Love maybe all you need - its just how you understand it!

 St Mary's Ellenhall United Service 10th May 2015

John 15.9-17

The Gospel reading last week invited us to consider Jesus as the true vine, and we, as followers, as branches abiding in the vine and bearing fruit to the glory of God.

Today we keep with the same passage from John 15 and are considering one of the hallmark fruits of the community that would gather around Jesus…

‘Now I tell you to love each other as I have loved you.’

In the Greek language there are four basic words used for love.

Phileo – which is often referred to as brotherly love, a love between equals.  (Philadelphia USA)

Eros – intimate and something often equated with sexual love.

Storge – that most often refers to family, parents for children.

Agapa – this is a deep kind of love, a sacrificial love, a total self-giving love.

(Read C.S.Lewis ‘Four Loves.’)

In the English we have to make do with just the one and hope that the context expresses the meaning.I can say I love rice pudding, I love God and I love my wife.

Hopefully you will understand that I mean something different in each case.

Here is one way we can consider this hallmark fruit of the community of God’s people.

L = laughter

In the previous diocese I worked for I was based at Church House, the diocesan administrative centre. In November 2013 there began a major review that led to several amalgamations of departments and a good number of people losing their jobs.What had been a reasonable happy environment with lots of laughter became a very sad place indeed and a spirit of depressions fell over everything.

I am so pleased that there are some good Christian comedians out on the circuit – some who organised a ‘Clean Comedy Tour.’  They are able to show that you don’t need smut to be funny and get people laughing.

There are of course laughter clinics where the beneficial effects of laughter are known for the huge medical and mental benefits.

Of course there are times when it is inappropriate to laugh and we should never laugh at someone whilst we can laugh with them and share the joke. However that should never be at their expense making them feel stupid or belittled.

I remember hearing of two Jewish friends who found themselves in one of the Nazi death camps. As they entered they agreed with each that they would find at least one thing at the end of each day about which they could laugh or at least smile. They both survived because that gave them hope.

When people look at us as the people of God, do they see laughter and joy among God’s people?

O = obedience

This is one of those things that we don’t like that much in our live and let live liberal culture. Who am I to tell anybody how they should live their life. While we do not want to go down the route of ‘thou must not’ and ‘thou shalt not’ there are things that are manifestly bad for people and we have a Christian duty, especially to those of our own Faith Community, to speak out the truth in love.

There are of course many instances in the Scriptures and in the teachings of Jesus that will help steer us on a right path. Remember 6 foot planks and specks in somebody else’s eye!

I do remember a story from just a few years back of a mother who was threatened with child neglect and having her child taken away because he had become obese. In her defense she said, but he likes crisp and burgers and chips and won’t eat anything else. In her mind she was being a loving and caring mother giving to her child what he craved – yet she was quite literally killing him with this misguided idea of what love is.

So, sometimes love has to be tough and love has to say no, that is not the way to behave or act.

‘If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.’

This is my command: Love one another.

Perfect – but let us not fool ourselves in thinking that means we shouldn't call each other to account and to live a life of holiness and obedience.

V = valued

An anthropologist proposed a game to some children in an African tribe. He put a basket full of fruits near a tree and told the children that whoever got there first wins the sweet fruits.When he told them to run, they all took each other’s hands and ran together, then all sat together enjoying their treats.When he asked them, why they had run like that as one could have had all the fruits for themselves, they said:

''UBUNTU, how can one of us be happy if all the other ones are sad?''

'UBUNTU' in the Xhosa culture means: "I am, because we are"

So, tell me this, who do you think is the most important person in the Church. Perhaps you might think it is the Priest as he/she celebrates the Eucharist or leads the Service. They may look like they are playing an important role, and in some ways they are. But so are those who have washed and ironed the linen. So are those who have spent time creating floral displays. So are those who have who have cleaned the place and so have those, if you have one, who have cleaned the toilet. 

‘You are a unique and irreplaceable actor in the drama of human history, and Jesus Christ has need of you to make known his salvific work in this particular place and at this particular moment in history.’  Michael Quoist ‘The Christian Response’

Toilet cleaners, priest and politicians are all of equal value in the Kingdom of God. So don't look down on anyone or put yourself down either, each one of us is a precious daughter or son of God.  We need to recognize and see the Christ in each other.

E = encouragement

‘Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.…

This is written in Philippians 2, 1-2 which gives a lead into what is called the Hymn of the Kenosis, that is self-emptying. A most wonderful early Christian hymn that speaks of Christ leaving the glory of heaven to come and dwell among so that he might show how we should live as authentic humans beings. Then going on to die on the cross to make it possible for us to have a restored relation with God, with ourselves and with each other and indeed with the whole of creation.

In the New Testament, principally in Acts we meet a character called Barnabas, son of encouragement. He is one of my favourite characters and when I was asked how I would like to be remembered I said, ‘he was as a Barnabas among us.’

As a runner I can tell you how important it is to have that cheering crowd as you pump your tired legs in the last leg of a race and as you head towards the finishing line.

‘Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.…’

Hebrews 12.1-2

So in closing let me ask you this.

What do people see when they look at us the people of God?

Do they see a community of faith, love and hope? Do they see a community of faith that is living for each other and for the larger community in which they are set? As engage with people in the shops and in the streets, in the market place and along the lanes and at schools do they look at us and see something attractive – and I am not talking physical attraction here. But a deep inner beauty because we are those who spend time with God, with Scripture, spend time in prayer and spend time with each other, encouraging each other. We spend time calling each to account. We spend time and make sure we value each and every one from the very youngest to the very oldest. 

We are one body because we share in one bread…

Numerous surveys are now coming out that are showing that not everyone wants an all sing, all dancing worship experience with bright lights and loud music. That may suit some, however what the surveys are findings is that people are looking for authenticity. They want to know if Christianity works and does it make a difference day by day.

We need to learn to share our faith in words and in actions and that begins with the household of faith, the church, and then spills out into the streets as we will soon be celebrating at Pentecost.

1 John 3.18

‘Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.’