"A Hymn of Love"
A sermon preached on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 for our Celebration of Love service at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp. The sermon is based on I Corinthians 13:1-13.
One of the most basic needs in our society today, is the need to love and be loved. There have been countless words penned and lyrics written to capture this greatest of all emotions and necessities. "For love motivates, love empowers, love encourages, love strengthens and love compels us," one poet reminds us. Love is the glue, which holds us together and unifies us within the body of Christ – the Church. Someone once wrote; "We are much like a faucet. The faucet is not the source of the water – it merely releases the water. It doesn’t manufacture water - it channels water." And so it is with us, we are a faucet, which releases and channels God’s love. "God is love," the Apostle John reminds us. A poet wrote; "Love makes the invisible God, visible in our midst." And how true that is!
One of my favorite commercials is a commercial for Sheraton Hotels and Resorts. Perhaps you have seen it. The commercial features the song "We Belong Together," and shows different cultures and groups of people greeting each other. "The greetings are all different," says the narrator, "but the need to feel welcomed and loved is the same."
The psychologist, Fromm, once posed the question "Why?" when it comes to love: "Why must we love?" You see, Fromm believed he found the reason in the appalling experience of isolation, of separation. Fromm went on to claim; "that is the reason for people’s need to conform." He says, "we cannot solve this problem of separation, no matter how hard we try, by means of work, or success, or conformity; all of these offer only temporal satisfaction. The true answer lies solely in love - love completes us, [love] fulfills us, and [love] satisfies us." Anyone who has ever known or experienced love knows this to be true.
You may recall the quote from Bede Jarrett from our PowerPoint presentation at the beginning of our service; "Human love and the delights of friendship, out of which are built the memories that endure, are also to be treasured up as hints of what shall be hereafter." You see, God created us for companionship. God created us for relationships, God created us with the need to love and be loved, as we are so beautifully reminded in the creation account of Genesis. But more importantly, God created us for God’s self, that we might find the greatest fulfillment and satisfaction in our relationship and companionship with God. And certainly this relationship is meant to be an example of the relationship that we are to have with one another.
The Apostle Paul takes time out of his first letter to the church in Corinth to explain just what is really important in the life and faith of every believer. It’s not who has the most spiritual gifts, but rather who has love. Certainly, it can be difficult and even challenging to embody this love - an unconditional love – agape, love. Some of us may feel that there are those who just are not worthy of our love. Perhaps they have done or said something that has hurt us. The love of this world says it is okay to get even – it is okay to hurt back. But the love of God says it is okay to forgive – it is okay to be kind to that person who has hurt you, to pray for them and to show them God’s love, for in doing so, you are a child of God!
In the 13th chapter of the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth he offers what has been called "A Hymn of Love." Paul reminds us that gifts without love are useless and meaningless. People talk of love, but they do not always live it. It’s like the story that I’ve told you before of the husband who was always telling his wife how much he loved her, but very seldom showed his love. He talked it, but never expressed it. And certainly that is true of many Christians. Until the love of God is imbedded deep in our hearts, that love will never bring transformation to our lives and be manifested in our living.
This chapter is divided into three sections: first, Paul talks about the futility of gifts without the fruit of the Spirit, love. In fact, in verses 1 through 3 we see that Paul reminds us that all the spiritual gifts in the world mean nothing if those receiving them do not love one another. In fact, Paul writes, "If I have all faith... but do not have love, I am nothing" (I Corinthians 13:2).
In the second section of this chapter Paul talks about the nature of love. In verses 4 through 7, Paul speaks of the important traits of love. Paul tells us that "love is patient" or, better yet, it puts up with people that it is easy to give up on. Love is "kind," meaning, it treats people well although they may not treat us well. Love does not "envy" nor is it "boastful" or "proud." Keep in mind, the Corinthians were known for being boastful, and proud and even arrogant, and certainly these are challenges we face today. Love "is not rude," "it isn’t selfish," or "easily angered," love doesn’t hold grudges." Rather, love "always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres." This is God’s love, and we cannot have or embody this love until we first become the faucets, which release and channel this love. We cannot manufacture this love – it is divine, it is of God, we can merely become a vessel that embodies this love.
And in the third section, Paul mentions the fact that love is eternal. He writes, "love never fails." One day all the spiritual gifts will no longer be needed, but Paul reminds us "love will continue forever." Why, because God is eternal, and God is love, and when we have the Spirit of God in us, we embody this love - we possess this love, we become this love (incarnate).
The Russian writer, Tolstoy once wrote; "Where love is, God is!" You see, love doesn’t define God, God defines love - God is love! All our attempts to define love are only futile, because God is love! Dr. C.H. Dodd said; "There is no real religious experience which does not express itself in love." Love inspires us. Someone once said, "Inspiration is simply being touched by the Spirit of God."
The Duke of Windsor, recalling his childhood discipline by George V, then King of England, said that his father used to daily remind him, "Son, never forget who you are." As I reminded you on Ash Wednesday, that’s the reminder of Lent – "remember who you are… remember whose you are." Lent is a season of love. It is a season in which we celebrate God’s love for us in and through the passion and death of Christ. Lent is a celebration of our love for God and one another, as we seek to become better lovers of God, of humanity and of our world.
Valentine’s Day is indeed a special day. It is day when young and old alike express their affection and love to that special someone. But sadly, many do not realize that Valentine’s Day is really a religious holiday. Now, that’s hard for us to imagine, especially since the commercial and secular influence has turned it into a day of candy and flowers, cards and hearts, cupids and poems. But the holiday, or holy day, goes back to the early church and was originally known as the feast of St. Valentine. You see, according to church legend or tradition, St. Valentine was a priest living near Rome around 270 A.D. And at that time, of course, Christian persecution was notorious. In fact, the Roman emperor was imprisoning Christians for not worshiping the Roman gods. And so, Valentine who stayed true to his faith and worshiped the one true God was arrested. In fact, tradition has it that Valentine was arrested mainly for performing Christian marriages. During his trial he was demanded to pay tribute and allegiance to the Roman gods or he would be imprisoned, but Valentine refused to do so. While in prison Valentine continued to minister and witness, in fact, he began to witness and minister to the prison guards. When the emperor heard about this, he was furious, and so he had Valentine beheaded.
If the gospel tells us anything, it tells us that love overcomes the world – it over comes the evils and injustices of this world. It rises above them and connects to the divine. And such a love is the love that we are called to embody and to share with the world as we seek for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, and as we work to bring God’s kingdom into this realm and into the lives of those whom we meet. Amen.
One of my favorite commercials is a commercial for Sheraton Hotels and Resorts. Perhaps you have seen it. The commercial features the song "We Belong Together," and shows different cultures and groups of people greeting each other. "The greetings are all different," says the narrator, "but the need to feel welcomed and loved is the same."
The psychologist, Fromm, once posed the question "Why?" when it comes to love: "Why must we love?" You see, Fromm believed he found the reason in the appalling experience of isolation, of separation. Fromm went on to claim; "that is the reason for people’s need to conform." He says, "we cannot solve this problem of separation, no matter how hard we try, by means of work, or success, or conformity; all of these offer only temporal satisfaction. The true answer lies solely in love - love completes us, [love] fulfills us, and [love] satisfies us." Anyone who has ever known or experienced love knows this to be true.
You may recall the quote from Bede Jarrett from our PowerPoint presentation at the beginning of our service; "Human love and the delights of friendship, out of which are built the memories that endure, are also to be treasured up as hints of what shall be hereafter." You see, God created us for companionship. God created us for relationships, God created us with the need to love and be loved, as we are so beautifully reminded in the creation account of Genesis. But more importantly, God created us for God’s self, that we might find the greatest fulfillment and satisfaction in our relationship and companionship with God. And certainly this relationship is meant to be an example of the relationship that we are to have with one another.
The Apostle Paul takes time out of his first letter to the church in Corinth to explain just what is really important in the life and faith of every believer. It’s not who has the most spiritual gifts, but rather who has love. Certainly, it can be difficult and even challenging to embody this love - an unconditional love – agape, love. Some of us may feel that there are those who just are not worthy of our love. Perhaps they have done or said something that has hurt us. The love of this world says it is okay to get even – it is okay to hurt back. But the love of God says it is okay to forgive – it is okay to be kind to that person who has hurt you, to pray for them and to show them God’s love, for in doing so, you are a child of God!
In the 13th chapter of the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth he offers what has been called "A Hymn of Love." Paul reminds us that gifts without love are useless and meaningless. People talk of love, but they do not always live it. It’s like the story that I’ve told you before of the husband who was always telling his wife how much he loved her, but very seldom showed his love. He talked it, but never expressed it. And certainly that is true of many Christians. Until the love of God is imbedded deep in our hearts, that love will never bring transformation to our lives and be manifested in our living.
This chapter is divided into three sections: first, Paul talks about the futility of gifts without the fruit of the Spirit, love. In fact, in verses 1 through 3 we see that Paul reminds us that all the spiritual gifts in the world mean nothing if those receiving them do not love one another. In fact, Paul writes, "If I have all faith... but do not have love, I am nothing" (I Corinthians 13:2).
In the second section of this chapter Paul talks about the nature of love. In verses 4 through 7, Paul speaks of the important traits of love. Paul tells us that "love is patient" or, better yet, it puts up with people that it is easy to give up on. Love is "kind," meaning, it treats people well although they may not treat us well. Love does not "envy" nor is it "boastful" or "proud." Keep in mind, the Corinthians were known for being boastful, and proud and even arrogant, and certainly these are challenges we face today. Love "is not rude," "it isn’t selfish," or "easily angered," love doesn’t hold grudges." Rather, love "always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres." This is God’s love, and we cannot have or embody this love until we first become the faucets, which release and channel this love. We cannot manufacture this love – it is divine, it is of God, we can merely become a vessel that embodies this love.
And in the third section, Paul mentions the fact that love is eternal. He writes, "love never fails." One day all the spiritual gifts will no longer be needed, but Paul reminds us "love will continue forever." Why, because God is eternal, and God is love, and when we have the Spirit of God in us, we embody this love - we possess this love, we become this love (incarnate).
The Russian writer, Tolstoy once wrote; "Where love is, God is!" You see, love doesn’t define God, God defines love - God is love! All our attempts to define love are only futile, because God is love! Dr. C.H. Dodd said; "There is no real religious experience which does not express itself in love." Love inspires us. Someone once said, "Inspiration is simply being touched by the Spirit of God."
The Duke of Windsor, recalling his childhood discipline by George V, then King of England, said that his father used to daily remind him, "Son, never forget who you are." As I reminded you on Ash Wednesday, that’s the reminder of Lent – "remember who you are… remember whose you are." Lent is a season of love. It is a season in which we celebrate God’s love for us in and through the passion and death of Christ. Lent is a celebration of our love for God and one another, as we seek to become better lovers of God, of humanity and of our world.
Valentine’s Day is indeed a special day. It is day when young and old alike express their affection and love to that special someone. But sadly, many do not realize that Valentine’s Day is really a religious holiday. Now, that’s hard for us to imagine, especially since the commercial and secular influence has turned it into a day of candy and flowers, cards and hearts, cupids and poems. But the holiday, or holy day, goes back to the early church and was originally known as the feast of St. Valentine. You see, according to church legend or tradition, St. Valentine was a priest living near Rome around 270 A.D. And at that time, of course, Christian persecution was notorious. In fact, the Roman emperor was imprisoning Christians for not worshiping the Roman gods. And so, Valentine who stayed true to his faith and worshiped the one true God was arrested. In fact, tradition has it that Valentine was arrested mainly for performing Christian marriages. During his trial he was demanded to pay tribute and allegiance to the Roman gods or he would be imprisoned, but Valentine refused to do so. While in prison Valentine continued to minister and witness, in fact, he began to witness and minister to the prison guards. When the emperor heard about this, he was furious, and so he had Valentine beheaded.
If the gospel tells us anything, it tells us that love overcomes the world – it over comes the evils and injustices of this world. It rises above them and connects to the divine. And such a love is the love that we are called to embody and to share with the world as we seek for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, and as we work to bring God’s kingdom into this realm and into the lives of those whom we meet. Amen.
posted by Pastor Christopher @ 1:55 AM
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