An Abundance of Peace

John 14:23-29

The Sixth Sunday of Easter: May 5, 2013

Affirmation of Baptism

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.

It’s a strange world we live in. Yes, it’s the world God created, but we humans have left our own indelible and mark on it as well. So when Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you,” we can’t help but look around and wonder where, when, and how we find this peace.

The disconnect comes when despite our best intentions, we try and define peace on our own terms rather than God’s terms. How do we as the United States maintain peace? We stockpile our own offensive weapons of mass destruction while doing everything we can to destroy others. If this doesn’t work we create a defensive scheme to knock down anything that is lobbed toward us.

Or in other words, we build up so much power that nobody and nothing will ever mess with us. Sure, it mostly works, despite a few notable exceptions along the way. But it’s definitely not God’s way.

God gives us all an abundant life. But our definition of abundance doesn’t always match God’s pure abundance. Often we hear the word abundance and can’t help but think of fancy cars and opulent houses; we inevitably imagine a large bank account and all the trimmings of earthly success.

However, God’s abundance, promises so much more even though the immediate result may look the opposite. In Matthew we hear, “Whoever finds their life will lose it; whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

It turns out that earthly abundance practically guarantees insecurity and fear and anything but peace. A recent Boston College study revealed these very real fears of the most rich and famous:

• ·       One respondent reported he wouldn't feel financially secure until he had at least $1 billion in the bank. How are you doing on that quest?
• ·       Other wealthy people report feeling that they have lost the right to complain about anything, for fear of sounding — or being — ungrateful.
• ·       Some respondents are parents worry that their children will become trust-fund brats if their inheritances are too large — or will be forever resentful if those inheritances (or parts of them) are instead bequeathed to charity.
• ·       The respondents also confide that they feel their outside relationships have been altered by, and have in some cases become contingent on, their wealth. "Very few people know the level of my wealth, and if they did, in most cases I believe it would change our relationship," writes one respondent. Another says, "I start to wonder how many people we know would cut us off if they didn't think they could get something from us."

·       "Wealth can be a barrier to connecting with other people," writes the spouse of a tech wizard who cashed in to the tune of $80 million. Rich people often feel they can't share the stresses in their lives, for fear someone will say, "Yeah, wouldn't I like to have your problems." It can get awkward when the check comes at a restaurant and there's hesitation over who will pay.

·       Many express relief that their kids' education was assured, but are concerned that money might rob them of ambition. Having money "runs the danger of giving them a perverted view of the world," one respondent writes. Another worries, "Money could mess them up — give them a sense of entitlement, prevent them from developing a strong sense of empathy and compassion."

Somewhat ironically, this study was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.

So… Hunter, Louis, Andrew, Zach, and Conner: where does this leave you?

Where does this leave us? It does offer some questions:

Is it OK to work toward making a good living, to be comfortable in life? Of course it is. If we truly believe that all things are gifts from God then we are certainly welcome to enjoy the gifts we are given.

But do those things bring real peace? Without a doubt, the answer is “NO!” The real peace comes from non-monetary sources. Real peace isn’t even found in that sound wave machine that helps get people to sleep. And it certainly isn’t found in staying one step ahead of the neighbors. This gift is so great that apostle Paul said that it is “beyond all understanding.” It’s nothing we can buy or earn, but rather simply a gift from God—the gift of faith.

We can’t earn it? We can’t buy it? The idea is so countercultural, so far outside our capitalistic thinking that it’s hard to wrap your head around it. We’ve even coined phrases like, “God helps those who help themselves,” to try and help prove God’s love for our work ethic. Yet that phrase is found nowhere in the Bible. And remember, Jesus chastised Martha for being a busybody, and praised Mary for doing nothing else than listening to him.

So you might be wondering, “Pastor, we don’t have to do good things to earn God’s favor?” Not in the least. We do good deeds because we have the peace of living in God’s favor. Within this gift of faith are motivated to praise and thank God and to do God’s work on earth. Not because we have to, not making sure we’ve done “enough” to earn our spot in heaven. But instead, we can’t help but love others—which is obeying Jesus’ command--in reaction to the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Each one of you  in your own way spoke to the use of prayer in your faith statements as something mostly used when things are tough or when the pressure is on. And dare I suggest we all have that tendency?

God invites us to live every moment as prayer. So even in the most normal and plain of times we can thank God for the normalcy of the day. We can thank God that we are not hungry or homeless or in trouble. We can praise God for the everyday ho-hum lives that we often take for granted, because in that normalcy there are so many blessings that we need to learn to see:

• -      The friend who doesn’t turn on you even when you mistakenly accused him.
• -      The grace of the teacher when your dog actually did eat your homework.
• -      The parents who despite you calling them unfair provide for your needs.

And the list goes on and on.

Even when we’re not noticing, God is by our side. Even when we don’t consciously pray, God still hears our needs and desires. Even when we don’t take the opportunity to share the gospel, God still works through our deeds and actions to show the world a better way, God’s way. The Holy Spirit shows us that way and moves us to respond to God’s love and mercy for us. And together in the Spirit we can do amazing things.

So, today we join the confirmands in reaffirming the promises made on our behalf when we were baptized. When you hear those words of affirmation, say them for yourselves as well, to live among God’s faithful people, to hear God’s word and share in the Lord’s Supper, to proclaim the good news of Christ through word and deed, to serve all people—following the example of Jesus, to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.

All of this is made possible by the peace of God which exceeds all understanding, made available to us through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ.

Please pray with me:

Stir up in each person here the gift of your Holy Spirit, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the spirit of joy in your presence, both now and forever. Amen.