It is said that God works in mysterious ways. I’ve certainly noticed this in just how sneaky the Holy Spirit really can be, and I don’t mean that in a negative sense. I talking instead about the surprises that God will spring upon you. For instance, have you ever had a moment when something happens and you suddenly realize as you look back upon the other events of your life over the past weeks, months, or even years that all that has happened has brought you to this singular moment and purpose in time? I’m hoping in some ways that our soon-to-be-graduating seniors are having moments like that right now.

As for me, as a pastor, it can also happen in preaching. When you suddenly realize that the sermon you are about to write builds upon themes and events that have happened over the past weeks now. As we come to the conclusion of our Easter celebration, I’ve discovered that is exactly what is happening today. Today we bring all the themes and ideas of these past weeks to their completion.

Those themes and ideas find their completion in Jesus’ prayer to his Father that we be one as he and his Father are one. It is probably the most important and, thankfully, the most easily understood part of the rather complex “High Priestly Prayer” in John’s Gospel.

It is the “night in which he was betrayed.” The Passover supper is finished and Jesus and his disciples are making their way to the Garden of Gethsemene. Jesus knows what’s coming; he’s been making predictions of this night for months now. He knows Judas’ mind, he knows that this wayward disciple will return with soldiers to arrest him. He knows what will happen after he is arrested. Jesus knows all these things and as such he knows that this is his last shot to really drive home his teachings with his disciples. So what is it that he teaches them? Love one another (last Sunday’s text), be friends to one another, and now related thereto, be one with one another, be in unity with each other.

Why are these lessons so important to Jesus that he dedicates his final hours of freedom and life to teaching them? For those answers, we go back to all the weeks prior to today. Why is friendship important? Because it builds up the church and the people of God. We all have questions. We all struggle at times with doubt, with things we do not understand nor believe fully. We are at times like Thomas or the Ethiopian treasurer, bewildered and baffled by Scripture or the events of our lives. How then do we navigate through these times?

With the aid of friends, brothers and sisters in Christ who nurture and support us and help us to find the answers we seek. Unity is the natural extension of this upbuilding, as we work together in nurture and care for one another, our bonds grow stronger. This is what Jesus is talking about when he speaks of unity, this sharing together, growing together; that is what he talks about when he asks that we be one.

It is not, as many so often mistakenly presume, conformity and agreement. This is probably my one critique of the ecumenical movement, where different churches come together to hash out agreements on doctrine and dogma. It’s all intellectual and we Lutherans are more guilty of that than most, myself included. Now, being intellectual and scholarly is not a bad thing. I think it good that we make use of all the gifts God gives to us, including our brains, but there comes a time when we need to set aside all this scholarly nuance and be like the Nike commercials, “Just do it.” Stop worrying about whether we agree or not and just do it. Do ministry together in the community. Listen to one another’s preaching. Come together at a common table at the sacrament of communion. Just do it.

Jesus’ model of friendship is a good one. I’ll use an example from my own life. I’ve spoken of my friend James frequently in these sermons. Most of you know I tend to lean to the left in my politics. James is the opposite; he leans very much to the right. Do we agree? Almost never. Yet are we friends? Absolutely. We have cried together, laughed together, fought side-by-side through some tough times in our lives. We have nurtured each other and grown from each other. I would not trade his friendship for anything. I love him like a brother.

This past week, we celebrated our Lord’s Ascension with joint worship service with the United Methodist church. Do our churches agree about everything? No. But they are our friends and we can grow from each other and we are growing from each other.

The sacrament of Communion is an important piece of this unity. There are many names for it, but I am fond most of the one we use the most: communion. The reason for that is because it is no so different a word from “community.” St. Paul writes when he speaks of communion in 1 Cor that it is important for us to discern the body. He’s not just talking about Christ’s presence within the bread and wine, he’s not just talking about this (hand up and down). That’s important certainly, our relationship to God in Christ. But he’s also talking about this (hand side to side), all those who come to the table with us.

Do we all come with the same understanding? No. Do we all agree? No. Some come in solemnity. Others in joy. But we all come nonetheless. We come at Christ’s invitation and we come and stand side by side as the body of Christ, the Church. We come to receive Christ’s offering of himself. We come to offer ourselves to Christ in response to what he’s done for us. And, perhaps inadvertently, we come to offer ourselves to one another. Thus, this is the whole of the sacrament. (sign of the cross).

That is not coincidental. That is unity. That is what Christ speaks of when he prays to his Father, may we be one as they are one. We’re not there yet. We still cling often times in the church over our need to be right over our need to be friends. But with Christ’s help and with the Holy Spirit constantly springing his surprises upon us, we are getting closer. Soon, that day will come when we truly will be one. Amen.