O Lord, we pray, speak in this place, in the calming of our minds and in the longing of our hearts, by the words of my lips and in the thoughts that we form.  Speak, O Lord, for your servants listen.  Amen.

What is troubling you this morning?  We all have big stuff going on in our minds right now no doubt.  Some of us may be dealing with heavy emotional things.  Some of us may know someone close who is sick.  Some of us may for whatever reason be feeling lonely or may know someone close who is.  Some of us can barely face the day and may know someone close who is struggling.

And then, we look out at our world.  We appear to be surrounded by the effects of Covid, acts of violence and the list can constantly be added to.

What can possibly free our hearts from trouble, in the face of so much death, so much evil?…..  “Don’t be troubled,” Jesus says.

“Don’t be troubled”? When has advice like that ever been helpful?  “Don’t be afraid; don’t be nervous; don’t be anxious; don’t be shattered.”  It’s almost laughable, is it not?

The conversation between Jesus and His disciples in today’s Gospel reading takes us back to the Last Supper, on the night of Jesus’ arrest, the day before His horrible Crucifixion.  Judas had already left to betray Jesus and Jesus is telling His disciples that His time has come to leave this world and then he says, “Don’t be troubled.” Well, having heard this statement from Jesus who wouldn’t be troubled???

Just before this, Peter has said, “I’ll give up my life for you.” and Jesus’ reply was, “I assure you that you will deny me three times before the rooster crows.” And then Jesus says again “Don’t be troubled.”

The word Jesus uses here for “troubled” is used to describe “agitation and disturbance in the face of the power of death and evil.”

When Jesus is crucified, it will look as if the devil has got his way.  It will look as if Jesus has been defeated.  It will look as if evil has triumphed over good.  It will seem as if Jesus is gone forever.

But Jesus says, “Don’t be troubled.”  “Don’t let the power of death and evil disturb you.”

But how could they not be disturbed?  I am pretty sure that we would be worried wouldn’t we?  The world has a multitude of answers to this question of do not be worried, which leave us just as troubled as before.  But Jesus has one answer, “Trust in God. Trust also in me.”

I wish to share with you a true story about trust….I had been trying to teach my son to swim.  So on one occasion when we were on our holiday in Greece I took the opportunity once again to try and teach him to swim. 

“I had tried previously when he was younger but no matter what I did it was hard work.  Even when he was a baby he didn’t like getting water on his face in the bathtub, much less than to him this massive ocean of a swimming pool he was now staring at.

 At first, ‘teaching him to swim’ meant getting him to splash around a bit on the top step, and maybe putting his lips in the water enough to blow bubbles if he was feeling really brave.

 But on this occasion I convinced him to walk with me to the shallow end of the pool, with his death-grip around my neck of course.  Once we mastered me standing in the shallow end and him hanging on to me, it was time for the Big event—him jumping off the side.  Fulfilling my God-given duty as a dad, I lifted him out of the pool, stood him on the side, and said, ‘Come on, jump!’ ‘Come on, son.’ ‘I’m right here.  I’ll catch you.  I promise!’ He looked at me, did one or two of those little winding up moves, bouncing at the knees, and then fell into the pool with what was more a flop than a jump.  And I caught him.  After that we were off ‘Do it again, Dad! Do it ‘gain!’ And so commenced half an hour of jump, catch, lift, wind up moves, Jump, catch, lift, wind up moves.”

How many of you can relate to the trust that my son had in me?  Perhaps for you it was your mother, grandfather, or a true deep unconditional trust in a friend.

No matter, when that person was waiting to “catch you,” and to support you, you had no fear, you were no longer “troubled” by the thought of jumping into the “proverbial pool of troubling water.”

But, sadly, whether the person you trust or trusted was a father, mother, spouse, friend or whoever those people are…they are people–human, like you and I.  They will sadly not always be here.

What do we do when those in whom we once went to for support are no longer able to support us? Where do we turn when things look bleak, and the power of impending death and evil appear to have the upper hand?

Jesus says, “Don’t be troubled.” “Don’t be nervous, anxious, shattered.”  This kind of talk is usually meaningless…  unless, unless…  it comes from someone we can really trust.  Unless it comes from someone we know we can count on, unless it comes from someone we know who loves us and will be present with us during the storms of life.

I once shared some ideas I had from today’s John gospel with someone a long time ago when I was at theological college and she said, “I have always found these words from Jesus difficult to grasp because it is such a big concept.”

“Don’t be troubled.” “Trust in God.  Trust also in me,” says Jesus, “Don’t be troubled.”

When Jesus did go away – when Jesus was arrested – His disciples were very, very troubled!!! They “scattered.” Peter denied even knowing Him.  They hid behind locked doors in “fear.” They were “troubled” BIG TIME!!!  Even after Jesus was resurrected, they continued to be “troubled.”

For 40 days Jesus appeared to them again and again and again.  And still, it took time.  They had to learn to trust in Jesus, they had to learn that no matter what they were going through, no matter what happened to them in life–Jesus was there for them–Jesus was their strength, like a bridge over troubled water.

And like a bridge is to troubled waters, Jesus was a bridge to the disciples and is also to us a bridge to God–and is our way to God–to truth–to Life…  and this Life which comes by faith in Jesus is a dwelling place in the closeness of God– not just for eternity, but right here and right now!!!

In verse 27 of John Chapter 14 Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you.  My peace I give you.  I give to you not as the world gives.  Don’t be troubled or afraid.” It took time for the disciples to learn that they could, indeed, “trust in Jesus.” and it takes time for us as well.

The Apostle Paul had to endure lots of hardships, in order to be able to get to the point where he was able to confidently write: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?  But through his experiences of faith he learned that he didn’t experience them alone?

And so he learned to trust in Jesus and he was able to write: “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Wow!!!  That is powerful.  That’s the most powerful stuff in the world!!!

A while ago a dear friend of mine left her job.  Not long after she had left she phoned me to say that she had cancer.  To say that I was shocked was an understatement all I could say was “Are you alright?  How are you doing?”  Bit of a pathetic question now when I look back.  But she sounded so joyful.  She laughed and said, “I’ve learned that what I’ve been believing in all these years–I actually believe!!!”  “Whatever happens, happens.  And I’m fine with it because I’m in the Lord.”

So I would like to leave you with these questions about trust and separation?

Are you convinced that nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord?
“When you’re feeling weary, feeling small, when tears are in your eyes…” are you convinced?….
“When times get rough, and friends just can’t be found” Are you convinced?….
When you’re down and out, when everything feels so hard, when darkness comes, and pain is all around.  Are you convinced?

Whatever you are going through this morning?  Whatever it is that is “troubling you?”  Whatever it is, big or ‘seemingly’ small, Jesus says to you and he says to me this morning and every morning “Trust in God.  Trust also in me.”  Because nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Amen

Revd Kevin Priest at St.Wilfrids and St.Thomas

Let us pray

Truly O God you are great and greatly to be praised.  Through Christ Jesus your Son you have shown yourself to us – for he is in you and you are in him.  Grant, therefore, dear Father, that we come to him, the living stone, rejected by mortals, yet chosen and precious in your sight – and that like living stones, we ourselves may be built into a spiritual house, a royal priesthood, your holy people, the temple of your presence in our world….  Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

We give thanks to You, O God, for in Christ Jesus you have conquered the power of death and enabled us to face our own death and the loss of those we love with trust and confidence.  Help us to live with joyful anticipation of entering the heavenly places that he has prepared for us in your House, and to show forth our hope in Him to all whom we meet before we gather before your throne in Glory…  Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer…

Father, we pray for your church, the church of Christ Jesus your son.  May our life as your Holy People always be marked by faithful testimony in both word and deed.  Like Jesus, may we be known as people of prayer and service – truth and love – and mercy and help – especially for those who are in need – those that our world rejects – those that without your Son in our lives, we ourselves might turn away from.

Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

Lord, we pray for people all over the world who long to see your Face and do not know how to find you.  May they see you in us – and us in you – through the loving care you call us to show.  We pray for the victims of neglect and of oppression, for those scorned and mocked, for those who are overlooked by the rest of our world.  May they be convinced that they are precious in your sight and may their needs be met according to the abundance of your grace….  Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

We pray, O Lord, for our families and for our neighbours – and for all those whom you have placed upon our hearts this day – those who grieve and those who rejoice – those who struggle with conflict in their families and those whose celebrate new birth – those who need work – and those who need a special healing – or a sense of peace to come over them.  Hear now these prayers of thanksgiving and intercession we make for those we name them before you at this time Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

Loving God – do not let our hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.  Rather fill our lives in deeds of devotion and service and help us to follow Jesus, the way, the truth, and life, with joy and peace – knowing that we are safe forever with him, who lives and reigns with the Holy Spirit, one God, both now and forevermore.

Merciful Father accept these prayers in the name of your son our saviour Jesus Christ.  Amen

And we seal all these prayers together in the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples The Lords prayer……

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done; On earth as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, For ever and ever.  Amen