Greetings on the Fifth Sunday of Easter. A Sunday where we are invited to remember that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Our invitation to worship describes Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life who helps us find our way to a deeper relationship with God and eternal life. Our first lesson from the Acts of the Apostles told the story of Stephen was stoned for blaspheme and Saul is present for Stephen’s death. The psalmist sings a song to remind us that God is our refuge and that in God’s time and under God’s care we will live a prosperous life. The reading from the first letter of Peter asks us to trust in God and the relationships with others who believe alongside us. The reading from John’s gospel relates Jesus asking his disciples to not lose heart in their community and that our faith builds our commitment to God’s mission in the world and for us.
Life is not a comparative sport. Our faith should remind us that doing our best is typically good enough. The Holy Spirit does the hard work of translating our actions into effective things for others to emulate. While John’s gospel is often safer to read figuratively as opposed to literally, today’s gospel invites us to not rely on the cerebral life not to be troubled by the things we can’t control. We can or should be troubled, but by allowing our faith community to work alongside us to avoid being overcome. We are invited to work to not lose relationships which are focused on God and working together to find solace and guidance.
How are you empowered to help lessen the load on your community of faith and help those you meet every day? I invite your comments,
Les+
Lessons: Acts 7:55-60; Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16; 1 Peter 2:2-10; John 14:1-14
Sermon link: https://audiomack.com/fatherles-2/song/easter-5-sermon-1
