Come Jesus Come!

Sixth Sunday of Easter | Year A | Gospel Reading - John 14:15-21 | TJ Torgerson

As I sit at my desk contemplating this week's gospel reading, I hear a familiar song play from my YouTube music playlist. You may know it, It is a wonderful song, "Come Jesus Come," sung by Stephen McWhirter. Here is the chorus:

Come Jesus come we've been waiting so long

For the day You return to heal every hurt and right every wrong

We need you right now come and turn this around

Deep down I know this world isn't home

Come Jesus come

Come Jesus come

We have all been there, right? Where the shout of our heart is for Christ to return, to set all things right. A place where it seems like evil is seeping in, and the only hope we can possibly see is for the light of Christ to repel it back into the abyss from which it seeps.

How often have you found comfort in reminding yourself that this world is not your home when you see tragedies in the news, hear about someone doing something stupid or atrocious, get that phone call, or hear that news about that family member or friend? Knowing that one day we will be home, and we will no longer be faced with such things?

The good news in this week's gospel reading is that Christ has not left us orphaned (John 14:18). There is no need to look at the evil in the world and feel hopeless and abandoned. Christ is indeed with us through the Spirit. He promised that God would give the Paraclete (the advocate, the helper, the counselor, the comforter, the revealer), and God delivered on that promise, and the Holy Spirit was poured out upon us, and the church was birthed.

The good news of this passage leads to great opportunity. As we proceed in life, filled with the Spirit, filled with love for Christ, and filled with hope, we strive to live in the way of Christ. While sometimes we may need to look forward to the glorious hope of His return, Christ did not intend for His followers to simply look at the difficulty in the world with melancholy attitudes and cry for Him to come and fix it. It is not enough to simply wait for His return; we are called to be active, Spirit-filled participants in His present work. We are meant to be reflections and flashes of His return now. He calls us to love one another, to care for the poor and the marginalized, and to proclaim the good news in word and deed.

The Holy Spirit has empowered us to do these things. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead is at work within us, giving us the strength and courage to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world. We are called to be His ambassadors, bringing hope and healing to a broken and hurting world. So let us not grow weary in doing good (Galatians 6:9). Let us press forward, trusting in the promise of His return while, at the same time, by the power of the Spirit, showing the world what that return might look like.

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:5-7).

Come Jesus Come - Go Church Go