Sermon: July 28, 2024

Readings: Ephesians 3:14-21 / John 6:1-21

In our baptismal covenant, we say that with God’s help, we will seek and serve Christ in all people, loving our neighbors as ourselves. We can easily look at someone we know and love and recognize aspects of Christ’s compassion, kindness, and love. But how ready are we to recognize Christ in the stranger we pass by, the person on welfare or food stamps, or an immigrant and refugee? How about the bum sitting on the park bench, the strung-out drug addict, the person who just cut you off in traffic? The transgender person expressing their authentic self? Or the person who has a different political outlook than you do. What is it about these people that remind you of Jesus Christ?

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he is praying not only for the church in Ephesus but for all people that we may be able to recognize and come to know Christ’s love, allowing Jesus to live in our hearts. Paul kneels before the Father, who accepts all creation as part of his family and offers a prayer for the entire household of God. He prays that as children of God, we are able to discover the love God offers, which goes beyond any measurement or scale of length or height or depth, a love that surpasses knowledge and understanding. A love that working through us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.

May we, with the eyes of our hearts enlightened and with our vision clear of the influences from earthly powers, truly see Jesus Christ, the miracle of the power of God’s love, which is in the world, in our lives, and within each and every human being.