John 15: 9-17
As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
At least for me, these last two weeks of sermons have included affirmation and encouragement about being loved, abiding in God’s love, and promises of security if you obey God’s commandments.
We’re constantly given the task to understand and appreciate that we are indeed chosen. Sometimes that's so hard. It's hard to constantly hear "be loved, beloved"/"Bask in the greatness of God’s love"/ "you’re loved"! Sometimes it sounds like bologna to me. Actually most of the time, it sounds like bologna. In the midst of poverty and violence, of ISIS and Nepal, Baltimore, and the senselessness that occurs today, maybe it’s good to have the affirmation and encouragement- a sense of unconditional love.
Last week‘s New Testament passage was in this same chapter- Jesus says that He is the true vine, God is the Vineyard keeper. You think about the kind of soil you are that allows roots to be put down; healthy soil allows roots to take hold, to grow, to flourish. You think about the branches that God sees us as. God sees us as branches that hold things up, branches that produce fruit. We are chosen to be branches. We are chosen to put down roots- to produce fruit.
Let that soak in- God chooses us. Every single day.
I've been reading through My Life with the Saints by James Martin (Thanks, Colleen!). He writes about all the “saints” he had some sort of connection with. Mother Theresa is one of them. He once wrote her and asked if she would be interested in writing to him about how one would find God. She replies:
I think that’s exactly what we need to hear. God chooses us for silence (prayer). God chooses us for prayer (faith). Faith (love). Love (service). Service (peace).
If we are quiet long enough, we hear what God is calling us to do. For those of us who can’t seem to shut our mouths long enough to listen to others, or to listen to what’s going on in our heads, may we turn to prayer. May we remember God’s choosing of us and how we can be silent. A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to perform my first funeral. It was humbling, it was overwhelming at times. As Mandy and I were heading to the funeral home for the visitation, I asked her for some pointers. She said "Be silent. The quieter you are, the more opportunity someone else has the opportunity to talk about what an impact has made on everyone in this room. Listen fully. And, the less you talk, the higher chance you have of not saying anything stupid." We are chosen to be silent so that we may listen to others- to really listen to others.
We are chosen for silence. We are chosen to be silent and pray instead. In Anne Lamott’s book Help, Thanks, Wow, she talks about the three essential prayers- Help, thanks, and wow. In 2012, as the book was just published, she did an interview with NPR. As they talked about the first prayer, Help, she said,
God love you for your beautiful effort to lead people nearer to His truth and love. I will certainly keep this project in my prayers, that Jesus may use this book for the glory of God and the good of His people. I regret to inform you, however, that I will be unable to contribute to the book as you requested. Keep the joy of loving Jesus in your heart and share this joy with all you meet. Let us pray.
The fruit of SILENCE is Prayer
The fruit of PRAYER is Faith
The fruit of LOVE is Service
The fruit of SERVICE is Peace
The fruit of FAITH is Love
I think that’s exactly what we need to hear. God chooses us for silence (prayer). God chooses us for prayer (faith). Faith (love). Love (service). Service (peace).
If we are quiet long enough, we hear what God is calling us to do. For those of us who can’t seem to shut our mouths long enough to listen to others, or to listen to what’s going on in our heads, may we turn to prayer. May we remember God’s choosing of us and how we can be silent. A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to perform my first funeral. It was humbling, it was overwhelming at times. As Mandy and I were heading to the funeral home for the visitation, I asked her for some pointers. She said "Be silent. The quieter you are, the more opportunity someone else has the opportunity to talk about what an impact has made on everyone in this room. Listen fully. And, the less you talk, the higher chance you have of not saying anything stupid." We are chosen to be silent so that we may listen to others- to really listen to others.
We are chosen for silence. We are chosen to be silent and pray instead. In Anne Lamott’s book Help, Thanks, Wow, she talks about the three essential prayers- Help, thanks, and wow. In 2012, as the book was just published, she did an interview with NPR. As they talked about the first prayer, Help, she said,
“Well, I've heard people say that God is the gift of desperation, and there's a lot to be said for having really reached a bottom where you've run out of anymore good ideas, or plans for everybody else's behavior; or how to save and fix and rescue; or just get out of a huge mess, possibly of your own creation.” Those are the moments “where you may take a long, quavering breath and say, 'Help.' People say 'help' without actually believing anything hears that. But it is the great prayer, and it is the hardest prayer, because you have to admit defeat — you have to surrender, which is the hardest thing any of us do, ever."May we be able to pray for help, as hard as it is, to surrender our thoughts and give them to God. May we remember that God chooses us to pray- help, thanks, wow.
Thanks, Lamott’s full prayer for this is “Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you”. This provides a sense of relief and grateful heart for what has just happened. A test you didn’t study for but still managed to pass. For some, it’s a little more serious- test results coming back more positive than you expected, the long-awaited news that you’re about to be a parent, or a grandparent, an aunt or uncle. A prayer of thanks. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Lastly, Lamott’s prayer of WOW. She says,
"Wow is the praise prayer. The prayer where we're finally speechless — which in my case is saying something. ... When I don't know what else to do I go outside, and I see the sky and the trees and a bird flies by, and my mouth drops open again with wonder at the just sheer beauty of creation. And I say, 'Wow.' ... You say it when you see the fjords for the first time at dawn, or you say it when you first see the new baby, and you say, 'Wow. This is great.' Wow is the prayer of wonder."We are chosen for prayer. We are chosen to pray and produce faith.
God chooses us for faith; faith that produces love. In the moments that we pray, and we’re not sure who we’re praying to or if we’re even being listened to. In the moments when we feel as if God has replied with “no” or even worse, with nothing at all- may we remember that God chooses us for faith. It’s okay to have doubts. The more we doubt, the more we understand faith; the more we understand God’s glory and grace for all of God’s creation. Faith in God when everything else fails. When every one else fails you- faith in the midst of doubt…that’s what God chooses for us.
God chooses us for love; love that produces service. This is a tough one sometimes. To love someone. To love ourselves.
“This is my commandment: love each other just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than to give up one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13) When they love, they realize the service they’re doing for themselves..and to that person. May you take on the task of loving yourself and loving others the way that God commands. God’s unconditional love for us is a lot like the love of a parent. A parent’s love is full of grace and mercy- it’s full of love that produces service. May we have the opportunity to have parents like that- and to be parents like that. May we pray for those who don’t have that opportunity to have physical parents..but to feel the unconditional love that God has for them.
God chooses us for service; service that produces peace. Peace that passes all understanding. How do we serve? How can we serve? Fernwood, you are about to be granted an opportunity to serve alongside your very first female Senior Pastor. I don’t know about you, but that makes me giddy. You raised me and affirmed in my call to ministry. Without you, I wouldn’t be where I am. Remember that as you meet Bailey next week and vote to give her the opportunity to serve at this church ..for you to serve alongside her and her family..for you to find new ways that y’all can serve together. This is a blessing. This is hard work and dedication of your search committee to find the right person to serve here in this community…as a representative of Fernwood…as a representative of Christ. Be proud. Be excited. Serve and be served. Allow someone qualified..allow someone excited to work with you! To serve alongside you. God chooses us to serve- God may be choosing Bailey to serve here.. this service that furthers the kingdom of God, that produces fruit.
In the moments where we are never sure how to shut our mouths and listen, may God meet us there and remind us that we’re chosen. In the moments where we’re doubting..where faith is nowhere to be found, may God meet us there and remind us that we’re chosen. In the moments where it seems impossible to love (ourselves or each other), may God meet us there and remind us that we’re chosen. In the moments that we find it difficult to serve..or to be served- may God meet us there and remind us that we’re chosen.
