Wellspring UMC; Trinity/Confirmation Sunday; June 3, 2007: “Discipleship Is Relationship”:

-Romans 5: 1-11; Matthew 18: 16-20

As you have heard, this year’s Confirmation experience was a blessing in many ways, and though I enjoy discussing the faith, sharing theology, explaining doctrine, and wrestling with scripture, my guess is that that’s probably not what the confirmands liked best. What made the impact in this time together, and in any time we share as brothers and sisters on the journey of life, is the relationships we have built.

When we think back on this class, the thing we will remember most is not that we heard a recap of the Old Testament in 12 minutes, but that the girls would steal Patrick’s hat every week. Not the deep truths of the Trinity, but the conversations around the table and in the car on the way to New Zion or to the Barley’s to clean up their yard. It’s not the learning that these kids, or we mentors, will most remember, it is the relationships that have been built, and that’s a good thing, because relationships are key to life.

Today is both our Confirmation Sunday and Trinity Sunday. I always have to chuckle when Trinity Sunday comes around, because it reminds me year after year of Confirmation. Every year I have to try to explain the Trinity in some way that makes sense of this mystery that we’ll never fully comprehend in this lifetime...to try to wrap our minds around the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being One...to explain what is on the front of your bulletin, that the Father is not the Son nor Spirit, Spirit is not Father or Son, Son is neither Father nor Spirit, but each and all three are God! In my last congregation one of our confirmation mentors used to love to watch me field questions after the lesson on the Trinity. The last year I was there, I made HIM teach that one!

The bottom line is that it is a mystery. However key to understanding the Trinity is that it is a relationship, and we can understand relationship. We can understand that God created to be in relationship, and as such sent the Son to teach us what relationship with God looks like. We can understand that Jesus had to ascend to heaven, but God wanted to stay in deep relationship with us, so God sent the Spirit. In Father, Son, and Holy Spirit we have modeled for us what it means to be in true relationship. We are able to see that in order to truly be One, each member of a relationship must give themselves over to the other, so that the sum of its parts is far better than they ever could be alone.

As you have heard, the centerpiece to this confirmation experience was that each youth was paired with an adult mentor. They read the Gospel of Luke and shared what they learned through the scriptures. We all shared a lesson together, then they broke out in pairs to discuss the practical aspects of what they learned and to ask questions. They spent time in and outside of class sharing who they are and where God is at work in their lives. They built a relationship, and all of us learned from each other...the sum of the parts is now far greater than we ever could have been alone.

Friday evening we had a wonderful service of worship to celebrate these youth. As part of that service each mentor stood and shared their confirmation experience, and each shared in their own way the power of relationship and how vital being connected, sharing faith, and journeying together is in shaping us into who God needs us to be.

As I have thought about these last 13 week and Friday particularly, I thought about how this a message not just found during of confirmation, but it is one that we all are called to share. I thought about how busy our lives are, and how easy it is to dismiss those opportunities for us to build relationships. Whether it’s being consistent in worship, attending Sunday School classes, or participating in a mission or ministry, or whether it is getting together a neighborhood picnic or volunteering to help the disenfranchised in the area, it’s so easy for us to simply say, “I’ll skip it,” or “I don’t have time.” And yet, if we don’t make the time or put forth the effort, we will never develop into who God would have us become.

Just because someone’s called to ministry doesn’t make me immune to the same time constraints everyone else has either. Last weekend I officiated in the wedding of Angelo Maker, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, whom Wellspring help relocate to the area 6 years ago, and while traveling to Chester weighing heavy on my mind was that I had this confirmation weekend coming up, one of our members was in hospice care and subsequently died on Monday, and I had not had enough time with my family. But I went, and I was blessed immeasurably.

I was blessed to experience a culture where relationship is central. They didn’t care that the rehearsal started an hour and a half late and that dinner was still going on at midnight when I left before dessert. They cared about who was there and what that wedding was about.

I was blessed to experience a culture where, when the groom and groomsman came in African women stood up, crying out “la la la la...” and sang traditional songs. I was blessed to see African, African Americans, Caucasians, Hispanics, Asian Americans...people of all races and Christian denominations experiencing the Joy of the Spirit in this special union. I was blessed and humble to be reminded again, that relationships are the way of Christ, and the way to true life.

Paul speaks to the Romans and says, “God has poured Himself into you and built a relationship with you, so be in relationship with God.” Jesus commissioned the disciples saying, “Go and make disciples of all nations (for those of you who were here the past few weeks, remember that a disciple is one whose relationship is so strong that he desires to be just like the master), baptizing them, and teaching them...and know that I am with you...I am in relationship to you...always.” The Confirmation class recognized God’s invitation, “Walk together and learn from each other, and in relationship you will discover who I am,” and we, the church, are invited to be a part of something greater than we can ever be alone – a body in relationship with each other, and in relationship with the God of all Creation.

As we come forward to receive Holy Communion, I invite us to reflect upon the relationships in our lives, specifically the relationships with one another. Where is God in the midst of those relationships and how are we growing through them? Reflect as well upon your relationship with God. Where are you in that relationship? How does God you need to grow more in your connection with Christ? As you come forward think about how much you are or are not willing to give of yourself for and to Christ? Then, I ask you to receive God’s gifts of Body and Blood as signs of God’s eternal covenant of relationship with us.

Jesus said to those disciples, he says to these new disciples, he says to each of us, “Go and make disciples.” Or put another way, “Go and be in relationship, for relationship brings life, wholeness, hope and joy. Relationship is my way,” says Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.