| I can't believe what the kids are watching today! I | | | | glory you have given me because you loved me |
| mean, I should be happy. By watching these | | | | before the creation of the world (23)." |
| shows they are learning about statistics, judgment | | | | Jesus is talking here about heaven. We are going |
| and risk assessment. Is it some hip educational | | | | to see Jesus in his heavenly glory. It will be |
| program? Nope. NASCAR? Nope. Poker! You can | | | | indescribable. The Bible always portrays that vision |
| almost always turn to some station, ESPN2 or the | | | | of God as one of the highest joys of heaven. |
| likes, and watch a Poker tournament. If this is | | | | The joy of seeing fireworks (especially after that |
| sports, then I am physically fit! Golf, which some | | | | 51s slaughter we went to). Or better yet, the joy |
| compare to watching paint dry, looks absolutely | | | | of a mother seeing her children again, the joy of |
| riotous compared with Poker. Yet, you have to | | | | parents seeing son or daughter on the stage, |
| admit there is some drama (not too much, | | | | getting that high school diploma, the joy of a |
| because the audience gets to see what | | | | young bride seeing her husband get off the plane |
| everybody has in their hands) there as the | | | | from his tour in Iraq. Maybe those things are as |
| tension builds when the players have to show | | | | close as we can get to the joy we will one day |
| their cards. | | | | feel in heaven when we see Jesus. |
| I'm not saying we should truck on down to | | | | But how in the world is that going to show to |
| Benny's joint for a weekly poker game or TiVo | | | | unbelievers here and now? Go back to Jesus' first |
| the next championship poker broadcast so we | | | | words. "I have given them the glory that you |
| don't miss it, but as Christians, I think it is time for | | | | gave me (22)." We aren't exactly glowing like |
| us to show our cards. Jesus prayed for the day | | | | Jesus did on the Mount of Transfiguration, shining |
| and I think it has come. | | | | like lightning, our clothes whiter than any |
| Then We Will Show. | | | | Laundromat could make them-that's only the |
| 1.Oneness (20-23). | | | | actors on those Crest whitening strips |
| 2.Glory (24) | | | | commercials! Most of us, if the truth be told, are |
| 3.Love (25-26). | | | | showing the wear and tear. That's not the glory |
| The words of our text for today are part of | | | | Jesus is talking about, the outward glory of those |
| Jesus' "High Priestly Prayer." He prayed for his | | | | naturally ageless celebrities like Kenny Rogers and |
| disciples. Then he prayed for all who would believe | | | | Michael Jackson. Here's the glory Jesus is talking |
| in him. He prayed these words on the Thursday | | | | about, that heavenly glory we already have here |
| before his death, just hours before Judas | | | | that unbelievers can spot. "We do not lose heart. |
| betrayed him. | | | | Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet |
| "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for | | | | inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For |
| those who will believe in me through their | | | | our light and momentary troubles are achieving |
| message, that all of them may be one, Father, | | | | for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all |
| just as you are in me and I am in you. May they | | | | (2 Corinthians 4.17)." Grace under pressure. Hope |
| also be in us so that the world may believe that | | | | in the midst of heartache. Joy in Christ through |
| you have sent me. I have given them the glory | | | | the tears. That's the glory Jesus was talking |
| that you gave me, that they may be one as we | | | | about. One more word from Paul on this, "We all |
| are one: I in them and you in me. May they be | | | | reflect the Lord's glory and are transformed into |
| brought to complete unity to let the world know | | | | his likeness with ever-increasing glory (2 |
| that you sent me and have loved them even as | | | | Corinthians 3.18)." |
| you have loved me (20-23)." | | | | It's the glory of a Christian life. It's the glory of |
| Did you notice the two times Jesus mentioned | | | | the Christian hope. That's why even unbelievers |
| the world in these words? "So that the world | | | | want a Christian funeral. Maybe they think they'll |
| may believe…to let the world know." Well, | | | | sneak in under the wire. Big, suave, cosmopolitan |
| how is the world ever going to believe in Jesus if | | | | Ernest Hemmingway put a gun to his head when |
| we don't show them our cards? How is the world | | | | he found out he had cancer. Little stay-at-home |
| ever going to know Jesus is the Savior if we | | | | Evelyne Zensen prayed, "Come, Lord Jesus, come |
| don't let this wicked, old world know? | | | | quickly." Do you think people notice? Yup. |
| You see, that's where the battle starts. The | | | | They will also notice our love. |
| church has often been portrayed as a little | | | | "Righteous Father, though the world does not |
| fortress on a rock, battered by the winds and | | | | know you, I know you, and they know that you |
| waves. Church architecture promotes this with its | | | | have sent me. I have made you known to them, |
| sanctuary and fortress-like walls. The world is out | | | | and will continue to make you known in order that |
| there, to be avoided! Long before security gated | | | | the love you have for me may be in them and |
| neighborhoods became popular, the church was | | | | that I myself may be in them (26)." |
| the security gated community. German, Swedish | | | | We've talked a lot about love this Easter season, |
| and Norwegian Lutherans had their own churches. | | | | that we love one another. I don't think a group of |
| The Irish, Polish, German and Italian Catholics had | | | | Christians can hear that message enough. Back up |
| their own churches. And they didn't get along. I'm | | | | a step, though. Our love for one another is |
| not talking about the Lutherans and the | | | | impossible without the love of God for us. His love |
| Catholics-I'm talking about the Germans, Swedes, | | | | comes first and moves us, creates in us, that |
| Norwegians, Italians, Poles and Irish! We could just | | | | love for him and love for others. Jesus is talking |
| as well bring the divisions up to date with the | | | | about how God's love for us will show in us. |
| Mexicans and the Chinese, the Korean and the | | | | Ever notice how children who are loved well by |
| Philippinos. You expect people to be at each | | | | their parents just beam? The time, the attention, |
| other's throats. You expect people to segregate | | | | the respect the parents give their children make |
| themselves and show bias, if not outright hostility, | | | | those kids confident, at ease with others, willing to |
| towards others. | | | | take some risks and look foolish if it doesn't turn |
| You'd expect that, because that's the sinful | | | | out, because they know they have someone who |
| human nature at work. Where you find God at | | | | always loves them. I think teachers can tell at a |
| work, you see just the opposite and that is | | | | glance which kids are loved well, whether they |
| different. That is unusual. That is noteworthy | | | | make the honor roll or just escape being declared |
| enough that even the world will sit up and take | | | | ineligible because of English class. |
| notice. | | | | Are you well-loved by God? Am I always in my |
| It was that way in the early Christian church. Paul | | | | God's mind? Looking at the Bible, we'd have to |
| brags, "We were all baptized by one Spirit into | | | | say "yeah." "God so loved the world that he gave |
| one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free | | | | his one and only Son that whoever believes in him |
| (1 Corinthians 12.13)." It didn't matter whether you | | | | shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3.16)." |
| knew the Bible or not. The preaching of Jesus | | | | "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and |
| Christ converted both the Jew who had | | | | have no compassion on the child she has borne? |
| memorized God's Word and the Gentile who didn't | | | | Though she may forget, I will not forget you! |
| really know what he was supposed to worship. | | | | See, I have engraved you on the palms of my |
| The Holy Spirit through Baptism claimed for God | | | | hands (Isaiah 49.15-16)." Your junior high son or |
| those freemen who belonged to themselves and | | | | daughter ever come home with something |
| the slave who belonged to other. It didn't matter. | | | | written on their arm or the back of their hand |
| There were no divisions. No distinctions. And | | | | that was so important, they couldn't risk |
| here's another reason there were no divisions. | | | | forgetting it before they found some paper? |
| The Holy Spirit moved them to care for one | | | | That's our God! We are always in his mind. There |
| another. Almost every one of Paul's letters to the | | | | is nothing he wouldn't do for us, even to the point |
| Christian congregations contain something like | | | | of Jesus giving up his life for us on the cross. No |
| this-"Ever since I heard about your faith and your | | | | wonder we sing, "God loves me dearly, grants |
| love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving | | | | me salvation, God loves me dearly, loves even |
| thanks for you (Ephesians 1.15)." But this unity | | | | me. Therefore I'll say again, God loves me dearly, |
| was not automatic. It was something the early | | | | God loves me dearly, loves even me." |
| Christians had to always strive for. "I appeal to | | | | Do we show we are loved by God? Again, we'd |
| you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus | | | | have to say, "yeah." Look what we think of him! |
| Christ, that all of you agree with one another so | | | | Good Shepherd. Lord. Savior. Deliverer. Friend of |
| that there may be no divisions among you and | | | | sinners. That's a whole different picture than the |
| that you may be perfectly united in mind and | | | | Hindus have of their gods, some of whom are |
| thought (1 Corinthians 1.10)." | | | | the Destroyer and the Avenger. What do we |
| This shouldn't be hard for anyone who has been | | | | think of what God has done for us? We don't |
| in a family to understand. There are lots of strains | | | | say, "Well, I hope I've been good enough for God |
| and pulls in a relationship. You've got to work on | | | | to let me into heaven." Most Americans say just |
| being close to brother and sister. | | | | that, which is why it doesn't surprise me at all |
| It's like a marriage, and let's take that as an | | | | when we find out most Americans don't go to |
| example. Two people. Got their own ideas, their | | | | church to regularly hear that Word of God. Not |
| own likes and dislikes, their own hormonal | | | | us. We would say, "I am certain I am going to |
| systems just to add a little spice, like putting | | | | heaven, because Jesus died for my sins." That |
| cornstarch in somebody's contact lens solution. | | | | confidence in our Savior's love for us will show. |
| How does that big stallion and little filly get along? | | | | How about deliverance in earthly crisis? The world |
| Will he be gone every night, just like he was | | | | expresses doubt in God's love. "Watch out what |
| before he got hitched? Playing cards, drinking, | | | | you pray for, you just might get it." We express |
| hooting and hollering with his buds over the din of | | | | certainty in God's power to deliver. "Take it to |
| their off-road vehicles? Will she be hitting the clubs | | | | the Lord in prayer." Or a preschooler tells her |
| with the girls, because it's free drinks for them | | | | mother after the bank robber took his gun away |
| after 2 pm, don't you know, and whining to him | | | | from her mother's head and ran out of the bank, |
| for pretty things like she did to her daddy when | | | | "See, Mommy, Jesus protected us." |
| she was in junior high? I think we've just | | | | People will notice. They really will. "How did you |
| summarized the plot of most day-time and | | | | keep it together when your father died?" "Why |
| prime-time soap operas! Or will he be thinking | | | | didn't you divorce him when he lost his job and |
| about her, trying to tickle her fancy, working to | | | | you had to let the house go?" God gives strength |
| spend time with her, getting her interested in | | | | to his people. It is so natural to us that we don't |
| some of the stuff he just can't put down? Will | | | | think about it all that much, which isn't a bad thing. |
| she be holding him up in esteem, working to | | | | I always get into trouble right after I've stopped |
| understand his way of thinking, trying to | | | | to count all my virtues! But the times will come, |
| house-break, if not civilize, him a little bit and | | | | as they have already come, and, as before, when |
| expand his horizons? | | | | that day comes, again |
| The Christian couple who does this, their friends | | | | Then We Will Show. |
| are going to start wondering about them. "Why | | | | 1.Oneness (20-23). |
| don't we ever see Billie and Bonnie fight? Why | | | | 2.Glory (24) |
| don't they ever disagree in public? Did they get a | | | | 3.Love (25-26). |
| frontal lobotomy when they went to those | | | | Kids certainly watch some goofy stuff. Because |
| pre-marital classes at that Lutheran Church?" But | | | | that's what people were made for-watching. |
| the more they watch this Christian couple, the | | | | These eyes can notice the difference between a |
| more they get to know them, they'll realize, | | | | ripe peach and a peach that needs to be on the |
| "They have a great marriage because they are | | | | tree a few more days. We can notice a healthy |
| Christians-we don't go to church. Maybe that's | | | | color or a face that's starting to show jaundice. |
| why our marriage stinks." | | | | People, including unbelievers, will notice, because |
| You get the point. Let's look at the other thing | | | | they are watching you. Give them a chance to |
| we will show-glory! | | | | know who Jesus is as we display his grace in our |
| "Father, I want those you have given me to be | | | | lives. |
| with me where I am, and to see my glory, the | | | | |