But at the age of 17 Joanna, the daughter developed a rare, but curable disease. She became sicker and sicker. She could hardly eat, she could hardly sleep, she was aggravated by company who visited. . .in fact at times she made the life of others around her miserable.

As her father had taken her to the best doctors in the medical field she was prescribed a strict regiment of prescription drugs and she was under constant observation of her physical condition.

Unfortunately her condition worsened week by week. The doctors spoke of an unexplainable phenomenon, because in every other case of the same disease the doctors knew of, the condition of the patients had turned around and the patients had responded positively to the drug treatment.

The Father of Joanna became frustrated with the medical establishment, he became frustrated with the degeneration of his daughter, he became sad and felt that the worse would set in: Possible death if she would not respond to the medication.

They had never talked about death. Oh, Joanna knew what death was, but she never spoke about her death: What it would mean to her father; what it would mean to her brother; what it would mean to others who loved her so much and only hoped she would get better.

The disease by now had almost taken her over. Her body was weak, her speech was slurry, she was hardly able to move and she became helpless in her daily routines. This child did not resemble the once joyful child who once was born on that beautiful day.

As her father had taken her to the clinic as he did every Wednesday, an event triggered that changed the picture of the whole situation and would change the life of many.

The doors of the all too familiar clinic opened and with a determined step two doctors stepped out of the observation room. Both had been familiar with her condition since the identification of the strange disease. As the father sat there he knew that something was wrong. One of the doctors seemed distressed. . .no he seemed more angry. The doctors walked faster as they approached the father.

Their greeting was short and reserved.

"Well, we found out what the problem is. . ."

"Oh," was the father’s reply. . ."Did we not know all along?"

"No, we did not!", said the small Indian doctor with a distinct foreign accent.

"And. . .?"

"Unfortunately we have to tell you that your daughter during most of her time of her condition has not taken her prescribed medicine."

"Why?" Anger released into the father’s voice

"She would not say. She said that she thought healing would come on its own. And at first she was not too worried about it, but as the condition worsened she felt that it was too late anyway."

"Too late even to tell me?" said the father with his voice raised to a level where almost the whole floor could clearly hear him

"I guess," replied the disappointed doctor.

"How is she feeling now?"

"Not too good. . .she is now trying to find excuses for her behavior. She says that the medication would have not helped her anyway. She is in denial! . . .she mentioned that she thought she felt a slight allergy when she took the pills. .

"There is only one option.. . ." continued the doctors. "Unfortunately her kidneys have been destroyed and even with dialysis we are not able to foresee a viable future for her."

"She has to die?" asked the father as his head was starring at the cold hospital floor.

"No, if we can identify a kidney donor with the same characteristics, we maybe able to pull it off that she again has a life on her own." A sense of uncertainly was in the voice of the doctor.

"And where would we find a donor?" asked the father as he slowly got up out of his chair"

"Well, that is not easy, since there are many patients on the waiting list."

"We’ll do our best and be in touch"

The father received Joanne as she came out of the medical observation room. But he could detect that she had not changed much in her attitude. It appeared as if she did not care.

"Why did you not take the medicine? Do you not care about your life? Do you not care about us who have taken care of you for all this time. . .Why. . .Why?"

In fact the father found that she became at times hateful: "You don’t understand anyway. . .are you now blaming me that I am so sick?"

She even brought a guilt trip on her brother who had felt rather sorry for her during the time of her demise: "You have no interest in my condition anyway. . .what do you care?"

Her brother Joe was stunned by such comments.

Almost four weeks went by and not a single call from the hospital. . .an update about a possible kidney donor. Nothing.

And then in the fifth week as Joanna condition worsened as did her mood. .they received a call. The Dr. immediately told them that they did not have a donor . . .yet. . .But there was another possibility.

Like what?

Well, if your other son would be willing to donate a kidney, chances are that his kidney maybe compatible with hers.

I don’t know. . .

Well, just ask him and take your time with your decision. . .as much time as Joanne has however you need to come to a conclusion. The fact is that without her kidney no mediation will ever help her to overcome her disease. . .

Any risks?

There was a Pause. Yes there is. There is a chance that Joe could not survive the operation while the remove the kidney.

The father discussed the possibility with his two sons. Joanna was quite and almost absent. It was hard to tell if she cared or not.

Joe was quite and did not say much. Joe kept looking at Joanne and a thousand things went through his mind. And then he followed the pleading of that one chance: That he can bring new life to his sister. A sister who was so far away and distant from him and had separated herself from life as such.

I’ll do it he said.

Preparations were made and the day of the transplant arrived.

It was a day of new hope, a day of new hope for a new life, a day that could change the life fo Joanne forever. Once she would receive her kidney she would be able to receive her medication and life could begin again.

Hours went by. Hours of waiting and quietness and sorrow and exceptions and hope and . . .

The door opened and a medical team arrived in the waiting room where the father was sitting. Joanne is fine. The transplant went excellent.

And Joe?

We had complications!

Tears bursted out of the father’s eyes.

And?

He died immediately after we removed his kidney. We are sorry.

Weeks of healing were ahead. Not much was said about Joe in these weeks. But Joanne gained strength and after a few months she was able to take her medication and as indicated by her doctors she became well.

She became herself. She again began daily routines fo work, she found new friends and life began in its normality.

It was late night. The father was on his way home and decided to stop at the local diner he had frequented quite often in the past.

Joanne’s father was hungry and tired.

He entered the place and found himself sitting down at the booth. Just as he sat down, he noticed that Joanne was sitting in front of him, with her back to him. She was sitting there with friends. Friends the father did not recognize. They had a good time. There was laughing and joy entered the father’s heart as he heard that life was good.

He remembered Joe. The son who had given his life for his daughter. He did not have to.

And then he heard the question of one of Joanne friends. SO tell us you had been really sick and you almost died?

Yes

And we heard that you brother gave him you kidney and he died in the process.

Joanne began to laugh out loud. . .who told you that?

I don’t remember, but that is what I heard.

Well, you heard wrong. Yeah, I was sick but I am feeling good now. How would have my brother given me life?

Is this not in essence the story of humanity? How many Joanna’ are out there? Did Jesus Christ die for those who laugh about His death or did he die to give new life?

Are we not sitting every day at some diner and hear the story of denial from those who rebuke Christ’s crucifixion?

Christ died for Joanne, he died for us. He died for us so that we have a new life and that we can profess who gave us new life.

Sermon  by Pastor Manfred Schreyer