LOVE COMES to LIFE

Sunday, February 3, 2013

How does “love come to life” for you? What does it mean to “live a life of love” as this scripture tells us? 

Our text today is Ephesians 5:1-2. Turn in your Bibles if you will…or page 829 in the pew Bibles in the pocket in front of you. I generally like to read an entire block of scripture or chapter in order to get the context, but in an instructional text like this, it’s easy to become overwhelmed…at least it is for ME.  So one way I study the Word is to do so a verse (or two at most) at a time.  I find if I make a practice of doing this first thing in the morning, throughout the day, and all through the evening until evening prayer, I can meditate on its meaning, pray, ponder, and ask the Holy Spirit to help me “get it.”

So lets read the text:

 ^“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” NIV

The Message translation says it this way:

“Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.”

Doesn’t that sound like PLENTY for us to do without going any further in the passage? I think so…

Another version says, be ” imitators” of God…what’s an imitator? A follower, right?  A disciple…so what does it mean to be a disciple? 

Let’s camp out on a rabbit trail for a minute and I PROMISE I will bring us back to the point I am trying to make here…

As a bit of an alert, all you Bible history buffs…this is your moment! The rest of you who are not so excited about Bible history, meditate on the scripture a bit while we are off on the rabbit trail…

So what DOES it mean to be a disciple? We have to understand a bit of Jewish culture before we can really appreciate what it means
.

One of the basic duties of Jewish parents is to provide for the instruction of their children. The obligation to teach one's children is set forth in the first paragraph of the Shema Yisrael prayer: “Take to heart these instructions with which I charge you this day. Impress them upon your children. Recite them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as sign on your hand and let them serve as a symbol on your forehead; inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and your gates.” (Deut 6:6-9).

Elementary school learning was regarded as compulsory…The importance of education is stressed in the Talmud, which states that children should begin school at six. According to Judah ben Tema, “At five or six years the age is reached for studying (memorizing) the Torah, (the first five books of the Bible, or the Pentateuch). Both boys and girls were able to study at this young age. At age ten boys studied the Mishnah (existing oral laws, traditions and traditional wisdom). Girls were taught how to keep a home, cook, feed and care for livestock, and family traditions.  At age thirteen boys would fulfill mitzvoth, (the 620 laws of Jewish faith.)

Those who were the brightest and best, and whose parents could afford further education, were sent to studying the Talmud (The whole Talmud consists of 63 tractates, and in standard print is over 6,200 pages long). Of these few young men, generally only one or two were “called” to study under the local rabbi.  These would be the brightest, most wealthy, those who had parents of local fame and stature in the community, and who were the most sought after by the most popular rabbis. Rabbis were paid to maintain a certain number of students, generally 12. So only the cream of the crop, the best of the best could hope for a calling to be a disciple. 

Once called, the disciple’s job was to learn from the Rabbi.  To speak as he spoke, dress as he dressed, use language as he used language. (Rabbis would often have a distinctive way of speaking or a particular cadence to their voice. Disciples were to emulate these unique qualities so as to be easily distinguished from other disciples following other Rabbis)  The Rabbis would walk from Bet Midrash to Midrash (house of study to house of study) and the disciples were always known around town both by their presence with the Rabbi (they even followed him into the bathroom!) and by the dust that covered their faces and the front of their clothing.  They were to “follow” the Rabbi so closely that the dust from his feet would kick up on them and cover them from head to toe.

Imagine for a moment, living in Jesus’ day…seeing rabbis on the streets: paid ministers…paid professors, moving from synagogue to house of study with their groups of well-read, well-known, exclusive following of the brilliant and gifted. Think how proud the parents would be to see their son with the rabbi! How they would love to tell their friends and neighbors, “MY son was called…” I’m sure they had bumper stickers that said, “My son is a disciple of Rabbi Ahbrahim Heschel”.  What an honor…

Then Jesus shows up on the scene.  And he doesn’t stay in the synagogues or Midrashes…He walks around town…among the common people.  He “calls” His first disciples, Peter and Andrew.  He’s walking along the shore and sees them in fishing boats with their nets, and says, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” NOW don’t you see this scene differently? I always thought it was the compelling voice of God speaking that Peter and Andrew could not resist (and that may well have been part of it…) but it was the fact that Jesus, a Rabbi, at this time a very talked about Rabbi…I imagine there was lots of “buzz” about this teacher who was just baptized by John in the Jordan and had the most amazing thing that happened during his baptism. 

Yes, I’m sure they knew who Jesus was…this Rabbi who was going around town teaching and “wowing” other Rabbis disciples and  annoying and agitating the priests of the law. Jesus had thus far taken to Himself ZERO disciples but was NOW calling ANDREW and PETER! Two common fisherman. And then James and John...Can you imagine how James and Johns dad’s heart swelled with pride and amazement? His boys were working as fisherman because they didn’t have the funds to continue education…no matter how bright they were or how full of potential, being a disciple was out of reach because their family was poor and they needed to work to provide.  Can’t you just see their dad being all like, “GO BOYS! LEAVE THE NETS! GO! GO!GO!” And what gratitude must have been in the father’s heart! HIS BOYS would have a chance to go and learn and become like this amazing Rabbi…wow.

And now do you see the miracle? The incredible miracle of Jesus “calling” uneducated (and “other” educated in the case of Saul/Paul) Jewish men, poor men, women, non-Jews, common people…rabble. US. You and me  Prostitutes.  Drunkards. Tax Collectors. To be HIS followers?

OK, back from the rabbit trail, let’s read this scripture again from the vantage point of being a disciple:

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children  and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

When the Apostle Paul writes “Follow God’s example” and “walk in the way of love” we have to remember that he was writing to people who daily had disciples  “imitating the rabbi”  alive and walking around before them.  They also knew of the historical Jesus who had lived this life of love…the Son of God, COME TO LIFE. The Son of God, come INTO THEIR lives. LOVE, COMES TO LIFE.  Disciples who had died for the cause of Christ…and Paul himself who had given up the prestige and power of being a member of the Sandhedrin, to become a disciple of this Rabbi.  The TRUTH of God’s love for him literally knocked him to his knees.  So much so that this epistle to the Church in Ephesus, was written while Paul was in prison.  So great was the love he had for these people, he did not allow his own struggles to overcome the message that burned inside him: GOD LOVES.  He comes into people’s lives and He loves. Even after the Rabbi’s death.  Even after beatings and imprisonment. Even 2000 years later.  God’s message still does that today. How?

Here’s the takeaway message for the day…God’s love, the love of our Rabbi, can still impact people’s lives…but if we are going to follow Jesus’ example, if we are going to be “imitators of Christ,” this loving must be done VIA RELATIONSHIP…and we believe, or I believe,  that Small Group Relationships are the best way to express the love of God to people. 

As I said a little while ago, Jewish rabbis were known to travel from synagogue to midrash and not spend a great deal of time out in the community.  Time spent among the common people was very strategic and intentional in order to be seen on the streets with he Pharisees or members of the Sanhedrin or other elite members of the community. 

Our Rabbi, Jesus, spent more time in the community and among the common people…and His following grew. And grew.  And grew.  And it was not just the religious who were with Him.  The beggars and the widows and the children were all amazed that this teacher took time to be with them.  To eat with them.  He walked to the house of a despised tax collector. He went to weddings.  He entered in to peoples lives WHERE THEY WERE.  He didn’t say to them, “Come with me to the synagogue” He said to them, “I love you right where you are. Let’s eat!” 

I’ve studied religion as it relates to church growth for years and what I’ve discovered in the last decade or so, is that there is not only a distrust for organized religion, but an overall attitude that doesn’t seem to think religion is necessary at all. In fact, about a month or so ago I was listening to NPR and heard the following statistics. It was a series called “Losing My Religion”. Here is what they discovered: One-fifth of Americans are religiously unaffiliated — higher than at any time in recent U.S. history — and those younger than 30 especially seem to be drifting from organized religion. A third of young Americans say they don't belong to any religion. (They are being called the “NONES” because they do affiliate with NO (none) religion.)

BUT what I found striking was that these “nones” say the thing they miss about organized religion is the intentional community.  So “CARING” that is usually associated with religious communities.  So even tho there is no so called “need” for religion, there is always, and will always (I believe) be a need for LOVE.  CARE. COMPASSION.  CONCERN. People need to know they are DEAR to us. 

Please let me put on a counselors hat here for a minute and quickly say that letting people know we CARE and that they are dear to us  does NOT mean we have no boundaries and we are at the beck and call of those who would say, “Well, some Christian YOU are…you won’t even do…(fill in the blank).  JESUS had boundaries.  Did He go to the tomb of His friend Lazarus when Lazarus’ sisters wanted Him to? No.  He waited three days.  Why? Because the greater glory of God would be shown that way.  Do we always understand Jesus boundaries? No. Are we called to always understand our Rabbi’s teachings and behavior or are we just commanded to imitate it? 

OUR job as DISCIPLES is to be OBEDIENT to the call and Follow God’s example, will of the Father, just like our Rabbi, Jesus.  Jesus was AVAILABLE.  Jesus was ACCESSIBLE.  And Jesus was AUTHENTIC.
 

AVAILABLE: Example: The Samaritan Woman at the Well.  In John 4 Jesus said, “We MUST go to Samaria…” 

Jesus knew the people in Samaria were despised and hated by the Jews.  Yet He and His disciples went through Samaria rather than doing the usual thing (taking a boat up the Jordan river and bypassing Samaria all together) taking the usual path.  We all know the discourse and conversation that took place with the woman at the well…and she was certainly “saved” by the Rabbi pouring love into her by being AVAILABLE.  But remember, toward the end of the chapter? 

THIS is where Jesus tells His disciples to “Look up, the fields are white for harvest…” in Samaria, Jesus tells the disciples you will REAP A HARVEST.  Verse 39 says “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”  So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers.

They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” 

WE HAVE HEARD FOR OURSELVES…Jesus was AVAILABLE. Opening our homes to small groups, or to our friends and neighbors, makes us AVAILABLE to share our stories as disciples of the Greatest Rabbi who ever lived…

ACCESSIBLE: Time after time these dust covered disciples would try to “protect” Jesus from the thronging masses. Rabbis were not to be touched by common people, in fact, only those who had been ceremonially cleansed were allowed touch the Rabbis.  And then there’s Jesus…He has disciples who had not been properly schooled in the ways of ceremony and ritual, pawing all over Him all the time, and the children touching him and climbing on Him. And the women! Oh the scandal of women (who were little more than property) not only touching Him but following Him as disciples and learning and discussing issues of life and law and custom! Jesus was accessible…to children, who were drawn to Him and just wanted to climb on Him and play. In their innocence, they weren’t worried about decorum or proper behavior.  Jesus was accessible to women, who were amazed that He could SEE them and HEAR them.  He  gave them EYE CONTACT and treated them integrity. And the lame, poor and disenfranchised? Jesus had dinner with them. Went to weddings with them. Drank wine with them. He made Himself and His life accessible to ALL.  When we are ACCESSIBLE, our imitation of Christ becomes evident. 

AUTHENTIC: Jesus created community EVERYWHERE HE WENT. Why was that? His “small group” became the thronging masses. Why? As a Rabbi, their lives were completely open before their disciples.  There were no secrets, nothing hidden. Jesus true heart was readily seen as He always invited others to be with Him in His ministry. They saw Him go off and pray. They saw Him add days to their journey and go the long way around just so He could speak to one person.  They saw Him do miracles. They saw Him exhausted and tired and hungry.  They saw Him continue to love, continue to give, continue to pour Himself out into the lives of those who followed Him. They saw the Father’s heart of love as Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice for those He loved. His life was a fragrant offering.

Love TRULY came to life in Jesus.  And Love continues to come to life everyday, in each one of us, as we become intentional about being disciples of our Rabbi Jesus.  As we dare to risk to become: AVAILABLE, ACCESSIBLE, AND AUTHENTIC . 

Let’s stand together.  May this song be our benediction as we go forth this week to be the Church:

Third Sunday of Advent: JOY

The third candle in the Advent Wreath is a rose colored candle called the “Shepard’s Candle” or the “Candle of Joy.” A rose colored candle, rather than the purple of previous weeks is used to contrast this Sunday from the two previous.  

Also in contrast to the exuberance of the modern Christmas season, historically Advent was a solemn time of preparation devoted to meditating upon the coming King. But because the message of the angels to the shepherds was one of “good tidings of great joy,” the third Sunday of Advent is devoted to joy, reminding us that the Christmas message is, in fact, one of rejoicing. The Gospel is after all, the GOOD NEWS! 

The Christmas season is unfortunately one of only a few times we might hear stories of “good news” being shared in the mainstream media and on television.  I am reminded of a scripture that tells us, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” It would be easy to fall prey to the naysayers and doomsday prophets and allow that joy (and strength) to be sucked out of our souls.

But isn’t it refreshing, how people seem to make a greater effort to smile and show “goodwill toward all men” during the holidays? I have vowed personally to return the smiles and “Merry Christmas” wishes to those with whom I come in contact, and allow the contagious joy of the Christ Child to spill out all over everything and everyone!

Our contributing artist this year is Lacy Smith-Evrard...a treasure and resident artist in the Grace family. This is Lacy and her beautiful family: Husband Daniel and daughter Faye.

 Speaking to the theme of "A Season of Transformation", Lacy's art is poignant, beautiful, and inspiring: 

And our Advent reading was done as a Reader's Theatre by the Walton Family:

Getting Ready for Joy

Meleah: The 3^rd candle of the Advent Wreath is the Rose Colored Candle…the candle of JOY! 

 Brett: A reading from the book of Isaiah Chapter 9:2-7

² The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.
³ You have enlarged the nation
    and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.
⁴ For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
    you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,
    the rod of their oppressor.
⁵ Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
    will be fuel for the fire.
⁶ For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

Matt: So, how about it: Are you ready?

Will: And, no, I’m not talking about Christmas. This is not about whether your tree is up or your shopping is done or if you’ve started baking cookies yet.

 Madi: What I’m talking about is joy. And not just the kind of joy our music will this morning.

Meleah: I mean the kind of joy our scriptures mention: the joy that comes when people who’ve been walking in darkness for years suddenly see a great light that makes everything clear. The joy that comes when wars end and all the weapons of war are destroyed.

 Brett: I’m talking about the kind of joy that healing and justice bring: the joy that comes when the present order is turned upside-down, when the exiles come home and the slaves are released and the hungry are fed and the brokenhearted are made whole and the mourners are comforted and new life rises out of old ruins.

 Madi:  This is the kind of joy that comes when God’s purpose for creation is fulfilled: when everyone who works will have a place to live, and everyone who plants will have plenty to eat, when everyone who’s born will live a long, good life, when even wild beasts will be at peace with one another.

Will: This is the kind of joy that is created when we open ourselves to the power of God’s Spirit. This is the joy we know when we make our home in God and when we allow God to make His home in us.

 Meleah: Are you ready for that  kind of joy? You know: the kind that leaves you stammering—maybe even speechless—because you never could have imagined it. The joy that comes from knowing that just as there is nothing you can do to make God love you any more than he already does, there is nothing you can do or not do to make her love you any less. The kind of joy that heals and transforms you and changes your life. The joy that comes from truly knowing that God is with you, and that you, too, are favored by God.

Brett: We call this Sunday in Advent Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin word for rejoice. And it is no coincidence that on Gaudete Sunday we read the annunciation of Mary, because it is in Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel that we hear all we really need to know about getting ready for joy.

 Madi: You see, when God came to Mary and asked her to let the Holy be born in her, . . . when God asked Mary to make of her life and her body a home for the one who would put skin on God’s love, . . . when God asked Mary to risk everything for God’s sake, . . . when God asked Mary to nurture the God-given life within her, . . . when God asked Mary to be God-bearer to the world . . .

 ALL: Mary said YES. 

Meleah: Mary said yes to God. Mary said yes to life. Mary said yes, I will make a home for you. Yes, I will let you live in me. Yes, I will let your presence change me. Yes, I will allow you to transform me in ways that reveal your love to the world. Yes, I will live into my identity as a child of God. Yes, I will live out the love and favor you have for me.

ALL: Yes.

Brett: So I think that is how we get ready for the joy our hearts long for, the joy God promises to all. This is how we get ready for the joy of being at home in God and letting God dwell in us. This is how we get ready for even the so-called simple joys of life, and this is how we get ready for the deep, abiding joy some of us fear we will never feel again.

ALL: We say yes, Holy One, please come in.
 
Matt: We say yes, Here am I, servant of the God who is Love. 

Will: We say yes to life—not because we know what it will bring, but because we know God will be with us and in us always, and that...

ALL: God’s grace will be sufficient.

Matt & Will: And so it is that we can get ready for joy. 

Madi: When we say yes we can know that joy will come and that joy will come back—for nothing will be impossible with God.

 ALL: Amen.

Point to Ponder: How can you share the joy of Christmas with someone today?