My thoughts from 7th Sunday of Easter Sermon

7th Sunday of Easter, Assension Sunday May 20, 2012 – Fr. WIREDU GOSPEL John 17:11b–19 Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying: “Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one. When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.” 1. There were problems in the early church like there are in our church now. Because the Church is made up of human beings. 2. Jesus did not leave direct instructions, so the Apostles were to take decisions. 3. Before Christ was left, He ask Peter to strengthen the brothers. 4. 1st Reading is an example of Peter Strengthing the brothers 5. Christ chose 12 disciples to represent the 12 tribes of Israel. Note one of them was lost, so Peter told them to bring a number to 12 as per what Christ had commanded. The 12 Apostles represent the new Israel to which all belong. Saved by Grace. 6. FIRST READING Acts 1:15–17, 20a, 20c–26 Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers —there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons in the one place—. He said, “My brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus. He was numbered among us and was allotted a share in this ministry. “For it is written in the Book of Psalms: May another take his office. “Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day on which he was taken up from us, become with us a witness to his resurrection.” So they proposed two, Judas called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned away to go to his own place.” Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles. 7. There is one book in Bible that represents God with Love, the Epistle of John. He says God is Love. 8. Christ says His hour had not come severally but finally in John 12, when the Greeks came to see Him, He said now my Hour has come, when He will die & take Hid life back & live no more to die. The difference between Christ & all the others who are called religious leaders. 9. The tone of the Prayer of Christ is jubilant, but there was a note of anguish at the loss of Judas, though He guarded & protected them. 10. Judas who saw most of the miracles of Christ, yet betrayed Christ. If an animal will bite you, it will be in your cloth. Why will Judas abandon his vocation, why will he seal his treason with a kiss. John Gospel blames the devil. But it is not enough, we will have to give the devil the chance. There must be some cooperation from us, before the devil can use us. 11. Judas was skilled in reading the times, he could see the signs on the wall. The people Christ had offended was highly placed, a Preacher who had come from a small village to stand against the highly regarded people in in a big City of Jerusalem. Apart from all the things He said about them, the High Priest, Pharisees & Sadducees, it was when He drove the sellers from the temple, that brought it all up. Destroying their illegal trade & taking away their illegally acquired wealth. Note that in that days you could not bring the sacrificial lamb from your farm, for your sacrifice. You had to buy the sacrificial lamb from the temple precient at a higher price. The High Priest had a share of that Kalabule profit & Christ came to spoil the trade. So for Judas this high powers will destroy Christ, so he wanted to be on the side of power. Note that Judas carried the purse & the Bible tells us that he helped himself sometimes with some. Note also his attitude when the Alabaster full of expensive, designer perfume & oil was used to anoint Christ. He wanted it sold & the money used for the poor, was that his only intention, or maybe swell up the purse he handled so he could help himself more. He was worldly wise. 12. Christ prays for us to be in the world, but not to be off the world. He did not want us to be greedy after wealth, power. He warns of money & riches, that it could take us away from Him. 13. Christ was sent into the world but does not want us to live by the values of the world. The values that trapped Judas 14. The worldly values usually seem to win, it is short lived. Armed robbers seem to succeed, evil tend to thrive, it is for only a short time. It is the word of God that prevails 15. Christ prays for 3 things a. unity of the Church, b. for us to be Joyful c. & 3rd that we are sanctified in His truth, through His world. 16. As we prepare ourselves for Christ to send the Holy Spirit in a dramatic way at Pentecost, we pray that there should be Joy, Unity & Sactification in the Church. 17. We need to welcome visitors into our church, so when people come to church with problems, our caring nature will help them leave with Joy

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