May 18, 2003

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Acts 8:26-40

John 15:1-8

 “GPS - God’s People Seekers”

      A couple years ago, I went out with a friend on his boat at night.  I was sitting on the engine cover, facing aft, staring up at the stars and enjoying the ride.  It was a beautiful night.  We sped along at full throttle for quite a while, but then the boat started to slow down.  I knew we were in trouble when my friend shifted out of gear, turned around to me and asked, “Where in the (bleep) are we??“  I thought he knew where he was going.  He thought I was paying attention.  A fine pair of sailors we turned out to be.  “That’s it,” he exclaimed, “we’re dropping anchor and staying here tonight!  When the sun comes up, we’ll know where we are.“  “Now what a minute“, I said, “Where are your charts?“  We poured over the charts for a while - which would have been a good idea BEFORE we got lost - and eventually found some channel markers and watched the direction of the ferry traffic until we finally found our way home.  The next time I went out with this guy, I took my GPS!  And after he saw how well the GPS worked, he went out and bought one for himself.

     GPS means Global Positioning Satellites and even the small handheld units can do a pretty good job of showing you where in the world you are.  A GPS hones in on several satellites and by comparing their positions, determines your position.  The one I now have can show me where I am anywhere in the world within a few feet.  Hikers use them, boaters use them, pilots use them.  A truck driver friend of mine uses one.  The navigation systems on some new cars are actually GPS units.

     I can find my way around on the water OK without it, especially in the daylight, but I wouldn’t want to go far without my GPS.  I need to be connected to those signals from above to know where I’m supposed to be!  Without them, I‘d just wander around in the dark.

     Jesus spoke of our being connected to him so that we wouldn’t wander around in the dark, so that we’d know where we are supposed to be in life.  His analogy was of a vine and its branches and how the branches are fruitful as long as they are connected to the vine.  Separated from the vine, the branches wither.  So too, without Christ, our lives do not bear the fruit God desires.  Lose touch with Christ and we are lost, wandering around in the dark.

     Here’s what I’m talking about:  In all the world there is only one story of one Savior like Jesus Christ.  Buddha and Muhammad both went to the grave and stayed there - only Jesus rose again.  No other person in all of history has moved the world, changed the world for the better like Jesus has.  And even after all these years since his earthly ministry, we are still trying to absorb the truths of his teachings, the power of his miracles and the depth of his unconditional love. 

     If we aren’t connected to Jesus Christ like branches to a vine, If we aren’t seeking his guidance from above, I just think we’re missing out on the best thing going.  Sure, millions of people for thousands of years have gotten by OK without faith in Jesus Christ, but why just get by when there is endless love, soul-deep healing, blessed assurance and complete liberation awaiting you?  The Bible says, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”

     I don’t say these things as a way of looking down at other faiths because I believe there are many different ways to know God and we can all learn from one another about God.  I just believe Jesus shows us a better way.  If I didn’t believe this I wouldn’t be up here right now.  There are blessings and peace to be found in Jesus that just can’t be found anywhere else.  He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes unto the Father but by me.”  Jesus reveals to us the true nature of God.  The disciples said to Jesus, “Show us the Father” and Jesus replied, “Those who have seen me have seen the Father.”  Through his own life, Jesus reveals that God is willing to die for us because we are loved that much.  Jesus is living proof that God so loves the world.  No other faith makes this claim about God.  No other faith goes this far, says this much about the saving power of the love of God.

     A dear old friend of mine is dying.  I sat with her yesterday and held her hand.  She is afraid and having a hard time letting go.  Even though I know she already knows the story, I told her again about the saving love of Jesus, the one who so often said, “Do not be afraid“ and “Peace be with you.”   We talked about the 23^rd Psalm and walking through the valley of the shadow of death and fearing no evil because the Good Shepherd walks with us.  As we talked she relaxed and closed her eyes and slept a little.  What I shared with her was not new news, just Good News.  She needed to hear it again, as we all do.  I came away thinking how good that Good News really is and how good it is to be able to share such hope with each other, right there, on the threshold of eternity.  It really is the best thing going.

     Connected to this Good News of hope in Jesus Christ, like branches to a vine, like GPS units to orbiting satellites, we know where we are, how to find the way through dark valleys, even the valley of the shadow of death.  We can go forward, unafraid.

     The Book of Acts tells us about Philip running up to an Ethiopian man’s chariot to explain to him how the ancient scriptures point to the Good News of the Savior, Jesus Christ.  Like a branch to a vine, Philip was connected to Christ and was obviously overjoyed to share what he knew about Jesus and the Good News of salvation through him.  Connected by faith to the power from above, Philip knew the way and thus was happy to show someone else the way.  “What is there to keep me from being baptized?” the Ethiopian man asked.  Philip was like GPS, showing the way through the dark.  He opened to the man the way of unconditional love, forgiveness of sins, hope that endures all things, life that never ends, the best thing going.

     We are like GPS, too.  Not Global Positioning Satellites, but GPS - God’s People Seekers.  Connected by faith to the power from above, connected to the saving love of Christ, like branches to a vine, we know the way of hope.  What a happy day it is when we are given the blessed opportunity to share that hope with someone else.

     You don’t need fancy words or a carefully worked-out personal theology.  You just need to hold the hand of a friend and maybe talk about the 23^rd Psalm, or bake a casserole for a lonely neighbor or take someone to a doctor’s appointment or pray with a frightened loved one before their surgery.  You need only reveal the connection you have to Christ and share the hope you have in him.  The Lord will do the rest.  Then, you will have the great satisfaction and joy of knowing you are God’s GPS, God’s People Seeker, sharing your connection to the power from above, your connection to the vine, showing the way, sharing the best thing going.

     Like the Prayer of St. Francis:

     Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

      Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

    where there is injury, pardon;

    where there is doubt, faith;

    where there is despair, hope;

    where there is darkness, light;

     and where there is sadness, joy.

O' Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;