Spiritual Backpack - A Sermon for Confirmation Sunday May 26 2024
GOSPEL: John 3:1-17
The holy gospel according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord.
Jesus’ miracles prompt Nicodemus to visit him in secrecy. Jesus tells him about being born of the Spirit and about the Son who has been sent by God to save.
1Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” 3Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” 4Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” 5Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?
11“Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. 12If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
16“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
17“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON (ELW p. 189)
The assembly is seated.
I would like to thank you all for the gift of study leave.
I attended the Festival of Homiletics in Pittsburgh,
a preaching festival,
and I look forward to sharing my insights
over the coming months.
I flew to Pennsylvania,
and noticed an airplane trend:
since there’s an extra charge for checked baggage
people don’t check their bags,
they only bring carry-on size luggage.
It makes for a cramped flight on a full airplane.
It means they have to pack light,
fit all they need for their trip
in a small suitcase or backpack.
Well I paid the surcharge
and I brought my big suitcase.
I left extra room to bring home souvenirs
and I thought I’d buy some clothes while there.
But the clothes I saw in Pittsburgh
weren’t worth buying,
let alone bringing home.
This meant my big suitcase was pretty empty.
In hindsight I didn’t pack right.
Not enough pants,
not enough shorts,
not enough tops.
It can be tricky packing our bags when we go on a trip.
This is why parents help their children pack their suitcase.
Parents help pack for their children
To make sure the child packs more than
just a T-shirt and Twizzlers.
Parents know:
you need socks and underwear,
pants and tops,
PJ’s and toiletries, etc…
But there comes a time in a child’s life
in which they need to pack their own bags;
to decide for themselves
what to bring on the journey.
The parent has to allow the child to make mistakes,
to forget to pack something,
not unlike me on my trip.
This happens with our spiritual backpacks as well.
For those who grow up in the faith,
our parents, grandparents,
our pastors,
our Sunday School teachers
helped pack our Spiritual backpacks for us.
We pack the Lord’s Prayer,
the Creed,
the Commandments,
We pack Jesus Loves Me,
Water. Bread. Wine.
What did your parents and pastors
and Sunday School teachers
put in your spiritual backpack?
On a day like today,
as our siblings in Christ prepare to confirm their faith
by affirmation of baptism,
now they decide for themselves
what to pack for their journey.
It is an incredible gift to serve as your pastor,
particularly with confirmation ministry,
I am honoured to play a role
in helping them learn what to pack,
and perhaps what to leave behind.
With that,
I am eager to hear what’s in their spiritual backpacks.
(Invite Confirmands to share their faith expressions)
Friends, I am overjoyed to hear your faith expressions.
You are a blessing for us all.
Baptism is God’s yes to you,
and as you prepare to confirm your faith,
like your own yes to God,
you’re responsible for packing
your own spiritual backpacks.
We all are.
Are you going to weigh your packs down
with greed and envy?
Are you going to lighten your load
with packing hope and truth?
Is there room in your spiritual backpack
for justice and equity?
What is in your Spiritual backpack?
We all ought to take seriously
what you bring for your journey,
But - you don’t need to worry too much about it.
Here’s why….
First, Jesus says:
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?
Yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight.
But even the hairs of your head are all counted.
Do not be afraid;
you are of more value than many sparrows.
The sparrow cannot pack a bag,
yet God cares for them.
The Lillies of the field cannot clothe themselves,
yet God clothes them in beauty.
God’s got you. God’s got you.
Consider the story in Luke 10
in which Jesus sends the 70 apostles
from town to town
to the places Jesus intended to go.
They were told to pack light.
no shirt, no shoes, no sandals,
just go with God.
And God provided for them
through the kindness of strangers.
God will provide for you on your spiritual journey
whether you pack appropriately
or leave too much behind.
So - pack wisely,
but don’t lose sleep over it.
Second reason not to fear packing for the journey:
faith comes from what is heard,
and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.
You have heard the Word.
You can bring it with you in your backpack.
You know that God’s desire is the salvation of all creation,
you know that God’s love for you and for all
is unconditional,
you know that God’s grace for you and for all
is radical,
You know that God’s forgiveness for you and for all
is reckless.
Indeed Jesus the Christ
did not come into the world to condemn the world,
but in order that the world
might be saved through him.
You carry this Gospel with you.
Third reason not to worry about the journey,
you don’t just carry the Gospel,
you are the Gospel.
I ask it of confirmation students time and time again,
I ask “how many gospels are there?”
You’d think it is 4,
but it’s 5.
There’s Matthew,
Mark,
Luke,
John,
and you.
A Gospel is a story of God’s good news,
and you are that 5th Gospel,
you are a story of God’s good news.
Now, some Confirmation students might ask,
well, shouldn’t there be like 8 billion gospels, then?
Well, in that case,
there are billions upon billions of Gospels.
The worm in the dirt
the bunny on the lawn,
the cougar that hunts it,
and the bushes surrounding it
are all filled with God’s presence,
filled with God’s breath:
The Gospel is all around us,
in the bible,
and perhaps especially in creation.
So, pack your bags wisely,
but don’t worry too much about it,
you can find the Gospel wherever you go.
My blessing for you all
on this Confirmation Sunday:
May your spiritual backpack
be filled with the fruits of the Spirit
that will nourish you and your neighbour
on your journey.
May you find yourself exactly where you need to be
as the wind of the Spirit
sends you and moves you.
May you walk the journey with courage
trusting that God’s got you.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
