i'd try to help you walk along

but i'd probably end up pushing you over

As we hear Jesus promising, ‘By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another,’ this evening something in us whispers, "Lean in. Listen closely. These words we hear today are important."

Listen to that whispering, your instincts are right, because these words we hear in Today’s Gospel are Jesus' last…

Today we enter into a Holy journey - here we start.

Today the great three days commence, the tridium.

Here we begin, with Jesus' final words.

Jesus' last words...

For centuries Christians have insisted that to understand the tragedy of the of the cross or the triumph of the empty tomb, we must hear these words first.

Jesus' last...

These are the words we need to hear, to carry with us so that we may persevere through the dark day ahead. These last words will sustain us as we journey from heartbreak to hope; from darkness to light and ultimately from death to life.

The surprising thing, though, is that the words Jesus saves for his last are not about how to distribute his estate, they aren't good investment tips, they aren't even about where he'd like to be buried.

No, Jesus' last words to us are about relationships…

Relationships.

Even more interesting, however, are the relationships Jesus lifts up.

Much of Jesus' ministry up to this point has focused on our relationship to God, or our relationship to Jesus; 

but now at the end, Jesus switches the focus.

Now, for his last words, Jesus wants to talk about a different relationship...

Now, Jesus wants to talk about our relationship with one another. 

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,” Jesus said, “if you have love for one another..."

…Jesus saves his last words not for advice, not for morals, not even for theology. No, Jesus saves his last words to talk about us, about our relationship with one another...

Let's be clear. 

Jesus isn't just giving suggestions - No, Jesus actually lays down a new, a new and final commandment:

We Are To Love One Another - Love Each Other.

This is never what we’d expect…

Self-centered people that we are expect Jesus at the end of his ministry to talk about God or himself. Jesus, though, in these final moments focuses on us, our relationship with each other.

Perhaps Jesus knew how hard it would be for his followers to stay together once he would leave. Perhaps he knew that in our grief we’d be all too likely to become small and try to push each other away. Perhaps he knew that challenges have a way of turning us on one another. Perhaps that is why Jesus decides to discuss our relationship with one another at the end.

Perhaps…

All of these are real possibilities.

Ultimately, though, it seems Jesus gave this command because he had a deep understanding of how hard life-together can be...

Anyone who has sat next to that difficult uncle at a Thanksgiving dinner, knows how true this is. 

Anyone who has watched friends they love leave a church over some disagreement or another, knows how true this is.

Anyone who has loved, any kind of love, knows how true this is.

In other words, you know for yourselves that doing this, being the body of Christ, being Trinity Lutheran is no easy thing. It doesn’t happen automatically, it takes tears and sweet, sorrow and worry…

Jesus knows this, sisters and brothers. Jesus knows this and so he saves his last words to talk, not about God, not about himself; but about you and me, you and that person across the isle from you; our relationships, our life together.

Think about that:

Jesus saves his last, precious words to talk about your relationship with the person you are sitting next to, your relationship with the other people who gather here, your relationship with those you care about, your relationship with that person who hurt your feelings with a flip remark,…

Honesty, it isn’t just the challenges of life together that prompts Jesus to save his last words for such a topic, though.

Jesus saves these words, this last commands for another reason, too…

When Jesus is handed over, it now falls to his followers, to us; to share Jesus with the world. 

In other words, God's mission does not end when Jesus is handed over.

Jesus spent his life preparing his followers for this moment, and so his last, his final and new command is how we should share Jesus with the world; this last word is about God’s relationship with that person we passed on our way here as well, it isn’t just about us, here…

Jesus doesn't save his last words to describe effective advertising, how to utilize social media, or how to recruit charismatic pastors. No, all Jesus says is that we should love one another…

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,” Jesus said, “if you have love for one another."

Here’s the good news; Jesus’ last words, his final command is not only for us; it is for all the world. 

We are to love one another, because frankly we all need to be loved and only love will hold us together as we engage in this monumental task of being Trinity together, of sharing Jesus with the world longing to be loved.

We are to love one another because when the world looks in on us, as they see our love for one another, they will sense a longing in themselves for this love - to receive and give it themselves…

Jesus saves his last words to tell us, finally, what will hold us together and how we are to witness to him. 

It is as wonderful that his last words are about us, as it is remarkable that the way to share our faith is so simple.

All we have to do is love one another.

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,” Jesus said, “if you have love for one another..."

Finally, what Jesus knows, what we struggle to trust, what will bring us here tomorrow to Good Friday service, is that God is able to transform. 

God is able to transform challenges into opportunity, 

what has been into what will be,

darkness into light,

heartbreak into hope,

tragedy into triumph,

finally to transform death into life...

Jesus knows that there will be real challenges to confront his followers, both then and now. Jesus knows how hard it will be for his followers, both then and now, to stay together.

Finally, though, Jesus’ knowledge is couched in trust.

Jesus trusts that his followers, both then and now, have more than trials and hardships staring them down. Jesus trusts God will grant Jesus’ followers opportunities.

Opportunities to be held together in love; opportunities to show the world the kind of love the world needs, the world longs for; opportunities to be transformed by love ourselves…

These last words, Jesus’ final command is important. 

Lean in.

Listen carefully, they are the words we need for our journey from heartbreak to hope, tragedy to triumph, darkness into light and finally death to life.

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,” Jesus said, “if you have love for one another.”

Amen