Great Expectation

Robert E. Hall
Tarrytown United Methodist Church

May 3, 2009

Text: First John 3: 16-24

Some parts of Bible are puzzling. But not this one!

God has great expectations of those who follow Christ.

Should we strive for achievements? Faith? Hope? Endurance? Using our talents?

Yes, but pervading all of these, there must be love.

Love as warm feelings? Maybe so.

Love as being considerate of others? Yes.

But we do not always know what love is. So John clears it up for us: “By this we know what love is----that Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.”

Jesus Christ of Nazareth, God’s presence in human life,
went to his death for our sakes.

Without Christ “we would remain trapped in hate and paralyzed by fear.” (C. Clifton Black, New Interpreter’s Bible)

Literally translated: “That one on behalf of us his life put aside.”

Seeing this love in action, we ought to do the same.

“Oughts” and “shoulds” fell in disfavor some time back.

We have considered ourselves too mature for “oughts” and “shoulds.” We like to fancy ourselves freed to do what we feel like doing, when we feel like doing it.

But we do not live outside of God’s presence, and God, who loves us just as we are, loves us too much to leave us captive to any common wisdom of our times.

But, we may say, this sacrificial love sounds too heroic and unrealistic. Few of us actually “lay down our lives” as martyrs.

 So we may say “This doesn’t apply to me!”

We can print up ideal love and it is suitable for framing, but not for real life situations. First Corinthians 13 on tapestry is beautiful art!

But consider this: You are in the audience, listening to the orchestra; the conductor stops the music and turns to you and me and invites us on stage!  Then he says to us, “You may not play like Ishtak Perlman, but everybody can make some kind of music!

John gets specific. He shows how sacrificial love applies to  ordinary life:

“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?”

Literally translated as follows:

“Whoever has the goods of the world and sees a brother [or sister] who has need, and shuts up compassion in such a case….how does the love of God endure in such a one?” (Texts for Preaching, page 303)

Not just doesn’t help, but refuses help!

Shuts up compassion?  Not only withholds material goods, but withholds compassion? And then we become proud of our “realistic” viewpoint!

“Little children,” John calls us. Only an elderly wise persons can say this to us,  a wise older disciple who has been through a few struggles with being faithful---and knows about true fulfilment and joy.

“Love is action that embodies the truth.” (T for P, page 303)

The truth is this: God is love, and we are created in God’s image. We are not designed by God to go it alone; we live interdependently in communities: family, church, cities, states, nations, world. We are designed for brother and neighbor love. We are not created to be wrapped up in ourselves. We are created to be wrapped up in God, the God who is agape love, which impels us toward others.

John doesn’t tell us what these loving actions are. Maybe Good Samaritan loving actions? Maybe feeding the 5000 with five loaves and two fishes. Maybe Amos type love----which challenges corruption in high places, confronts people about their greed and their callousness to the poor. And maybe working over time  to make the policies of our governments more likely to help than burden those who are barely surviving.

Differing gifts and circumstances teach new “oughts” and “shoulds.” Some in vocations, some in volunteering, and in charitable giving to churches and agencies which deliver help to those who do not have enough to survive.

From the beginning days, as reflected in the book of Acts and other early accounts, Christian were known for how much they loved (in action!) one another, their boldness of proclaiming Christ, and their care for the poor and others who were suffering.

Now it is our turn.

I heard yesterday on NPR that 25,000 children die each day from preventable diseases, malnutrition and unsanitary conditions, such as impure water supply. I am not sure what the kingdom of God’s reign on earth will finally look like, but I am sure that it will not be a world in which 25,000 children die each day because they do not have the necessities for survival.

At the 2008 General Conference 14 million United Methodists were challenged to focus on “engaging in ministry with the poor,” and “stamping out killer diseases of poverty by improving health globally.”  For example: by 2015, working with international partners, we will strive to reduce by 66% the death rate of children younger then age 5 from malaria. Watch for the “Nothing but Nets” campaign in which we will work to provide mosquito nets for the people of Africa.

We get discouraged, disillusioned, and exhausted, and we are tempted to pull down the shades. We can be stymied by the immensity of the world’s suffering, feeling guilty and/or angry about what others do or don’t do.

John won’t let us go there!

“By this we know we are of the truth [in line with God’s kingdom work] and reassure our hearts before Christ whenever our hearts condemn us.”

“By this?”  What is “this?” Our earnest, consistent, wise actions to meet the needs of others. When we believe in Jesus Christ and do loving actions, we know we are walking in his steps. And so we have confidence, “boldness,” in God’s presence!

It is the boldness of a friend of Jesus. “God is greater than our hearts,” our moods, or ups and downs and failures. God reads us better than we can.

Putting aside ourselves to act for the sake of others in their needs. is not an ideal to strive for but a truth in which to abide.

We abide in Christ; Christ abides in us, through the Spirit.

The Spirit of God helps us “Unthink the inevitability of the way things are.” (Kavanaugh, Mars Hill CD)

Are you and I---are we---loving in action as well as speech?

What do you think and feel God is wanting you to do to help brothers and sisters in need?