Love

February 14, 2010

We all know today is Valentine’s Day. But if you look on the church year calendar, you find that today is also the day of Transfiguration, when Jesus revealed His glory as God to three of His disciples. In Mark’s Gospel it is described this way:

Mark 9:7 Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (NIV)

That love the Father expresses toward His Son is the same love that He has for us, His church, the body of Christ. We are totally dependent on that Love of God. It was out of love that He sent Jesus to pay the price for the sins of all men, something we could not live without. On this day the world sets aside to think about love, it is good for us to be together in worship. We witnessed God’s love being poured out again today was we watch Katy being baptized. We have experienced it in the Sacrament of His Body and Blood. And now I want you to consider with me how that love is expressed in the Word. Look at what the Father said about Jesus after He said he loved Him: Listen to Him. Jesus, of course, told us to do many different things, but one word keeps coming up over and over again in what He said.

“You have heard that it was said, `Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matt 5:43-44

[When questioned about the commandments] Jesus replied: “`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  … And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.’  Matt. 22:37,39

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. John 15:12

Before we go any further, I want to be sure that you understand what is meant by LOVE. There were three main terms in the language of the New Testament that meant love. One word was used to speak of sexual love, another for brotherly love, and the third to describes an unselfish love, a giving love, one that is more concerned with the well-being of others. That word, AGAPE, is the one used to speak of the love that God has for us and the kind of love we should show each other. At the beginning of our service today, we spoke responsively the words of the so called “love chapter” of the Bible, I Corinthians 13. I want to go over those words again, offering a little commentary.

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 

Flowery words about love are fine, but they mean nothing on their own. Sweet talk that isn’t backed up by sweet actions isn’t going to get you very far at all. Those who speak of love but don’t actually show it will prove themselves to be insincere. But those who love in word and deed, what they say and what they do, will show their love to be genuine.

2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 

Even if a person has an unlimited amount of understanding and the capacity to trust God for all his/her needs, God tells us such a person is nothing without love. You can be the smartest person in the world, you can have all the right answers, but you will be impossible to live with if you are not loving.

3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Supreme sacrifices are nothing if Christian love does not inspire them. Paul tells us that even martyrdom, surrendering your body to the flames for a noble cause, is worthless if it is not motivated by love for God and love for others. What does this say about you? What does this say about your grudging acts of charity? What does it say about your day to day living?

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 

How often do we all fall short of these ideals? Yet we can see how true they are. When you deal lovingly with your children, you will be patient and kind with them. If love motivates your actions, you will resist blowing your top and losing your cool. You won’t dredge up old sins by saying, “ I still remember the time that you….”

6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Our human nature would have us put the worst construction on everything. When we hear something bad about someone, rather than showing kindness and attempting offer a loving explanation, we tend to pounce on gossip like buzzards on road kill. But that is not the way it should be for one who is controlled by the love of God. Rather, we should faithfully speak up for others. As I said before, we may not always live up to these ideals, but few would disagree that this is the way we should live, what we should all strive to do. This love is for the ordinary circumstances of day to day living. It is not something to be reserved for special occasions.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.  9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

Paul mentions prophecies, tongues, and knowledge, saying each of these is only temporary, that they will pass away. But he wrote Love never fails. It endures, it is lasting. Prophecies, whether miraculous foretelling of future events or everyday preaching and teaching, will cease. Speaking in tongues will no longer exist. The use of Spiritual knowledge will come to an end. But love will go on.

11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 

Christians are to grow in their maturity. We find that in becoming more like Christ. The prophecy and knowledge we have today is not complete. We know in part and prophecy in part. But that will change when Christ returns. Then we shall see face to face. Paul admits that our love will not be perfect this side of heaven. We will be a poor reflections of Jesus and His love, but we should continue our efforts to show love.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Love will endure. So will faith and hope. Yet Paul tells us love is the greatest. Why is that? Some would argue that the most important thing is faith that accepts Jesus. After all, that is the only way to be saved. Why then does Paul here say that love is greatest?

The answer is uncertain. Paul does not explain to us why he writes that love is the greatest. Perhaps he is saying that to have love is to be like God. It may also be that love brings us into the closest communion with God. But perhaps the best answer is the simplest. God is not described as “faith” or “hope” in the Scriptures, but I John 4:16 tells us GOD IS LOVE.

The love of God was shown on the cross. He does not love us because there is anything lovable about us, but simply because He is Love. And we are also told that Love covers a multitude of sins. That is what Jesus did by dying in our place and rising again to assure us of forgiveness.  

God has shown us Himself. He has shown us His love. We need to show that to others.