Have you ever watched a little child with a helium-filled balloon? Kids are fascinated by helium balloons. They love to hold on to them and look up. The safest thing, of course, is to tie the string around their wrist so that they don’t loose it. If you go to large indoor events where balloons are sold, you will always see balloons that have escaped up among the rafters – or outdoors, you will sometimes see them drifting off in the breeze. And I know you‘ve seen kids crying because their balloon got away – as they stand there looking up watching it go up and up and away.
Sam tells the story about his brothers, Ted and Harry, who had built a perfectly balanced glider. It was their pride and joy. It was quite large and they loved to take it out in the pastures around their house and sail it on rather calm days when it could catch the air currents and stay up for a long time. One day it caught several good updrafts and literally sailed away. They watched it go, thrilled at the beauty of it, but even though they chased it, they never did find it.
Three days ago (Thursday) was the feast day of the Ascension. Our first lesson has the disciples watching Jesus rise up into the heavens. Imagine how they felt on that day as they watched him go. It was probably one of the most magnificent sights they had ever seen, but at the same time it both confused them and scared them. During that 10 days between the ascension and pentecost, they were living in the in-between times: in between the ascension of Jesus and the coming down of the Holy Spirit, in between heaven and earth, in between the present and the coming kingdom, in between the local (what was happening then and there) and the global (the commission to go out and preach the word.)
After all this time they had been with Jesus, they heard him preach, they saw the miracles, they witnessed his death
and his resurrection, and he made all these appearances to them and now they are on the hillside. And the first
question the disciples ask him is, “Lord, is now the time you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” They are still
expecting a military victory – an overthrowing of the current Roman government. They still didn't get it.
He tells them, “You don’t need to know the times,” because the kingdom that Jesus talked about had nothing to do with the political structures of our earthly governments. The kingdom that Jesus talked about had to do with our interior state of being – our attitudes toward one another – and our love and caring, not only for God, but for one another.
Jesus tells them here that they “will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them and that they will be witnesses to Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” This could be an overwhelming job – so they went back to the upper room where they were staying. And for 10 days, they devoted themselves to praying together. And I’m sure – trying to figure out what it was that Jesus had been trying to tell them.
They didn’t have a clue what it meant to have the Holy Spirit – the nearest concept they could entertain was probably the stories of the prophets of old who were filled with the Spirit of God. But it hadn’t happened yet, and they couldn’t quite imagine themselves as the prophets of old. They were living in-between. They were planted firmly on the ground, living in the present time, day by day, in Jerusalem waiting for what would happen next.
In our second lesson, Peter tells us to humble ourselves before God – to cast all our cares upon him – and to discipline ourselves, keeping alert at all times. And he tells us that Christ will restore, support and strengthen us. Peter learned this during that in-between time in Jerusalem and with the coming of the Holy Spirit. I’m sure it was hard not to become discouraged – waiting.
I don't wait well - I find it hard to just sit and do nothing. Different people wait in different ways, and some people wait in different way at different times in their lives.
My idea of waiting is to stay busy, find something to do. At one time in my life that meant coming down here to this church and spend hours praying and reading scripture. At another time it meant spending hours singing and playing spiritual songs. Especially Change my heart, O God... ---- At another time, it meant spending hours in the hospital visiting and working with people there. At another time it meant sitting still praying with beads or contemplating scripture or centering prayer.
We live in the in-between – we are in the world – right here in this time and place - and while we are here, we are to be present to those around us and live in the moment for Christ. Grace Church is in an in-between time, between Father David and whoever will be called as your new rector.
This is your time to strengthen your ministry - to build up your church - to come together to find what God is calling you to be and do - both individually and as a church. God doesn't want you to just sit on your hands doing nothing -
he wants you to be active, remembering that the person preaching to you isn't the be-all and end-all.
The future of this church does not depend me or whoever comes next. The future of this church depends on you!
Our gospel lesson is Jesus’ prayer for us. He doesn’t pray for world harmony – he prays for the disciples – for us – for unity – that we are able to work together to live and bring about his kingdom on this earth.
How can you make this place a little better for someone else? How can you reach out to someone in need or pain? Some of you do this on a daily basis – praying for each other or helping each other out working and planning for ministry.
In his prayer, Jesus begins, “The hour has come…” Now is the time – to pray for others - to reach out to help others – to live into God’s purpose in your life. Not later, but now. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get so overwhelmed by the things that I have to do – the sheer volume – that I become less than productive, less than effective.
Learning to live in the moment, what is happening this very minute – and not worry about what I have to do in the next hour, or tomorrow, or the next day – is one way I can begin to live into what Jesus wants me to be. And I invite you to contemplate what it is that Jesus is calling you to be and do.
Let us pray,
Most precious Father, send your Holy Spirit onto us, into us,
that we may live into your plan for our lives and for our church.
Help us to live in the tension of this world,
keeping the promise of your kingdom
always on the horizon of our consciousness.
Help us to see those around us here in this world,
And to see your heavenly purpose in their lives also.
This we ask in the name of your son, Jesus,
as we await the coming power of His Holy Spirit. Amen.
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