God is a diversity and God is a relationship. God is not merely loving. God IS Love. Our faith says the universe emerged from this God. Precisely how it happened or how long it took is not the point. Everything that is, came from the voice and power and hand of the God we know as Trinity.

We are made in the image of the Triune God. Life works best for us and for all when we embrace our difference and act with mutual love because we come from the Trinity.

(Rev. Grace's annual effort to recruit more Indy race fans.)

Its tempting sometimes to feel powerless. But on this day we remember that God has been here before. God knows how to deal with change and war and turmoil. We are backed by the power that raised Jesus from the dead. That power is given to us in baptism...Tap into the power of God's Spirit.

This prayer is communion - being joined to Jesus and we even invoke the Holy Spirit on the bread and wine - that Spirit who binds us together with one another. And when we leave here each week we take this prayer - this communion - everywhere we go. All of our reflection on scripture, each intentional moment of silence....each act of kindness and mercy we do...we are connected to this act of communion.

Jesus loved his disciples as friends and he ministered to them the night before he died. This talk invites us to ponder what it means to be a community of soul friends with Jesus.

Jesus is both shepherd and gate. We are sheep and we are to listen to the voice of Jesus and follow our good shepherd to green pastures and abundant life but there are still are thieves and bandits who seek to kill and destroy. But Jesus is also our gate. Jesus is how we tell if someone can be trusted to care for the flock. A faithful shepherd is someone who Jesus would let through the gate.

We are called to be the kind of shepherd that Jesus would let through the gate for the good of all the sheep.

The risen Jesus didn't appear to Pilot or the Chief Priests or Herod or stage a comeback tour.

But instead the risen Jesus accompanied confused, frightened, grieving people....One way we can be like Jesus is to accompany people...Jesus showed up. He didn't stay too long. He ate and prayed when appropriate. He didn't draw attention to himself. He focused on others and then he left. And that was enough.

On one large macro level Jesus was giving an important gift to the church - the authority to let go of and hold on to sin.

This gift also applies on a personal level.

So be like Jesus - forgive and retain.

Colossians 3:1-4

John 20:1-18

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24

Episode note: This sermon was interrupted by a power outage! The remainder of the sermon was not recorded due to the loss of electricity.

Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Psalm 116:1, 10-17