First Presbyterian Church Marietta, OH

Jesus promised the Father would send the Spirit to teach us. A basic lesson is God's love and grace. From these basics we learn how to be generous, how to accept those who are different than us, and how to forgive. The church needs to learn these lessons in every age.

Jesus tells us to love one another as he loved us. We need the Holy Spirit to do this. One way to learn this is by focusing on generosity. We can be generous with our time, our money, and our acceptance of each other. We also need to accept ourselves like God accepts us.

Jesus is the shepherd who leads us. We learn to recognize his voice in the flock as we worship - as we praise, confess, listen to the word, and give. We learn the clear commands like love others, forgive, and care for others.

Jesus offered Peter a release from his guilt from his denials of Jesus and a new future of ministry. Jesus offers us freedom from the hurts of the past and a new future doing ministry in the beloved community.

Jesus came the disciples through the doors locked in fear. He brought them peace, gave them the Holy Spirit, and encouraged them to begin the healing work of forgiveness. Jesus comes through all our locked doors to bring the same good news of the resurrection to us - we can be released from the power of sin and learn to forgive.

The women reported the news that Jesus had been raised. We may be tempted to dismiss at as idle tale. Or we can run to the empty tomb and, like Peter, be amazed.

God is glorified in Christ's passion. Our own suffering can glorify God when the community of faith cares for one another, showing God's love.

Jesus shows us that giving and receiving are both part of a faithful life. We give our gifts so God can use them in the salvation story like the owner of the colt. Jesus also was willing to receive the care and gifts of others showing us how we need one another. One important gift we can give in the body of Christ is friendship to one another.

We move through seasons of joy and lament. God blesses us with joy providentially and through the work of others. Mary brought joy to Jesus by her gifts. We can do the same for others. And we are blessed by joy when we serve.

God "carries, covers, and does not count" (Goldingay's words) our sins. God can even lift the shame we and others heap upon us. The Prodigal Son story is really the story about the Forgiving Father who accepts and loves both the prodigal younger brother and the judgmental older brother.