May 27, 2007

When God Seems Far Away

by Rev. Dr. Jim Carlson

John 14: 8-17

E-mails to St. Anthony – Croatian Roman Catholics send prayer requests to 13th century saint.

Reflects a sense that divine help is still available for current problems. E-mailers think St. Anthony is still able to petition God for help.

We might criticize, but we also view Jesus this way. Passage deals with how we understand Jesus to be present with us and help us with today’s problems.

Dialogue comes during Last Supper. Jesus is preparing disciples for his departure.

Discussion of Jesus’ unity with the Father. Disciples apparently have not grasped that unity.

Jesus promises to grant the disciples anything they need as they carry on his ministry after his death. Prepares to go to the Father.

Promises to send another “counselor”. Holy Spirit will be with the disciples forever.

Holy Spirit will remind disciples of Jesus’ teachings and continue to reveal God to the world.

On Easter Sunday Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit onto the disciples.

Today is Pentecost. How do we understand the Holy Spirit to be present with us in the world today?

Traditional Baptist understanding – Holy Spirit indwells at the time a person comes to faith.

How are we different? Recent Baptism

Question is relevant because God seems distant sometimes. Current Headlines

Sometimes people who believe in Jesus do crazy things which make us wonder how the Holy Spirit can live within them.

How do we understand Jesus’ promise to grant his disciples anything they need?

Every attempt to quantify the way in which the Holy Spirit still lives in us has nearly irresolvable problems.

Best we can say: Holy Spirit living within us is a mystery, but not a myth. Our experience of God’s presence in the life of our church community confirms the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Final Prayer