Pastor Mark Nieting
John 14:15-21
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One of the most common topics that finds its way into most conversations is a simple “how’s the weather?” We almost say it without thinking…..kind of like “did the sun come up this morning?” But ask someone in one of the many places literally ripped apart by tornadoes and we’d get an entirely different response, wouldn’t we? They could tell us in graphic detail what the storm sounded like and how their lives were spared…..and for many of them…..how someone they loved is now gone, either missing or dead. For them the weather isn’t a common topic anymore: it’s moved to an entirely new level…. life or death.
In today’s Gospel text, Jesus is moving His disciples to a new level, to where they will be after He’s gone. They didn’t KNOW that He would be leaving; they didn’t even know that within another day He would be on the cross and dead, but He did. Jesus loved them. He KNEW they loved Him. What Jesus was doing for His disciples was what parents, pastors, youth counselors, teachers, and confirmation instructors have been doing for ages to prepare children, students and disciples for the “next level” of life: He was connecting love with obedience. You heard Jesus’ words when I read the Gospel: If you LOVE me you will obey what I command you.
Let’s look at those two concepts that Jesus is linking together: love and obedience. We have a good idea as to what love is….and the same thing with obedience. But linking them together? I don’t have to LOVE a stop sign to know I have to obey it. I certainly don’t LOVE the Internal Revenue Service, but I will obey their laws. New sailors don’t LOVE their drill instructors……but they obey.
Jesus is linking these two concepts together in a “cause and effect” relationship: “IF you Love me….. you will Obey Me.” Isn’t that what parents struggle to instill in our children? Isn’t that what teachers do? We parents LOVE our children. We teachers LOVE our students. We pastors LOVE our people. We confirmation instructors LOVE our catechumens……and in each case…..that love is tested.
How many of us have ever been “two years old?” OK, then you know the favorite word of every two year old……it’s NO! It’s not that twos don’t love their parents, but they are in the process of learning that love and obedience go together. It’s not natural……it’s something that takes time, maturity, forgiveness and patience.
In this text and the two chapters to follow, Jesus is preparing His dear friends for the next level of their lives and the next level of their discipleship, which they will demonstrate by obeying the commands He gives them.
That’s what love does. That’s what disciples do. That’s who WE are. That’s life!
It’s LIVING what the Holy Spirit has called us to do as followers of Jesus Christ.
Think for moment as to WHO in your life has had the most influence on your Christian life. Was it the pastor who confirmed you? A grandparent who loved living their faith? A confirmation instructor? Maybe your husband or wife, or a close friend? Probably, for most of us, it was mom and/or dad. It’s the HOLY SPIRIT who Calls us to faith in Christ…..but it’s believers around us who help us grow as Christ’s disciples.
This morning I am going to introduce you to a whole new “breed” of God’s creatures who I truly believe are wonderful examples of how disciples of Jesus Christ can link together the twin concepts of LOVE and OBEDIENCE……. I’m going to introduce you to “Doggy Disciples.”
How many of you have a dog….or have ever had one? I know not all dogs are created equal and I’ve had a few very strange ones myself, but let’s take a moment and examine the dogs we know and love in the light of how Jesus calls us to live as His disciples. Are you ready for this? I can almost see your tails wagging with excitement!
1. Dogs always greet their loved ones with wagging tails. There’s no creature on the planet that does “greetings” better than dogs. The wagging tail affirms that this is where we belong. It says this is our home where we’re safe and where we’re loved. It’s a great message….one we can imitate every day, to be WELCOMING people.
2. Dogs eat with gusto and enthusiasm: slobber flying everywhere; licking the dish clean until every last scent of gravy is gone. Dogs know that eating is a celebration of life, so they look forward to it. Whatever has gone wrong in the day is forgotten at the table. Disciples know that Breaking Bread together is holy. It’s at the table where our sins are forgiven, where barriers are broken down, where friendships are renewed and where all God’s people are strengthened.
3. On hot days, dogs drink lots of water and then they lie down in the shade They know how to relax, slow down and enjoy the creation God has given them. It’s a good lesson for us….”doggie disciples” always take time relax, refresh and enjoy God’s creation.
4. Dogs know it’s good to run, romp and play daily. Physical exercise is as important for the soul as it is for the body. No disciple of Christ can be as faithful and effective when their body is run down and their health is unnecessarily poor. When we learn how to play and stretch; when we keep the bodies God has given us well tuned, we’ll feel better from the inside out and be more effective!
5. Dogs are loyal to the end. Loyalty is a good thing, and if dogs are nothing else, they are loyal to fault. Loyalty has fallen on hard times in our world. Loyalty is a critical element of discipleship. Disciples who are loyal to each other and to their Lord reflect the commitment that Christ Jesus has made to each of us!
6. How do you know when dogs are happy? They dance around and wag their tails….sometimes their tales wag their whole selves. They CELEBRATE their joy! Thankfulness and celebration are powerful dynamics for successful and healthy living. Joyful gratitude is a gift we give ourselves that enables us to affirm the essential goodness of life. Even when adversity strikes, gratitude helps us maintain our perspective and carries us through the low moments.
7. If we’re having a bad day, what do our dogs do? They slip up along side us, lie down close and nuzzle us gently. They have a “ministry of presence.” We all have bad days when what we need the most is encouragement and affirmation. When we are depressed, we know that it takes only a quiet word, a gentle touch to bring us around. A dog has this instinct that tells it when to be dancing and jumping around and when to just BE there. Words are not always needed, or even helpful, to convey empathy. A gentle nuzzle and loving presence will do.
8. Dogs don’t carry grudges….they forgive and forget. Carrying grudges makes life a drudgery. “Doggie disciples” make friends and keep them. Dogs are good at overlooking our faults and, like Martin Luther says, they “put the best construction on everything.” “Doggie disciples” don’t keep a scorecard of rights and wrongs.
9. For the most part, dogs avoid biting, especially when a simple growl will do. We do not need to injure others by what we say or do. We can be strong with love; firm with kindness……a “growl” is better than a bite!
10. Lastly, what happens when one dog in your neighborhood barks? They all start! Dogs teach us to Bark with our buddies. It’s a community thing, and dogs know it. Barking together says we ARE together and it’s a good thing. Disciples love being together….celebrating together…..and having fun together!
Even though God didn’t send Jesus to give His life for the sins of our pets, It may be true that God put dogs in our lives to illustrate some significant things about living our lives in Christian discipleship. Think about it. They are often more humble, more loving, more grateful, more joyful, more excited, more kindhearted.
In the three years the disciples were with Jesus, they all shared incredible experiences and learned valuable lessons. They learned, as we continue to learn in our own Journeys With Jesus that some of you are marking as your Confirmation today, about love, about faith, about affirmation, about friendship, about ministry, about forgiveness, about patience and certainly about humility.
Then, as Jesus prepared to leave them, he reminded them of what is truly important: that our lives of Christian discipleship are NEVER lived alone: Jesus HAS sent us His Holy Spirit…..and He HAS given us each other! And in that we all have great cause to “wag our tails and rejoice!”
