All for love

 

When watching any news programme, one of the common themes seems to be politics. In different forms, whether it be local, national or international, there are all kinds of groups and people seeking to put over an opinion. 

And that is a positive thing, although we may occasionally need to keep reminding ourselves of that! Politicians often get a bad press but most of them I’ve ever met are hard working and care about the people and communities they serve. Obviously there will be exceptions and we often hear more about, and from, them than we do from those who are just getting on with their roles. 

And without exception, politicians will make promises and some will be good and some won’t and some will deliver on them and some won’t. Some policies may indeed be transformational… 

In our readings today though, something can be identified which can, if practiced effectively, absolutely transform the whole of the world, something which transcends politics, business, wealth, influence, or anything else, and that is LOVE.

It’s a subject that we hear a lot about in readings and in sermons, because it is a big part of what the gospel is about. In our gospel today (John 13:31-35), Jesus said, ‘I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.

Love is something which really can transform the whole of the world, making a difference in the relationships of individuals and even between different countries, yet time and time again we are reminded how difficult it is to practise. Many times I’ve talked about love, and issued the challenge to people to really love one another, and every time I do it I issue the same challenge to myself, because it’s not easy !

Martin Luther King said that ‘the church is like a great extended family that receives a tremendous bequest: they receive an inheritance of a wonderful, beautiful, spacious, luxurious home to share. There is only one stipulation… All must live in it together.’ And in that last sentence we have the challenge! 

A while back two people totally independently said to me that they don’t come to Church, but they would if Church was happier. Now one of the problems both of these people had is that they hadn’t come to Church to see how happy it is in the first place, and so their objections weren’t particularly valid, except from the basis that there is a perception that Church is not a happy place to be, and that is a perception that we must change.

There is a great search by people today for happiness, and, I think more than that, for love. People want to find something which is out of the ordinary, something that is changing people’s lives for good, and love is something which is out of the ordinary – not love between couples, or in families, but love which is practised indiscriminately – the sort of love that Jesus practices, without conditions and without limits.

The concept of this sort of love is something that can make a difference everywhere. For individuals who are lonely, who are friendless, who seem difficult, the knowledge that someone cares about them will be life changing. Feeling valued is something which is hugely important to us all. Knowing love and loving ourselves is important… each of us are valued and loved by God and it’s important that we value and love each other, and also value and love ourselves.

The reading from Revelation (21:1-6) gave us that wonderful picture of a new world, a world where all things were made new, a place of no tears, or mourning, or crying and pain, a place where death will be no more. That is the great heavenly picture that we have. It is the great hope of every one of us as Christians, but that picture shouldn’t always seem so far away. We need to work and live to make it a reality today for us and for others. 

Jesus came to live amongst us to demonstrate that love, that indiscriminate love, in our world, in the middle of political squabbles, religious turmoil, domestic disputes and so on. Jesus came to transform the lives of individuals, not through force or power, but through his love, and that is the challenge that he makes to us today – ‘ Love one another’ –  Here and now !

And he takes it a stage further by saying that it is by this love that everyone will know that we are his disciples. Loving one another was never just a good idea, although it is obviously that. It was, and is, a command from Jesus himself… Love really can make a difference in the world today, it isn’t just a glib and naïve sort of hope.

There's a story about a man who got out of his car and saw a young boy looking admiringly at it. The little boy said, "Does this car belong to you?" And the man said, "Yes, in fact my brother gave it to me for Christmas. I've just got it." With that the little boy's eyes widened. He said, "You mean to say that somebody gave it to you? And you didn't have to pay anything for it?"

And the man said, "That's right. My brother gave it to me as a gift." With that the little boy let out a long sigh and said, " Wow ! I would really like..." And the man fully expected the boy to say, "I would like to have a brother like that, who would give me such a beautiful car," but instead the man was amazed when the little boy said, "Wow! I would like to be that kind of brother. I wish I could give that kind of car to my little brother."

Which kind of person do we want to be? 

True love really does conquer everything – true love beats evil and hate, it breaks down barriers between rich and poor, it takes away greed and self interest, and it builds a fellowship of people committed to making life better for everyone. That is the unlimited, indiscriminate, true love that Jesus calls us to offer to everyone.

Jesus says that it is by our love that people will know we are his disciples. That is our challenge, but it is also our invitation to live knowing the support and strength and love of Jesus with us in whatever we seek to do.  What will we reply? AMEN