The Sixth Sunday of EasterA sermon based on John 14:15-21
In the name of Jesus; amen.
Last week I told you all about this crazy detox I am going through and how I have had to give up several food items I really and truly enjoy. In place of the things I’ve given up I’ve had to add some things and one of those things is exercise, specifically walking.
Now I have always enjoyed walking, but I have never really seemed to have the energy to do it and strangely enough eating fruits and vegetables instead of chips and cookies has given me some energy and I have started walking 2 miles almost daily.
Friday the Princess Kitty had to have her tonsils out, but her surgery wasn’t scheduled until 1pm which meant that I had time to go for my walk in the morning. I’ve started walking at Baumer’s pond across from Lantern Park Condominiums and the Princess Kitty knows it because the daycare often walks there in the summer time for field trips.
So Hubby had the crazy idea that he and the Princess Kitty should come along and after making it very clear that my walking was serious business they agreed that they wouldn’t interfere and that they would just hang out until I was done my 2 miles.
We got to the pond and I put on my headphones and cued up my walking music. I waved to them and was off to start my first lap. When I was about ¾ of the way around I ran into them. They both stopped and began to cheer me on. The next time around the Princess Kitty pretended to be holding a microphone and interviewing me. On another lap Hubby did the wave- all by himself.
On my 5th lap (it takes 6 laps to equal 2 miles) they stopped to cheer me on and another walker commented that she really liked my cheering section to which I responded, “”Yeah, I should bring them along every time.”
Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.”
The word that John uses for Advocate is Paraklete.
The Greek word Paraklete has been translated as Comforter, Helper, Counselor, and Advocate but no single translation captures all the aspects of the Christian meaning of the word. Paraklete is composed of two root words that mean "one called to your side." It was used to describe a person who stood up with another who was on trial or under pressure. It was not a lawyer in the sense that we now think of lawyers or advocates; the paraklete didn't speak to the judge, s/he spoke with the person on trial encouraging and helping them through it.
Hubby and the Princess Kitty were my parakletes on Friday. As silly as it was it was really great to have them there as I started to feel the burn in my legs and the desire to stop and just sit down.
It felt good knowing that each time I passed them they were supporting me and cheering me on.
It felt so good in fact that when the other walker who had made the comment about them cheering me on was doing her last lap as we were leaving the 3 of us stopped and cheered for her.
“Whoo-Hoo! Way to Go! You Can Do It! Keep Up the Good Work! Don’t Stop Now!”
This is how the Holy Spirit works. The Paraklete gives us encouragement in our walk of faith. The Spirit resides in us, just as Jesus says, but the Spirit also stands at those pivotal moments in our lives and offers us encouragement, and comfort, and help, and counsel.
Sometimes the Spirit does this by cheering us on, “Whoo-Hoo! Way to Go! You Can Do It! Keep Up the Good Work! Don’t Stop Now!” Sometimes the Spirit does this by pushing us through that last lap. Sometimes the Spirit does it by showing us how much we are loved by God through the love of family and friends or through the kindness of strangers.
And the Paraklete is with us always; the one whom God sends us because Jesus asks that we not be left alone is there to keep us on the path of faith and to bring us back when we stray. And to push us towards others to share with them the same encouragement, and comfort, and help, and counsel we have been given.
May you feel the presence of the Paraklete in your life, cheering you on, Whoo-Hoo! Way to Go! You Can Do It! Keep Up the Good Work! Don’t Stop Now!”
Amen.
Last week I told you all about this crazy detox I am going through and how I have had to give up several food items I really and truly enjoy. In place of the things I’ve given up I’ve had to add some things and one of those things is exercise, specifically walking.
Now I have always enjoyed walking, but I have never really seemed to have the energy to do it and strangely enough eating fruits and vegetables instead of chips and cookies has given me some energy and I have started walking 2 miles almost daily.
Friday the Princess Kitty had to have her tonsils out, but her surgery wasn’t scheduled until 1pm which meant that I had time to go for my walk in the morning. I’ve started walking at Baumer’s pond across from Lantern Park Condominiums and the Princess Kitty knows it because the daycare often walks there in the summer time for field trips.
So Hubby had the crazy idea that he and the Princess Kitty should come along and after making it very clear that my walking was serious business they agreed that they wouldn’t interfere and that they would just hang out until I was done my 2 miles.
We got to the pond and I put on my headphones and cued up my walking music. I waved to them and was off to start my first lap. When I was about ¾ of the way around I ran into them. They both stopped and began to cheer me on. The next time around the Princess Kitty pretended to be holding a microphone and interviewing me. On another lap Hubby did the wave- all by himself.
On my 5th lap (it takes 6 laps to equal 2 miles) they stopped to cheer me on and another walker commented that she really liked my cheering section to which I responded, “”Yeah, I should bring them along every time.”
Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.”
The word that John uses for Advocate is Paraklete.
The Greek word Paraklete has been translated as Comforter, Helper, Counselor, and Advocate but no single translation captures all the aspects of the Christian meaning of the word. Paraklete is composed of two root words that mean "one called to your side." It was used to describe a person who stood up with another who was on trial or under pressure. It was not a lawyer in the sense that we now think of lawyers or advocates; the paraklete didn't speak to the judge, s/he spoke with the person on trial encouraging and helping them through it.
Hubby and the Princess Kitty were my parakletes on Friday. As silly as it was it was really great to have them there as I started to feel the burn in my legs and the desire to stop and just sit down.
It felt good knowing that each time I passed them they were supporting me and cheering me on.
It felt so good in fact that when the other walker who had made the comment about them cheering me on was doing her last lap as we were leaving the 3 of us stopped and cheered for her.
“Whoo-Hoo! Way to Go! You Can Do It! Keep Up the Good Work! Don’t Stop Now!”
This is how the Holy Spirit works. The Paraklete gives us encouragement in our walk of faith. The Spirit resides in us, just as Jesus says, but the Spirit also stands at those pivotal moments in our lives and offers us encouragement, and comfort, and help, and counsel.
Sometimes the Spirit does this by cheering us on, “Whoo-Hoo! Way to Go! You Can Do It! Keep Up the Good Work! Don’t Stop Now!” Sometimes the Spirit does this by pushing us through that last lap. Sometimes the Spirit does it by showing us how much we are loved by God through the love of family and friends or through the kindness of strangers.
And the Paraklete is with us always; the one whom God sends us because Jesus asks that we not be left alone is there to keep us on the path of faith and to bring us back when we stray. And to push us towards others to share with them the same encouragement, and comfort, and help, and counsel we have been given.
May you feel the presence of the Paraklete in your life, cheering you on, Whoo-Hoo! Way to Go! You Can Do It! Keep Up the Good Work! Don’t Stop Now!”
Amen.
1 comment:
thank you for your post.
last night when i was going to bed i was feeling a great sense of fear and dread and i kept thinking of this word "paraklete" which i could see the specific spelling of, but didn't recognize.
i got up and googled it this morning and found your post.
God bless.
j
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