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The Rev. Jay Lawlor Sermon for Fifth Sunday After Pentecost, Year A, Jul 9, 2017

The Rev. Jay Lawlor begins four-week visit as supply priest to Saint David's Episcopal Church, Bean Blossom, IN

It is not foolish to love God and love your neighbor as yourself. It is the only hope we have. It is why Jesus started a movement of God’s unconditional love.”
— The Rev. Jay Lawlor

INDIANAPOLIS, IN, US, February 22, 2018 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Rev. Jay Lawlor began serving as supply priest at St. David's Episcopal Church in Bean Blossom, Indiana on July 9, 2017. His first Sunday at St. David's the Rev. Lawlor preached a sermon titled “Keeping Company with Jesus" for the 5th Sunday After Pentecost.

Today’s lesson from the Gospel According to Matthew seems a classic no-win situation. Listen again to Jesus’ words:
“To what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.” (Matthew 11:16-18)

Jesus is comparing many whom he encounters as whining children who complain to their parents. As parents know, we love our children. But we have all been there. Moments when there is no pleasing an otherwise adorable and lovely person who is tired, bored, and out-of-sorts. We likely have also experienced this with adults. Folks who are not satisfied or happy no matter what we say or do.

Such is the case for Jesus with many he encounters as he travels spreading his message of God’s love. There is simply no pleasing them. Not from John the Baptist. Not from Jesus.

So what does Jesus do? He decides not to worry about pleasing people. He decides not to worry about what they think or say about him. He decides, ultimately, not to worry about what they might do to him. It is freeing for Jesus. He is free to loving God with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love his neighbor as himself. Jesus is free to share that message of God’s love with anyone who will listen and take to following him in living deeply into that message.

Jesus then offers a prayer of thanks to God the Father, the Lord of heaven and earth, that regular, ordinary, people understand this message. It is, after all, ordinary people who do extraordinary things when living boldly into the love of God. Jesus knows if you want something done, find a group of people who are willing to embrace the love of God and work to make that love known to the world. Don’t worry about the others who think they know better. Don’t worry about those who say it is foolish to put love first.

It is not foolish to love God and love your neighbor as yourself. It is the only hope we have. It is why Jesus started a movement of God’s unconditional love.

To read the Rev. Jay Lawlor's complete sermon visit https://www.therevjaylawlor.com/rev-jay-lawlor-sermon-5-sunday-pentecost-year-jul-9-2017/

The Rev. Jay Lawlor
The Rev. Jay Lawlor
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