Wellspring UMC; Ascension Sunday; May 4, 2008: “Covered for Service”:

-John 17: 1-11; Acts 1: 6-11

There are times in one’s life when out of the blue a person or event makes an impact that sticks. One such event happened just a couple of days before I moved here to be your pastor. I was in my office, music streaming in the background, and surrounded by dust, books, and boxes. In order to make the moving deadline, I was packing diligently and intently, when I heard a knock on the door.

“Come in,” I said, and in walked one of my parishioners who to me was one of the great, but silent, spiritual leaders of the church. He was a large African-American man, who by day spent much time enmeshed in the Bible and prayer, and who by night was head chef at one of the best restaurants in the area. His stature was such that one took notice of him, but he was humble and contrite. He had been a great witness of Christ’s love to me and many while I served there.

“Hello Arusha,” I said, and he responded as he always did, “Good Morning pastor.”

“What can I do for you,” I said to him, to which he replied, “Would you let me pray for you? I woke up this morning, and I heard the Lord say, ‘you need to go on down to the church and pray for the preacher.’ I’m not quite sure what God needs me to pray. All I know is that the Lord’s called me here to cover you with prayer. Can I pray for you?”

Of course, “I replied,” and he did.

Now it’s an awesome thing to find yourself in the presence of the Holy, and it’s humbling to find oneself in the presence of one through whom the Spirit lives and moves and has it’s being. Well I’ll tell you that at that moment I was in the presence of both. It was as if the heavens opened up, and my friend became a channel through which God tuned in on me. He prayed for my ministry there and that which was to come here. He prayed for my family in the transition. He prayed for my call and the call of the church. He prayed for my salvation and the salvation of the world. He prayed for the power of the Spirit to be alive in me, both churches, and in the world, and he prayed that no matter where I go or what I do, that I would be protected by the Spirit and covered for service in the name of Jesus Christ.

As he prayed, I remember the Spirit being present and at work in that room. I remember the sense of awe and power which came as the Spirit rested heavy upon me, and I recognized again the overwhelming responsibilities that comes with the call to be in ministry, not just ordained ministry, but the ministry of all the baptized. In those moments, I was reminded that through our baptism, we are covered by Christ’s love, but the intent of that blanketing i more than protection, it’s for service in the name of Christ.

Today is Ascension Sunday, the last Sunday of Eastertide, the Sunday before Pentecost, and a day when we hear again this odd story from the book of Acts where Jesus ascends to heaven in the clouds. The theological significance of the day is that, through Resurrection, Christ established His reign over the earth, but through the Ascension, all powers and principalities, all dominions, all galaxies, everything is ruled by the God of love. The practical significance of today is that, through the Ascension, Christ is with us, and at the Ascension, a mandate was given to be witnesses to the ends of the earth.

The context of both scripture passages today is that Jesus is taking leave of the disciples. We come into John’s Gospel right after the Last Supper and before they head to the Garden of Gethsemane. This is just before Jesus it to be taken away to be killed, and what we hear is a prayer for His disciples. It’s a prayer that acknowledges His place as the Son of God, but Christ takes this many steps further in praying that God will use the disciples – the 12 and those who would come after, including us – to share His message of love and new life. He ends it by praying for their protection, as they go out to serve the world. Christ is about to die, but He before he does, He covers them with grace.

In the beginning of the Acts passage, Christ is among them and tells them that He is sending the Spirit, the very essence of God to be with them. That is, they will not be alone, but they are covered. Then, Christ says, “when you receive it, you will be my witnesses, not just in Jerusalem, but to all Judea, to Gentiles in Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.” Jesus again, covers them for service.

As I was reflecting upon this term, covered for service, I found myself thinking about cold evening in winter, bundled up with a good book or watching TV with the family, covered by a blanket. In our family room we have blankets all over the place, and we each use them, because there are few things quite like being bundled up, covered for comfort and warmth.

As my mind began to wander, I then thought of the folks in Suffolk this past week who have no covers, who were living exposed to elements. I thought about the work of our General Conference of the UMC, which just completed its work on Friday, at which much of the legislation centered around how to cover the world with God’s love. I thought about the work of this congregation in covering visitors with greetings and hospitality, of our work with the Mattaponi Indians, and the many individuals who speak out so that those who are easily forgotten will be covered by God’s grace.

Through this process, I began to unwrap the many facets of covering or blanketing, realizing that “covering” is a gift that we receive from God, but it is also a gift that we’re called to share. That the covering of our lives through faith leads to the covering of the world in love. That the blanket of love which wraps us in comfort and strength, is big enough to envelop the whole world, if we’re willing to share. That to be blanketed by the unconditional love of God is something that we cannot hoard, but is that which we must give away, thus inviting others to receive.

In turning back to the Acts passage, there is one part of the passage that I love. It’s toward the end. Jesus is being lifted up. He disappears in the clouds, when 2 men in white appear to them. I wonder if the disciples even notice if they are there? So focused on what is above, so anxious to figure it all out, so much in awe and wonder that they don’t recognize them, until they say, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky?” That is, “Why are you looking up there? Didn’t you hear Jesus tell you in the way that He lived his whole, if not just a few minutes ago, that it’s not about that (point upward), but it is about this (point around)? It’s not about when he’ll come again or where He is now, but it is about living out what He poured into You and sharing Him with the world.” In the simplest translation, they are saying, “you’re covered, now serve.”

This Friday concluded the General Conference of the United Methodist Church, a gathering of UMs from all over the world, where worship, legislation, and fellowship occurs. In

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reading through the highlights, one of the pieces of legislation added had to do with the liturgy to receive new members. For years the pledge by those who join is for us to “be loyal to the United Methodist Church and support it by our prayers, presence, gifts and service.” That same language will be kept, but the word “witness” will be added, thus reminding all that our support is not just internal in prayers, presence, gifts, and service, but it is also external in witness to the world. What a great reminder that we are covered, for service.

Jesus prayed for those disciples for a covering of protection and love. Jesus returned and just before the ascension did it again, reiterated that blanket of love and protection, then reminded them, go and witness to the ends of the earth. You’re covered for service. As Jesus said this to them, so He says the same to us. “You are blanketed with love, covered for service, so go and be the blanket of my love in the world.”

In a few moments we’ll prepare to receive the Body and Blood of Christ through the Prayer of Great Thanksgiving. In it we remember the history of God’s love, which has been with and in the world and God’s people at all times. We recall the life and teachings of Christ and name His presence with us, then we invite the Holy Spirit to come and alight upon us...to cover us, so that as we receive, we are blanketed and filled with Christ, the One who is in all things and all ways, served the world, even to the point of death.

As you come today, won’t you come anticipating such a blessing? Won’t you open yourself to receive what is offered here? Won’t you come as Christ disciple...one whom Christ covers with grace?

Please do. Please come. For you and I need it, but even more importantly, the world around us needs it, for in this meal we receive all we need to be witnesses to the ends of the world. Amen.