This is the time of year in which we begin to celebrate graduations! Graduations are not just endings but beginnings. They signal the end of an era of learning and the start of an era of adulthood or maturity in one’s course of study that allows graduates to launch in dynamic and hopeful ways. High school and college graduates will now have the opportunity to become vital members of their communities. They will take part in the workforce, in politics, in the world of ideas, and they will take on the responsibilities of adulthood and investment in whatever careers they have chosen to follow.
Graduations mark important coming of age times. Transitions from one stage of life to another. Graduation feel exciting, as hopeful students prepare to test out their potential for becoming all they can be.
Discipleship is like that too. Those of you who have gone through confirmation, either years ago or recently, have experienced another kind of “graduation,” a different kind of coming of age, in which you confirm your faith in Christ and fulfill the promise made by those around you at your baptism. You now become an active and responsible member of your church community, prepared to continue maturing in your faith, but ready to take an active role in the ongoing life of the church community. For those of you who have undertaken this important milestone, we celebrate you!
Today, in our scripture passage, Jesus’ disciples are ready to celebrate their own “graduation” –from disciple to apostle, an important milestone, not only for their personal growth and responsibility but for the sake of the world and the continuation of Jesus’ mission. As they near the time of Pentecost along with the coming of the Holy Spirit that Jesus will send, we see Jesus preparing his disciples for the great and important mission they will soon need to undertake. Last week, Jesus taught us the importance of abiding in him. In our scripture for today, Jesus reminds his disciples that their time of learning may be ending, but their mission is far from over. It’s time to graduate. But their graduation does not signal an ending but a huge and dynamic beginning.
Jesus has chosen his disciples for a very special task, a mission vital to God and geared to their special time and place. He is appointing them to go forward in service and love after his ascension and to continue God’s mission in his name. He is “commissioning” them as apostles and appointing them for service. He acknowledges that he has taught them all that he could. Now, it’s their time to embark on an entirely new journey. Upon their “graduation,” they will advance from disciples to apostles, from students to fellows. Their passive time as a student has ended. It is now their time to lead.
Jesus recognizes that his disciples have matured in their faith and that they are ready to go off on their own to proclaim God’s victory. He is preparing to leave them, but it’s clear that he believes they are ready to take the reins. Jesus, teacher, rabbi, and master is in a sense shaking their hands and sending them into the world, no more as learners, but now as fellow teachers.
He gives them only one prime directive: love one another.
For this is the core purpose of their mission. They are anointed and appointed to a mission of love. How will they have the energy and synergy to pull this off? How will they have the courage to love so vastly and deeply that they would lay down their lives for each other and their mission for God?
It comes down to knowing who they are and trusting in the continued power and presence of Jesus in their lives. He may ascend in physical form, but his Spirit will remain with them, empowering them and infusing them with what I like to call the Jesus DNA:
Jesus Dynamism. Jesus Nutrition. Jesus call to Action.
Any athlete or wellness practitioner knows that in order to be your best physical self, you need to tap into your source of internal energy. You need to practice good and consistent nutrition and take care of your body. And you need to stay active.
The same could be said for an effective apostle.
An “limber” apostle is filled with Dynamic power of Jesus, stays Nourished by the true vine (there’s that abiding word again), and always ready for Action. Always attuned to God’s word and call.
Dynamic power: Jesus breathed on his disciples in his post resurrection appearance. Now he will tell them that the Holy Spirit will come upon them soon in an even more powerful way, filling them with Holy Spirit power, energy, and passion for God’s people. This dynamic passion is the energy source that will carry them when things get difficult and will sustain them through all they will need to go through.
Nutrition of spirit: Jesus’ disciples will continue to abide in his love, for that is the source of their nourishment, courage, passion, and hope. They will continue to abide in him, even as they continue to mature in their faith and to grow into the apostles he has prepared them to be.
Action: The budding apostles must be prepared to act upon everything Jesus has taught them. It’s not enough to have faith. They now must be prepared to put what they’ve learned into action, loving and healing others in Jesus’ name. For Jesus, love is an action verb. It’s time for the disciples to become apostles –to bear the fruit of Jesus’ teaching and to proclaim his resurrection hope to all who will listen. To do this, they must act, love, heal, and proclaim in real and tangible ways that matter.
Today is your graduation day! In fact, every time you renew your commitment and faith in Jesus, you celebrate yet another graduation.
All of us are called to our true potential as Jesus’ disciples. We are called again and again to live out our identity as followers of Jesus and rise up in our journey from disciple to apostle, as Jesus anoints and appoints us to continue God’s mission of love to a love-starved world.
At the time of your baptism, you were sanctioned and commissioned by God to be part of Jesus’ mission of love. Now you are grown, matured in your faith, and ready for what comes next. This is your coming of age celebration. God has chosen you.
As you partake of Holy Communion with Christ today, come to the table ready to accept the commitment Jesus puts before you. If you are ready, accept his anointing. As you are anointed as his apostle, know that he is appointing you today for his mission of love to a hurting world.
Rise up apostles of God! Go out. Heal and love in his name. May those who look into your eyes see the light and love of Jesus. May you always reflect his love and care to all of God’s people.