sermon for 7 Easter A (5/17/26)

 

I once heard a story about a United Methodist Church.  One day the congregation decided to split.  “What was the issue?” I hear you ask.  Was it liturgical reform?  Was it women clergy?  No.  The disagreement was the number of slices into which pies should be cut.

Now, the number of slices in which to cut a pie seems like a rather petty dispute.  Sure, some get a slightly bigger piece of pie.  Does it really matter if one gets 6 or 8 slices out of a pie at a church potluck?  No, it does not matter in the eternal realm of things.

Jesus, in His “high priestly prayer,” prays for His followers to have unity.  To be one as Jesus and the Father are one.  To be one as Jesus is one with us.  Here, Jesus does not mean conformity.  I have said before, unity does not equal conformity.

Jesus is not talking about everyone having the same beliefs.  You poll twenty Christians and you will get at least twenty sets of beliefs or opinions.  Much too much emphasis has been put on doctrine in Christianity’s history.  Crusades have even been waged over doctrine.

I think Jesus is less concerned with doctrine than He is with right living.  Last week Jesus told us that those who love Him will keep His commandments (John 17:15, 21).  And that the world will know His followers by the compassion and love they show to the world.

Love and compassion look like joining with Muslim brothers and sisters in a meal to end their Ramdan fast.  And like collecting sweats for newly released prisoners at the jail.  Or like helping an older neighbor with spring yard work.

            Love and compassion do not know divisions or denominations.  Love and compassion know no race, color, or creed.  Love and compassion do not know party politics or sexual identity.  Love and compassion only know serving a fellow child of God in need.

            The unity Jesus prays for His followers is unity around Him.  That we come together as one to worship Him and to glorify God.  That we come together under Jesus as one at His Table.  Jesus then bids us to go and share that unity with a broken and hurting world.

            As Episcopalians, we focus on liturgy.  We are a liturgical church.  We find our unity in praying the prayers and in sharing the Holy Eucharist with one another.  In the Nicene Creed, we profess four marks of the Church.  Four marks of our unity:

                        The Church is One.  The Church is one under the headship of Jesus, its Lord, Author, and one foundation.

                        The Church is Holy.  Jesus has set the Church apart for Himself and consecrated it for His work in the world.

                        The Church is Catholic.  Catholic with a big “C.”  Jesus’ church is Universal, including  people of all times and places.

                        The Church is Apostolic.  The Church traces its roots back to Jesus’ very first followers: Peter, James, John and all.

            Next week is Pentecost.  We will hear about the coming of God’s Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit, by working in our hearts, is a powerful source of our unity in Christ.  The Spirit binds our hearts together in love and companionship with Jesus and with one another.