Jesus prays for us

Show of hands: who here has ever approached a major life event—and I mean major, like starting in a new school or a new job or getting married or welcoming a baby into your household or retiring from work, you know, major—and because you did all the things to prepare for the big event and because you studied and learned what to do ahead of time, that everything went absolutely perfectly, no surprises, no regrets?  Anyone? 

Is it even possible to ever be completely prepared?  At some point, the only option is moving forward, hopefully in faith.  And yes, it’s good to prepare, and yes, it’s also good to learn as you go, but also: when did you ever approach a major life event entirely alone, without any support?  That would probably be a foolish thing to do, to forge a path all alone.

Besides, why waste the resources you have in relationships?  Why ignore the wisdom of people older or more experienced than you?  Why pass up an opportunity to walk through a door that someone else has opened for you? 

Someday when you look back on those major life events, do you remember more about how hard you worked, all by yourself; or do you remember more about who was with you on the way?  The student who welcomed you, the work-mate who showed you how to get around in your new workplace, the friends beside you when you got married or maybe divorced, the elders who loved you through tough experiences, the neighbor who invited you to the cookout. 

We’re not called into this life to do everything alone.  God doesn’t ask this of us, either.  At the end of Jesus’s life, Jesus knew his time was coming, even if the disciples did not quite yet understand.  In the lesson we read today from John’s Gospel (17:1-11), Jesus is with his disciples in the upper room, after they’ve eaten what will be his last supper, and Jesus is teaching his disciples one more time, one more lesson. 

And it’s a long lesson, but the main takeaways include: Jesus calls his disciples more than students but friends, he encourages them—begs them—to love one another, and Jesus will be going away but an Advocate, the Holy Spirit, will be arriving soon. 

It’s all kind of sweet.  Until you remember that Jesus is facing a gruesome death by hanging on a cross, and Jesus will be abandoned by these very same disciples.  But even then, he isn’t mad at them.  In fact, he already prayed for them in advance.  That’s what today’s lesson is: Jesus praying for his disciples. 

Jesus doesn’t pray for himself, he doesn’t ask to avoid his crucifixion.  He knows he and the disciples are entering a new reality, and things will be different, but no one goes into this future alone—what Jesus prays for is that the disciples will be one just as Jesus and his Father are one. 

Jesus prays that his disciples, his followers, his friends would be one, would be united.  Isn’t that wild?  Of all the people who call themselves Christian these days—did Jesus seriously pray that we would be one?  Isn’t that just the worst? 

I have a bunch of opinions about Christian theology, and there are lots of Christians I disagree with, and can you believe Jesus wants me to be one with them?  There’s plenty of Christians I don’t even want to be in the same room with, but Jesus wants us to be one, and he already prayed for that. 

And what, I’m supposed to ignore their objectionable ideas, or forgive the injustices perpetrated in Jesus’s name, just so we can be one for Christ’s sake?  Like, for the actual sake of Jesus Christ, I should love these clowns just because Jesus said to, and why, just because Jesus…cares so much about unity that it’s one of the last things he talks about before he dies and then when he is resurrected, he shows up talking—first of all—about peace? 

When times are tough, and big events are going on, like graduation, like life and death—this is no time to get lost in the details.  The overwhelm makes it difficult enough to focus on one thing at a time.  And living into your values instead of living into your fear?  Oof, that feels like a tall order. 

Make them one, Jesus prays to God the Father, make them one as we are one.  May they know you, Jesus prays to God the Father, because this is eternal life, this is abundant life, fullness of life: bigger than fear, stronger than death, more persistent even than advertisements, more powerful than Artificial Intelligence, woven into your being even more deeply than anxiety. 

To know that you are loved beyond measure by our eternal God, to know that the Holy Spirit is not just with you but within you and guiding your footsteps—what could ever be impossible?  Unity among Christians?  Peace in the Middle East?  Cures for diseases?  I don’t know, I think the sky’s the limit, y’all! 

Which, incidentally, is where the risen Christ ascended—into the sky.  But the disciples were discouraged from standing around, looking into the sky. 

Jesus promised power from the Holy Spirit, and he said there’s more to be done in Jerusalem—the holy and important city—and also Judea—where you wanna hang out—and, oh, also Samaria—the place you’d rather avoid but if you hafta go there you just pray your car doesn’t break down—and all the way to the ends of the earth.  Whew, that’s a lot. 

So they went.  They started somewhere.  The disciples went back to Jerusalem.  They went together.  They answered Jesus’s prayer.  And here we still are, together, answering Jesus’s prayer. 

As that philosopher Bono once sang, “One life but we’re not the same; we get to carry each other, carry each other.”[1] 

A few weeks ago, the LGBTQ+ Faith Alliance of the St. Louis area made a public statement in support of transgender Missourians, and part of their public address went like this:

“Members of the LGBTQ+ Faith Alliance…declare that all people are beloved and are created in the image of God—holy and whole.  [We]…believe that everyone should feel welcome, safe, and affirmed for who they are.  [We call on elected officials] to abandon the persecution of our transgender citizens and to hold up the inherent dignity, worth, and agency of all people in our state. 

“To our transgender neighbors, we say: you are sacred and holy.  We love and support you.  No matter what any politician or pundit says, you make Missouri a better place.  Our communities stand with you.”

And together they sang: “You do not carry this all alone.  This is way too big for you to carry this on your own.  So, you do not carry this all alone.” 

We carry each other.  As one.  Jesus prayed for us.  We may not feel prepared for whatever is ahead, but God is already preparing us.  Whenever we love one another, we are answering Jesus’s prayer. 

Amen. 

Pastor Cheryl 

[1] “One,” U2