Sermon onJohn 20:19-31

Pastor Jennifer Garcia

“Peace be with you.”

These are Jesus’ first words to these fearful disciples.

Mary Magdalene had already told them about the risen Jesus.

Maybe they didn’t believe her—admittedly, it was a pretty wild story. Or maybe they were afraid of what Jesus would say when they saw him. Most of Jesus’ disciples had, after all, not stayed with him as he died.

Instead of going out looking for Jesus after hearing Mary’s testimony, they locked themselves in a room, fearing they would suffer the same death Jesus had—and maybe feeling ashamed that they had abandoned him.

But when Jesus inexplicably appeared within that locked room, he did not shame them or scold them.

He brought them peace.

This wasn’t peace as a mere laying down of weapons or “agreeing to disagree.” It also wasn’t Pax Romana, Roman peace, that was enforced by the edge of a sword.

Shalom, God’s peace, is a state of well-being in community when people are in right relationship with God and each other. It means something closer to “justice” than a mere absence of war. It’s the Jubilee we talked about earlier this year.

It’s the Beloved Community Jesus had been talking about all along.

Jesus could have given up on his disciples who had abandoned him in his suffering, but instead, he sought them out and brought them peace.

He also brought them the Holy Spirit. He breathed his living breath onto those disciples. The Greek word for “breath” also means “spirit,” just as the Hebrew word for “spirit” also means “wind” or “breeze.” There are plays on words in both testaments about “spirit.”

The Gospel of John doesn’t have an account of Pentecost like Acts does, so this is where John marks the receiving of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is equipping his disciples to continue his mission.

He greets them with a word of peace and breathes the Holy Spirit on them, the breath of life. Then, he talks to them about forgiveness.

A lot has been made over the centuries of Jesus saying, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”I’m not going to pretend to know the exact mechanics of this.

Still, if we look at Jesus’ teachings overall, forgiveness seems pretty important.But also, a lot of damage has been done by people with authority demanding that victims and vulnerable people forgive their abusers and oppressors. If there’s a situation on your heart, and you’d like a sounding board, I’m here for you.

What I see in this story is that when Jesus talks about forgiveness, he goes first. He forgives his fearful disciples for abandoning him. Then, he forgives Thomas, who insisted on having the same experience of Jesus the other disciples had.

It’s like Jesus is saying, “As you continue to carry my message of the Beloved Community into the world, don’t forget that I washed your feet, I fed you, I forgave you, I equipped you with the Holy Spirit. Now, pass it on!”

That’s not easy—for them or for us.

Even with Jesus’ example of forgiveness and peace, there is so much pain in the world.

Violence in Israel and Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Haiti, starvation in Nigeria, not to mention a contentious election year in our own country—that only scratches the surface of the world’s conflict and suffering. It’s heart-breaking and overwhelming.

It’s way easier to stay in our lovely, historic sanctuary and think about how much we love God than it is to go out and show people that we love God.

But Jesus didn’t equip the disciples just to have them stay in that locked room.

We see in our reading from Acts an idyllic image of the Beloved Community enacted by the early Jesus followers:

“Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.”

They shared their goal of Beloved Community, they shared their resources, they shared the story of Jesus. This is a beautiful picture of God’s shalom, the peace Jesus brought to the disciples in that locked room.

Of course, it didn’t last long—there were disagreements among Jesus followers pretty much from the beginning, and that hasn’t stopped. But it also doesn’t negate the sprouts of the Beloved Community that were growing among them and that we can nurture too.

Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit on his first disciples, our ancestors in faith, and the Holy Spirit lives in us, too.

The thing about Spirit, or breath, or wind, is that we can’t see it (unless we exhale when it’s really cold), but we can see its effects. We can see the wind moving through the leaves of a tree or the rising and falling of someone chest.

People can’t see the Holy Spirit, but they can see us and what we do in God’s name. They can see when we build up the Beloved Community, and they can see when we act, well, less than Christ-like. That’s not to say we have to pretend to be perfect—people can definitely see through that. But people can also see when our actions are motivated by peace and a spirit of forgiveness and love for our neighbors.

Counterintuitively, sometimes the way we build up the Beloved Community is through rest. Sometimes we need restful practices to make us feel like humans again and to restore our peace, spirit of forgiveness, and love.

I have a colleague whose congregation can tell when she hasn’t made time to go swimming in the morning.Our spirits dim when we don’t make time for things that fill our cups.

Sabbath practices aren’t there just so we can work harder the other six days of the week, but they do restore us, realign us, and help us love our neighbors better. Rest makes room for joy.

And our world needs joy. Our world needs your joy. The world needs the Spirit that breathes in you to share that joy with the people around you.

Out of that joy, you can work with God to build up the Beloved Community and make this suffering world a little more like it is in heaven.

Jesus gave us his example of forgiveness and peace, equips us with the breath of the Holy Spirit, and invites us to take that peace and joy into the world he created and loves.Say to the world, “Peace be with you.”

Sermon onJohn 20:1-18

Pastor Jennifer Garcia

Jesus was dead. That much was certain. Mary Magdalene had been standing there by the cross, watching when Jesus wet his lips on the sponge of sour wine, when he cried out “It is finished,” when he bowed his head and breathed his last.

Before dawn after the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb where Jesus’ body had been laid. Darkness and light are symbolic in the Gospel of John. Light symbolizes understanding, and darkness symbolizes lack of understanding. As much as imagery that casts darkness as bad and light as good has unpleasant implications around race as well as visual impairment, it’s important to know that it’s in the text.

A couple examples:

·       Nicodemus, the confused teacher, came to Jesus at nighttime to ask questions.

·       In contrast, the woman at the well, a Samaritan, an outsider, encountered Jesus and had an insightful conversation with him in the intense noon sunlight.

In our story today, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb in the dark. She was lost in grief and the distress of finding that the tomb had been tampered with.

She knew how the world worked. She knew how death worked. Lazarus had been raised from the dead, but he was an anomaly. And besides, Jesus wasn’t there to raise himself from the dead. That would be ridiculous! So, what she knew was that her teacher was dead, and his grave had been robbed.

After Peter and the other disciple Mary had alerted had found the tomb empty, they went home. They were still in the pre-dawn of not understanding. And Mary was alone again.

As she wept, she looked into the tomb and saw two divine messengers, but it still hadn’t really clicked. Then, she turned around and saw someone she assumed to be the gardener.

She wasn’t really wrong, though, was she?

God is a gardener.

God created the Garden of Eden and walked around it with Adam and Eve.

Every plant is a testament to the life found in God.

In my garden at home, I can prepare the soil, give it water, prune, and weed, and stake. But I don’t make the plants grow. Every new shoot and branch and bud, and yes, even the weeds, remind me of God’s creative work.

Jesus used a lot of plant imagery in his teachings.

·       The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed—a tiny thing that grows big enough to provide rest for birds.[1]

·       And “I am the vine; you are the branches.”[2]

·       And“Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain, but if it dies it bears much fruit.”[3]

Jesus planted the seeds of the Beloved Community throughout his ministry. He taught his disciples and all who listened to him about mercy and justice and inclusion and compassion.

Gardening is about caring for life. Gardeners learn to care for their plants, their land, and even care for other people by growing fruit and vegetables for them to enjoy.

Jesus’ ministry was also about caring for life. He taught us to love our neighbors, to seek justice for the oppressed, to care for each other’s physical needs. Jesus brought us life.

But on Good Friday, it seemed like the seeds of Jesus’ mission had died with him. Jesus’ message of compassion and mercy had sounded good, but it wasn’t enough to save him from the Romans, from being made an example of by the state. His disciples were understandably afraid of suffering the same death, so it didn’t seem likely that Jesus’ message would outlive him.

But, like the persistent weeds in my garden, Jesus wasn’t that easy to get rid of.God, the gardener, is all about life, abundant, extravagant life.

Jesus rose, alive, from the tomb, and his mission of abundant life for all flowered.

The garden he was buried in became a new Garden of Eden, and this story is a re-creation story. Just as Adam and Eve were face-to-face with God in the garden, Mary was face-to-face with the risen Jesus.

And when Mary heard her name, the fog of her grief vanished, and she recognized her living rabbi.

His mission was as alive as he was, and after he ascended, the Holy Spirit came and helped the seedling of the Beloved Community grow, bear fruit, and spread.

So, when Mary saw Jesus and thought was a gardener, she wasn’t wrong.

But, like Mary, sometimes it’s easy to get lost in our grief: our grief at the state of the world, our grief when it looks like death has won.

The violence we humans wreaked upon Jesus is not a thing of the past. Nor is hunger, disease, discrimination, or war.

Sometimes it feels like death has trampled the seedlings of the Beloved Community.

It’s tempting to give in to cynicism, disillusionment, and despair.

But that’s when God calls our name, and we recognize Jesus in an unassuming gardener, or a child waving, or an unhoused neighbor saying “good morning,” or a dear friend embracing us.

To paraphrase one of my favorite Lord of the Rings quotes, “There’s some good in this world, and it’s worth fighting for.” And I would add that it’s worth living for—and loving for.

Even when it seems like evil and death have the upper hand, our gardener God is on the side of life, and Jesus has already defeated death.

The harvest of the Beloved Community is not fully ripe yet, but it will be one day, and even now there are signs of it everywhere. Itsprouts in the most unlikely places, like an empty tomb.

That’s when a gardener calls our name and invites us to tell others about our joy.

Just as Jesus instructed Mary to go tell the other disciples that he was alive (making her the first preacher of the risen Jesus, I might add), Jesus invites us to share with others the sprouts of the Beloved Community we see.

As part of our yearlong Sabbath theme, we spent Lent practicing rest and trying on spiritual practices. I hope you’ve had the chance to slow down, even just the slightest bit, and notice God in your daily life.

If not, that’s okay. That’s why they’re called spiritual practices, not spiritual “perfects.”

It’s easier to noticesmall joys and delights, little signs of God’s presence, when we slow down.

This season,let’s continue doing those restful practices that help us notice God. And when you do, share your joy with someone else.

It doesn’t have to be a stranger—Mary told the other disciples, not people she didn’t know. But share your joy. Our world certainly needs more of it. With God’s help, that’s a way to cultivate the Beloved Community.

God, our abundant gardener, is calling your name. Let that joy take root in your heart, and share it with each other.

[1]Matthew 13:31–32, Mark 4:30–32, and Luke 13:18–19

[2][2] John 15:5

[3] John 12:24

Sermon onJohn 12:20-33

Pastor Jennifer Garcia

During Lent this year, our readings from the Hebrew Bible remind us of some of God’s promises.

1.    We started by reading about Godsending the rainbow as a permanent covenant of peace.

2.    Then, we read about God’s covenant that Abraham and Sarah’s numerous descendants would be God’s people forever.

3.    Two weeks ago, we read a third covenant: the 10 Commandments, which illustrate right relationship for God’s people.

4.    Last week, God brought healing to the complaining Israelites in the wilderness.

This week, we’re wrapping up this series of God’s promises as we progress on our Lenten journey to the cross.

In our reading from Jeremiah today, God declares a new covenant—not one that’s written on stone tablets that can be broken, but one that’s inscribed on the hearts of God’s people, where it will last forever.

Just because it says it’s a new covenant doesn’t mean it replaces what came before. As the organization The Salt Project put it earlier this season, each of God’s promises are like petals on a single flower. The older petals don’t go away because there’s a new petal. Instead, we get to see more of God’s beauty as each petal unfurls.

That’s why I’ve been listing all the promises we’ve been looking at all season at the beginning of each sermon, even though it’s gotten to be a long list. We’re getting to see a fuller, more stunning picture of God’s relationship with humanity with each additional promise.

Today’s promise reminds us that God has always been about forgiveness and reconciliation. When Jesus came, he wasn’t instituting anything new—he was fulfilling what God was already about and had been at work toward from the beginning.

And Jesus reminds his followers of his mission of forgiveness and reconciliation in our Gospel reading today.

The Gospel of John tends to show us a very divine Jesus, but we see a glimpse of his humanity in this reading. He admits that his soul is troubled at the prospect of what he’s about to undergo.

It’s a little strange to read this part before Palm Sunday next week, because in the Gospel of John, this scene actually happens shortly after Palm Sunday. Jesus had already raised Lazarus from the dead, which made the religious leaders decide that Jesus was too much of the threat to their power and that something would have to be done about him.

Then, Jesus rode into Jerusalem in a parade that essentially mocked the Roman authorities. The people watching were like, “Yeah, this guy’s going to kick out the Romans and make things better for us!” And the religious and political leaders were not going to sit back and let that happen.

So, Jesus knows in our Gospel reading today that he has made powerful enemies, and that his time is running out. He’s honest about the fact that he’s not looking forward to what’s about to happen, but he also declares to his followers that he is completely committed to his mission, which will lead to his execution.

His mission is expansive—in being lifted up, he will draw all people to himself. He will be lifted up on the cross, lifted up in resurrection power, and lifted up into the sky in his ascension.

That lifting up is for the healing of the world, as we talked about last week when we read about Jesus comparing himself to the bronze snake sculpture that Moses put on a pole so that anyone who had been bitten by poisonous serpents could look on it and live.

Jesus’ mission is to bring healing to the world, and that mission involves being lifted up to death, resurrection, and eternal community with God. Jesus talks about a seed that cannot be fruitful unless it dies to its current form in the ground. The new life of Jesus’ mission will not come to be without death.

It's only after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension that the Holy Spirit lights up the hearts of Jesus’ followers and spreads the Good News of God’s love far and wide. Shortly after our reading today, Jesus will gather his disciples over a Passover meal and tell them, “Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.”[1]

Despite what the authorities hoped, Jesus’ mission would not end with his death, but would instead spread beyond what they could imagine.

And it was already happening: our reading today opens with some Greek folks asking to see Jesus. It was not just Jesus’ own Jewish kindred who were interested in him. He was gathering attention from Gentiles.

And of course that was only the beginning of Gentiles’ involvement in the Jesus movement. We see that expansion and inclusion throughout most of the letters in the New Testament and in the book of Acts. And, unless you have some Jewish heritage, you and I would not be in this room today if it weren’t for that expansion and inclusion.

This scene with the Greek folks is really interesting, because it’s kind of a reversal of the story of Jesus calling his disciples at the beginning of John. Toward the end of chapter 1, Jesus goes to Philip (the same Philip from today’s reading) and says, “Follow me.” Then, Philip goes and tells Nathanael to “come and see.” And then Nathanael has an encounter with Jesus and becomes his disciple.

In today’s reading, the Greek folks approach Philip asking to see Jesus. Philip then goes and tells Andrew, and they approach Jesus.

Where Philip was approached by Jesus to become his disciple, the Greek folks approach Philip. They’re seeking out Jesus, instead of him seeking them. The Good News is getting out about the Beloved Community that Jesus is working toward. The message will spread throughout the world and will be embraced by a beautiful variety of people. The Beloved Community is big enough for everyone.

Do we live as if that’s true?

How do we show the inclusion of the Beloved Community today?

We, who are part of the whitest denomination in the United States, do we learn about cultures different from the one in which we grew up? Do we advocate for equal and equitable rights and dignities for people of every race and ethnicity?

We, who are part of a denomination that has ordained LGBTQ folks for 15 years, do we practice people’s pronouns and lift up and support LGBTQ leaders?

Do we say we want more children and families in the church and then get frustrated with the commotion that comes along with having real live children in worship? Or do we engage with people of different ages in church and get to know them as people—their interests, concerns, and hopes? Do we still engage with people who cannot physically attend our worship services but still want to be part of this faith community?

Do we get to know our pantry guests—learn names and ask about their families? Or do we just pat ourselves on the back for helping “those people over there”?

Jesus said in our reading today that, “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also.” Jesus knew what the path ahead would lead to, and though his soul was troubled, he did not waver from his mission of expanding the inclusive Beloved Community. And he instructed his followers to do the same.

As we approach Holy Week, be mindful of the inclusion of the Beloved Community that Jesus was willing to die for. Engage with someone who is different from you. That person is a beloved child of God and is a human just like you. The connection you form with others is the fruit of the Beloved Community. It ripens when we die to our fears of awkwardness and of saying the wrong thing.

God’s love and inclusion is written on our hearts. God’s promises are full of love. Let that love shine forth in all that you do. Go, Holy Week and beyond, and love each other.

[1] John 14:12