Sermon - 7/2/23

<p><strong><u>The 5^th Sunday after Pentecost 07/02/2023</u></strong></p> <p>It is good to be here with you. The last few weeks have been a whirlwind and there is more to come. I could not be here preaching this morning without your help. You have made me feel welcome by extending your hospitality.</p> <p>You have shared the marks of the kingdom – hospitality and the down-home cup of water, cleaning my new house and painting it. I have received great hospitality from Mike who has welcomed me into his home and provided me with food and fellowship. Mike is a good cook too. My challenge this week has been to receive it.</p> <p>In our Gospel lesson today, we are at the end of Matthew’s discourse on discipleship. We hear Jesus saying to his disciples, “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” Think about that for a moment, when we welcome someone we are welcoming Jesus and God. This is not only about welcoming someone, but it is also about receiving someone’s welcome. Giving and receiving Jesus and God.</p> <p>Jesus is teaching his disciples and now us, that we are called to share Jesus and God with our neighbor and to receive Jesus and God from our neighbor. I believe in the end it is the Holy Spirit who draws us together into this beloved community. We cannot fully be Jesus and God, but with the help of the Holy Spirit we can give and receive Jesus and God.</p> <p>I have tried to be gracious this past week and receive your welcome, your hospitality and cup of water. You can tell me how I did on the way out. I would not have come here if I did not feel God in Jesus Christ calling me here. They are the ones who have continued to work things out through you and many others.</p> <p>To be able to sell a house and buy a house in this amount of time is divine intervention. It is a bit daunting to come to a new place and start over again without your spouse. After my closing in East Lansing this past week, it hit me that John is not physically with me. I do believe h