Sermon 5.10.26
I watched a nature show on TV about a family of black bears. At the start, Mama bear gave birth to two adorable little cubs. But, soon after birth, one of the twins died. And, sadly, three weeks later Mama bear died, and the one remaining little cub was left alone to fend for itself. An orphaned 3 week old bear cub is like a dinner invitation for predators, and, wouldn't you know, immediately the camera zoomed in the mountain lion, peering down from a rocky ledge.
Before long the orphaned cub encountered a giant male black bear. The little cub cowered at the sheer size of him. The huge male bear seemed to realize that the little guy was orphaned and afraid. He gave him a gentle nudge, and in that nudge the adoption papers were signed. The little orphan happily trailed along after his new daddy. Papa bear wasted no time in assuming his parental responsibilities. He immediately went to work teaching his little cub how to catch fish...how to dig insects out of old logs...how to scratch his back against a tree...and all the other things that little bears need to learn.
Then one day the cub and his daddy became separated. The cub looked everywhere for his protector, but he couldn't find him anywhere. Finally, he came to the stream where Papa had taught him to fish, when something caught his attention. Looking up, he saw that mean old mountain lion, ready to pounce.
Then the camera zoomed in on the little cub. It was amazing to watch...he automatically mimicked how he had seen his adopted father react to threatening situations. He stood up on his little hind legs and bared his teeth, just like his new daddy would have done. And he let loose the mightiest growl he could make...only it wasn't so mighty. If it had been his papa's growl, it would have reverberated throughout the forest. But all the little cub could manage was a tiny little squeak.
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It seemed all hope was lost. But, what happened next was astonishing. The mountain lion lowered its head, turned, and ran away. And the camera panned in on the proud little cub, still standing tall on his hind legs. But he was totally unaware of what stood just a few yards behind him. There was papa bear at full, ferocious height, his sharp, white teeth bared in a snarl. He may not have made a sound, but he was there. And, even though the cub couldn't see him, his father stood guard, protecting him. The little cub had power available greater than anything he could produce on his own...a greater power watching over him.
Now, once again, our Gospel brings us to the Upper Room, where the disciples were gathered with Jesus on the night he was betrayed. They were trying to wrap their minds around the things that Jesus was telling them. Fear gripped their hearts as they tried to come to terms with what was about to happen. He spoke of going away...of going where they could not go...of betrayal...and denial...and of things they could not understand and didn't want to hear. But he also assured them that it was all part of God's divine plan to redeem his fallen creation.
“I will not leave you as orphans,” he assured them. “I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also.”
How can this be? If Jesus was going away—and by this point, surely they realized that he was talking about dying—how could he come back to them?
Jesus goes on “...I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.” Jesus explains that the world will not receive this Spirit. It can't. But they...they who belong to Jesus and who follow him...they will receive him. They who love Jesus will not only have the Holy Spirit living with them and watching over them; they will have the Holy Spirit IN them and working THROUGH them.
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And we who love Jesus, how blessed we are! Like the Papa bear towering tall behind his orphaned cub, we have the assurance that the Holy Spirit has our back. But that's not all. By our baptism, the Holy Spirit is IN us...working THROUGH us...to participate in the mighty acts of God.
This day is set aside to honor mothers. Now, Mother's Day isn't a church holiday; it's a secular observance. And this text from John's Gospel is for the 6th Sunday of Easter; not for Mother's Day. Yet,what a perfect reading this is for Mothers Day. Parenthood is a blessing, but it's no easy task. What an assurance it is to know that, whatever challenge we face, if we remain in Christ, the Holy Spirit has our backs.
Let us praise God today for Christian homes...for mothers who know and love the Lord, who live by his commandments, and who, by word and example, demonstrate to their families what real love—God's love—is all about. Let the church lift up the Christian home, where children learn from loving parents of our heavenly Father's love, and the Savior's compassion, and the Spirit's power. Praise God, may your home be one of them. And may the peace of God that passes all human understanding keep your hearts and your minds...and the hearts and minds of all whom you love... in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.