7 Easter, Yr A (2026) The Rev. Karen C. Barfield
7 Easter, Yr A (2026) The Rev. Karen C. Barfield
Acts 1:6-14 St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
John 17:1-11
In the name of the one, holy, and loving God:
in whom we live, and move, and have our being. Amen.
“Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6b)
The apostles wanted to know.
They had hoped that Jesus would restore the kingdom,
but their hopes were dashed when he was crucified.
Now, having been raised from the dead and returned to the disciples…
perhaps, this was the time they had been waiting for…
the time when Jesus would finally restore the kingdom and all would be well.
So they ask him, “Lord, is this the time….?”
But Jesus replies, “It is not for you to know….”
It is not for you to know the time that God has appointed.
But, they wanted to know…
they needed to know…
this waiting thing was hard;
and they were tired of trudging the journey when nothing really seemed to change.
Yes, some people were fed and healed and baptized and freed from demons
and even raised from the dead,
and that was surely worth celebrating, but….
But when would things actually change?
Like permanently change?
When would the oppressive systems stop oppressing,
and the poor not have to struggle every day to make ends meet,
and whole swaths of people not have to fear religious persecution,
and war and disease and famine have their final day?
“Lord, is this the time?”
Please let this be the time!
“It is not for you to know the time….”
“But,” Jesus continues,
“you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
“…AND you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.” (Act 1:8)
So, apparently not only was it not the time for the world order to be righted once for all…
but completing the new order of life was not up to Jesus either!
Listen again to what Jesus says:
“It is not for you to know the times….”
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.”
Then, lo and behold, as Jesus said all this and the apostles were watching,
Jesus was lifted up in a cloud and disappeared again!
The disciples must have known that this vanishing of Jesus
was a permanent fixture this go-round,
because they headed back to Jerusalem and their upper room.
So…now what?
It’s déjà vu all over again!
Feels like that first day of the week when Jesus’ body had disappeared from the tomb.
Perhaps the biggest clue to “what’s next?”
comes from the two men in white robes asking them:
“Why do you stand looking up toward heaven?”
Jesus had just sent the apostles out to do the work of the kindom…
to look horizontally at the road and the people and the needs in front of them…
It is for the disciples to bring about the kindom…
the kindom that Jesus has already inaugurated!
Just like the disciples, I think it is often easier to look elsewhere:
to politicians or civic leaders
or non-profits or businesses…
to take care of the needs of others.
I often fall prey to that tendency.
Yet, I think Jesus calls us to be the healers…
Jesus calls us to be the ones to
clothe the naked,
feed the hungry,
visit the prisoner and those who are ill.
Jesus calls us to be companions with the lonely,
to advocate for the needs of the vulnerable in our community.
It seems to me that the community of St. Andrew’s does this well!
Serving others is a priority for us.
Folks here give rides to doctor’s appointments,
provide meals for those who are recovering from surgery,
take Communion to those who cannot get to church,
gather every week to pack bags for children who are hungry,
cook and serve meals at Wider Circle and Pathways.
And in addition to these tangible ways of serving others’ needs,
we all hold each other in prayer.
Jesus knew the importance of lifting up his disciples in prayer before God!
Before Jesus was arrested and mocked and beaten and put to death,
he knew how difficult that would be for the disciples.
So he prayed for them.
He prayed not only that God would see Jesus through these trials
but that God would uphold Jesus’ disciples as one Body…
that they would find their strength knowing that God offers eternal life
and that as a community of believers they would be strengthened
in love and prayer and protection.
It is this community and this faith that bind us together in love.
And it is this faith and love and community
that we are empowered to extend to our neighbors and the world around us,
praying that we may all be one.
As we look around us and see a world filled with disease, violence, hunger, and suffering,
let us encourage each other to continue to step up and step out
to meet the needs that appear in front of us.
“Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom?”
Please!
“It is not for you to know the time….”
“But…
you will receive power…
and you will be my witnesses.”
“People of Galilee…
people of St. Andrew’s…
why do you stand looking up toward heaven?”
We have received power.
We are Jesus’ witnesses.
In what ways do we and will we engage in restoring the kindom of God?
The disciples, in community, devoted themselves to prayer as do we.
I invite you to ask God in what ways you, as an individual,
with certain gifts and dreams and passions and energy
can engage in restoring God’s kindom of mercy and justice and peace…
…and in what ways we, as a community,
can further God’s kindom in this place.
Perhaps they are ways that you, or we, are already engaging.
Perhaps there are new ways.
Issues of racism, poverty, mental health, addiction, education, housing…
there is much work to be done,
in addition to taking time for our own healing and restoration along the journey.
My friends, through the witness of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection,
the restoration of God’s kindom has begun.
We are called to participate in what Jesus has already begun
as we witness to God’s love, mercy, and justice in this broken world.
Amen.
