, to the grand cathedrals of London, to the amazing scale of New York City . As I have stood and stared at these wonders, I could not help be know that God was at the center of it all. Not just in the things built in honor to God, but in the creative minds of the architects and builders of such awesome structures. These incredible cities and structures emerged from minds molded by God’s touch and power. The ability to design, to build, to create, is nothing short of God’s power at work.
I have spent hours in the hospital with people whose lives were changed and saved by the miraculous healing power of modern medicine and science. I have had the privilege of talking with a surgeon moments after a successful heart transplant and seeing the awe in his eyes, the wonder in his voice, as he celebrates and shares the gift that he has been given by God. I was bowled over when I heard him say, “I thank God for the abilities I have been given to do this. I’ve been doing this for 10 years, and still, I am in awe.” God’s power, channeled through a willing partner.
Sometimes, God’s power is more subtle. Not so much majestic as quiet, and personal.
I have spent time with people who have lost everything due to Hurricane Katrina. People who could be bitter at having to start over again, in a new place, having to rely on the kindness of strangers to pull them through. Yet in those same people, I have seen the power of God shining through in their faith that ultimately, a way would be found. And then, to see the power of God at work using the hands and feet and resources of people like this congregation in assisting those same people is doubly affecting.
I have spent time in the worst areas of my home town of Detroit and my adopted home town of Atlanta. I was there because my work dictated that I be there. I found myself in places where I didn’t look like the rest of the folks; where I didn’t dress like the rest of the folks. But always, I found that no matter how different we looked, or thought, or dressed, or acted, there was always room for common ground. And I will always believe that God’s power is what brought us to the same place, seeking the same thing, serving the same purpose: fellowship and connection where none had previously existed.
I have been with people who had no hope of cure from disease and illness. Modern medicine had done all it could, but over and over again, I have sat with people who felt the power of God at the end of their life and were comforted. There would be no cure in this life, but they passed on with a true sense of shalom: wholeness, completeness, health. Our own dear Pat Renner said to me mere hours before she died: “It won’t be in this life, but I will be healed, of that I am sure.” And in those words, the power of God resonates loud and strong.
You see, it’s easy to recognize the power of God in the grand and glorious. It’s easy to stare up at a starlit night in the country and be overwhelmed by the breath and depth of God’s power. It is easy to stand at the shore of a mighty ocean and contemplate the power of the creative hand that brought this and all life into existence. We fall on our knees and praise God at the miracle of life saved or radically changed by the power of medical marvels.
But too often, we don’t recognize the other side of God’s power: the quiet side. The power that gives comfort and sustenance and strength and peace, in seemingly small ways. The power that allows the lonely and dispirited person to keep going. The power that provides peace in a time of upheaval and change. The power that soothes the pain of life and prepares us to take our place at God’s heavenly banquet.
At it’s heart, this is what the scripture lesson this morning is all about: recognizing the power of God in our lives.
It is a passage we have heard before. There are songs written about it. Those of us who have seen the beauty of a well tended vineyard are quick to focus on the lush life produced by the careful maintenance of the plants.
But we probably don’t always think of the power of God when we hear this passage. We should.
In this part of John’s gospel, Jesus and the 11 disciples have left the upper room after the Last Supper. Judas has gone on his way, and while it is unclear exactly where this story is being told, one might assume that it is on the road to Gethsemane and the final betrayal.
Jesus is still trying to explain to the remaining disciples what is going to happen and he turns to this metaphor as a way to give them comfort, but also to strengthen them for what is about to come.
There is no doubt that the followers of Jesus are facing some treacherous times. In their larger community, these disciples will run the risk of being excommunicated from the fellowship of the community. This excommunication because of their devotion to Jesus will not simply be a religious exclusion: it will be total. Besides being unwelcome in the temple or synagogue, they could very easily find themselves homeless, friendless, family-less if they continue on this seemingly blasphemous road. They will, for all intents and purposes, be dead to their Hebrew brothers and sisters.
They will need strength. They will need sustenance. They will need the power of God on their side.
And Jesus seeks to explain to them where that power will come from and how they can tap into it.
“Think of the vineyard,” he tells them. “I am the true, central vine and God is the gardener who tends to the vine. My followers are the branches that sprout off the central vine to produce the grapes that will be harvested.”
“My power,” Jesus tells this followers, “comes only from God. Without God’s care, I could not flourish. “And,” he continues, “without me, you cannot flourish. And if you do not flourish, God cannot be glorified.”
In short, what Jesus is saying is: “without God, I am nothing. Without me, you are nothing. But without you, God’s word cannot spread.”
What Jesus is presenting here is a view of the interdependent relationship between Jesus, God and humanity. All power flows from God, but for that power to have it’s maximum impact, humanity must do it’s part. And humanity’s part, first and foremost, is to stay close to Jesus. “Abide with me,” Jesus says. “Live with me,” Jesus says. “Stay close to me,” Jesus says. “Without me, you will wither and waste away. With me, you will know God’s power and will persevere and be at peace.”
For many of us, the metaphor of the vineyard is foreign to our lives, but the message of interdependence is one that we must grasp if we are to truly recognize God’s power.
The story of the farmer, the vine and the branches is a perfect example of that interdependence.
The branches need the vine. The vine needs the farmer. And the farmer needs the fruit which will never be produced without all three working together.
Now, the members of the garden club will tell you that I am no gardener. I barely understand the difference between weeds and flowers, but in studying for this sermon, I came upon some information that helps illuminate this issue: in a vineyard, the best grapes are produced closest to the central vine. If we take this metaphor to heart, a simple conclusion will be that the closer we are to Jesus, the better off we will be. The closer we are to Jesus, the stronger we will be, the more able to weather storms we will be. The closer we are to Jesus, the more the power of God will be evident in all we do.
The core of this passage is this: the recognition of the awe inspiring power of God is the first step in our becoming carriers of that power to the world. Without God we are nothing. Without each other, we are nothing. Without all of us working together toward God’s will, God’s power will not be realized or recognized. As part of this remarkable interdependence, we recognize that God loves us so much, God trusts us so much that we are asked to step up and be the embodiment of God’s power on earth.
I had the great pleasure of having Archbishop Desmond Tutu for a class when I was in seminary. One of my prized possessions is in my office, a picture of the two of us together at Emory. In talking about the importance of recognizing God’s power in each of us, Archbishop Tutu shared an old tribal saying: “Because we are, I am.”
“Because we are, I am.”
It is a saying of mutuality that is reflected in our relationship with God. In Jesus’ metaphor, the union is not simply for the sake of the branches, or for the sake of the vine, or for the sake of the gardener. The glory lies in the mutuality of shared love and abiding and care and power that results in luscious fruit.
In the end, this is an important way that we recognize God’s power all around us: in the mutual sharing among all those who seek to serve God.
God’s creative power is on full display in the cosmos, but it is just as important that we spend time recognizing the sustaining power of God that comes from God’s people working together to comfort those who are discomforted; to nourish those who are hungry; to befriend those who are lonely; to soothe those who are angry; to calm those who are agitated; to provide peace to those who are anxious.
And all of us have a role in this. All of us.
Where do I recognize God’s power? When I see people reaching out to others, in big ways and small, I see God’s power. When I see a nurse tending a helpless premature baby, I see God’s power. When I see people in prayer for people they have never met, I see God’s power. When I see a dying person comforting those they will leave behind, I see God’s power at work. When I see people give a bit of themselves so that others might feel more included, I see God’s power at work. When I see people embrace the fact that they cannot make it alone, I see God’s power at work.
Oh, I’ve seen God’s power in huge, magnificent ways all over the world. But the most awesome display of God’s power I see is when I see people reach out to help others with the simplest of gestures: much needed hugs, a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold, a laugh to savor, shared tears and heartfelt prayers. The power is distributed in our recognized mutuality and the power is realized in changed lives.
In this week’s bulletin is a small sheet of paper. On the top is written, “Recognizing the Power of God”. I want you to put this on your desk, or your bedstand, or on the refrigerator. And all week long, I want you to be aware of where you see God’s power all around you and each day fill in the blank following “today I recognized God’s power when…”
I spent the last few days doing this in my head and I have to tell you, after a couple of days, I saw God’s power everywhere!
Look around this week and see if you don’t see things a little differently. And if you want to, bring the sheet back next week and drop it in the offering plate as an offering to God in recognition of the power that is all around us.
I have stood on the rim of the Grand Canyon and marveled at the power of God’s awesome creative power. But I don’t need to go all that way to recognize God’s power: it’s right in front of me, and for that, I want to shout at the top of my lungs: “God is good!”
And that is something to recognize.
Let us pray: Lord, as you have tended us to, help us to tend to others so that they might feel the power of your presence and be comforted by the peace of your power. In Jesus’ name we ask it. Amen. | | | Permalink | Trackback |
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