Sermon for Epiphany 4

Here's the sermon from yesterday's service. As always, excuse the typos!

Epiphany 4
Jan. 31, 2010
1 Corinthians 12:31b-13:13
When “more excellent” is the most excellent

In the name of Jesus, amen. Ahh, the ‘love chapter’. How many times have you heard this chapter? It’s great but perhaps a little depressing because it seems too good to be true.

I have so much to learn about love. You probably do too. We likely aim to be more lovable and we aspire to be more loving. And so we happily receive Paul’s words that he will show us a more excellent way, the way of love. And the more excellent way is really the most excellent way.

When we talk about love, too often our conversation gets derailed by the small word ‘if’. I would better love the people in my life, if only… What? What gets in the way?

Paul’s heart is revealed. Paul was always the missionary, hurrying to touch the hearts of people, to share Jesus’ love with new people. If only I could speak all their languages. If only I could speak like an angel. If only I could preach with prophetic power, if only I could give away all the marvelous wonders of God, and if I only could move mountains. Paul’s desire is so clear and so bright.

If Paul did not have love, he was just making noise. He was a bell clanging in an idol’s temple. Without love, I am nothing. Without love, I gain nothing.

If only is a phrase that paralyzes. We start to look at what we lack, at what is missing and we fail to see what we do possess. Everyday since the earthquake in Haiti I have been reading Matt Harrison’s blog. Matt Harrison is Rev. Matt Harrison and he is the executive director of LCMS World Relief and Human Care. You can read his blog at mercyjourneys.blogspot.com. Matt shares his experiences at a Haitian hospital in Jimani. Matt was dressed as he always is, wearing his clerical collar and he had his crucifix around his neck and he was helping move boxes of supplies. He would pray with people, bless people in the name of Jesus, but he mentioned that he was deficient because the primary language is French and Matt doesn’t speak French. He went to a five year old girl who had one of her legs amputated and the little girl was extremely frightened. Aftershocks are a dreadful reality in Haiti and one rolled through the region. The little girl started crying out in terror and Matt went to her but couldn’t understand what she was yelling or asking for. Matt knelt next to her and grabbed her hand and started praying but the little girl kept yelling and so Matt started to sing ‘Jesus love me’. The little girl grabbed Matt’s crucifix and clutched it tightly. The chaplain who did speak French came over and told Matt that the little girl was asking if Matt could take her and her mother away where it was safe. Matt told the chaplain, “If only I could.”

All of those ‘ifs’ that Paul puts in front of us has come true. God has set our tongues free to speak all languages. We are free to speak of the love of angels. God has given us the power of prophets, the wisdom of seers, the faith of mountain-movers. And all that God has given to you, you give. You pour out your very life, your very love, all in the cause of God’s love.

And let us be clear, when we love, God doesn’t love us more, not even just a wee bit. God loves us from the start. When we look at Paul, Paul hated Jesus, was bent on wiping the followers of Christ from the face of the earth. And then God’s love shone down on Paul.

Why does God love you? Why did God love Paul? God loves because of Himself. Just as I am, without one plea but that Thy blood was shed for me! Purely, perfectly, finally, forever- God loves you!

Too many times my prayers are silly, silly in the sense that they are selfish, self-indulgent. “If only you would change me God, then I would love more. If only you would make me more like Jesus, than I would love like Jesus.” Really? Would to God that our prayers took this tone: “God, you have loved me. You have baptized me. Help me to believe your love. You give me all your heart. Help me to live your love. Move me to live from your heart.”

Love is not ‘if only’. Love is only Christ.

For if Paul is speaking about anyone we know, anyone who can speak sweeter than angels, with great power, who knows God’s mysteries, Paul is speaking about love incarnate. Love is what Paul Gerhardt wrote about with these great Advent words: “Love caused Your incarnation; Love brought You down to me. Your thirst for my salvation procured my liberty. Oh, love beyond all telling, That led You to embrace In love, all love excelling, our lost and fallen race.

Jesus, the very image of God’s love, embraced our fallen race.

Our fallen race doesn’t do love very well does it? A church in Cleveland was going to put on a Passion play on Holy Saturday. Members of the church would play the various parts. One man was picked to play Jesus, and he was thrilled. He desired to do such a good job, he wanted to really display the life of Jesus at the very end. He took the practices very seriously. He shouldered the rough wooden cross. He endured the jeers of his fellow members who were playing the role of the crowd and the enemies of Jesus. One of the members, who lived in the same neighborhood, had the role of one of the angry crowd, and he was good at his role. These two gentlemen had issues. “You think you’re so special, huh Jesus? You think you’re so big? Too big to mow your own lawn.” The jibes and insults were nasty, personal. “You’re house looks ugly. Almost as ugly as your daughter.”

Well Jesus had had enough. He threw down the cross, stomped over the neighbor and had some words that cannot be repeated here. The passion play practice ground to a halt. The director told Jesus that tomorrow night the stand-in would have to play the role of Jesus. The poor man was so embarrassed, heartsick. He pleaded for another chance. And he got one.

Sure enough, the next night, his neighbor came back for round 2. Angry. Mean. Jesus was getting red-faced as he struggled under that cross. But the neighbor kept dishing it out. “And don’t get me started on your momma!” Jesus clenched his teeth, cocked his head and fixed his stare on his tormentor. “I’ll deal with you after the resurrection!”

Is that our Jesus? All of our nastiness and hatred hits his heart. Yet he carries our sin clear to the grave. His heart, filled only with love, Jesus rises, Jesus lives, and Jesus loves us still today. And Jesus is where we find more love, better love, the most excellent love.

To help us understand that Jesus is love, try this exercise: in verses 4-7, wherever the word love appears, insert your name, like this- Jeremy is patient and kind; Jeremy does not envy or boast; Jeremy is not arrogant or rude. Jeremy does not insist on his own way; Jeremy is not irritable or resentful; Jeremy does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Jeremy bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Thank you, my loving friends, for not laughing, for not throwing your hymnals at me, for not booing or hissing. My love fails. My heart goes dry. I am painfully aware that I need to be a better lover. Paul’s words indict me. They indict you. Paul’s words describe Jesus.

Jesus is patient. Jesus is kind. Jesus does not envy or boast or brag. Jesus does not insist on his own way. Jesus gave Himself into the hands of his God and said, “Father, not what I want. Thy will be done!”

We have a lot to learn about love. Fortunately God never stops teaching us about love. We are taught how to receive it from other people. We are taught to give it away, to all people, to people within this church family, to spouse and children, to those numbered among the least of these. Love is never about ‘if only’. Love is only Jesus.

So all that our Father God promises, Jesus pours out his pure Pentecost Spirit to make it all come true for you. Jesus never ends. Jesus is where we can find more love, better love, the best love. The more excellent way is the most excellent way that Jesus traveled- to the cross, to the tomb, to the sky. SDG