Sermon - 2019-05-19
Today, we hear of a new commandment. Now hopefully, you are able to remember one commandment because people throughout the Bible had shown over and over again, that Ten commandments were too many for them to remember. Over and over again, people showed that they struggled with this even though the Ten Commandments were given to help them grow and be a better people.
When Jesus gives this new commandment, he tells his disciples to love one another as you would love yourself. However in thinking about this, I wondered two different thoughts.
What is Love?
Do we really love ourself?
Now, the first question. “What is love?” and before you start thinking of Night of Roxbury or that song from the 90s by Haddaway. I want you to really think about this. When we talk about love, we use it in a variety of ways. When we look at a child, especially a baby, the love that we share has no conditions, nothing stops us, nothing is there except for love. As that child grows, they might get on our nerves. You have no idea how many times you have to answer the question of “Why” until you hang out with a 2 year old. Still your heart will melt and the love that you have draws you back to the solid foundation. Yet as that child grows up, they struggle to understand what this love is all about. They are supposed to find someone to spend their life with, someone to love and care for. However, what does that mean, what does it look like, and how will you know when you find the right one. This is an entirely different kind of love than that love that we experience as a child and yet at the same time, it is not so different.
However, when you do find that person, the love that you have changes. It does not stay the same, it grows as your relationship with one another grows. The roots of that love go deeper and trust and other experiences enhances that love. Over the years, you and that love change. Now there are other kinds of love. Growing up you may have experienced what some will call “tough love”. Something in which they know it will hurt you or them but they feel it will make you better in the end. A letting go of a child to go out into the world and explore, fail, and grow. A time of developing a better understand of oneself and who God is in the world. Throughout our live, we experience different kinds of love and yet this is the example of what we share then with others. We reflect to others, what has been first given to us.
Which brings me to the second question. Do we really love ourself? I raise this question because studies time and time again, will show that people are not always happy, that we do things in our life that are not fulfilling or even harmful to ourself and others. Now happiness does not mean love but our actions show our heart. We will do things in our own life that demonstrate that we do not love ourself. If we can not love ourself, how then shall we love and care for others around us. Now please understand, that I am not calling you to be selfish or to only think of yourself. No I am saying that you should be able to look in the mirror and say, I love you. If you can’t, then there is where you need to start. However do not do it alone. There is a reason that Jesus shared this commandment with a group of people. A community of people to support and remind one another that we need each other and that the first place that we start is not in ourself but rather with God. Yes, the beginning of loving yourself begins by going to Your Creator and Sustainer.
Jesus is calling the disciples that when they think about eating, are they thinking of the poor who have no food. When they lie down in bed, are they thinking of those who do not have a home. When they are running about in their busy daily life, are they thinking of those who are not able to live because they are facing death.
I go through all of this because a commandment by God is one that calls us to ACTION but not only that, I hope and pray that it goes much deeper, into the way we live our life, the way that we interact with others and ultimately how we share God with others.
So go, make disciples by sharing the love that God first gave you. Amen.
When Jesus gives this new commandment, he tells his disciples to love one another as you would love yourself. However in thinking about this, I wondered two different thoughts.
What is Love?
Do we really love ourself?
Now, the first question. “What is love?” and before you start thinking of Night of Roxbury or that song from the 90s by Haddaway. I want you to really think about this. When we talk about love, we use it in a variety of ways. When we look at a child, especially a baby, the love that we share has no conditions, nothing stops us, nothing is there except for love. As that child grows, they might get on our nerves. You have no idea how many times you have to answer the question of “Why” until you hang out with a 2 year old. Still your heart will melt and the love that you have draws you back to the solid foundation. Yet as that child grows up, they struggle to understand what this love is all about. They are supposed to find someone to spend their life with, someone to love and care for. However, what does that mean, what does it look like, and how will you know when you find the right one. This is an entirely different kind of love than that love that we experience as a child and yet at the same time, it is not so different.
However, when you do find that person, the love that you have changes. It does not stay the same, it grows as your relationship with one another grows. The roots of that love go deeper and trust and other experiences enhances that love. Over the years, you and that love change. Now there are other kinds of love. Growing up you may have experienced what some will call “tough love”. Something in which they know it will hurt you or them but they feel it will make you better in the end. A letting go of a child to go out into the world and explore, fail, and grow. A time of developing a better understand of oneself and who God is in the world. Throughout our live, we experience different kinds of love and yet this is the example of what we share then with others. We reflect to others, what has been first given to us.
Which brings me to the second question. Do we really love ourself? I raise this question because studies time and time again, will show that people are not always happy, that we do things in our life that are not fulfilling or even harmful to ourself and others. Now happiness does not mean love but our actions show our heart. We will do things in our own life that demonstrate that we do not love ourself. If we can not love ourself, how then shall we love and care for others around us. Now please understand, that I am not calling you to be selfish or to only think of yourself. No I am saying that you should be able to look in the mirror and say, I love you. If you can’t, then there is where you need to start. However do not do it alone. There is a reason that Jesus shared this commandment with a group of people. A community of people to support and remind one another that we need each other and that the first place that we start is not in ourself but rather with God. Yes, the beginning of loving yourself begins by going to Your Creator and Sustainer.
Jesus is calling the disciples that when they think about eating, are they thinking of the poor who have no food. When they lie down in bed, are they thinking of those who do not have a home. When they are running about in their busy daily life, are they thinking of those who are not able to live because they are facing death.
I go through all of this because a commandment by God is one that calls us to ACTION but not only that, I hope and pray that it goes much deeper, into the way we live our life, the way that we interact with others and ultimately how we share God with others.
So go, make disciples by sharing the love that God first gave you. Amen.
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