Isaiah 6.1-8                                                                                                            Carol A. Solovitz

Psalm 29                                                                                                                 Holy Trinity B

Romans 8.12-17                                                                                                    June 11, 2006

John 3.1-17

 

 

 

It Is Not Just About Me

 

 

At my service of ordination, the words of John 15.9-17 were read.  These words were spoken by Jesus to his disciples as they reclined around the table after he had washed their feet and shared with them his Last Supper.  Jesus spoke of their call to discipleship in terms of love – God’s love for him, Jesus’ love for the disciples, and the disciples’ abiding and growing and celebrating and bearing fruit as a result of that great love.  Jesus said, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command you.  I do not call you servants any longer, but I have called you friends.” 

A recent poll showed that the most contented people are those who feel that they make a meaningful contribution to society.  The most discontented are those who see their lives as dull, boring, in a rut – get up, go to work or school, go home, and go to bed.  Others are discontent because they are too busy, even with volunteer activities for the church and community.  It doesn’t matter how much money a person has, where one lives, or who one’s family members are.  If people feel that they are not making meaningful contributions with their lives, they are not happy.

I believe there is a direct connection between the findings of that poll and what Jesus says to us in John 15 as he tells us about love.  You may ask, “What’s love got to do with it?”  Well, honestly… everything!  Love has everything to do with it.  Now I’m not talking of romantic infatuation; I mean honest-to-goodness, devoted, unselfish love.  In 1 Corinthians 13, St. Paul tells of all the good things we can do in life – speak eloquently and in the language of God, do miraculous things, live sacrificially and devote ourselves to serving God and others.  For each, however, he says, “but if I have not love, it is nothing.”  We can do a lot with our lives and our talents, but if we are not motivated by sharing the love of God that has been lavished upon us, it means nothing.  All of our efforts return to us empty.

Jesus says that we are to show our love to him by keeping his commandments.  And what does Jesus com-mand?  That we love one another as he has loved us.  That we abide in the love of the Father.  That we lay down our lives for our friends.  Ouch!  Lay down our lives?  You mean love can hurt?

A wise friend of mine once told me, “The choice is not between pain and no pain, but between the pain of loving and the pain of not loving.” What does that mean? Does that mean love must hurt?  John Mellencamp says it “hurts so good.” The J. Geils Band recorded a song by Peter Wolf and Seth Justman called “Love Stinks”. Most of the lyrics say, Love stinks.”  There is a movie by the same name. So if love hurts, if love stinks, why does Jesus want it for us, his followers?  I think it is because the joy that comes from true love makes it worth the risk.  The choice is not between pain and no pain, but between the pain of loving and the pain of not loving.  We cannot get away from pain, but we can hide from love.  We can deny that we want or need love – Simon and Garfunkel sang,“Don’t talk of love. Well, I’ve heard the word before.  It’s sleeping in my memory. I won’t disturb the slumber of feelings that have died.  If I’d never loved, I never would have cried.  I am a rock, I am an island.” That is what happens when one chooses the pain of not loving over the pain of loving.

Jesus told us to love until it hurts.  He knew what that meant.  He chose that path.  I remember a poster in the youth room at my home church.  Jesus was saying, “Do you want to know how much I love you?  I love you this much!”  And he was pictured with his arms spread wide, nailed to a cross.  If someone you loved – a parent, a child, a friend – were in danger, would you love them enough to risk your own safety?  Would you love God enough to take the risk of getting hurt in order that another might be saved?  If your answer is “yes”, then you just might be one of those people who are content, because you have the kind of love for God and others that will make your life meaningful.

Jesus also told us to love until it feels good.  He called it bearing fruit.  He told his disciples – and his words continue to speak to us - “You did not choose me but I chose you.  And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.  I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.”  What’s love got to do with it?  Real love bears fruit – it is productive and abundant and meaningful. Real love reflects Jesus and his love.

Real love is like the judge in the familiar story by Søren Kierkegaard.  A jury has found the defendant guilty on all charges, and the judge concurs.  As the gavel comes down, the judge sentences the defendant to death.  Then amid the shock and tears and wailing in the courtroom, the judge steps down from the bench, stands before the guilty person, takes off the judicial robes and says, “But I will serve your sentence for you.”  This is what Jesus did for us.  This is the love which he taught us and demonstrated to us.  This is the love that has everything to do with everything.  And this, my friends, is the love in which you were bathed at your baptism and which nourishes you at the Lord’s Supper and every time you gather in Jesus’ name.  This is the love that bears fruit.  This is the love you are called to share by the one who no longer calls you servants but calls you friends.  Go, be Jesus’ friends.  Live and act in Jesus’ love.

Please pray with me:  Thank you for loving us, O Lord.  Thank you for giving meaning to our lives and empowering us to love and serve others.  Bless us with the courage and talents to feed all creation with the fruits of this love in your holy name, Amen.