• Your Life is a Reflection of What’s in your Mind  Luke 24:44-53
  Ascension Day message by Rev. Frank Schaefer
   

• Christ's Last Word: Let them be One ,  John 17:1-11
  by Chuck in DC
  
  Numbered as One of Us, Acts 1:15-17, 21-26, Randy L Quinn
   

• With Open Minds, Luke 24:44-53, Acts 1:1-11, Rev. Randy Quinn
   
• Blessed and Comissioned! Acts 1:1-11, by Rev. Rick Thompson
   
• Hole-y, Whole-y, Holy  John 17:6-19, by Rev. Randy Quinn
  
  Unfinished Business, Acts 1:15-17; 21-26, by Rev. Thomas Hall
• The road less traveled, Psalm 1, by Rev. Thomas Hall
• Stuck between absence and presence, Acts 1:1-11, by T. Hall
• Revelation, Luke 24:36-49, by F. Schaefer
• You say hello, I say goodbye, Acts 1:6-14, John 17:20-26, by T. Hall
• Better Late Than Never, Luke 24:44-53, by Rev. Frank Schaefer

• The Cash Value of Forgiveness, Luke 24:36-53, Lee A. Wyatt

• By Faith in His Name, Luke 24:36b-48, by DGBradley
• Where Are You Gazing?, by Janet in NJ, Acts 1:6-14
• Stay With Us, Acts 1:6-14, by Rev. Kristen Capel
   

Archived Memorial Day Sermons:

• Remember And Join in Healing The World, 2 Sam. 1:1-4, 11-12, 17-27, by Kay Hereford Voorhees

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Christ's Last Words
based on John 17:1-11
by Chuck in DC

In last week's service we read the apostle Paul's last words to the church. We talked about how important the last words of a person are and how we especially honor those last words.

A few moments ago, we read Jesus's last words to the church. He spoke these words right before he was taken up into heaven. That's why we celebrate Ascension Sunday today. Jesus is taken up by God and is no longer physically present with the church. And before Jesus leaves, we find him praying for the church, and blessing the church. One last time the disciples gather around the Master and listen intently to his words of prayer.

And how appropriate are Jesus' words of petition for the church. He prays for the church's unity, for oneness in Spirit, so that the church may keep the revelation of the one true God of love and peace. And as we look around us we realize how urgently we need this prayer: instead of being one we find ourselves separated. We find ourselves putting up dividers, fences.

Fences differ in function and purpose. Some fences are actually good. The ones we put up in our back yards, for instance, may serve for the protection of our little ones so they won't get hurt by the cars that go by. Then there are fences that deter burglars from breaking into our homes, prevent wildlife from destroying our gardens and dogs from using our backyard for their business.

Fences to keep out, fences to keep in, fences to protect or to guard--we are surrounded by fences. Our neighborhood is full of crisscrossing fences. And the thing about fences is that we tend not to see them until something happens to draw our attention to them. And if we do notice them, we are likely to say with Robert Frost: "Good fences make good neighbors!"

But, then there are also those barbed wire-fences from behind which we see outstretched arms and terrified faces, like those surrounding concentration camps, POW camps, refugee camps. There are fences or walls separating whole countries like the ones that separate Yugoslavia into Albanians and Serbs.

Our obsession with fences, whether they serve a right or wrong purpose, is really a reflection of our conflicts with one another. Would we really need fences if there was no such thing as burglary? If we got along with our neighbors? If there was unity and harmony in our neighborhoods and communities? Robert Frost, in the same poem I quoted above says, "Something there is (within us) that doesn't like a wall." In an ideal world, we feel, there is no need for fences. We hardly think of God's kingdom in terms of fenced-in properties, do we?  [continue]