T.M.I.

Romans 5:1-5

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

John 16:12-15

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

As you know, I've spent the last week as chaplain to the Youth Delegates at General Assembly.

An exhausting, exhilarating, frustrating and inspiring week - sometimes all at the same time!

The Assembly Hall is now equipped with amazing technology.

Including webcams.

Many colleagues were watching at home, following the various debates.

And there was also a twitter feed. #GA13.

So folks can comment on what is happening and can be kept right up to date with proceedings.

Many took advantage of that technology, particularly last Monday, when we debated ministry and same sex relationships.

Of course that was widely reported (or misreported) in the media.

It was interesting to see the young folks' take on all the different debates.

Although days were long and there was lots to take in, the youth delegates were really passionate and enthusiastic about the church.

They were excited about the work the church does in its world mission programmes, in its social care, in its chaplaincy to the armed forces, in its mission and discipleship.

They participated in the formal worship in the Assembly hall and in the informal worship we shared morning and evening back at our accommodation.

These were ordinary young people from many different walks of life, some in employment, who had taken holidays to be there, some students who were juggling their time at assembly with essays and exams.

And although their behaviour and participation was exemplary, they also had a very healthy sense of humour, their seriousness matched by their healthy irreverence.

During some of the more tedious debates about procedure, they posted comments on twitter and on Facebook which were hilarious.

In that way, they remained engaged and relieved the tension and tedium.

Most young people are simply comfortable with that kind of technology.

Technology that produces a whole different language.

The language of text speak.

A hundred years ago, when Idris used to send me cards, he would sign them LOL - lots of love.

He does that now when he sends me a text.

But LOL doesn't mean lots of love any more - it means Laugh Out Loud.

So I asked the young folk last week to tell me about some more of the abbreviations they use when texting.

BTW - by the way.

ATM - at the moment

TBH - to be honest

TMI - too much information.

It's this last one, Too Much Information, that Jesus was trying to avoid when he began to say farewell to the disciples.

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

Jesus didn't want to overload the disciples with information.

They had more than enough to digest.

He knew they simply could not process any more.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth.

Jesus knew that they would have the rest of their lives to work things out, to measure and weigh things in the light of all that he had taught them and shown them.

But, more that that, Jesus knew that they wouldn't have to wrestle with it all on their own.

Too much information is not good for any of us.

We do not and can not know everything.

But Jesus reassured his disciples that they would not be left to their own devices.

The Spirit is our guide.

Sadly, we often drown out the soft whisper of the Spirit.

We fail to hear her prompting and make the wrong choices.

Jesus intentionally did not overload us with too much information.

His intention was that we should listen carefully for the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

And so, as our world changes, and as we are faced with more and more perplexing choices, the example of Jesus and the guidance of the Holy Spirit leads us to make loving choices.

Choices that reflect the loving nature of God.

Each morning, in opening Devotions at the Assembly, the Moderator preached on hope.

She spoke of how Gods people in every time of adversity are characterised by their ability to demonstrate hope.

Hope against the odds.

Hope that, at times, seems irrational.

Hope that perseveres.

As we read in Romans 5:

We boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Suffering, endurance, character and hope.

Hope that does not disappoint.

Being involved in the General Assembly this week, despite all the predictions that the church was about to split, I saw lots of cause for hope.

It is always good to be reminded of all that the church is involved in.

Of all the ways Gods people serve.

But, as well as all that, spending time with young people this week who have hope for the church and who want to be a part of the Church of Scotland despite all its flaws has given me great encouragement.

Those young people who choose to persevere, who choose to go on serving and go on hoping, bring new life.

A wonderful quote the Moderator used last week came from Rubem Alves:

" Hope is hearing the melody of the future, faith is to dance to it now."

Pray today that we may be attuned to hear that melody of the future and inspired to dance to it now.

Practising faith, hope and love, against all the odds.

It’s a funny old journey,

the journey of faith.

Does faith change or do we?

Those things that seemed so important 

when we started out

have given way to other issues.

The deal breakers

become the room makers,

the passions we held

become mellowed

by the passage of time

as we learn and grow,

as our hearts swell with love.

And, as we begin to understand better

the God who lives beside us,

the God who will not be fettered

by any limits

that we place

on compassion.

The God who calls us

to ignore the limits too.

The God who promises that,

one day it will all become clear.

But, until then,

we should carry on loving

along the way.

It’s a funny old journey.

" Hope is hearing the melody of the future, faith is to dance to it now."

May we have that hope, faith and love that we need for our life and for the life of the world.

For the glory of God.

Amen