May 3, 2026 · Rev. Judy · John 14:1, 2b, 3 and 15-21
With the congregation between pastors, Rev. Judy turns to Jesus' promise of an advocate: 'I will not leave you orphaned.' The Holy Spirit is love itself, as the First Letter of John puts it: a God we carry with us and give away, and a love that casts out fear.
Transcript
I have to say, the lectionary dropped some pretty relevant scripture today. Gathering disciples who are losing their leader and wondering what's next for them. And honestly, that scripture is so packed and kind of abstruse, it would take one of those three hour sermons that used to be preached from this pulpit one hundred and fifty years ago. But fear not, I am going to take only a small bite of it. And that is Jesus comforting words. I will ask the father, and he will give you another advocate to be with you forever. This is the spirit of truth. I will not leave you orphaned. I am coming to you.
Jesus sending an advocate. Other translations have it a comforter, a counselor. I like all of those translations, but. But who is this mysterious entity who is coming to be with us when Jesus no longer walks the earth?
You know, for most Trinitarian Christians, God the father or even mother are pretty solid concepts. God as creator, as cosmic parental figure. Jesus uses the father term father right here in this scripture that we just heard. We regularly pray Our father who art in heaven. So we've got God the Father, God the Son. Oh, looking at you, I realized, you know, Jesus is at the heart of this congregation, God the Son. Your very existence is founded in following Jesus. Your mission is pattering your lives on his. You are well acquainted with God the Son.
But God the Holy Spirit. This thing that's coming after Jesus to be with us, not so much. On Pentecost. We get a dose of the Holy Spirit. But our theology teaches that the three persons of the Trinity are co-equal. Are we paying enough attention to that third aspect of God, the Holy Spirit? I know that in my years of preaching, I've been kind of remiss in that department. I'm trying to rectify that.
And I think one of the best images I have found for God, the Holy Spirit is in the letters also attributed to the Apostle John. First John four. Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God. For God is love. God is love. You notice it doesn't say God is a loving being, but God is love itself. Pure essence of love. An ever present spirit.
The theologian Carter Hayward speaks of this swirl of love as Godding God, the verb a mystical activity that's happening right now and always a constant presence. A process that God that is love is here, right now, present with you, in you, in your homes, flowing between us, across the distances, small and great. God is a love we carry with us. A God we receive from others. God we give away. This scripture takes us far away from a God that is simply a bigger, more powerful, more righteous version of ourselves. It takes us away from a God out there who's sitting on some throne of judgment. It takes us away from a God we can own.
I like this spirit of love, God because it's universal. John suggests that Christians do not have a corner on this God. Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Godly ones are known by the acts of loving kindness. They extend toward others, not by what religion they belong to or how rigorously they practice their faith. Everyone who loves knows God. Think how radical that is.
Here's what I know about that spirit of love. God is love toward us. We are God's beloved. God is for us and has created us for delight. God loves us more than we can know. And that love surrounds us and dwells in us all the time. It is literally God with us.
Here's the second point. God is love through us. We are conduits of divine love. There's a scene in a Judith Krantz novel where two characters are talking about religion. So what are you? Asked Gigi. David replies, well, I'm a Congregationalist. What's. What's a Congregationalist? Oh, David replies, a mild liberal, sort of universal Protestant. We love everybody.
Well, anyone who's ever tried to love everybody knows how not mild that is and not easy. Biblical love is hard. John reminds us of that with his reference to the ultimate symbol of love. Death on a cross. Nails driven through hands and feet.
Friends. Life is hard. Kindness and love seem to be in short supply. Here at Old Sloop. There are challenges ahead. But imagine the power of this teaching from Jesus. He no longer walks the earth in a physical body, but this This comforter, this counselor, this love. Us, inhabits us, and is embodied in this church.
In First John, he goes far so far as to make this radical claim. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. We are not alone. We are held. Love is a God we carry with us. Love is a God we give away.