Love Chooses to Love

Fifth Sunday of Easter

April 28, 2013

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Love Chooses to Love

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

I.

Is it a good idea to force kids to make or buy Valentine's Day cards for everybody in their classroom? The Hallmark Greeting Card Company says it is a wonderful idea. Others may disagree in favor of freedom—you shouldn't be forced to do something unless you feel like it. On the other hand, the parents of the unpopular kids argue that Valentines for everyone is fair.

These students are doing kind things when they feel no kindness. As a father of future students, I wonder if forcing kids to give everyone Valentines (or birthday cupcakes) is undermining or reinforcing our heart-felt opinion that love is a heart-felt feeling.

But there's no doubting that in our lives, love is a feeling. And in a culture that revolves around ME, our feelings always curve back in on ME.

But love is not a feeling. It is a choice. Instead of red hearts, perhaps grey brains would be more constructive as Valentines.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

Our hearts are failures. It only succeeds in doing the opposite of everything St. Paul speaks of. The writer G. K. Chesterton once wryly noted that "Certain new theologians dispute original sin, which is the only part of Christian theology which can really be proved," (Orthodoxy, chapter 2). He recognized original sin as the one Christian doctrine that is scientifically provable.

We can find feelings destroying our lives in our own homes. Many Christian spouses are convinced, based on their feelings, that their mate doesn't have feelings for them any longer. We all desire to feel loved, and this need is only amplified within marriage.

For example, take Pastor Keller's story of Craig and Julie (The Meaning of Marriage, pages 141-143). Craig had always had trouble putting himself into the shoes of others. He had no real friends and was always creating friction with co-workers.

Then he met Julie, and by their second date they were deeply infatuated with each other. She loved how he spoke his mind freely, and he loved that she had a thick skin. When his words turned hurtful, she told him off. And he loved it! Finally, a woman who wasn't a shrinking violet.

And so they got married. But in a few months, the marriage was in trouble. With his girlfriend, Craig had been on his best behavior, but at home with his wife, his natural instincts kicked in. Julie began to see how he dealt with everyone and that he would always have reltionship problems because of his insensitivity.

They eventually sought the help of their pastor. And over time they began to realize that love was a choice, not a feeling. Julie was a strong woman and she chose to love her husband by firmly rebuking his bad behavior and cruel words.

No one had ever accepted Craig like this and choosen to love him in this way. Everyone around him viewed love and friendship as feelings. So as soon as Craig hurt their feelings, they bailed. But his wife stuck because she had changed, too. Like her husband, she realized that love was not a feeling.

Love is a choice. It is an act of the will. And again this is nowhere more clear than in marriage. You choose to get married, but most choose to get married once they feel a certain way about someone. And once the guy pops the question, the girl chooses to say yes or no based on how she feels about him in that moment.

This is the decision process of our lives highlighted in this life-changing choice. We feel, then we do. Instead of this deadly trap, listen to Jesus' command.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34-35)

The people in your lives—at school, at work, at church, and especially, at home—will put patience and kindness to the test. It is hard to feel patience and kindness when your children are slow to learn and slow to behave as they should. It is hard to feel patience and kindness when your spouse is tired and irritable. It is very hard to feel patience and kindness toward your spouse or children when they keep on making the same mistakes over and over again. And guess what? They feel just the same about you!

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

But you ask, “When's it going to be my turn?” Notice that nowhere does Paul mention anything about when it'll be your turn. He's says nothing about fairness or freedom or your right to feel happy. He actually never mentions feelings or emotions at all. Because love is a choice.

II.

St. Paul writes about love many times without mentioning the word itself. For example, Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ … For each one will bear his own load. (Galatians 6:2,5)

Paul's words assume that this love that chooses to bear each other's burdens goes both ways. As a wise pastor once remarked, “God will give others to help me carry my burden; but my chief concern is that I am the one who is … helping others carry their burdens” (Deutschlander, The Theology of the Cross, page 101).

This concern for the burdens of others and the choice to sacrifice for them and even to deny pleasure and happiness to ourselves in the process is always the result of our new life in Jesus.

The lives of Jonathan and David show this. Jonathan should not have carried David's burdens; he should have been trying to help kill David. Jonathan's father Saul had made himself David's deadly enemy, even though God had removed Saul from the throne. Saul was the usurper, the pretender to the throne who was desparate to hang on to power. Jonathan should have felt entitled to the throne as the crown prince of Israel and should have despised David as the rightful king of Israel.

But instead by faith in the coming Savior, Jonathan carried David's burdens and sought to protect his rightful king. All the while Jonathan was risking death from his suspicious father by helping David. Jonathan choose to be kind to David, against his feelings, against his instincts, against his rights, and soon these actions lead to their close bond of friendship.

How true this is for us. True love seeks the best interests of the beloved. Love seeks, that is, love does something. Love is not a feeling; love is a choice. But our acts of love will lead to feelings of love. Parents, you love your children despite their freak outs and tantrums because you have to. And over time, you love them all the more. Love is a choice that leads to deep feelings of love and affection.

Maybe forcing kids to give other kids Valentines isn't a terrible idea after all. I don't know.

But I do know that just hours before His agonizing passion, Jesus was acting in love, acting in our best interest. He was teaching, He was giving, He was praying, all for us. Jesus makes this promise to us.

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. (John 15:9-17)

He's risen! He's risen indeed! Alleluia!

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Shepherd Speaks of His Father

#306

Fourth Sunday of Easter

April 21, 2013

The Shepherd Speaks of His Father

John 10:29-30

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

What a week. Bombs, fires, explosions, poison, floods, manhunts. And even with the flooding, we're mostly just watching on the sidelines. But our souls are still troubled.

After a week like this, our love of this world grows less. We more clearly see the world as it truly is—a dangerous place of evil deeds and angry rhetoric. Perhaps these finals words of the Bible recorded by St. John may resonate with you.

[Jesus said:] Behold, I am coming quickly… I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end… I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star. The Spirit and the bride [the Church] say, “Come.” And let the one who hears [the believer] say, “Come.” … [And Jesus] says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:12, 16-17, 20)

Our Good Shepherd promises to come and take us away from the vally of the shadow of death, but He hasn't yet. He seems to keep us in suspense, leaving our souls danging in the air. But as sheep who listen to Jesus' voice, our suspense is a suspense with hope.

On the other hand, the Jews who had gathered around Jesus also spoke of suspense, but it became quickly clear that they wanted no words of hope from Jesus. Jesus' response to them was no good because they weren't His sheep, so they couldn't make sense of His words.

I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. (John 10:25)

This confrontation took place shortly before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the event that purposely triggered His passion. So all the miracles that Jesus had done over the preceding three years proved that the only logical conclusion about His identity was that this was God in the flesh. Now they liked the miracles, but they were deeply offended by Jesus' teaching. Jesus made it clear that He and the Father are One. Read John's Gospel and see this Truth repeated by Jesus again and again.

And because He preached the truth about Himself plainly, the crowd had two extreme reactions. The good people in the crowd picked up stones to stone Him. But by the power of His Word, some unbelievers in the crowd became believers. They became His sheep and begain to listen to Him and to understand Him.

Just like today, most have a sense of a god and a heaven. Many want to please this god by doing good and moral things. This way of looking at the world is good for society, but does no good for individual souls.

For example, we see this attitude reflected in the steady praise of the good deeds done by the good people of Boston. The rescuers, the police, the doctors and nurses, and the citizens helped their neighbors in their different roles. After this tragic week, many find quick comfort in the good deeds reported on the news.

I'm relieved, as you are, and I rejoice with Bostonians and our nation that the first part of this calamity has ended. But as sheep of the Good Shepherd, we look elsewhere for lasting comfort. We find comfort in how much Jesus loves His Father in heaven.

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one. (John 10:27-30)

See how much Jesus loves His Father. He praises Him by telling the truth: the Father is greater than all. He thanks Him: no one and nothing can snatch a believer out of His Father's hand. No bombing or fire or flood, not the Devil, or even your own sinful self can stop you from believing in Jesus and His ultimate act of shepherding: laying down His life for His sheep.

Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love… Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. (John 15: 9, 13)

Dear friends, we are in good hands. Jesus promised that He has us in His good hand and He also promised that we are also in the Father's good hand.

What a week. We're thankful for the good deeds done to help those in Texas and Boston. But our hope rests in the good hands and deeds of the Father who sent His Son to die and the Son who willingly died for us. As sheep, we listen to the voice of our Shepherd, who is one with His Father. As He breathed His last breath, hear Him speak and be glad.

Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit. (John 23:46)

Amen. There's no better place to be.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Good Lamb

Third Sunday of Easter

April 14, 2013

Revelation 5:11-14

The Good Lamb

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Next Sunday we'll think about how Jesus is our Good Shepherd. But today we'll consider how He is our Good Lamb.

In the final book of the Bible, Revelation, Jesus chose to be identified as a Lamb 30 times. For example,

Revelation 5:6

And I [John] saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.

Revelation 6:1

Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come.”

Revelation 7:9-10

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

Revelation 12:11

And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.

Revelation 17:14

These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.

Jesus, why a lamb? Why not a bear or a bull or a lion? In each and every Narnia book, C. S. Lewis depicted God's Son as a great lion. This lion named Aslan was beautiful and strong. But in Revelation St. John recorded our Jesus appearing as a lamb.

Consider a lamb. It's small. It's helpless. It's cute. They make great pets—Mary had a little lamb. So I guess the question is, can something that is small, helpless, and cute save you?

We do associate the helpless with the innocent. Babies are helpless and therefore it follows that they are innocent. They can't hurt anyone, just like a lamb couldn't hurt anyone. But does helplessness equal innocence?

No, actually they're not the same thing. David the King tells us that helpless babies are sinful from the moment of their existence and Paul the Apostle tells us that all of us, from the womb and crib on, fall far short of God's expectation of perfection for His creatures. No one is innocent, even if they are helpless.

So Jesus became one of the helpless to save the helpless, us. He became the most helpless of all so that He could save us. He became the Lamb to save all His lost lambs, us.

A different John twice identified Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of world (John 1:29, 36). And there's the secret. There's the answer. He wants to be our Lamb because He saves us by being a Lamb, a Lamb who was slain for the sins of the world.

Acts 8:30-33

30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:

“He was led as a sheep to slaughter;

And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,

So He does not open His mouth.

33 “In humiliation His judgment was taken away;

Who will relate His generation?

For His life is removed from the earth.” (Isaiah 53:7-8)

Jesus chose to be a Lamb for us and chose to be killed for us. By identifying with this helpless little animal, our trust in Christ's promises is always pushed back to where it needs to be: the cross, both His cross and ours.

Listen to His words about the temporarily blind Saul:

[Saul] is My chosen instrument to take My name to Gentiles, kings, and the Israelites. I will show [Saul] how much he must suffer for My name!” (Acts 9:15-16)

Saul would be renamed Paul and confessed the Good Lamb who was slain for us into all the world. And in the end Paul was slain himself, not for the sins of the world, but for the name of the Lamb. The apostles with whom Jesus had breakfast on the shores of Galilee—Peter, Thomas, John, James, Nathanael—almost all were slain for the name of the Lamb who was slain for them.

No matter how old you are, you are a helpless and guilty little lamb. On your own you will fall off a cliff or be gobbled up by wolves. But God became a Lamb, the Good Lamb who was slain, to take away our guilt through His innocent blood.

He's risen! He's risen indeed! Alleluia!

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Eyewitnesses of His Majesty

Second Sunday of Easter

April 7, 2013

Eyewitnesses of His Majesty

2 Peter 1:16

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

What did you do yesterday? Did you eat? Sleep? Walk? Sure. Ordinary day. Did Roger Ebert ring your doorbell? As you may have heard, the famous film critic died this week, so of course not.

But if he did show up on your doorstep, what would you say? Maybe you'd say “No soliciting!” and slam the door, but you'd probably say, “You're supposed dead!”

What would he say? “Says who?”

Your answer: “Everybody.”

Him: “Who's everybody?”

You: “You know, the news said you were dead.”

Him: “Well, did you see me die?”

This is utter nonsense, of course, but consider this. Think about how many historic events you never saw with your own eyes, yet you accept based on the testimony of eyewitnesses who passed along what happened by word of mouth and by writing it down.

Paul Revere's ride. Columbus finding America. The Children's Crusade. Leonidas and the 300 holding Thermopylae. The world accept these events based on the eyewitness testimony of those who were there.

No one doubts that Paul Revere did make his famous ride, but old and new attacks on Jesus persist. These attacks claim that the eyewitnesses to Jesus' life after His death wouldn't hold up in a court of law.

We see how St. Peter anticipates this strategy of doubt.

For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. (2 Peter 1:16)

It wasn't reportage of popular scuttlebutt. Their reporting was based on their eyes and ears and fingers. St. John writes:

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life—and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us—what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete. (1 John 1:1-4)

St. Luke begins his account of Christ:

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught. (Luke 1:1-4)

Modern critics of Christ love to paint ancient people as a bunch of rubes, who couldn't use logic and would believe anything. How ironic, since we live in the age of the absurd and of the gullible. We live in a time when people are encouraged not to think, but to feel. There have always been backward-thinking people, but never has there been a time when it has been embraced by so many. For example, self-gratification through sex outside of marriage is promoted as the path to long-term relationships. The old do all they can to feel young and the young long to and are allowed to be old.

John and hundreds of others had seen Jesus die. Veteran Roman soldiers had executed their orders well. Jesus was dead. And then He was not dead.

The apostles had seen Him do many ordinary human things before His crucifixion. They had seen Him walk, eat, and talk. But now after His death, He was walking again and eating again and talking to them again.

Jesus had done countless majestic miracles before He died. After His resurrection, we hear of a few miracles. In today's Gospel we noted how He just appeared in the upper room where the apostles were hiding (John 20). He hid His identity from the Emmaus disciples (Luke 24). He had His friends throw out their nets on the right-side of the boat to catch 153 fish (John 21).

But although John reports that many more signs were done by Jesus, no great miracles are reported in Scripture, like the feeding 5,000 or raising up Lazarus a second time from the dead.

Why? Because Jesus being alive again is the Miracle. This was the Majesty of which Peter spoke—simply that God had died and now was alive again.

No famous celebrities, dead or alive, are going to knock on your door. But Jesus does. He knocks and we receive His coming.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. (Revelation 3:20)

Come and dine with Him in His Word and at His Supper!

He's risen! He's risen indeed! Alleluia!

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Proof that God Dying Destroyed Death for Us

Resurrection Sunday

March 31, 2013

The Proof that God Dying Destroyed Death for Us

Luke 24:7

The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners,

be crucified and on the third day be raised again.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Why did an angel come down and roll away the huge rock that had sealed Jesus' tomb? As Jesus proved easily that same night, walls and doors were not an issue to His coming and going. So why move the rock?

It wasn't so that He could get out; it was so that they could look in! He sent His happy angels to tell His sad and scared friends that He was alive—this was the news that would take away their fear. The angel declared to the women at the tomb:

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” (Matthew 28:5-8)

The empty tomb lay before their eyes—it was the proof that His dying on His cross had destroyed Death itself once and for all. For them. For us.

The empty cross hadn't brought them joy. But now because of His empty tomb, the cross of Christ's crucifixion was the source of all joy and goodness and gladness. Death had been conquered by His death. And the proof of His accomplishment was that He was alive.

This is the center of it all. This is the Main Thing. Jesus died and He rose. Jesus died and He rose. Jesus died and He rose.

He had the stone removed so that this joyful fact became a part of human history and public record.

Do you it possible that the only humans to visit the tomb were those faithful women and a couple of bewildered apostles? I can't prove it with Scripture, but we know what happened in those days that followed. That tomb was the destination for the curious and the faithful and the skeptics.

That dying God on a tree is a part of history.

His empty tomb is too.

What does this mean for you? It means that your resurrection is also a part of history as well. It hasn't happened yet, but it is as good as done. All for the sake of Christ's death that defeated Death.

The proof of His victory on Friday is that unobstructed Sunday grave that revealed that it had failed to keep God inside.

God has washed us clean, declared us forgiven, and feeds us His own body and blood. How could Death have any lasting hold on us after all that He has done for us?

He's risen!

He's risen indeed!

Alleluia!

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.