Creekside Church Sermon of April 27, 2008 "The Freedom of Dependence" John 14:15-21	Rev. David Bibbee
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In response to this truth which Christians hold to be self-evident, I can hear someone saying, "Yeah, right. The way to gain freedom is to give up freedom. The way to win the battle is to lay down your weapons. As long as you're making perfect nonsense, why not become a pauper and you'll become a millionaire. Reduce your assets to nothing, and you shall inherit everything. Be a "confident" ninety-eight pound weakling and you'll become a "man of steel."

For people who follow Jesus for a living, this is the truth and the whole truth. But it's not a self-evident truth. It's nonsense. It's spiritual silliness. As Christians, these words don't seem all that silly. It's because we've heard them so often we're no longer fazed.

So how do we live with what seems like contradictory words? Instead of holding these truths to be self-evident, we regard them as paradoxes, or, if you prefer an even cooler term, they are "counter-intuitive." We have such bright "youths" sitting here on the front row, I'm sure that one of them can tell us what counter-intuitive means. (Solicit response from youth.) It means thinking or acting contrary to what your instincts tell you.

I associate being counter-intuitive with something I learned while white-water rafting in Idaho. If the current pushes you into an obstruction, your first reaction is avoidance by "leaning away" from it. Instead, you must lean into it and allow the current to push you away. Disciples of Jesus make a similar moves, going contrary to what we have been told is true from the perspective of the world.

As citizens of the United States we are taught to value freedom. We believe that all people have a deep yearning to be free from repression and anything that stifles the freedom of thought, self-expression, and personal aspirations:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

We are free to vote for our leaders. We have the freedom to speak our minds. We are free to worship how and where we choose. We are taught that with freedom comes the need to protect and preserve it. Unfortunately, many think freedom means free reign. "I'm entitled to live and say what I want regardless of its impact on others. Decisions are made according to self-interests.

Regardless of noble and near-sighted interpretations, we believe that freedom is a virtue.

The rub comes when we bring this view of freedom into the Christian faith. Contrary to what we assume, freedom is not a Christian virtue. The freedom that Jesus taught does not have self-interest at its center. Christian freedom is counter-intuitive. Dependence on Jesus is the starting point for knowing freedom.

In twenty-six years I have served two churches, and during this time no one from either church was killed as a result of obedience to Jesus. No one was thrown in jail; no one was "roughed up," even just a little. No one was issued a citation and fined due to the exercise of their discipleship. No one who depended on Jesus, served Jesus, and felt the sustenance of the Spirit of Jesus had a sob story to tell.

I can't say the same for the people who exercised the freedom of minding their own stores. They entered the "rat race" and ran like crazy. They got their rewards in the winner's circle of success. They won lots of nice stuff -- vintage cars, palatial houses, the finer toys that money can buy and the satisfaction of knowing they weren't answerable to any body but themselves. But in detaching themselves from others and exercising their "freedom" to overwork and stress-out over how to leverage their money to grab the goods and insure a carefree future independent of others, they ruined their health, took years off their lives, sabotaged their marriages, and alienated the people they needed most. They won the rat race, and in the end they were still rats.

Long ago, St. Augustine called the world's freedom, "the rattling of the chains of the happily enslaved."

In the gospel lesson last Sunday, Jesus began saying good-bye to the disciples. In today's text he is still at it. He talks to them about love. Love for Him meant following his commandments.

The clock was ticking and there was little time left to be together. You might assume that Jesus would stress the necessity of belief. But as someone said, "The test of faith in and obedience to Christ is not first of all a matter of belief, but a matter of love."

"If you love me you will keep my commandments," he told them. He said all could say. Soon, the Way of Life he introduced would be their responsibility. They would need to consult their notes and carry on without him as best they could. It was challenging enough when Jesus was with them. How would they manage by themselves?

Speaking for myself, I prefer doing things the "easy way." Being a disciple however, is hard work. It's tough to live according to authority other than your own. Denying yourself of what the world says is your inalienable right; speaking up for peace in a violence saturated world; taking a stand for justice; serving the poor; denying yourself the pleasure of revenge and choosing forgiveness instead; praying for your enemies; taking on the pain of others -- man, is it hard. It's also impossible, if you think you're a Lone Ranger for Jesus.

In his absence Jesus promised help from on high. They would receive divine assistance. An Advocate, a Comforter, Jesus own spirit guided them.

On Friday Sue and I are going on a fishing trip "up north." In addition to the challenge of staying warm on a lake where the ice won't be gone until mid-week, Sue will be challenged with "hooking" a bait we will use -- leeches. They are interesting creatures that sometimes protect themselves by constricting their muscular bodies and rolling into a tight ball. When they do, it's difficult to "uncurl" the strong coil to put the hook through their sucker. I've been encouraging Sue, assuring her that she'll get the hang of it.

Left to ourselves, the love of Jesus given to flow from us to others and for others gets turned inward. We roll up into a protective, self-absorbed little balls. But the Spirit of Jesus pulls and tugs and pries at us so we may experience the true freedom of dependence that comes from loving him and others.

Not long after my mom died it struck me that I am the sole survivor of my family. My sister, father, and mother are gone. The full weight of that realization hit me and I felt a sharp twinge of loneliness. I'm the only one left. My immediate family and most of my extended family of aunts and uncles are gone. Then I remembered something Phyllis Carter said to me at mom's viewing here in the sanctuary. "As long as I'm a round, you'll never be an orphan."

I could have ruined the love I felt in that moment by thinking, "So what happens after you're gone?" Phyllis helped me remember the promise Jesus made to me and to you. "I will not leave you orphaned.

Prayer: Make us your captives Lord, and then we shall be free.

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