Grace and peace from God the Father and our Risen Lord Jesus Christ.

Seven weeks ago we celebrated Easter and have had the resurrection close to our hearts through those weeks. At Easter few of us gave Pentecost much thought but next week it will be upon us.

Advent through Easter is a busy time in the church; preparation for Christmas and Easter and then for many congregations confirmation of the teens. Some congregations throw in Ascension services just for good measure. All of that preparation raises our anxiety level just a little bit. However it isn't spiritual preparation that most people focus on.

The drain of all the activities is really of our own doing. Essentially we have become unplug from the power that sustains us. It reminds me of a drill I have that has a 12 inch cord. I can't do anything useful with that drill unless I have an extension cord. The bean counters of that manufacturer were so intent on saving a few pennies in the manufacturing process that they forgot it was impractical.

Imagine the anxiety level of the disciples just before Pentecost. The roller coaster of emotions they endured from Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter morning and the empty tomb, the many appearances of Jesus, and then the Ascension. Along with all of these extraordinary events there is the distain of the Jewish authorities that caused a rift between friends and even within families. What next?

At this point it would be three days since the Ascension of Jesus. A hundred plus believers huddled together praying for guidance, protection, and comfort. Talk about anxiety. Jesus told them to stay in Jerusalem until they received the power of the Holy Spirit. A few may have considered they had been abandoned. Can you think of anything more difficult than staying in a place where you may be harmed or killed waiting for something unknown to happen and not knowing when it will occur?

If we focus on that one little scene in the beginning of Acts the most amazing thing to me is that they remained together. They were truly united with one belief, one conviction, in a city that wanted to be rid of them.

We all would like to think we could persevere under those circumstances. In truth most people would cave under the pressure and recant or leave the city.

Putting human nature in play, anxiety would be reaching a crescendo. Spouses, brothers, sisters, parents, and children blaming each other for the predicament they were in. Arguing and gossip would run rampant in the community. The blame game would be in full swing.

Reminds me of congress in an election year.

That is not the picture we see here though. Perhaps this is a perfect example of prayer in action. Not just this group huddled together in prayer but also Jesus' priestly prayer.

In John 17 Jesus prays for His actions to glorify the Father and bring salvation to God's chosen. He then prays for the disciples that they are protected and sanctified. Finally in the Gospel reading for today Jesus prays for all believers.

All believers defined as all who believe because of the message carried forth by the disciples and the power of the Holy Spirit. That's just not the group huddled in that house two thousand years ago, that includes us and everyone to this day and into the future. Everyone who truly believes in the salvation won for them on the cross.

Jesus specifically asks that the believers would be one just as He and the Father are that all believers may become perfectly one.

This raises a few questions what does this unity or perfect one look like? Would we be satisfied with the "spiritual" unity of the priesthood of all believers, do we accept it? Does unity imply a formal structure? What does this say about the myriad denominations and independent churches around the world? Are these divisions scandal and sinful?

And you thought deciding between a traditional liturgical service and a praise service was a major question.

If we look closer at Jesus' petition, we find that the real end goal is that we would know that the Father sent Jesus and the Father loves us as He loves the Son.

I personally believe He literally and symbolically means one group of believers. However, I'm sure He knew that humans would weave their own spin into scriptures. We have a challenge within a congregation deciding how to serve the kingdom let alone hundreds of millions doing things the same way.

Yet all things have a purpose and none of these differences would exist except by His authority. Of course, that thought raises many more questions. In the end, if we keep chasing these questions we become too focused on our actions and not on His actions. Our actions mean nothing if our heart is not right with God.

So, what is it that binds all believers together despite the outward differences of Christians? We have some beautiful imagery in the reading from Revelation, the river of life running through the city and the tree of life. The water from which we will never thirst if we drink from it keeping us nourished on the tree. We are part of the tree of life our heavenly Father holding the branches and leaves of all believers and the power of the Holy Spirit nourishing and guiding the growth of each branch and leaf.

Jesus often used examples in nature to explain the kingdom. In the fall leaves whither and fall from the trees. That process occurs because a hard callous growth forms at the end of stem cutting off nourishment to the leaf. We are the leaves on the vine. Each one of us needs to look deep inside to see whether that hard callous growth is forming around our heart cutting us off from the nourishment of the Spirit.

Like my drill we need a means of power, the Holy Spirit, to breathe life into our souls. Without an extension cord my drill was without purpose. Likewise without the power of the Holy Spirit we can not believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

With our hearts open and with joy let us contribute to the unity of all believers as the Spirit moves us. Let us remember all Christians in our prayers. Let us avoid gossip. Let us refuse to be sidetracked by arguing over divisive matters. Let us build up others and work together in humility. Let us exalt Christ in all that we say and do.

In the Name of Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.