Trinity Sunday B

John 3:1-17

¹Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. ²He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God." ³Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." ⁴Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?" ⁵Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. ⁶What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷Do not be astonished that I said to you, "You must be born from above.' ⁸The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

⁹Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" ¹⁰Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? ¹¹"Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. ¹²If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? ¹³No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. ¹⁴And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. ¹⁶"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ¹⁷"Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Today in the Church's Year of Grace we celebrate a doctrine, a teaching, rather than an event. Scripture strongly implies God as triune or three-in-one, but scripture never uses the word "trinity." In our readings we've had at least two explicit theophanies or revelations of the Trinity: the Baptism of Jesus and the Transfiguration. In the year 325 the Council of Nicaea articulated the doctrine of the Trinity with the Nicene Creed we often recite during worship as a testimony of faith. Orthodox Christians in mainline denominations like the ELCA, PC(USA), United Methodist, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox churches are formally and officially Trinitarian. Some others–Disciples of Christ, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints confess Jesus as Lord and speak of the godhead (a term we also use), but don't claim to be Trinitarian.

Trinity Sunday is the Octave of Pentecost. The church long has celebrated important events in octaves of eight days (similar to an octave of eight notes in music). Rather than attempting an analogy that never ever approaches the essence of the godhead, Early Church Fathers and Mothers frequently talked about the perichoresis of the Trinity. "Peri" refers to in the vicinity of, around, nearby. "Choresis" has the same root as the familiar choreography. Father, Son, Holy Spirit interact with each other, interpenetrate, share similar functions. Hymn of the day will be "Come, Join the Dance of Trinity," as the Trinity models our interactive and cooperative lifestyles and ministries. Though happily no one at all attempted one of the too many analogies of the Trinity, Sara mentioned Irish Christians noticed the shamrock plant with its three equal leaves and made it a famous trinitarian symbol.

Next week we'll begin counting Sundays after Pentecost as the Church moves into its own in the long, green, and growing season of Ordinary Time. We'll very consciously continue walking the talk as we follow Jesus into worlds around us as his presence in the power of the Holy Spirit of Pentecost each of us received at baptism in a special way.

Today's gospel reading again is from the community gathered around John the beloved disciple. We meet the religious leader Nicodemus coming to Jesus, the light of the world, in the dark of night. John's gospel brings us Jesus' seven "I am" sayings; although it's not one of those, in this passage Jesus essentially announces "I am the Snake" that heals, saves, redeems, brings us eternal life. [Check out Moses in Numbers 21:9.] With his crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, in a sense Jesus' "lifting up" is triune. Today's gospel reading includes John 3:16 quite a few of us read in many different spoken languages last week on the Day of Pentecost.

In John 19:38-42 we meet this same Nicodemus as he and Joseph of Arimathea anoint Jesus' body for burial and lay Jesus in the tomb, their form of burial since they didn't dig graves in the ground.

This gospel reading has a unique feature with its use of kingdom/reign of God in verse 3. Synoptic gospels Matthew, Mark, and Luke say Reign of Heaven / Kingdom of God literally all the time, but John doesn't.

Good discussion of the less familiar verse 17, "God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." We talked about stereotypes and mistaken ideas many people have about God and church. Pastor Peg told us we can help proclaim and be the good news that God loves, God saves, God does not condemn.

Day of Pentecost 2018

Acts 2:1-6

¹When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ²And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. ⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. ⁵Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. ⁶And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.

Starting with the creation accounts, the witness of scripture reveals innumerable ways the Holy Spirit always has been present on earth. The Day of Pentecost especially celebrates the more spectacular manifestation of the Spirit Jesus' followers experienced after Jesus' Resurrection, after the forty days he spent on earth before his Ascension to sovereignty and authority over all life. Every year we revisit images of visible fire and audible wind as evidence of the HS's presence among us and within us. As with many physical locations of events we read about in scripture, no one knows the exact location of the narrative Luke brings us in chapter 2 of the Acts of the Apostles, but strong tradition claims it was in the same upper room as Jesus' last supper / founding meal we remember on Maundy Thursday.

Speaking in other languages and hearing in the native language of each definitely refers to spoken, verbal language; however, in that place and time almost as much in this year 2018, people needed to comprehend other types of communication that would include cultural habits, body language, social class differences, ethnic styles. Pastor Peg pointed out Jesus is God's Word and words are communication. I mentioned though I hope most of what I produce as a graphic artist-designer is pleasingly artistic, above all I intend to communicate, as de-sign implies.

As the church's year of grace segues into the green and growing season of Pentecost when we number and count Sundays after the Day of Pentecost, we can be confident our baptism / immersion and filling with the Holy Spirit of Pentecost will enable us to live as Jesus's crucified and risen presence everywhere we go. The ELCA's tagline expresses it, "God's work – our hands [and feet and voices and ears and eyes, etc.]."

Ascension 2018

Acts 1:1-11

¹In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning ²until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. ³After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. ⁴While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. "This," he said, "is what you have heard from me; ⁵for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

⁶So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" ⁷He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." ⁹When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. ¹⁰While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. ¹¹They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

Luke 24:44-53

⁴⁴Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled." ⁴⁵Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, ⁴⁶and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

⁵⁰Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. ⁵¹While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. ⁵²And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; ⁵³and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

The seventh Sunday of Easter is day 43 of the fifty days of Easter. The Easter season is a week of weeks, (the biblical number of) 7 times 7; next Sunday we'll celebrate the Day of Pentecost, the third of our great Trinitarian festivals. Pentecost is the 50^th day of Easter! And then the church's year of grace segues into the long, green and, growing season of Pentecost, "Season of the Church."

As we prepare to replicate and continue Jesus' earthly ministry, today we read from with Luke's pair of Ascension stories from his gospel and from his Second Volume / Act II Acts of the Apostles.

Three days ago on the 40^th day of Easter, church and world (to some extent) celebrated Jesus' ascension with its declaration and confirmation of Jesus' authority over everything everywhere. Although we calendar the day of Resurrection according to the full moon and the spring equinox, making it a movable feast, Ascension Thursday remains fixed as the fortieth day of Easter.

Over the Sundays of Easter we've visited Jesus' post-resurrection actions, examples, and teaching. The past few weeks (and in the gospel reading from John appointed for today) we've heard from Jesus on Maundy Thursday, before his crucifixion, death, and resurrection.

Each gospel writer brings a particular perspective:

• With his persistent emphasis on justice and righteousness that never ever lets go, Jewish Matthew is very much in the tradition of Pentateuch and Prophets;

• Apocalyptic Mark dramatically brings us the end of the world as we've known it—a literal new world order;

* The community gathered around the beloved disciple reveals abiding and obeying as one and the same, shows a very different worldview than the synoptic gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, who – despite measurable distinctives – essentially view and interpret Jesus' life and ministry with a single eye = syn + optic;

• We can scroll through Luke's gospel and notice Jesus' repentance (and forgiveness) commands and actions are far more than a simple "I'm sorry." Jesus demands restoration of what has been taken or broken and then walking the talk differently from before. Jesus demands we demonstrate our sorrow and repentance with action.

Rebalancing relationships and restoring the integrity of creation aligns with the Jubilee year we hear about in Leviticus. Jubilee is (the biblical number of) 7 times 7 years, with the 50^th or Jubilee year one of forgiveness, restoration, new beginnings—in a sense resetting the clock. Cancellation of debts, return of land to its original owners, release of slaves and bond-servants, letting land lie fallow for a year of healing rest jubilee provisions go along with Mary's Magnificat [Luke 1:46-55] that proclaims God's social and economic reversals, with Jesus' first act of public ministry in the synagogue [Luke 4:15-21] as he announces comfort to those who mourn, release of the captives, sight to the blind, etc.

As we prepare again to focus on living as Jesus' presence in the world everywhere we go, it's appropriate this morning we're considering both Ascension passages from Luke: his account in the gospel that bears his name along with his account from the Acts of the Apostles. Jesus promises us baptism or literal immersion in the Holy Spirit of life; Jesus promises our lives will witness to him, but we don't do this under our own steam, but by trusting the power of God's life with us.

Easter 6B

John 15:9-17

⁹As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. ¹⁰If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. ¹²"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. ¹⁴You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵I 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. ¹⁶You 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. ¹⁷I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

The Sixth Sunday of Easter

Easter is 50 days, a week of weeks, 7 times 7 + 1. The third of our great trinitarian festivals, the day of Pentecost, is the fiftieth day of Easter! On this sixth Sunday of Easter that's the 36^th of the 50 days of Easter, we're back again with Jesus on Maundy Thursday and his concluding discourse (speech, talk , homily, reflection, sermon) to his disciples and friends. We're back with Jesus before his crucifixion and resurrection.

During this season of Easter, our readings from John's gospel and from the Acts of the Apostles particularly have shown us the shape and form of the servant church God calls us to be—and in the power of the Holy Spirit of Pentecost, God enables us to be. Just as in last week's gospel account, this week we hear more about obeying and abiding in Jesus Christ. Abiding means staying put wherever you are.

In our Maundy Thursday liturgy, we participated in a rite of hand-washing that parallels Jesus washing the feet of his disciples and friends in the gospel according to John. Towel and basin ministry particularly point to the calling of deacons, the servant order or class of the church, yet God calls every one of us to lives of nitty-gritty helping out with the needs of others. But we do not do any of this alone by ourselves. Our lives are like last's week's image of God as the winegrower / vine dresser, Jesus as the vine, as as the intertwined (inter-vined?) branches that support, compliment and complement each other.

The relationship between patron / sponsor and client / servant was socially constructed and expected in Jesus' day; in this passage Jesus tells us our relationship with him mainly is friendship and all the intimacy and closeness friendship entails.

In her summary of the readings for last week, Julie mentioned joy. In verse 11 this week Jesus tells us, "I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete." In our class discussions we focus so much on "do not fear" and our human tendency to be scared and apprehensive, we often forget joy. You can't be afraid and joyful at the same time.