Abiding in Love

I have to say, I have had the best time being a part of this community; let me offer some examples. This past Thursday morning, about eight or nine people showed up to pack over 300 lunches for our unhoused neighbors, served through the Presbyterian Night Shelter. More people had previously made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or shopped for and dropped off applesauce, granola bars, chips, and cookies. That’s love in action!

Last Sunday, after each worship service, the Church Life Fair was held. You may not realize that about 25 people worked tirelessly for the past few months to plan it, set it up, offer it to you, then take it all down. Sure, it was a great time to fellowship with one another while learning about and, hopefully, volunteering to join the people of St Stephen who, week in and week, out faithfully serve our community. That’s love in action!

Each Sunday morning before 11:00, I climb the 39 steps to the choir gallery, to thank and pray with Jordan and about 25 of our faithful musicians and a couple sound and video techs who plan, practice, and offer their gifts to the glory of God and to enable our inspiring worship of God, both in here and online. That’s love in action!

Most Monday afternoons, I get to meet with seven staff members of this church. We plan, review, evaluate, communicate about our work, both individually and together, even as we just enjoy each other. Sure, they are paid to be here, to do the work they do, but the way they do it? That which motivates them to do it, putting in extra hours sometimes and without complaint? To buff the floors so they shine; to struggle to capture the right message on social media; to work diligently to support the children and families at the day school; to greet everyone who calls or drops by the office graciously; to make sure we are being good stewards of our financial resources? That’s love in action!

Working with Beth and the children and youth – as you will experience next week at Children’s Sabbath and in May on Youth Sunday – is an unending delight of creativity, high energy, and the faithfulness of parents and many helpers. That’s love in action!

I listen to those who keep the property in shape – inside & out – giving of their time and expertise, dealing with everything from leaking pipes and roofs to trees and bushes that need trimming. That’s love in action!
I have watched in awe as many prepare wonderful homecooked meals for our unhoused neighbors here at Room in the Inn and Samaritan House, or to care for our own by our deacons. That’s love in action!

I work with many of you who give your time to make this sanctuary ready for worship each and every Sunday; filling candles with oil, preparing the communion elements, getting the bulletins, placing flowers, having water for the baptismal font; and the acolytes getting robed and preparing all the worship accoutrements for the processional. That’s love in action!

I see elders, trustees, Personnel Committee members, and people serving on all the various committees and groups getting up early, staying up late, going above and beyond – all to serve this community and our neighbors. That’s love in action! Our epistle also refers to it as ‘abiding in love.’

First John is a letter by a church leader that picks up on the main themes of the Gospel of John. It is written to help guide a new generation of Christ-followers in the midst of disputes over who Jesus Christ really is. The author of the epistle sets forth the foundational belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who was sent by God into the world as a human being. This is critical for his teaching to his congregation, and to us: want to know what it means to be a human being before God our Creator and with other creatures? Look to Jesus. Want to know what God is like, and what G expects of us? Look to see how Jesus relates to his heavenly parent, and what he does that pleases his Parent. Want to know what God desires for the world? Look to Jesus to see what he says and does to reveal and to fulfill the divine plan. Want to know how to relate to others, both within and outside the community of faith? Look to Jesus.

While it is mysterious, it is not rocket science. That is to say, Jesus is very open about who God is, why Jesus was sent into the world; he taught what his life and teachings reveal and would accomplish; and he showed us what we are to do in response to all of that revealed truth. Just stop & consider this for a moment: because Jesus is a human being who also happens to be the Son of God, that means he has a very special relationship with God. God, you know, the Creator and Lord of all?! Yet in the gospel, Jesus even calls God the equivalent of ‘daddy’.
Only Jesus is in this unique position to know the things of God Almighty and to know the things of human existence. As the Son of God, Jesus shows us the majesties of heaven that would not otherwise be possible to see, except by one who has lived there. As the human being in Jesus Christ, God takes into God’s own life, what it means to be a human creature. And get this: it will be this way always; we will always be embedded somehow in God’s own life, in Jesus Christ.

So, the next time you think you or someone you love may be under threat of being cast away from God, remember who Jesus Christ is. It would be like casting out a part of himself – it is impossible! According to the Apostle Paul, we who are ‘in Christ’, who follow Christ, can never be separated from the love of God in Jesus Christ!

Let’s consider two reasons why this is so and how it affects our lives today. First, both authors of the gospel and the first epistle of John encourage us to believe in Jesus Christ. Now, this is not just an idea or doctrine to repeat in confirmation class. To believe in Jesus Christ means he becomes a priority, the primary focus of our lives.

Let’s say, for example, that I claim to be your friend and tell you to call me whenever you need something. One day, you need a ride to the doctor, so you call and ask me to take you. ‘Oh, I’m sorry, I’ve got a meeting and can’t do it; try me another time.’ So you do: ‘I just received some awful news that my cousin has been in a terrible accident and I’m so upset; may I come talk with you?’ ‘Ooh, not today; I have a report due or have to pick up my kids, or I don’t know – I need to wash my hair!’

Well, it won’t take you long to realize I am not a true friend. I may claim to be your friend, but when push comes to shove, I am nowhere to be found. Only when I show up – not if it’s convenient for me, but when you really need me – do I demonstrate the sincerity of my friendship.

The same thing goes for saying I believe in Jesus Christ. I can make all kinds of claims about being a Christian. Sadly, we hear many empty claims every day that are not followed up by actions. In fact, too often our actions belie our words. This is why the epistle writer repeats Jesus’ commandment for us to love one another, yet further specifies: “Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.” He knows too many in his community claim faith in Christ yet act nothing like Christ. They do not act out of love.

This is second thing we must grasp: what is love as God lives it and as Jesus embodies it? The author writes: “we know love by this, that Jesus laid down his life for us.” Yes, Jesus spoke of love, but he didn’t stop there – he embodied it. He literally made love the guiding principle of his life. All he did, he did out of love: love for God who also loves us, and love for us who now have a choice to love God in return. We have this choice to love God only because Jesus laid down his life for us. Jesus opened a new way for us to know and love God. We can know God, now, not just as Creator and Lord, not just as Protector and Deliverer; we can actually experience God as our own loving heavenly Parent who adores us, who takes delight in us, who is well pleased with us children.

Because Jesus laid down his life for us, we are now adopted into God’s own family as full children of God and siblings of Jesus our brother. And now we get to live by the family motto, according to the epistle: believe in Jesus Christ and love one another. Where God is concerned, you see, faith and love are always interconnected.

But the author goes further: because Jesus Christ laid down his life for us, we too are to lay down our lives for one another. Every time we lay down our own schedule to serve a brother when they need us, we love as Jesus loves. Every time we offer our resources to serve a sister in need, we love as Jesus loves. Every time we commit our energy and talents to lift up a child of God, we love as Jesus loves.
It’s just this simple: the home of God is the dwelling place for love. The heavenly Parent invites us to come home, to be loved and to love, as the beloved children we are. When we believe in Jesus Christ, we abide in love. That’s where we now choose to take up our residence: in love. We love first, last, always; in all things; for God and for all creation. We love because God first loved us. We love because Jesus laid down his life for us – in love.

When we obey the commandments of God, we enact our love for God and for all that God loves. In one sense, the commandments are the house rules of our new family; a family defined and known by divine love that takes human form.

Will you abide in love; love that requires you to lay down your own life for others? Will you sacrifice your time, talent, treasure for others? That’s what it means to believe in Jesus Christ and to love one another as he loves us. Graciously, Jesus gives us his own Spirit of power so we can actually love as he does; but it’s our choice.

Will you help me make St Stephen Presbyterian Church become a family defined and known by divine love that takes human form, first by Jesus, but also by you and me? If so, we will be abiding in love, together, with Christ. I can’t think of anywhere else I would want to live, can you?

1 John 3:16-26
We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?

Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God; and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.

And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.