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First and last words are memorable things. Well, at least last words. I don’t remember what William’s or Alice’s first words were. We were talking about it a couple of months ago and even Dana wasn’t sure. But for both of them, we were sure it was either mama or dada. But I do have a specific memory of one of William’s first words. We were driving and a truck passed in the other lane and William blurted out “tuck”. He had a huge fascination with trucks, heavy equipment, and especially anything John Deere because Papa had a John Deere tractor that William oddly was scared to go near considering his love of such things.
Well, first words may be difficult to remember but last words are different. Before my father died he pulled all us his kids and step-kids aside individually to say his last words. To me, the conversation ended with him saying “I love you. Keep up the good fight.” He always understood my calling and knew who it was who was calling me and supported me going into the ministry 100%. I have done my best to abide by those words. He said them to me during my first pastorate in Marlinton, WV. I was well valued by that congregation and also by the Marlinton community. The church was reviving and beginning to grow like it had in the 60’s. It was easy to keep up the good fight then.
Well, some personal struggles came and abiding by those words found me in Canada. I had a nice ministry in Caledon for nine years. We fought the good fight faithfully but the wealthy retiree/bedroom community around us no longer had much use for the church. Now I’m in this four-church cooperative keeping up the good fight. We all are keeping up the good fight. But churches and ministers aren’t really valued members of our communities anymore. The only stuff anyone hears about us is the scandalous stuff. The media never reports on the good work we still try to do. Pre-Covid people were leaving church and now so even more coming out of Covid so many have not come back. They are done with the church. The scant younger crowd that many churches had before Covid struggle to come back and are saying “Umm. Have you got anything better?”
I have to admit that it is difficult for me to keep up the good fight when so many people close to me have walked off, lost faith, or simply died and aren’t here to support me. But I continue to keep the good fight understanding I am called and knowing the one who has called me. Even if it does feel like we’re a small orchestra on the titanic. We continue to play the music because love to play the music. It is a comforting to us and to those who will stop and listen. But the ship is still sinking. And the ship isn’t just a metaphor for the institution of the church. It’s our whole culture in turmoil. Indeed, our whole planet and humanity on it are at jeopardy. 200 years ago progress, exploration, adventure, and discovery were the name of the game. People went forth boldly where no one had gone before. Now, we’re realizing the need to clean up after the party, but the partiers just won’t quit. Our way of life is in for a big adjustment. It’s like we’re coming to the end of a book of insights written by a great historical figure and we’re holding out to hear the last words.
Well, here we go. It’s Ascension Sunday the day we remember Jesus’ last words before he Ascended to take his throne in heaven. Let’s look at them. In Matthew he told his disciples that all authority had been given to him. He told them to go make disciples, baptize, and teach. His very last words were, “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Similarly, in Mark he told his disciples to go into all the world and proclaim the gospel (The Kingdom of God has come near) to the whole creation and great signs would back it up. Mark remarks that they did this and that the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message with signs. In Luke, Jesus sent the disciples out as witnesses to his death and resurrection to proclaim the forgiveness of sins and invite repentance. Also, he promised that the Father would soon clothe them with power from on high. Interestingly, in John’s Gospel there are no last words. Jesus just shares a meal with his disciples and pulls Peter and John aside to address their relationship with him like my dad did with me. In Acts, Jesus told the disciples that it’s not for them to now the times and periods that the Father has established, yet they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them and they are to be his witnesses to the ends of the Earth.
Jesus’ last words in the Book of Revelation reflect a coming to an end of the work on earth that the disciples were to do and encourages them to hold on just a bit longer amidst some very difficult often life or death circumstances. When Jesus ascended, his last words gave the mandate “Go and spread my kingdom of peace in the power of the Holy Spirit and I will be with you.” The disciples did that to surprising but moderate success. The Book of Revelation began to circulate in the church about sixty years later. By that time there were small fellowships of disciples of Jesus living the love of Jesus throughout the entirety of the Roman Empire and beyond. But they were so often persecuted for their loyalty to Lord Jesus rather than the Roman Emperor or some other god. It was especially bad for them when an Emperor came on the scene who believed himself a god and wanted to be worshipped throughout the Empire as such. The Book of Revelation showed up in the 90’s AD during such a time.
The state of the church at that time after sixty years and two generations working on a third was varied. Some churches were being persecuted for their faithfulness to Jesus. Some had simply lost their passion to love. Most churches had simply found ways to mingle and pollute their faith in Jesus with popular cultural beliefs such as we do today when we make faith in Jesus into a vehicle to wealth, or the servant of political parties and authoritarian figures, or self-helpism, or private spirituality…anything other than being about how we love ourselves and each other in the Jesus way.
Back to last words. Jesus’ last words in the Revelation are basically that he is coming soon with reward in hand meaning that the loyalty and service of his followers were not in vain. He is the Beginning and End of everything. God’s purpose and goal for everyone and everything, true life, is centered on and found in Jesus. So, we are to live our lives loyal to him and by so doing, drink of the water of life, which is the presence of God himself in our lives assuring us we are his beloved children, his beloved family charged to reflect his honour and glory in this world. Thus, we live the way of forgiveness in our lives doing the hard work of reconciliation in our broken relationships; speaking the truth in love; helping one another be the glorious, beautiful, dignified persons that God has meant us each to be.
Similar to how the explorers, adventurers, entrepreneurs, and migrants at the beginning of the Industrial Age went forth greatly inspired by the myth of progress believing that wealth and things manufactured could make humanity what we were created to be, so the early disciples went forth in the first century as witnesses to Jesus’ Resurrection. They were profoundly inspired by, truly compelled by the love of God in Christ which they experienced personally and in their fellowships by the presence and work of God the Holy Spirit dwelling in them each and in the midst of their fellowship. Life lived according to the indwelling Holy Spirit, the sense of being beloved by God, and the Christ-like love they shared in their fellowships is what God has created us to be. The apostles of the Industrial Age and the Enlightenment have left us with a self-destructive, seemingly never-ending, timebomb of a party that’s going to leave us with a beast of an after-mess to clean up. But the disciples of Jesus, then and now…US…we have the water of life flowing through us and we must continue to live as Jesus’ invitation to everyone to “Come and drink”. Our love for one another in Christ is an integral part of God’s saving of the whole Creation. Our love is not in vain.
So, we must continue to “Keep up the good fight.” He is coming soon with reward in hand. Our efforts are not in vain. I know that word “soon” is ambiguous. Afterall, it’s been 2,000 years already. Though the word in Greek isn’t definite about when, it does carry a strong emphasis that what will happen “soon” will for certain happen. Jesus is coming. We must prepare his way by focusing on coming to him ourselves and inviting everyone to come to him and drink the water of life. At some point he will finally come. It’s just not for us to know when. In the meantime, we continue to come to him and let the water of life flow through us that everyone may come and drink.
So, finally, what are we to do now about the obviousness that we are the stringband on the Titanic? Frankly, we are in a time when churches must change and, in this time, it is imperative that change begin with we ourselves coming to Jesus to drink the water of life and to focus particularly on the prayerful way of forgiveness and there discover his presence in our lives. Pay especial attention to the relationships in our lives and are we ourselves truly being Christ-like. Authenticity is huge. Are we ourselves being the glorious, beautiful, dignified persons God made us to be? If not, what stands in the way? What stands in the way of we each knowing ourselves to be glorious, beautiful, and dignified persons – beloved children of God? Are we helping others to be the glorious, beautiful, dignified persons God made them to be especially in our families? That’s a difficult question to answer and answering it is something we do together. God has placed his Spirit in us to make it happen. Jesus is with us. All difficult times pass and for people of faith they culminate with a greater knowing of God and ourselves and how beloved and special we each are. That’s the reward he’s coming with for all who came and drink. So, keep up the good fight so that everyone may come. Amen.
