At our recent Men’s breakfast, we have 35 men gathered to enjoy fellowship, coffee, eggs and bacon. I was thrilled because my son Parker came and made lots pancakes. After this wonderful meal, we heard from Evan who works with the homeless Vets in our county. He has the challenging and important job of connecting with the men and women who have served our nation and find themselves without shelter. I was surprised to learn that we have 67 homeless vets that they can name and work with, but they know there are many they have yet to reach. I asked Evan how he got into this work and how many men in the room were veterans and many were. One guest tearfully shared his homeless struggle even though he is employed and able to pay rent. He is currently living in a group home for veterans in Monterey.
On this Memorial Day, our thoughts and prayers are with those who have served our great nation. I would like to ask all our veterans to stand so we can thank you for your service.
We truly are so grateful to you for your service and I am mindful that this can be a difficult moment, because you want your fallen brothers in arms to be here with you as we say thank you to you. This became real when I saw the story of Nick, an Iraqi vet returning home and being thanked by the taxi driver and passerby, but how different he felt when he was saluted by fellow soldiers from an earlier war, because they understood what service meant. I teared up in that moment. Most of us do not have a clue what sacrifices you have made, the sufferings you endure, AND please know we share our deepest and heart-felt gratitude for all that you have given. Thank you. Now we pause in silence to remember those who have given their lives in service to our nation. The men and women who have died so that we might live. SILENCE
Paul speaks of soldiers as he writes to Timothy. He says, “Share in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (v.3). He is encouraging the faithful to stand firm in the teachings of Christ even when that means suffering. Paul knows suffering, he is writing this letter from prison where he is chained. But he also reminds us that the word of God is not chained. God’s teaching is never chained. Even when we feel confined, when we feel lost, the word of God freely moves, inspires greatly and helps us have hope in this life and in the next. Then Paul gives three examples- a soldier, an athlete and a farmer.
Soldier- not details, focus on pleasing the one who sent you- enlisting officer- entangled in everyday affairs. Politics right now are the daily affairs…
God is our enlisting officer
Athlete- work all you want, train, compete, but nothing comes unless you follow the rules. Follow Christ’s teachings, obey God’s commandments.
(Please God your enlisting officer, follow the rules by obeying Christ’s teachings)
Farmer- you work hard produce a crop and you are the one who ought to get the first share. Your efforts will come with a return- a harvest. Fruits of our labors here, and peace of Christ.
Jesus Christ is the gospel, great reminder coming from Paul- it is the person of Christ, the faithfulness of Jesus, the love and compassion that gets us through our suffering. Then Paul shares a song, a salvation song. It might be like us playing the doxology, a song everyone knows to remind them of who Jesus IS!
If we DIE with him, we will also LIVE with him
If we ENDURE with him, we will also REIGN with him
If we DENY HIM, HE WILL also DENY US. Doesn’t stop there!!!
If we are FAITHLESS, he remains FAITHFUL! His nature, can’t deny himself!
We see Jesus nature, his faithfulness in our gospel lesson. Jesus loves us so much, brings us peace, that even when he is about to die and leave the disciples, he tells them he will always be with them through the Advocate, through the Holy Spirit. Just like Jesus is always with us.
We often hear this passage at funerals because of the assurance of God’s presence, and Christ’s peace. But let’s look at this context. One of the disciples asks Jesus how he will reveal himself to his followers while not revealing himself to the world. The answer is LOVE. Jesus knows that it is the love he has for his own followers and the love we as his disciples have for him that connect us one to each other. Those who love me and keep my word- we are right back at the athlete following Christ’s teachings, we share his love. And then we get this beautiful image, the image of home. Earlier in this chapter Jesus promises that in God’s house there are many dwelling places and Jesus goes to prepare a place for us (John 14:2-3). Here as he speaks of this love between God, Jesus and us, the beloved children, God promises to make a home with us. Jesus and God are making their home with you, with me, with each one of us. John does not focus on an afterlife theology, the love we share with God is in the here and now. In the comfort we have with the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, who is with us in this life.
Home is one of those images that speaks to each of us and one that has special meaning for those who have given their lives in service to our country. Every effort is made to bring every service person home, to have them be at rest and peace in their home country. God and Jesus have made their home with them, dwell with them in peace and love, just as they dwell with us.
My new favorite show is called the Village. It is about a diverse group of people in a New York City apartment building called the Village. One of the main characters, is an Iraqi vet who has lost his leg in the war and is coming home to find himself and his recently discovered family. I love how the young Jewish law students helps for a middle eastern neighbor who is about to be deported, how an African American woman with cancer has helped a single mother raise her daughter, how there is a belief that we all are to care for one another like family whether we are related to each other or not. They have created a home in the best sense of the word, based on love and compassion. I will tell you Parker says it feels like a primetime soap opera. And yet, seeing this vet Nick deal with the physical loss of his leg incredibly well only to realize that it is the emotional trauma of war that has impacted him profoundly. It was his service as a firefighter in 911 that inspired his service to his country. It reminds us all that the wounds we can see may not be what define us and that those who serve carry a heavy weight we certainly do not understand yet hope to support. That is why I was so please that the end of the Men’s breakfast, the men are moving towards becoming a resource to be the hands and feet of Christ to the veterans in our community offering rides and caring. If you are interested in that please speak to David Allshouse or myself.
The peace that Jesus promised comes through the Holy Spirit for sure, it comes in the darkest times and the joyful times. But that peace, Christ’s peace, comes when individual people step up and say I want to be of service to my fellow human beings to show the love we have been shown in Christ and offer compassion and caring to those who have given so much in service to our country.
Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.” May we each find a way to share our peace with the world, because of the love we share with God and Jesus who dwell so firmly in our midst.
