He would clear his throat, look them in the eye and muster all the energy he had, raise his hand and say “Little children, love one another.” And he would collapse exhaustion.
When St. John had to boil it all down into one sentence- the man who had been called from his father’s fishing boat to follow the Christ, the one known as the beloved disciple, the one who saw all the miracles, heard all the teachings, entered in all the debates, shared the last supper with Jesus, had his feet washed by the master, watched in horror as Jesus was arrested, tried, convicted, and crucified, the one to whom Jesus left the care of his precious mother, the second most prolific author in our New Testament; when he had to boil it all down to one sentence he sais, “My little children, love one another.”
Think about all the things he could have said. Think about all the stories he could have told. Think about the profound mysteries to which he might have pointed. But no-- he says “Little children, love one another.”
Do you find that just a little disappointing? Some might, but not me. I love that story because it cuts through all the garbage- cuts through all the millions of words that have been written about the faith- it cuts through all the human rules and expectations and judgments- it goes to the core of both our relationship with God and our relationship with others. “Little children, love one another.”
The love of which John wrote is not an abstract love. It is probably not something we can do sitting here comfortably in our pews this morning. It is not something that I am likely to do sitting in my comfortable office. It is not an intellectual exercise like talking among ourselves what it means to love terrorists, or immigrants, or alcoholics or homosexuals. This love is not a love that we feel, but one that we do.
In verse 17 of I John 3, John writes according to my NIV Bible, “IF ANYONE HAS MATERIAL POSSESSIONS AND SEES HIS BROTHER IN NEED BUT HAS NO PITY ON HIM, HOW CAN THE LOVE OF GOD BE IN HIM?”
Let me ask you,
· If you have a good job and income and you happen to know someone who is struggling- but you pretend not to notice, how can the love of God be in you?
· If you are an average person you are very busy doing the things that are important to you. If you know someone who is lonely- but you say “Someone else will visit them.” Where is the Love of God in you?
· If you receive a call from the youth group- “we really need someone to come spend an hour with the youth at this event.” But you make up some excuse about not being sure what your plans are yet, where is the love of God in you?
· If you drive a car, and you have a neighbor who doesn’t- but you are always making excuses to yourself about why you are too busy to offer her ride to church or the store, where is the love of God in you?
· If you know someone who is discouraged and really emotionally down and out- but you just don’t want to listen to their problems, where is the love of God in you?
· If you are asked to be on a committee here to help lead the church- and you say to yourself “I’ve got better things to do,” where is the love of God in you?
Notice. . . none of these things require you to spend a lot of time, or money- - - they are all just little things, but if we will not show love in the little things, who are we fooling when we say we will show love the big things? And if we fail, or refuse to show love in either the little ways or the big ways, where is the love of God in us?
Finally John goes on to say, “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and truth.”
· To say with words and tongue that you are a Christian is not enough- you have to show it with actions and truth.
· To say with words or tongue that you are a member of this church or any church means nothing- you have to show it with actions and truth
· To say with words or tongue that you are loving means nothing- you have to show it with actions and truth.
· To say with words or tongue that you are accepting of immigrants, or homosexuals is easy but it means nothing- until you show it with actions and truth. Join a rally- write a letter offer a hug.
· To say with words or tongue that you think mission is important means nothing- you have to show it with actions and truth. Get off your wallet and donate, or better yet get out of your easy chair and go on a mission trip.
· To say with words or tongue that you support evangelism means nothing- you have to show it with actions and truth. Get up and plan an outreach event or invite a friend to church.
· To say with words or tongue that you love your neighbor means nothing- you have to show it with actions and truth.--- wait a minute- 24 of you did that with love your neighbor day last Sunday. Good for you.
· To say with words or tongue that you are giving means nothing- you have to show it with actions and truth. Wait a minute, 30 of you did that on Tuesday when we collected 27 units of blood. Good for you.
· To say with words or tongue that you care for the hungry means nothing- you have to show it with actions and truth. Wait some of us did that by donating or collecting for the Postal Carriers food drive yesterday.
Hm, that’s three good opportunities we have been given in the last week. I don’t want to see hands, because I pretty much know who you are anyway, more importantly you know who you are and I promise you are not alone. But many of you did not participate in any of those things? Why didn’t you. Was one hour of your time, one unit of blood, a few phone calls, one plate of cookies, or one can of green beans more love than you could muster? I hope not.
Each of you were probably offered at least one additional opportunity each day to show God’s love. I suspect if you are honest you had dozens of opportunities each day. Did you show God’s love in word and truth? If not, why not? Was one hug, one phone call, one dollar, one kind word, one smile, or one whatever too much to ask?
If you showed God’s love in action and truth last week good for you! Go do it again this week.
If you didn’t I want you to go home feeling guilty. I want you to go home feeling guilty for missing the opportunity to show God’s love. But I also what you to go home feeling hopeful, because no matter what God shows God loves you, and because this is a new week. You have a whole new set of opportunities to share God’s love this week.
“Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and truth.”
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