May 25, 2025 "What Do We Do Now?"

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Acts 16:9-15

Psalm 67

Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5

John 14:23-29

Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ,

grace and peace to you

from the one who sends us an Advocate, the Holy Spirit. Amen.

What do we do now?

This is a question that will invariably arise

in the course of a life of faith.

We get to a certain point

and we look around and wonder:

 what do we do now?

This is a common experience after church building projects

when the new building or addition is complete,

the energy and excitement of having a goal to work toward seemingly over:

 what do we do now?

It’s also a question we ask after a loss.

 Our world has changed,

 what do we do now?

 This is the question that our readings for today

address from both sides of the cross.

Jesus knows that his disciples

will be faced with such a situation when he goes to the cross.

 In our gospel for today

 he is attempting to prepare them for that moment,

 and they’re not really getting it,

 this is not the first time he’s taught them this

 but it’s an important lesson so he repeats it,

 he even tells them

“I have told you this before it occurs,

so that when it does occur, you may believe.” 

‘Look,’ Jesus says,

‘I will be returning to my Father,

 this is a good important thing,

I know you’re sad,

but this is not the end of our relationship.

Here’s how it’s going to work,

 because you love me you’ll remember my teachings,

you’ll make them a way of life

and this is how we’ll be together,

 it’s the same way I’ve been with my Father

while I’ve also been with you,

and I know that’s still going to be hard,

 so I’m going to send you someone who will be on your side,

 the Holy Spirit,

who will help you figure out all the things that will come up that I haven’t addressed.

 On the one hand I’m going away,

 but on the other hand I will be closer than ever.’ 

And sure enough after Jesus returns to the Father

the disciples are gifted with the Holy Spirit

 who gives them a new task,

 to spread the good news of Jesus Christ throughout the world,

 and we see how that begins to play out in the book of Acts

and all the ways that the spirit advocates

at each ‘what do we do now?’ situation?

Jesus is risen,

what do we do now?

The disciples ask as they hide behind locked doors-

 and the Holy Spirit blows them outside

 speaking so that all gathered may hear and understand.

A lot of people have come to follow the Way of Jesus

what do we do now?

 Live in community

 the apostles have too much to do,

what do we do now?

Appoint deacons,

we’re attracting negative attention

 what do we do now?

The Holy Spirit fills the disciples

 with the ability to testify before the council and so on.

Now of course there are many times

 where it’s the movement of the Holy Spirit

 that makes the disciples ask,

what do we do now?

 The Spirit moves Peter to preach to the gentiles,

what do we do now?

 the spirit moves Ananias to help transform Saul into Paul

 what do we do now?

And yes there are stories a huge numbers of people converted

 and dramatic flashes of light,

but as we move farther into Acts,

away from Pentecost

things calm down to the point

where the disciples ask,

 what do we do now?

And the spirit shows them,

 guiding them to experiences

 that are perhaps less dramatic and on a smaller scale

 but by no means less important.

We see this when we join the story today

Paul is being led by the spirit in a new direction,

into Europe for the first time,

but it’s taken a bit of work on the part of the spirit,

 Paul has had other ideas,

we hear this if we back up a bit to verse 6

“They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. When they had come opposite Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; so passing Mysia, they went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision…”

There were other places Paul wanted to go,

and the spirit said ‘no’  

the spirit does that sometimes

 and Paul listens and ends up in Philippi.

What do we do now?

 Even though the location may have been different

than what he originally thought

 Paul does know what to do

when he enters a new city,

 he pauses for prayer and worship on the sabbath

 seeking out those in the community

 who also gather to pray to the God of Israel.

 Since Philippi is a Roman colony

they have to leave the safety of the city gates

to find fellow worshipers

and by the river Paul and his traveling companions

find a group of women who had gathered to pray,

they speak to them

and of those gathered

 we are told the Lord opens the heart of one of them,

 Lydia,

 and as a result she and her household are baptized

and she offers the wandering missionaries hospitality.

Lydia’s life is transformed,

 Paul and those traveling with him

 witness the movement of the Spirit once more,

 they too are affected by Lydia’s hospitality,

 good things happened here.

But I wonder if in the back of their minds

 the thought ever flashed

“That’s a long way to go for one household.”

After all the questioning and listening to the Spirit

 it might be tempting to be disappointed,

 just one household?

I know we wonder this sometimes

Following the movement of the spirit

Then looking around and asking:

Is that it? Is that all?

 But that’s the world’s way of measuring success creeping in

 because remember with God

 it’s not about numbers

it’s about relationships,

“I do not give to you as the world gives.”

Jesus reminded his disciples,

 it’s not about numbers that correlate to power or success

(the bigger the number the more powerful and successful)

No, it’s about relationships

and relationships are built one at a time,

 and it is in those relationships,

in the living out of Jesus’ command to love one another

that not only is love shared

but our own relationship with Jesus, his Father, and the Spirit grows.

 Jesus tries to teach his disciples this,

 he tries to teach us this,

 and he repeats the lesson as often as necessary

sending the Holy Spirit to teach and remind

 and give us peace. Amen