Christ is the image of God.

We can’t see God (because God is invisible) 

but we can see Jesus…he’s a lot closer…

he was a man who walked, talked, ate, 

slept, suffered, just like us.

Let us pray.

Creating God,

We walk by faith and not by sight trusting in your steadfast love along the journey.  Small steps are faithful steps. Help us to keep putting one foot in front of the other and when your spirit leads, set us free to run with the wind. For it is in you, we live and move and have our being. Amen

Introduction

...

What would happen if we acknowledge that in some ways, from a global perspective, we the global 1%, are symbolically represented by the judge of this parable?

God thinks we are all so precious 

that it’s worth throwing a heavenly party for.

In some ways the mind-boggling theology of the Trinity, 

is as beyond human comprehension 

as the violence and destruction that causes people to flee and seek refuge in foreign countries.

And today, you get to speak for yourselves: 

to affirm your baptismal vows in front of the congregation;

that you want to be active Christians, participating in the life of the church, serving, and helping, and sharing your faith with others in word and deed.

We’re not getting out the soap, 

We’re not going to use a brush and we won’t make a big fuss about cleaning between your toes!

...just like with the leaky, cracked buckets of our hearts,

dipped into the immense ocean of God’s love:

God’s grace embraces from beneath, above, all around.

“At the time of the Sending, we are no longer the same individuals who earlier crossed the threshold of the worship space. 

We are now a community who has encountered the living Christ in this place, and has been empowered for ministry through the sending."

But Martin Luther was clear in his criticism: 

that the Meal is God’s gift to the people and not a sacrifice for the people.