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S. Easter 5.25 John 16:12-22

So they were saying, “What is this that he says: ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.”

A common problem with the disciples!—not getting what Jesus says. Maybe with us, too? Two problems really, I think:

1) We do not know who it is that is speaking to us, and 2) Our own preconceptions often keep us from hearing what he plainly says.

Jesus clears up problem 1, first part of today’s Gospel: “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak [literally in the Greek] from himself, but whatever he hears he will speak and he will declare to you things to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine, therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you…”

That didn’t immediately clear it up for the disciples—and maybe not for you, either when you heard it read for the second time, there? That’s because of Problem #2: our preconceptions of what the general gist of what Jesus says is going to be…

First problem: the disciples both understand and do not understand that Jesus is The One, True God, the Son, 2nd person of the Trinity speaking to them. They also do not understand at all that each person of the Trinity is, by himself! God and Lord (as we’ll confess in the Athanasian Creed in a couple weeks 😉

This astonishing lack of clarity on Jesus’ identity was rather painfully pointed out by Philip’s question just a few minutes before Jesus speaks the words of our Gospel. They are on the way from the Upper Room, having just had the Lord’s Supper, to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus will be betrayed and head for the cross.

Philip had asked, right after receiving the Lord’s Supper!—“Lord, show us the Father and it is enough for us.” And Jesus, surely slapping his forehead, goes: “Philip! Have I been with you so long and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (as he told them just a couple months before: “I and the Father are one” 😉

So, who do they think Jesus is? Well… sometimes Elijah, sometimes John the Baptist risen (and re-headed 😉 sometimes a random prophet, and sometimes, as Peter confessed: “The Christ, the Son of God.” But even when Peter said that, did he really know what he was talking about? Subsequent events (Peter’s denial that Jesus would die on a cross) suggest he did not.

Peter seems a lot like my friend who says: “The only thing I know for sure is I don’t know anything for sure and even that, do I know it? Probably not, but maybe, I don’t know.” 😉

The good news here is that if the Chief Apostle often didn’t get it, even when Jesus is right there with him!, but still remains President of the Jesus Fan Club, a member of his Inner Circle, then we can feel a lot better that we are often as, or more? clueless that Simon Peter, aka ‘Stone’. I’d like being nicknamed ‘Stone’. Like the bass player in Pearl Jam. Those are cool guys 😉

Anyhow, the problem of recognizing who’s speaking to us in holy scriptures is endemic. The Marys on Easter Sunday think Jesus is the gardener! Wow. OK. Even after the Resurrection, he doesn’t wear a shiny name tag or glow like the sun. If anything, he conceals his identity even more than he did before like the 2 on the road to Emmaus discovered.

Now, I happen to think that’s fun. I think heaven will be a great game of hide and seek that will be endlessly enjoyable and tremendously entertaining. That Jesus never reveals everything—that he keeps so much under wraps, I think is super-cool. He’s not an attention seeker, our God. He’s more cool than Steve McQueen in this and every respect. And he likes to mess with us, a little bit, as the Gospels are always showing 😉

It’s weird that, at the end of his 3 year ministry, Jesus still has a lot to say to them, stuff the Apostles themselves haven’t gotten at all, yet! The Spirit comes at Pentecost and guides them into all truth. Peter preaches a beautiful sermon that day. He gets it. Everyone gets it… kinda!

What’s even more cool though, to me, in our First Reading is seeing that even after Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit, Peter still doesn’t always get it! The business about everything being cleansed by Jesus’ blood, even Gentiles—who, surprisingly to Peter and Co, turn out to be people, too (1st century Jews saw non-Jews as somewhere between pet and person ;-). 3 times the message has to be repeated, as per usual with Peter 😉

So, even on my 33rd time through the holy scriptures, can I expect to be sharper on the uptake than Peter? Probably not! Which is great, because that tells me: even as an old dog, I can always learn new tricks! Cool!

So, Problem 1 and a perennial one it is: I need to be ever, always reminded that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are One God, and that in the Holy Scriptures, they team up to speak to me, personally. And what the Three in One talk about when they talk about love is Jesus and his cross and resurrection. That’s all you really need to know.

Problem 2 is our preconceptions.

What is this “little while” of which Jesus speaks? Is it his 3 day rest in the tomb that will begin that very day? Or is it the whole New Testament era where he’s hidden himself under the pastors’ words, a bit of water, bread, and wine, till he returns in glory?

Lutherans? Yes! John loves those kinda questions.

I think an even bigger preconception problem we all struggle with is thinking the point of Christianity is giving me what I want: wealth, health, friends, happiness—now and forever. But it’s not all sunshine and buttercups, buster!

“Is Xnity sorrowful or joyful?” It’s tough for us to make equal room for both, but Jesus says: the sorrow’s essential to the joy!

Yes! The sufferings we bear for Christ’s sake as his sheep are sorrowful—at first! But the first word in beatify (to become a saint) is beat—as in beat-up, beat-down. Following Jesus means taking up the cross, dying with him, daily, beatniks!

And there is no greater joy than this! The Apostles rejoiced when they got beat-up because they reminded people of Jesus! The Greek word for ‘glory’ is δοξα which is literally “weight”. The heavy shtuff of the cross is what makes the joy of Easter so massive (see what I did there? 😉

So, to conclude, remember: every word of scriptures your pastor proclaims is God talking to you. And clear your mind of preconceptions on how sorrow and joy relate; and the Peace, surpassing understanding, guards your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Amen.