When I was a kid, my minister used an egg to explain this idea. He said, “It’s got the shell, the yoke, and that clear gooey stuff; three parts yet one egg.” This made sense until I made an Angel Food cake, which only uses egg whites. The shell and yoke get tossed out. The problem with this illustration is that it’s impossible to separate God from God. 
 
I used to use water to explain the Trinity to kids, because water can be a liquid, solid, or vapor and still be water - different but the same. Then one day it dawned on me, water can be tainted and polluted. But God can’t. So there went that idea.

Pope Francis did a pretty good job using a fidget spinner. He said, “As the spinner spins faster, the three arms seem to become a single disc, yet they maintain their individuality.”  The Pope went on to explain that just as an improperly balanced spinner won’t work very well, neither will our faith if our view of God is improperly balanced.
 
Not to be in competition with his Holiness in trying to explain the trinity, perhaps we should use our time today to look at how the three work together to keep us properly balanced. For that, let’s look this interesting clue Paul wrote in his letter to Titus.

You’re probably wondering where the trinity is mentioned in this passage. It’s not. Because the word isn’t found anywhere in the Bible. But that doesn’t mean the Trinity isn’t there…in a different form. And dare I say, in a different word. That word is grace.

If you ask me, grace is the easiest way to describe this idea that God is three beings in One being. More than just forgiveness or a get out of jail free card, grace is an invitation to be in the presence of God, in a relationship with God’s Son, all while being empowered by God’s Holy Spirit.
 
Grace has many meanings, but according to the dictionary, Christian grace is defined as “the free and unmerited favor of God.” According to Paul, this favor “has appeared.” Like one day it wasn’t there, and the next day it was.
 
In his wonderful short story, The Doubtful Guest, Edward Gorey creates an unusual character who just shows up one wild winter night. He stays with the family and causes all sorts of chaos and disruption. Gorey ended this poetic tale writing, “It came seventeen years ago, and to this day. It has shown no intentions of going away.”
 
Grace disrupts our lives, but in a good way. And like this strange little character, Paul suggests, it just appeared and has no intentions of leaving. But grace did not just happen haphazardly or by random chance.
 
As logic would argue, everything has a starting point. The chicken has the egg. Or the egg has the chicken, depending on how you see it. In the same way, grace comes into being from the One who brings all things into being – God the Creator – the first part of the Trinity.
 
I don’t think I need to explain who this is, but we should all be grateful that God created and initiated grace into life because let’s face it, without it…we’d be doomed. To quote Hannah Montana, “Everybody makes mistakes. Everyone has those days.”  
 
The way I see it, grace is God’s way of saying, “I get you. I love you. And I’m rooting for you to succeed. Just please stop singing Hannah Montana!”
 
Grace originates from God’s heart, which means it’s born out of perfect love for us. Like love, grace knows no boundaries. It’s inclusive, free, and unmerited, given to anyone who wants it – not because we earn it, but because God wants to give it to us. Which is why I like to say, grace is proof that God is for us.  ​

Eugene Peterson’s The Message translation really drives this point home, that “God’s readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation’s available for everyone!” 

This unmerited favor is God’s way of giving us what we need to save us from the stupid things we do when we’re not doing the will of God. I believe this loving gesture appeared to us in the flesh of the Savior – the second part of the Trinity. 
 
In Christianity, that Savior has a name: Jesus the Christ: the Messiah, the Son of Man, the Son of God, the Word of God, our Emmanuel, which means God with us. Although scripture gives him many names, his purpose remains singular: to bring salvation to everyone as the bearer of God’s love and grace.
 
Through this important part of the Trinity, we are given a road map to be reconciled with the Creator. By following the way of Jesus, we know what it will take to find our salvation.

In the many ways God’s love is made visible through Jesus, we can see how God is with us right here, in the space between you and me. Grace is proof that God’s love can be made manifest in us.

​Love is what we were created from. And love is what we were made for. Just as God shared Jesus with us, so too are we to share this gift to others by loving God, loving others, and serving both.
 
Remember, Paul wrote God’s grace appeared, to bring salvation and for “training us in the present age to live lives that are upright, and godly.” 
 
I know that it’s hard enough to get by in this world without having to live a godly life. Living out our faith is and always will be challenging. But allow me to quote Miss Montana one more time, “Nobody’s perfect. We got to work it, again and again until we get it right.”     
 
I think God gives us grace because living out our faith isn’t easy. It takes a lot of practice. For every success we have, there will be plenty of failures that got us there. God’s grace is like a life coach who encourages us to keep going when we just want to throw in the towel.
 
Which brings us to the third and final part of the Trinity - the Sustainer - the very Spirit of God who lifts us up when life knocks us down.

As we learned last week during Pentecost, there’s a part of God in us and around us, that keeps the steady flow of God’s love and grace moving in and through us; enabling us to focus on doing the will of God as we live into our Christlikeness.
 
This eternal Sustainer is our constant reminder that God is in us – always encouraging and always moving us towards the open arms and heart of God.

​And it's this God whose three unique parts - Creator, Savior, and Sustainer - work together as one force to unite the world in grace-filled love.
 
This might seem like an overly simplified or convoluted explanation of the Trinity. I might even be called a heretic for suggesting it. This wouldn’t be the first time. And I doubt it will be the last. Thankfully, God is gracious and forgiving - loving us no matter what.
 
But before I get burned at the sake, I will leave you with an illustration of the Trinity that was passed down by the early church fathers.

They described this complex idea as a simple circular dance where all three unique elements of God hold hands and move together to the rhythm of a single heartbeat. It sounds a lot like Pope Francis' fidget spinner idea, the three dance in sync and in perfect balance – yet they maintain their individuality.
 
This Divine Dance reminds us that no matter how we define the mystery of God it will always be a holy community born out of and held together by the love of God. And this holy communion is always inviting us to join the dance.

In this circle, we find our balance both by being in God’s love and bearing God’s love to each other.
 
The Triune God invites us to be in the center of this sacred dance to dwell in the gracious and steadfast love of the One who created us, the God who is for us.
 
The Triune God calls us to walk in the gracious and steadfast love of the One who saves, the God who is with us. And to share the gracious and steadfast love of the One who Sustains us, the God who is in us. Now and forever, amen.
 
​
 
 
Work Cited:
Adapted from Three in One. May 27, 2018. https://www.jesusnotjesus.org/be-kind/three-in-one.
Gerrard, Matthew and Robbie Nevil. Nobody's Perfect. Walt Disney: May 15, 2007.
Gorey, Edward. The Doubtful Guest. New York: Harcourt Brace & Co., 1957.

Barbara Brown Taylor captures this moment beautifully writing, “Before any of them could defend themselves, that mighty wind had blown through the entire house, striking sparks that burst into flames above their heads, and every one of them was filled to the gills with God’s breath.”
​
Every day since that dramatic moment, this Holy Breath has been sucked into the lungs of ordinary people like you and me empowering us to do extraordinary things.
 
But there’s another Pentecost story, one that’s less flashy and dramatic. There’s no pyrotechnics or large crowds speaking in tongues. In fact, it doesn’t happen in a public space 50 days after Easter like Luke writes. This one happens in private, behind a tightly locked door, on Easter of all days.

To say the Holy Spirit is a mysterious thing, is an understatement. Though much has been written about it, the best way I’ve come to understand its complexities has been through experience. And how the Holy Spirit has worked its way through my storied life. Including how it helped awaken me to this space of Anamesa.
 
The Greek word often associated with the Holy Spirit is “pneuma,” which means wind, breath, or spirit. But John uses the word “paraclete,” which is often translated as advocate, or helper.  The literal translation is more like “one called alongside.” A traveling companion of sorts.
 
Jesus describes the Spirit this way to reassure his friends that they will not be left alone in his absence. He will give them this Paraclete, a spiritual helper who will guide, convict, and reveal truth to them. In one gentle breath, Jesus fulfills this promise, blessing them as he had been blessed before he sends them out to continue what he began.
 
It always amazes me what a single breath can do. A small child can employ it to blow out candles on a cake. Dizzy Gillespie could command one of his to bend multiple notes at will. With a single breath, a groom can say, “I do” and his life will forever change. In one gentle breath, Jesus enters into the body of his disciples, filling them with a power that will transform the world.
 
The poet, Mary Oliver writes,
 
“The spirit likes to dress up like this:
ten fingers, ten toes, shoulders,
and all the rest ...
 
It could float, of course,
but would rather plumb rough matter.
Airy and shapeless thing,
it needs the metaphor of the body…”
 
John’s version of Pentecost reminds us that the Holy Spirit is not merely a force or power, but the very presence of God dwelling within us. Richard Rohr often describes this as the "Divine Indwelling" - the presence of God within each person that guides us towards love, compassion, and justice; the actions and experiences that lead to our spiritual growth.
 
Similarly, Barbara Brown Taylor emphasizes the Holy Spirit's role in empowering believers to live authentic and faithful lives. She encourages individuals to cultivate a receptive and responsive posture towards the Spirit, allowing it to lead us into new encounters and experiences of grace and understanding that can transform us, and draw us closer to the divine.
 
Each one of us will experience the Holy Spirit differently, because it comes to us where we are. For some it will be in a place of pain or suffering. Others out of space of hope or hopelessness. It could happen upon you quickly, like an unexpected sneeze. Or it might be gradual, revealing itself in small steady breaths. We must always be ready to meet and welcome this part of God, who is always with us, in us and among us.
 
Scripture also teaches us that with the Holy Spirit comes a variety of spiritual gifts, like wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, prophecy, and tongues. Each one is given, as Paul points out, to equip believers for ministry and for the building up of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:4-13).
 
The Apostle encourages us to live out the fruits of the Spirit which are “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Gal. 5:22-23). By integrating these practices into our daily life, we unlock that space between heaven and earth while growing closer to God and to one another.
 
And so, Pentecost reminds us of how with the gentle breath of Christ moving through us, we can transform our lives and the life of our communities in powerful and meaningful ways. Isn’t this is the call of the church? And what Jesus has asked of all who choose to follow him?

 
Just as we breathe in Christ, so too must we breathe out his love and compassion in real and tangible ways; offering ourselves, our time, and services to reduce poverty, demand equality, and put an end to racism.
 
We must use his breath to advocate for peace and reconciliation. And to make our churches and communities safe and welcoming places for all people to gather regardless of our political and religious differences.
 
As Paul pointed out, the Holy Spirit equips us with spiritual gifts, talents, and unique abilities to fulfill our calling to truly love God, love others, and serve both in Jesus' name.
 
Pentecost is more than just the birthday of the church. It is a holy reminder of the sacred breath within us all. This is most important for us to remember because most of us don’t think about our breath until it’s taken from us. Four years ago, this world was suffocating from a global pandemic. If anything good came from COVID it was the reminder of how important breathing is.
 
As Taylor reminds us, “Just as breathing is the first thing we do when we enter this planet, it’s the last thing we do when we leave it.” What we do with each breath taken between these life markers is where we will find Christ in our midst.
 
Just as the Holy Spirit connects the past and the future it also meets us in the space between to helps us make plain and visible the presence of God in the church and in the world. 
 
Now, as we prepare to go out into the world, to face the fear and pain and needs of those in and outside this church, let us remember that with one gentle breath Jesus gives us his peace. With another he sends us out to be ambassadors of reconciliation, practitioners of peace, bearers of hope, and agents of change.
 
From this one, gentle breath we are given the same power, the same imagination and inspiration, the same divine Spirit that was given to him to build up God’s kingdom right here, right now.
 
So let us use our breath to live into our Christlikeness, proclaiming the good news of God’s redemptive love for all…throughout all of Anamesa. For just as we breathe in Christ, so too must we breathe him out.

​We are his hands and feet in the world. We’re his voice declaring what we know to be true. That God’s love is here, always ready to welcome us into God’s open heart.
 
May we always be the visible representatives of God’s glory revealing and sharing God’s love and grace with every breath we take until we are all breathing together in unison, and our hearts beat as one.
 
We may not always know where our faithful life will take us or what good or bad experiences we will face. But we can go boldly and faithfully forward into the unknown, knowing we will not go alone. We are never alone. We have a helper, an Advocate, breathing and burning brightly within us - illuminating the way and the world with God's love and truth.
 
With one gentle breath, Christ’s mission was set into motion - in us and in the church.
 
May we always be mindful of this power we possess, knowing and receiving this holy and everlasting gift with gladness and joy, as we proclaim the gospel boldly, love our neighbors unconditionally, and to serve one another sacrificially - one breath at a time.


  
Work Cited:
Bartlett, David L. and Barbara Brown Taylor, eds. Feasting on the Word, Year B. Vol 3 (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2007).
Oliver, Mary. Dream Work. (New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1986).
Taylor, Barbara Brown. Home by Another Way. (New York: Cowley, 1999).

But when that made him question my intelligence. I quoted some 13th century German mystic theology from Meister Eckhart who said, “We are all called to be mothers of God, for God is always waiting to be born.” 

​Then, when that didn’t work, I did what I knew best and began to preach. And this is the sum of what I said, “You and me, male and female alike, are called to carry in our bodies the very life of God.

​It’s our job to give birth to God’s incarnate love in all that we do.” It goes without saying, Sean doesn’t ask me these kinds of anymore questions anymore.
 
But I stand by my words. We should all be moms. In our reading today, Jesus begets a new kind of motherhood and new kind of family; one where kinship isn’t based on DNA, but it is tied to one particular bloodline. Here's what John had to say (John 19:25-27).

​Mother’s Day is one of those holidays’ ministers try to avoid because it can bring up a whole gamut of emotions. Some joyful. Some painful. For every woman being celebrated by their children today, there is another who is barren, longing for a life within her own womb.
 
For every mother honored for her kindness and generosity, there is another whose children are coping with the abuse and pain there mom inflicted upon them.
 
For those who are excited to see mom in person today, there’s someone whose wishes they could pick up the phone to call theirs for a recipe or to hear her reassuring voice one more time.
 
Some moms show up for their child, no matter the need. And others who have given up theirs for one reason or another. Whether you like your mom or not, or had a good relationship or a painful one, you are here today because of her.
 
Of course, the Bible is filled with all kinds of mothers. There’s Eve, the mother of life. Sarah, the mother of the covenant.
 
Jochebed, the mother of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam taught us that sometimes we have to take risks for God and our faith. Or Naomi - who adopted her daughter in law Ruth. By bringing her into Israel’s bloodline Naomi reminds us that God belongs to everyone.
 
There’s also Bathsheba, who was forced into motherhood through rape. After losing that child, she will give birth to Solomon, a great king whose bloodline the Messiah would come from. Her story reminds us that Jesus comes from human messiness and not just for it.
 
And of course, the most famous of all mothers is Mary. The Bible doesn’t tell us much about Mary, but I believe she was only a young girl when God entrusted her to carry and care for the savior of the world. Mary is the one who gives Jesus his first taste of life and love. She teaches him how to serve and care for the world in all the ways she cares for him.
 
Watching her son be murdered, she experiences a pain greater than childbirth; a pain anyone any one of us can experience. Including John, the beloved disciple, who is with Mary. As he witnesses his teacher and friend suffering an agonizing death, John realizes, perhaps for the first time, the true cost of discipleship. And the depth of what it means to lay down one’s life for the other.
 
In his final act of love, Jesus redefines motherhood and discipleship. He tells his mother, “Woman, here is your son,” and to John he says, “Here is your mother.” And from that time on, John took Mary into his home and cared for her.
 
With one divine blessing a new kind of family is born. The church, the new body of Christ, conceived out of God’s incarnate love, comes into being. Together, his followers will share a new bloodline, and a new kind of DNA one that still remains alive and active right here, in this sacred space we call Anamesa.

With the blood of Christ pumping through its veins, and the Spirit of God filling its lungs the church takes on a life of its own and moves out into the world to continue what Jesus began in the many ways we give life to his love to a world that is still suffering and hurting…like Mary was on that horrible day.
 
Like we recently learned, faith isn’t only what we believe, but what we’re willing to do to comfort and care for all of God’s children. It’s in the many ways we love God, love others, and serve both that Christ comes alive in us and through us. Which is why we’re called to be mothers of God, because God is always in need of being born. The way we go about doing this is just as diverse as the kinds of mothers out there.
 
For every person who shows up with a snack, a tissue, a compassionate ear, or a lesson to learn, this day is for you. To everyone who shows up every day wearing the hats of an EMT, a gourmet chef, a chauffeur, maid, or mathematician; to those in the NICU and ICUs of life watching over us and keeping us safe – today is your day, and we honor you with our love.
 
To all the ones who show up to cheer us on and lift us up when we’re down, to those who are willing to be there when perhaps our own family can’t or won’t; to the ones who are always ready to open their homes and hearts us as if we were their own – today is your day, and we honor you with our love.
 
To all the mothers, male and female alike, whose hands cradle us, whose hearts love us, whose eyes watch over us, whose ears listen to us – today is your day. To anyone who stands up for what is right, demanding justice and leading us towards the way of peace, we honor you for showing up and showing us what incarnate love looks like.
 
You are the ones who give birth to God’s sustaining love, power, and presence in the world. You are the ones who carry Christ. With each act of love, you allow him to form and take shape within your womb, and to bring him safely into being. “We are all called to be mothers of God for God is always waiting to be born.”
 
From his cross, Jesus unites us all, and calls us into a new kind family. One where, like Mary, we are mothers and children at the same time. But we are also called to be disciples like John, who will risk it all for the sake of bearing the love of God.
 
From his cross Jesus makes us a part of his bloodline - brothers and sisters, mothers, and fathers, bearing the love of God inside us.
 
So, let’s be moms and lets carry God’s love to full term.
 
Work cited
Adapted from an original sermon, Mother’s Needed, (on May 8, 2016) and For Mothers Like Us (May 9, 2021).
Special Thanks to Rev. Wendy Van Tassell, who originally co-wrote parts of this sermon with me.

As such, God invites us to share this love with our brothers and sisters. In this short but profound epistle, John reminds us that love is the way of God. And to live in God’s world is to live by God’s rules…which is love.

Why does this matter? Well, as the famous refrain from an old gospel song goes, "They'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love."

This song, which was written by Peter Scholtes, hit the Christian campfire circle in 1966 at the height of one of the most chaotic periods of U.S. history. It perfectly encapsulates the Civil Rights Movement of which it got its inspiration. And it seems to have a great grasp on the words and worldview of John's letter.

All three invite  anyone who chooses to follow Christ to set themselves apart from the ways of the world by embracing the way of love. Which is God.
 
Now, as he begins to conclude his letter, John narrows our focus on the relationship between this love and our faith. And what that means to us to live out our faith, as children of God, in a world hungry for meaning and purpose. This is what we find in 1 John 5:1-5.

Once again, John comes out swinging; boldly declaring, "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God."
 
I think it’s safe to say, the Christian church was built upon this foundational truth. It is the bedrock of our faith, upon which our relationship with God exists. By this faithful proclamation we become children of God, brothers and sisters to each other, and with Jesus himself.
 
The author of the book of Hebrews defines faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). But as someone once pointed out to me, this could also apply to gravity. You don’t see it, but you can put your faith and hope in it because so far, it has consistently proven to be reliable and trustworthy.
 
I’m not in total agreement with this scriptural definition because I believe we can hope and rely on God’s assurance because we can see faith in action every day. Or at least we should be able to see it, in anyone who chooses to follow Jesus for “They will know we are Christians by our love.”
 
We all have faith in something. A rock climber has faith in his ropes and carabiners. A patient has faith in her surgeon’s skill set. Hopefully my wife has faith in her spouse. Christian faith is different than that. It’s an action that sets God’s love into motion, expressing God’s love in everyday life.
 
Faith works with and through love to produce tangible evidence of its existence in a person’s life (c.f. Gal 5:6). And that evidence is intimately tied, according to John, to the relationship between God’s love and God’s Son.

Faith is a deep abiding love that is inseparable to believing Jesus is the Messiah, the perfect embodiment of God’s love and salvation for humanity. Love is the ultimate expression of our faith. They are one and the same. The two cannot be separated.

​Just as God’s faith in us is revealed by God’s love for us, so too must we bear witness to our faith in the way we love each other.
 
Love gives faith power and meaning. John saw this with Jesus. He witnessed the transformative power of love in the healings where our Lord declared, “your faith has made you well.” John believed without a doubt that Jesus was and is the begotten Son of God because he saw what sharing God’s love can do for humanity.

 
Yet, he knew it’s not enough to speak about our faith, we must also show it with truth and action. As the Apostle James put it, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:17).
 
Faith is love in action. Love that reveals who Jesus is - the Christ, the begotten Son, God’s love incarnate. So, to say we have faith is unless we do something with it.
 
There’s an old illustration that kind of puts this into perspective. Imagine watching a tightrope walker push a wheelbarrow on the rope over Niagara Falls. After watching him skillfully move back and forth a few times, he asks for a volunteer to sit in the wheelbarrow to be pushed across the falls.

Now, you may believe that he could do that successfully. But you aren’t exercising faith until you get in the wheelbarrow.
 
Faith is love in action that not only puts trust in God but also sets God’s love into motion in the way we relate to God and one another.

It only comes alive when we get in the wheelbarrow and actually do what Jesus asks of us - to love God, love others and serve both.
 
The world will know we are Christians by our love. But like John reminds us, “we will know we are children of God, when we love God and obey what God commands” (1 John 5:3).
 
This was one of the most fundamental points of Jesus’ teachings. As Richard Rohr recently noted, “Jesus was entirely single-hearted. His life was all about doing the will of the One who sent him, the One he loved above all.”

God wants our obedience, a visible sign our faith. As daunting as that sounds, this need not be burdensome to us. According to Jesus, if we love God and each other then all the commandments will fall into place.
 
As we prepare ourselves to go out into the world let us remember that declaring faith in Christ is more than merely believing he’s God’s begotten child.

It means we must also emulate the Son faithfully - embodying his love, grace, and truth; reflecting his light and his character; embracing all people regardless of their race, gender or status. We must give of ourselves so freely and completely, even if it means laying down our lives to do so.
 
John reassures us that when our faith is grounded and centered on God’s Son, then God’s love becomes our source of strength and resilience to overcome the world that world encourages us to pursue our own desires and to seek personal gain and gratification at any cost. But Jesus teaches us to love God and others selflessly, placing their needs above our own no matter the cost.
 
While the world values material wealth, status, and power, Jesus prioritizes spiritual riches, humility, and sacrificial love.
 
The world thrives on division and alienation, promoting individualism and competition. But Jesus draws us together in a holy communion of unity and acceptance, as supporting members of God's family.
 
While the world can only offer us temporary satisfaction and fleeting pleasures, Jesus gives eternal hope and purpose.
 
Although John’s letter was written to comfort a hurting church, it is also a letter of encouragement for us all. By following the way of Jesus faithfully and embracing the way of love freely we will know we abide in him. And God abides in us.
 
We are God’s beloved children. Love is a birthright of faith. And faith is how we will testify to the truth of Jesus Christ throughout Anamesa.
 
As we go out into the world, navigating the space between faith and faithlessness, may the world “know we are Christians by our love, by our love.”
 
For our love is His love. Begotten of God. As John so boldly declared, God is love. And thanks be to Christ Jesus, so are we.
 
​
 
 
Work Cited
Bartlett, David L. And Barbara Brown Taylor, eds. Feasting on the Word Year B, vol. 2. (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2008).
Rohr, Richard. Daily Meditation April 28, 2024 (accessed on May 4, 2024)