April 25, 2004; The Third Sunday of Easter Readings: Acts 9:1-19a; Revelation 5:6-14; John 21:1-14; Psalm 33:1-11.   The Rev. Dr. Hilary B. Smith A Sign of Hope After the resurrection, Jesus eats with his disciples at the sea of Tiberias. Jesus meets Saul on the road to Damacaus. These two accounts tell us much about being followers of Jesus and part of Christ’s body. Through the scriptures we learn about being members of the church community. 1. God initiates—it is through God’s grace that community exists. 2. God strengthens—it is God who sustains us and builds our community. 3. God acts in ways that we do not understand. 4. God brings us together and sends us out to others. The community of the church is as much a mystery and a miracle as any part of our faith. After spending 4 years in college and 7 years in graduate school training to be an historian and a history professor, people would ask me—why do you want to be a priest? Why are you going to school, seminary, for three more years—are you mad? They would say, or I would think to myself. At the heart of my call to love and serve God as a priest, was a sense that God wanted me to help build the community of the church—of a church. I had decided to go to graduate school for history because I wanted to teach at the college level, not just to teach, but to mentor young people at that important time of life as I had been nurtured in the academic environment. I was interested in contributing to the total life an academic community. But once I became a Christian, I started to see this miracle that is the church—that is, a community based not on who we are but God’s love for us, our love of God and our faith in Jesus Christ. I felt a call to focus on developing communities of faith rather than academic communities. The church seemed like a miracle to me because of the diversity found within the community. That there could be so much difference among people and yet these people gathered together, to worship God, to pray, to support each other, and share their lives. In the church, we have people of different ages, races, professions, educational backgrounds, political affiliations—I could go on and on. It is not easy to build a fellowship with so many differences. It is a rare thing indeed to find people who are willing to work this hard for community. It is hard work to be faithful to God through the community of the church. I love the differences that exist here and the fact that this is not easy. It is not easy but it is amazing. Why? The church is a sign of hope to a broken world. We are here as a sign of hope, not in our strength, but in our weakness. It is easy to get along with people who look like you and think like you. The church, this church, becomes a sign of hope to a troubled world when we who do not agree on all things still try love each other and work together. In the days following the resurrection, amazing events occurred. These events were to God’s glory, and part of God’s plan for the church’s creation. Jesus comes to those who are fishing on the wrong side of the boat. God comes to them and has them do a new thing. Already we can see many of the dynamics of church life. God acts—Jesus comes among those who gather in his name. He breaks bread with them. They know it is him. They know that they belong. Faith is known in the community and in the table fellowship. God acts to change the lives of Saul and Ananias—both men thought that they knew the way to follow God. Saul is taken by surprise, blinded, and has an encounter with Jesus that changes his life. Jesus then directs Ananias to go to Paul. Ananias is not so sure. Isn’t this the man who was doing evil against the saints in Jerusalem? He asks. Yes that is true, but that is the past. Jesus tells Ananias, "Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel...." Saul, later called Paul, was to be God’s instrument even through Ananias could not see it. Jesus comes to Saul, not simply to convert him, but also to send him. Ananias basically argues with Jesus about the plan to call Saul. Perhaps Ananias was the first one to say "but we’ve never done it this way before." Ananias learns that God does things in ways that he does not understand. These resurrection appearances teach us about becoming the church. It is not easy. Things do not always go as we think that they should. God brings people together for a reason, even if they cannot see it at first. All that happens within the fellowship is intended to be a blessing to us and to a broken world desperately in need of hope. To be members of the church is to part of a group unlike any other that you can join. In fact, you did not so much choose this as you have been chosen. As we hear in John’s gospel (15:16), "you did not choose me, but I have chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last." Being chosen will not always be easy but it will be amazing. We have been called together for a purpose. In the coming weeks, months and years, we will continue to grow into that purpose. Even today, we are here as a sign of hope to all. Amen.