"It's All about Love!"
Sermon Presented May 20, 2007
John 17:20-26
Division isn't usually welcomed news! A couple of weeks ago Daimler Chrysler split and the employees of Chrysler are concerned about their jobs as they face the second disruption in their corporate structure in ten years. When a couple gets a divorce, even though one person usually initiates it, it isn't pleasant for either party. Children are often split emotionally in a custody battle when parents separate. When churches split or when people leave a church, there are often hard feelings. No one likes to experience divisions because of the emotional and economic stresses.
Jesus doesn't want divisions among his followers. It's the week of his death and he knows that his disciples aren't prepared for his departure. At the last minute, he gives them instructions, just as a dying person often offers instructions to his or her loved ones. Then he allows them to overhear his prayer to God, and our text is the conclusion of that prayer. Please note that Jesus' prayer includes future followers!
John 17:20-26 (Read text.)
Church splits are common occurrences. The church I came from in Kansas split and now there are three churches instead of one - because the split also split. People who are dissatisfied with one church will often become disillusioned again and again and again. Denominations split the same way.
Before the Civil War, Baptists split over the slavery issue into Northern (now American Baptists) and Southern Baptists. The division was along the Mason Dixon Line. Now churches are splitting from the Southern Baptist Convention and moving into the Alliance of Baptists and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and others are splitting from the American Baptists to form a more conservative network. There are now more than 60 different Baptist denominations, where once there was only one!
Those of us who claim to follow Jesus can't seem to get our act together enough to be united in ways that show love to one another in spite of conflict and disagreement. We don't work hard enough at being united in love.
Our Wednesday night discussion is from the book Adventures in Missing the Point by Brian McLaren and Tony Campolo. Last Wednesday we looked at the chapter on "Missing the Point: Doubt." McLaren points out that in many denominations, people who begin to question their faith and the many theological tenets of that faith, are made to feel less than a real Christian. Questions need to be encouraged, even though many of our questions have no easy answers. When people are encouraged to examine their faith in an atmosphere of trust, divisions are less likely and faith is eventually strengthened.
Recently the Traditional Values Coalition picked up my e-mail address from our Web site and began sending messages. Last week I received correspondence which included these phrases: "the fever swamp of liberalism and homosexual fanaticism", and "We're in a battle to defend free speech and religious freedom from homosexual fascism." This organization encourages wider chasms in the Christian community by promoting hatred and division rather than by promoting love and unity.
Jesus doesn't want conflict and division, and yet he knows his followers! He has heard them argue over who is the most important and who is worthy, and contemporary Christians argue over who is the most important or the most spiritual and who meets the litmus test for Christianity. We never learn, do we? Jesus prayed that his followers, not just those who followed then, but all of us would be as one, just as he and God are one.
In the 1940's, as a reaction to the horrors of WW II, a young Frenchman called Brother Roger gave refuge to Jews fleeing the Nazi occupation. After the war he retired to a life of solitude to listen to the whisper of God's voice, and soon others joined him. These Protestant men vowed to live a life of celibacy and dedicate themselves to the purpose of reconciliation. Eventually some Roman Catholic brethren joined them and the community became more ecumenical and international in make-up. This community in Southern France is called Taize. The dream to have unity with all Christians is Christ's dream of faith - not sight. Brother Rogers was murdered recently at the community site by a deranged individual, but the dream goes on.
Why don't Christians come together and exhibit the love of Christ? Why don't we get zapped with love at the time of our conversion or baptism and just continue in that love? Why don't we ever get to the place where perfect love - the love of God in Christ - exudes from our being? Why is there no unity? My only answer is that we don't try to love as Christ loves.
We are imperfect human beings living among other imperfect persons in an imperfect world. Our natural inclinations cause us to be self-centered and exhibit the tendencies we are born with or that we acquire in our environment. We cling to our selfishness, anger, unforgiveness, jealousy and control, and aren't serious about inviting God to shape our lives! We don't actively seek to make the journey of growing into the love of Christ when that journey conflicts with our self-interests.
When we fail to act in love toward others, conflicts arise. Power and control prevail over unity and love. A couple of years ago a trustee at Marquette promised two million dollars to the university if they changed the name of the school's mascot. The offer of money to control engenders neither love nor unity, and this occurs in the Church as well as on the business and political scene.
Jesus was fully human and he lived among people who were just like us. He knew that the spread of Christianity could only be accomplished with love. So he prayed that God would give his followers God's love - the same love God gave him. If we don't love God and people, the apostle Paul says we are noisy gongs and clanging cymbals.
Jesus says he wants us to be one with one another as he and God are one. Being "one" doesn't mean we are the same entity or exactly like another. When two people marry and are called to be "one" they are called to unity with diversity. Even a couple composed of two teachers, professional musicians, engineers or architects - as we have here at Roundy - are composed of very different individuals. They have much in common because of their professions, but they have differences that must be considered as they build a strong relationship of love. They work at unity! They work at love!
What does a church look like that exhibits Christ's love and unity - where the people are one? First, all cultural, educational, political, economic and racial differences are leveled. People with little education are at ease with the scholar and the scholar listens to the experiences of God in others. Republicans are at ease with Democrats and the poor and the wealthy relate easily. The one raised in a Christian home learns from the new Christian and vice versa. When Christ's love is in us, we show love to all people.
Jesus says in his prayer that the world doesn't know God. However, the world is looking for what satisfies. The world is looking for love! It's looking for spirituality - a connection to God. People will respond positively to those filled with the love of God. People want what the world can't give and the Church should offer what the world can't give.
For the Christian community to be one, Jesus says we must mirror the loving Father/Son relationship of God and Jesus. However, our unity will be more than simply mirroring. It will be oneness and will offer a witness to the world of the revelation of God in Jesus.
The Church universal is sadly fragmented. Hundreds of Christian denominations worldwide are divided by doctrinal differences. Unless we are united and love one another, the world won't believe that we belong to Christ nor will they want to be Christians. People leave churches because of strife and many never look for a new faith community. "I love you as long as you please me and believe as I do" doesn't cut it!
Today denominational labels are insignificant to most people. Episcopal priests are becoming Catholic priests and vice versa. Baptist ministers become Methodists or Presbyterians. Children of ministers find a different denomination from that of their parents - or they choose to leave the church because of the lack of love they saw exhibited toward their family. People want fellowship, love, acceptance and a path to God. If we are united by love, we can offer that!
This morning we stand on the outside overhearing the intimacy between Jesus and God as Jesus prays. We also hear Jesus' concern for his followers. The Christian community will soon become the center of God's love in the world, just as Jesus was that center to his disciples. As we listen with our hearts, may we open ourselves to the truth Jesus wants for us. As this truth sinks in, may we allow God to change us to be instruments of God's love and peace in our relationship with all of God's children. When we allow God's love to reign, everything will be different - our lives, our homes, our neighborhoods and our church. It's all about love!
