Immediate Word

The lectionary texts for Ascension Sunday and the Seventh Sunday of Easter each address Jesus’ departure from the scene and how his teaching has prepared his followers to carry on in his absence. Jesus emphasizes to the disciples the importance of his words in both gospel passages, reminding them (in Luke) of “my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you -- that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.... You are witnesses of these things.” Meanwhile, in John he notes in a prayer that “those whom you gave me from the world... have kept your word... the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them.” And in the opening of Acts, Luke observes to Theophilus that his gospel records “all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.” The clear theme is that Jesus’ teaching is the essence of his legacy -- one that will remain with the disciples and guide them as they continue his work in the world.

In this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Dean Feldmeyer considers the creation of a legacy -- what it is we are remembered for, and how that shapes the perception of our lives once we have left the stage. As Dean notes, it’s a theme in the headlines now with David Letterman’s impending retirement symbolizing a wholesale changing of the guard in late-night television. But it’s not just entertainment figures who are wrestling with the “legacy” question -- as President Obama enters the final year of his term, thoughts about the legacy he wants to leave are having a major impact on his decisions and policies. And what about the legacy we want to leave, particularly for our children and grandchildren? Dean reflects on what makes for a lasting legacy... and there’s no longer-lasting legacy than that of Jesus -- one that has lasted for more than two thousand years, yet isn’t relegated to the history books. Instead, it’s a living, breathing legacy that each Christian contributes to every day.

Team member Robin Lostetter shares some additional thoughts on the power that our words can have on the legacy we leave -- especially the negative effect that ill-considered words now wield through the power of the internet and social media. When all we have to do is hit the “send” button, it’s very easy to let our emotions get the best of us and to say things to the world that once we might have only said to those closest to us -- and those words now can impact millions... not to mention rebound to our own detriment.

 

Building a Legacy
by Dean Feldmeyer
Luke 24:44-53; John 17:6-19

Everyone wants to leave a legacy, but few want to build one.

We all want to leave something behind by which we will be remembered. We want to leave an impression, make a difference, create a footprint that will stand the test of time. But legacies of that kind do not just happen. They are built -- stone by stone, deed by deed, word by word -- over a long time.

Legacies are much in the news of late. Talk show hosts are retiring or moving on; President Obama is about to enter his final year in the White House. Folks in our churches will graduate or retire this spring, closing one chapter of their lives to begin another.

How does one appropriately receive and invest a legacy one has received? And how does one build a legacy for those who are coming after? These questions, ones which this final Sunday of Easter confronts us with, are complex and difficult. And they are made even more so when that which is received to be passed on is the Good News of Jesus Christ.
           
In the News   
David Letterman will end his 33-year career in television on May 20. CBS has already run a prime-time special celebrating his legacy, and the final episode of the Late Show with David Letterman will no doubt reflect on it again. Letterman is considered by most pundits to be the last of his kind -- the late-night talk show host who seasoned conversation with music and humor.

The guests with whom he chatted included movie stars plugging their latest film, authors selling their most recent tome, politicians promoting their perspectives, athletes celebrating their achievements, pundits pontificating, comedians telling jokes, and each night a musician or a band closing the evening with a song or two. His humor included utterly ridiculous hijinks like spraying passersby on the sidewalk outside the theater with water and making crank phone calls as well as smart satire that he used with rapier precision to lampoon self-important politicians and personalities. He invented the “Top Ten List.” He stands firmly rooted in the ranks of those who have gone before in that role -- such greats as Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Dick Cavett, his contemporary and rival Jay Leno, and his mentor Johnny Carson. 

Late-night TV still brings guests for brief conversation (the average is seven minutes each) but they have become more like comedy/variety shows where the guests participate not in conversation but in games and contests created for maximum comedic effect.

Letterman had his share of silliness and fun, but he also knew when the guest was worthy and capable of more -- and serious, intelligent conversation or storytelling were not outside his ken. The legacy he leaves to television is an art that is as deep as it is broad.

Others in late-night are leaving or have left with less fanfare. Jay Leno vacated the host chair of The Tonight Show last year; Craig Ferguson ended his quirky run at The Late Late Show in December. Jon Stewart will soon leave The Daily Show, Steven Colbert has already closed down The Colbert Report, and those of us who are old enough to remember are entertaining memories of the departures of other TV icons -- Walter Cronkite, Hugh Downs, Johnny Carson, Chet Huntley, Tom Brokaw, David Brinkley, to name a few -- all of whom left legacies to which those who followed aspired.

President Obama is about to enter his last year in office, and surely has already begun thinking about his legacy; will it be the legislation he managed to get passed, the speeches he made, the values he brought to the political process, the lives he changed and helped? No doubt he is surveying those who have gone before him and the legacies they have left, and wondering what his own will be. What, 20 years after his death, will he be remembered for?

While our 20th-century presidents each left complex and varied legacies, some of their accomplishments leap to the visible forefront:

-- Ronald Reagan left behind an open Germany, a crumbled Berlin Wall, and the end of the Cold War.
-- Richard Nixon left us the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a relationship with China, and the end of the war in Vietnam.
-- Lyndon B. Johnson left the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, and the first black Supreme Court justice, Thurgood Marshall.
-- Dwight D. Eisenhower ended segregation in schools and started the interstate highway system.
-- Jimmy Carter’s greatest legacy may have come after his presidency -- his humanitarian and charity work.

Other presidents have left “presidential libraries” that are rarely used except by historians doing research.

We wonder what our current president will leave us as his legacy.

Many in our congregations will be winding up significant chapters of their lives this spring. Some will graduate from high school or college, and some will be retiring from careers in which they have spent decades. And many members of the Baby Boom generation are looking down the road toward retirement that will come in just a few short years. What will they leave for those who come after them? Will the goals be higher because of what they did? Will the job be harder or easier because of them?

What will be their legacy?

In the Scriptures

Luke 24:44-53
In the gospel text for Ascension Sunday, Jesus leaves four things as his legacy to his disciples.

First, he leaves his words.

In his book Kissing Fish: Christianity for People Who Don’t Like Christianity, Roger Wolsey reminds us that Jesus’ passion didn’t begin on Palm Sunday. It began three years earlier with his baptism. His passion was healing and teaching and preaching and forgiving.

And here Jesus acknowledges that passion by reminding his disciples that a significant part of his legacy to them is his words. “These are my words,” he says as he begins to say his good-bye.

Secondly, he leaves them his understanding. In particular, he gives them his understanding of the scriptures (v. 45).

Third, he leaves them power from on high which will be given to them shortly. In the book of Acts this will on be the day of Pentecost, when the power Jesus is speaking of descends upon the disciples like tongues of fire.

And fourth, he leaves them a blessing. We are not told exactly what the blessing was or how it was given, but it is enough to know that they were blessed by Jesus.

Jesus’ fourfold legacy, which he leaves them on the day of his ascension, equips them for ministry and mission in the world: his words, his understanding, the power of the Holy Spirit, and his personal blessing.

John 17:6-19
The gospel text for the Seventh Sunday of Easter comes from Jesus’ long prayer for his disciples. Immediately following the prayer they go to the garden of Gethsemane. Again, Jesus is preparing them for his departure -- and he speaks of those things he wishes to leave for them.

First, as in the Ascension Sunday text, words are primary. Here Jesus describes the words that are being left as the words God gave to him and he, in turn, gave to his disciples. These words, we are told, are not just true -- they are truth itself. So part of Jesus’ legacy to his disciples is God’s Truth as it is made available in his word through Scripture.

Secondly, he asks for them to be protected. This protection is not from that which is painful or difficult but from that which is divisive. “Protect them... so that they may be one, as we are one.” So the legacy might be called protection, but it is more correctly unity or reconciliation.

Third, he leaves them joy; not happiness or giddiness or even normal, mundane human joy, but that joy which Jesus has known in his relationship to God, the Father.

Finally, he gives them a sense of mission: “I have sent them into the world.” All of the words, all of the unity, all of the joy is of no account if it is hoarded, kept as a trophy or a treasure. Like the bread and wine of Holy Communion, they must be broken and poured out and shared with the world before they can know their true value.

In the Pulpit
Around this time in 1969, I sat down to write my last will and testament.

No, not THAT last will and testament. This was a silly little exercise that all graduating seniors did, explaining what they were leaving to their high school alma mater and the underclassmen thereof. They were mimeographed and stapled together and distributed through the school that last week of classes.

It’s been so long that I don’t remember everything I left to everyone, but I do remember a few things.

I left my green and gold socks (the school colors) to a friend with the admonition to keep the Spirit Team which we had started going as strong and as obnoxious as it had been that year.

I left my script to The Music Man to my younger brother, sure that he would be destined for the lead role in the spring musicals for the next two years. (He did not disappoint me.)

I left my chair in the band to the kid who had challenged me a thousand times and never driven me from it.

I left my crutches from the knee injury that took me out of sports to my football coach.

I left my love to my girlfriend and my best wishes to my alma mater, which I pledged to always honor, etc, etc.

It was pretty sappy. Some of those wills were funny, some were unintelligible -- but for me, it was the first time I could remember being asked to consider what I was leaving behind for those who followed me. My high school and all who labored there, I realized, had given me much. What would I leave in return? I wondered if the bar had been raised because of what I had done. I wondered if there was a new standard because of something I had achieved.

I sometimes wonder if this would not be a helpful exercise for each of us at the end of each year. As we bring the Easter season to a close, might we not pause for a moment to ask: “What have I done this year? What have I created? What have I accomplished in the name of Jesus Christ that will serve the next generation, that will live on after I’m gone, that will bear witness to God’s grace and love for those who need to hear it most?”

In other words, what kind of legacy am I building?   

 

SECOND THOUGHTS
The Flip Side
by Robin Lostetter
John 17:6-19; 1 John 5:9-13; Ephesians 1:15-23

In our gospel passage (for the Seventh Sunday of Easter), Jesus emphasizes the words he has given to his disciples, explains their meaning, and names their effect: “Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me” (John 17:7-8).

And Dean Feldmeyer wrote above of the legacy we 21st-century folk leave behind -- grand gestures, great accomplishments, high standards for those who follow.

But besides that life legacy, we recognize the power of everyday words. And on the flip side of our desired legacy is the negative impression we sometimes leave in our wake -- in particular, our thoughtless words in speech and in writing. Today, with smartphone cameras and social media, ill-considered words can become immediate, permanent, and continually repeating daggers.

Wise old Thumper (Bambi’s friend) advised: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothin’ at all.” My mother revised those words to a context I could relate to, hoping I would use her advice to measure what I said or wrote: “Don’t write anything down that you wouldn’t want read aloud in church.” Today, that’s probably an even more appropriate admonishment, since I am a pastor! (Though I admit I have not always followed it, there was always an echo in the back of my mind.)

A generation or so ago, written communication was not as simple as hitting “send” for text, e-mail, or Twitter; it was accomplished by letter-writing. But today, with the speed and semi-anonymity of social media, there seems to be little consideration for the public reception of words that we speak or write. Teens, in particular, cause their parents to wring their hands over their careless use of social media. These posts to cyberspace will not disappear, and may very well influence employers or scholarship boards in the future.

But teens are not the only ones! The news is filled with examples of adults in public life speaking, texting, or tweeting before thinking... achieving the fastest way to a negative legacy!

Take, for instance, those for whom their own words come back to haunt them when they speak at a later date.

Star quarterback Tom Brady, now penalized for “DeflateGate,” initially protested that there was no wrongdoing, and refused to turn over his cellphone or cooperate with the investigation. Now that a judgment has been made and the penalty has been given, he’s had to eat his words. Pittsburgh sportscaster Bob Pompeani noted that we value words spoken in honesty, and opined that Brady’s punishment might have been less had he simply and humbly owned up to the truth from the beginning.

Then there’s Ted Cruz, who left himself open to humorous criticism by Jon Stewart on The Daily Show. Stewart skewered him “because Ted Cruz cannot live up to the extremely high standards set for a candidate by... Ted Cruz.” Stewart paired Cruz’ expectations of other politicians (such as President Obama) with his own campaign statements at a later date. With media clips in abundance, it’s hard to squirm out of things you may have said without considering your future interests.

Then there are those words said/written in secret. Take, for instance, the kerfuffle involving Ben Affleck and the PBS program Finding Your Roots. The initial issue was Affleck’s apology for his request to hide a slave-owning ancestor from his genealogy on the show. However, the bigger issue arose when WikiLeaks released hacked Sony e-mails which caught Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, the Harvard historian who is the show’s host, in an apparently misleading statement about the rationale for heeding Affleck’s request. Gates’ public statement, that “we focused on what we felt were the most interesting aspects of [Affleck’s ancestry]” was contradicted by the WikiLeaks version:

In one of the e-mail exchanges first highlighted by the New York Post, Gates asked Michael Lynton, the head of Sony Pictures, about how to handle a request from an unnamed celebrity who wanted to have a slave owner in his family’s history excised from the program.

“[C]onfidentially, for the first time, one of our guests has asked us to edit out something about one of his ancestors -- the fact that he owned slaves,” Gates wrote. “We’ve never had anyone ever try to censor or edit what we found. He’s a megastar. What do we do?”

Lynton responded that he thought Gates should take the information out of the segment, and -- as if tempting the fates -- worried about the potential fallout should the decision to acquiesce ever become public. “[T]hen it is tricky because it may get out that you made the change and it comes down to editorial integrity,” Lynton wrote.

Other words texted in secret, and far more inflammatory, are the recently revealed racist and homophobic texts among members of the San Francisco Police Department. As NPR’s All Things Considered reported: “The San Francisco district attorney has identified 3,000 criminal cases that could be compromised by a growing scandal involving racist and otherwise offensive text messages sent by police officers.... The review comes after a group of officers were accused of sending racist and homophobic text messages while on duty.”

Embarrassment and career effect are just the superficial effects of the texts, which are too raw to repeat here. But their indisputable racism (and damning and thoughtless commitment to print) will have long-term repercussions for the affected criminal cases.

Then there’s the more generally recognized cruelty that accompanies social media -- folk saying things under supposed anonymity that they would be less likely to say to someone’s face. We’ve all heard the tragic stories of the consequences of cyber-bullying. Here’s another sad situation that underlines the power of individual words:

The internet, albeit an incredible resource, can be a very cruel place at times. When Kyra Pringle, mother of two-year-old Mariah Anderson, posted a picture of her daughter on Facebook, she had no idea of the kind of hateful storm that was coming her way. To Pringle’s great horror, she soon discovered that the picture of Mariah, who suffers from Chromosome Two Duplication Syndrome, had been made into a viral meme making fun of her appearance. Words like “monster” and “leprechaun” circulated around the cruel meme, along with hateful comments from individuals everywhere.

And as many women have unfortunately discovered, video has just added to their headaches. It’s not merely YouTube, but the rise of “revenge porn” that has illustrated how hurtful we can be to one another. Just last week, an NFL linebacker appeared in court on “revenge porn” charges, and only a month ago the proprietor of a notorious “revenge porn” website was sentenced to 18 years in prison for extortion. But sometimes just garden-variety criticism can become overwhelming -- that appears to be the reason that acclaimed writer/director Joss Whedon recently quit Twitter and deleted his account.

Our words are really the testimony we give about what we truly believe -- and no testimony is more powerful than that of the Christian life. As First John puts it: “Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony [of God] in their hearts.” Words can also have the power to enlighten as well as to demean (as the Ephesians passage suggests). Given the power that our words can have, it seems essential for us to consider how we use them -- and in whose service we employ them.

The penchant for leaving a legacy of hurtful words is common to all of us, especially within those relationships that mean most to us. These words from a colleague’s funeral prayers are prompted by those inevitable and painful exchanges: “Cleanse our hearts and redeem our memories. For those things we left unsaid, give us confidence in your healing wholeness. For those things we wish we had not said, grant us the knowledge that you forgive us even before we forgive ourselves, and give us the peace that only you can give.”

It is indeed Christ who gives that peace and whose words are fully truth and truthful. It isn’t always necessary to refrain from speech just because “you can’t say something nice,” but it would be wise to consider our words as part of the immediate legacy we leave on the hearts of those who receive them. Kind and loving words, or sometimes harder truths spoken in love, should be our guides.

 

ILLUSTRATIONS

From team member Mary Austin:

Legacies
Often we think of legacies as financial gifts, but even Forbes magazine advises: “Most of what we leave our children and grandchildren are memories -- of who we are and what mattered to us. We provide this legacy by being with our loved ones and through our relationships.” Among the things they suggest as a legacy to family are “Provide a family history: Researching your genealogy is a wonderful way to let your kids and grandkids understand where you and they came from.” It could also be a charitable gift that reflects the family’s interests, or people may “Write a legacy letter: Think about everything you’d want to tell your loved ones and your survivors if you knew you didn’t have long to live, then put it all in a letter to them... your legacy letter is a way to speak directly to your loved ones and say all those things you wish you had told them earlier. Tell your grandson how much it meant to you to be at his birth and how sad you are that you won’t be able to watch him grow. This letter can be a way to ensure your spouse or partner knows how much joy your relationship brought and that you hope he or she will find happiness after you’re gone.” 

There are all kinds of ways to leave a meaningful legacy to the people we love. (Read more here.)

*****

Legacy of Kindness
Audrey Lin believes that the legacy she received from her parents was a wealth of kindness. As she remembers, “They would always do so many acts of love as my parents and I always took it for granted. My mom would come home late from work and still cook us dinner. My dad would always do so many random and beautiful things. I remember when I was three or four years old, we were driving somewhere and pulled over at a store. He went in and came back out a few moments later with two big stuffed animals, one for me and one for my sister. He had so much joy on his face too! Later in life, when I encountered the idea of random acts of kindness... I started doing small things, visibly or invisibly. Each time there is something inside me that smiles and I receive so much in doing that.” She believes in passing on this legacy in the way she lives her own life. 

Audrey adds, “I struggle with wanting to spend all my money on kindness and realizing that there are so many subtler forms of kindness. It can be easy to say, ‘Oh, I’m going to buy this for this person,’ but I remember one time when I was living in Boston and working in a school, a co-worker said, ‘You need to learn not to spend money for kindness.’ I was surprised because for me it was a blind spot. I was showing my kindness through material love, like buying groceries for someone or tagging someone with flowers, but just your presence and the way you show up for things can be an even greater act of kindness.” 

She is still receiving gifts from her parents, an ongoing legacy. “A few weeks ago my computer broke. I remember walking into the Apple store for a part that I needed to get replaced and when I got the bill, it didn’t cost me anything. This is because when I got the computer, Apple Care came with it. My dad had gifted me the computer and when the customer representative asked him if I needed Apple Care, his response was an immediate yes even though I told him it wasn’t necessary. When I received the bill for zero dollars, it was a chilling moment of receiving an act of kindness from my father who had already passed away.” (Read more here.)

*****

Unwanted Legacy
Some legacies are not just unwanted, but deadly. The World Bank says that old pesticides litter the African continent, polluting the environment and poisoning people. Their report says, “across Sub-Saharan Africa, more than 50,000 tons of obsolete pesticides litter the landscape. Exposure to these pollutants can cause cancer, allergies, reproductive disorders, and damages to the nervous and immune systems.” Over the last 15 years, efforts have been made to assess and remove this poisonous legacy. “Obsolete pesticides stockpiled in developing countries pose a serious threat to the environment and public health. Many of them, such as DDT, are Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) that remain in the fatty tissue of living organisms and cause many health issues.... Most of the accumulated stock was originally brought in to combat locust invasions in the region. Poor storage and stock management, ineffective products, uncoordinated donations or purchases, and aggressive sales promotions by some suppliers have all contributed to the problem.”

Removing these chemicals will allow for a legacy of health and growth. “The elimination of these dangerous stocks is a development priority. Rural communities cannot hope to advance if the soil and water upon which their livelihoods and health depends are contaminated with pesticides, and urban populations cannot prosper if they are suffering from severe illnesses caused by pesticide poisoning.” 

*****

Burdensome Inheritance
Inheriting money seems like a dream come true, but sometimes it becomes more burden than blessing. As Judy Martel writes for Bankrate.com: “For everyone who dreams that an inherited windfall would make their lives easier, there are plenty of inheritors who say otherwise. Chuck Collins, great-grandson of packaged-meat magnate Oscar Mayer, is one of them. Collins says that when he found out he would inherit a small fortune at the age of 21, his sense of self-worth was knocked a little off-kilter because he always expected to earn his own way. ‘I remember feeling a little bit of dread.’ ” Collins feared that the money would change him and alter his values, so he ended up giving it all away to a variety of community groups and foundations. Now, 30 years later, he doesn’t regret the choice -- and feels that his gifts have been part of his own legacy. (Read more here.)

Chuck tells his own story at Bolder Giving, saying, “My grandfather was the meat packer Oscar Mayer. In 1986, when I turned 25, I gave away an inheritance worth almost half a million dollars. Had the funds remained invested in a modest growth fund, they would be worth $4-6 million today. I made this decision because I hadn’t earned the money, didn’t need it, and was aware of more urgent needs for it. I donated the money to several foundations funding social change. I have no regrets. I believe that inherited wealth is both bad for children and bad for the society.” Collins, along with Warren Buffett, has also been a strong advocate for keeping the estate tax. 

*****

Unexpected Legacy
None of their neighbors knew that Arlene and Willis Hatch were millionaires. As ABC News reported at the time of their death, “They never had children of their own but saw their neighbors as family members, and after the Hatches were killed in an auto accident, their neighbors discovered how deep that feeling went.... Instead of buying material items, the Hatches invested in friendship, their neighbors say.” 

After they both died, “a few weeks later the letters started arriving. More than 70 neighbors got notice they had inherited money from Arlene and Ish -- and that the couple had accumulated a small fortune. The couple, who lived so frugally, had accumulated nearly $3 million and left most of it to their neighbors.” The money, and the accompanying letters, were both part of their legacy. “Aunt Arlene and Uncle Ish wanted you to have an expression of how much your friendship and kindness over the years meant to them,” one letter said. “Arlene and Ish Hatch left an indelible legacy for their neighbors. With kindness and caring, one elderly couple taught younger generations about investing in what matters most -- each other.” 

While grateful for the gift, one neighbor said he would trade it all for one more conversation with the couple on their porch. (Read more here.)

***************

From team member Leah Lonsbury:

John 17:6-9
Jesus’ petitions for protection of his disciples are tender and determined in this passage, much like the reaction of Donna Beegle to her family’s disastrous trip home on United Airlines. When Beegle asked a flight attendant for a hot meal from first class to keep her 15-year-old daughter Juliette’s blood sugar from plummeting (Juliette has autism and refuses to eat room-temperature food), she warned that without food Juliette might “have a meltdown” and “scratch in frustration.” The crew interpreted that as a threat, made an unscheduled landing, called in police and paramedics, and removed the Beegle family from the flight. 

Beegle later told news reporters that other passengers had come forward to tell her that they believed Juliette hadn’t been disruptive. She also said she believed her family was unfairly removed from the flight “because of fear of autism.” 

“As a mom, it ripped my heart out,” Beegle told reporters. “I was shaking.”

“I have contacted an attorney,” Beegle wrote, “and will be filing a discrimination lawsuit to ensure the captain and flight attendants get training. This is not about money. If there were money I would give it to the flight crew to use for training.”

*****

John 17:6-9
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo also has plans to protect a vulnerable population in his state. Last week Cuomo introduced emergency measures to protect nail salon workers after a New York Times investigative report was released revealing slave-like working conditions and pay for manicurists, most of whom are immigrants. Recovering wage theft and enforcing health and safety conditions in the workplace will be the focus of the multi-agency task force Governor Cuomo is forming. 

******

Psalm 1
Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper (vv. 1-3).

When First Lady Michelle Obama gave the commencement address to this year’s graduating class at historically black Tuskegee University, she recalled her own struggles to fight misperceptions due to her own African-American race starting with her husband’s first run for the White House in 2008. She talked about a cover of The New Yorker that parodied her as a radical and a terrorist. “It was a cartoon drawing of me with a huge afro and a machine gun,” she recalled. “Now, yeah, it was satire, but if I’m really being honest, it knocked me back a bit. It made me wonder just how are people seeing me.”

Mrs. Obama talked to the graduates about several situations when others’ racially insensitive comments or actions made her think hard and struggle with her own ideas about herself and how she came to embrace and live into her true self.

From the AFP:

“Back in those days, I had a lot of sleepless nights worrying about what people thought of me,” Mrs. Obama recalled. “I had to ignore all of the noise and be true to myself -- and the rest would work itself out,” she said to cheers from the graduates....

“I also worked to ensure that my efforts would resonate with kids and families -- and that meant doing things in a creative and unconventional way,” Obama said. “So, yeah, I planted a garden, and hula-hooped on the White House lawn with kids. I did some mom dancing on TV.... And at the end of the day, by staying true to the me I’ve always known, I found that this journey has been incredibly freeing.”

Frustration “can feel isolating. It can make you feel like your life somehow doesn’t matter. And as we’ve seen over the past few years, those feelings are real,” the first lady added. “They’re rooted in decades of structural challenges that have made too many folks feel frustrated and invisible, and those feelings are playing out in communities like Baltimore and Ferguson and so many others across this country.”

But while being a minority in the United States can be tough, she said, it was no reason to lose hope.

How might we also plant ourselves by streams of water that help us to grow, yield authentic fruit, and protect our leaves from withering? How might our source, this stream, help us to prosper and hang onto hope?

 

WORSHIP RESOURCES
by Chris Keating

Call to Worship (Ascension texts)
One: Clap your hands, all you people!
All: Sing loud songs of praises to our God!
One: Jesus has called us to be witnesses,
All: And has enlightened the eyes of our hearts.
One: Come, let us worship God!

Call to Worship (Seventh Sunday of Easter texts)
One: Happy are those who follow God’s leading!
All: Blessed are those who follow the law of the Lord,
One: For on God’s law they meditate day and night,
All: And become like trees planted by streams of flowing water.

Hymns (Ascension texts)
“Alleluia, Sing to Jesus”
“At the Name of Jesus”
“Crown Him with Many Crowns”
“Come, Christians, Join to Sing”
“Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain”
“Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies”
“I Love to Tell the Story”
“Jesus Shall Reign, Where’er the Son”
“Lift High The Cross”
“Rejoice, the Lord is King!”
“The Lord Ascendeth on High”
Contemporary:
“How Great Is Our God” (Chris Tomlin)
“Holy, Holy, Holy” (arr. King and Morgan; Hillsong United)
“King of Kings”
“Shout to the Lord”
“Shine, Jesus, Shine”
Global/Taizé:
“Stay With Us”
“Jesus, Remember Me”
“Hallelujah, We Sing Your Praises” (“Haleluyah! Pelo Tsa Rona”)

Hymns (Seventh Sunday of Easter texts)
“Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine”
“Be Still, My Soul”
“Come, Labor One”
“For the Bread Which You Have Broken”
“Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah”
“Hope of the World”
“Lord, Speak to Me That I May Speak”
“To God Be the Glory, Great Things He Has Done”
“What A Friend We Have in Jesus”
Contemporary:
“Blessed Be Your Name” (Redmon)
“Just As I Am” (arr. Elliot)
“Filled With Your Glory” (Neufold)
“Majesty” (Hayford)
“Awesome God” (Mullins)
Global/Taizé:
“The Lord is My Light”
“Send Me, Jesus” (“Thuma Mina”)
“Holy Spirit, Come to Us”

Prayer for the Day (Ascension texts)
Holy God, you raised Jesus from the dead, and he taught his disciples to wait for your coming kingdom. Help us to look toward heaven, so that our hearts might be raised and our eyes enlightened. Encourage us with your Spirit to worship you with joy and confidence, so that your fullness may dwell in us forever. Amen.

Prayer for the Day (Seventh Sunday of Easter texts)
Mighty God, you sent Jesus so that the scriptures might be fulfilled, so now enable us to follow your pathways so that your truth would abide in us. Protect us with your Spirit, and encourage us to meditate on your words, that as we our sent into the world, we may yield fruit that is pleasing and joyful to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Prayer of Confession
God of love and hope, we confess that we are slow to believe all that Jesus taught us. We become frightened, and do not wait for your Spirit to come upon us. We have neglected creation, and have spoiled the good things you have entrusted to our care. You alone are King, but we have served our own needs and have not loved as you taught us. Forgive us, O God, and by your grace cleanse our hearts so that we may know the hope you have given to us in Jesus Christ, Amen.

Assurance of Pardon
This is the promise of God: Jesus was raised from the dead by God, and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places. Clap your hands, and sing praises to God! Our sins have been forgiven. Amen.

OR

Prayer of Confession
You have told us, O God, that to be truly joyful and at peace we should meditate on your law and consider all your teachings. Yet we are impatient, and have acted foolishly. We have scoffed at those who act justly, and turned away from those in need. We have not walked the pathways of the righteous. Have mercy on us. Forgive us our sin, and sanctify us with your Holy Spirit so that we may trust in the testimony of your Son, our Lord, Amen.

Assurance of Pardon
Friends, hear the good news: “God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” Believe the promises of God, and be at peace; our sin is forgiven. Amen.

Children’s Sermon Starter (based on Luke 24:44-53)
It’s hard to say good-bye to someone special. Have you ever had a wonderful visit with a grandparent or special relative that was so wonderful you didn’t want it to end? We are often sad when those visits are over, especially if we don’t have the opportunity to see the person a lot. Sometimes, grandmas may tell us they have a special job for us to do while we wait for their next visit -- can you think of what that might be? (Cleaning rooms, taking are of a sibling, gardening, etc.)

After he was raised on Easter, Jesus spent many days with his friends. It was too good to be true! But then came the time when he was going to return to God. The Bible tells us that he “ascended” up into heaven. That’s hard to understand! That’s not like getting on an airplane, or going away in a car. It’s pretty hard to understand, and I imagine the disciples were scared. But Jesus told them to not be afraid. Instead he said, “Go and tell people the good things you have learned from me.” He called the disciples “witnesses.” A witness is a person who tells the truth about what they have seen. That was their special job. They didn’t understand exactly what was happening, but they were still filled with joy because Jesus had given them a special job. 

Prayers of the People
Incorporating music into the prayers of the people can offer new texture to worship. This suggestion uses a familiar meditative song, “Jesus, Remember Me,” which is from the Taizé community in France. The musician may play softly in the background during the petitions, or may simply play the refrain during the congregational response.

Raise us, O God of grace, to new vistas of hope and faith, so that our eyes might be enlightened and our hearts warmed by our gracious mercy. Reveal your presence to us, O Lord, so that we might rejoice at the immeasurable greatness of your power and dominion. Jesus, remember us when you come into your kingdom.

(Sung) “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

We pray for your church, commissioned by Jesus and sent into the world to bear witness to all that he taught us. Enlighten it by your love, and equip the church everywhere to speak words of justice and peace so that the world may discover your hope. Jesus, remember us when you come into your kingdom.

(Sung) “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

We offer to your care your world, troubled by war and divided by fear. You alone are King and Sovereign, but we have divided your creation selfishly and without regard for those in need. Be with those devastated by storms or held hostage to violence, and protect us by your word. Jesus, remember us when you come into your kingdom.

(Sung) “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

We hold before you our loved ones, and those known to us who are ill and in need of care. Even as the floodwaters of illness and struggle have risen around them, watch over them. Keep them close to you, and give them strength. Jesus, remember us when you come into your kingdom.

(Sung) “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Now hear us as we raise these and all the prayers of our hearts to you in hope and faith. We offer ourselves to you, and ask that you would raise our eyes to your kingdom, promised to us in Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying, Our Father... (continue and conclude with the Lord’s Prayer).

Benediction
Jesus has called us to be his witnesses. He has opened our hearts to his word, and has proclaimed the forgiveness of sins. Let us go into the world, eagerly expecting the promise of God, and may God offer to us a blessing of joy in all that we do.
Amen! We will go forth in joy!

 

CHILDREN’S SERMON
Contrails and Marbles
by George Reed
John 17:6-19; Luke 24:44-53

In the John passage for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Jesus proclaims that he has given to the disciples the word of God; while in the Ascension Day reading from Luke, Jesus reminds the disciples of the words that he has spoken to them. In both of these texts, the words that have been spoken have power and are lasting. As disciples of Jesus, as his body, we may also speak words that have power and produce a lasting effect. 

Objects needed:
pictures of planes in flight producing contrails (vapor trails)
a glass or beaker
a shallow bowl or saucer to catch overflowing water
a pitcher of water
marbles

I love things that fly. I love birds and airplanes and helicopters. I think it is so neat when jets fly overhead and leave those white trails behind them. These are called contrails or water vapor trails. Depending on the weather, these might last for just a very short time or for hours after the plane has gone by. But even the longest lasting ones soon disappear. Sometimes our words may seem like vapor trails. We say nice things to people and they may smile or say thank you, but later it seems like it has all been forgotten. But Jesus reminds us that words have a lasting effect. The kind words we say change a person, even if we can’t see it. 

Our words are not really like those vapor trails, but they are like marbles dropped in a glass/beaker of water. (Pour water into the glass/beaker, and place it in a shallow bowl or saucer.) The water in this glass/beaker is like the love which God places in each of us when we are created. Watch what happens when I begin to drop the marbles into the water. (Start to place the marbles into the water. Stop when you have placed enough to make the water noticeably higher.) What is happening? Do you see the water rising up? What will happen if I keep adding marbles? (Place more marbles in the glass/beaker until it begins to overflow.) Which marble caused the water to overflow? Was it just the last one? What if I had put that last one in first? Would the water have overflowed then? NO! It takes all the marbles. Our words of kindness are like these marbles. We may not see the difference it makes in someone’s life, but it raises up God’s love until it begins to overflow. Keep saying those words of kindness and love. Someday God’s love will overflow in the hearts of those you talk to. 

 
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The Immediate Word, May 17, 2015, issue.

Copyright 2015 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.

All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.