|
Faith in Love Continuing with the 5 part Course Lenten Study, Faith Hope and Love, week 3 Faith into Love. While we are all at different stages in our walk in faith, scripture from the Psalms indicates that God has been with us from the very beginning and knows our very nature (Psalm 139:13). “You created every part of me; you put me together in my mothers womb”. For me this tends to suggest we are wired for a relationship with God and with others. The 3 contributors in the study reflect on their own heroic figures who through their obedience, sacrificial love and commitment to God, has led to the faith they have today. Certainly I can relate to their stories, as with my parents and 12 children we prayed every morning and evening together, but it wasn’t so much that, it was the love exuded by my parents, despite our penurious circumstances, which like the 3rd side of the triangle, God became a reality. The prayers being one side of the triangle, my parents being the second, and in faith God completing the triangle. In terms of knowing who God is the study suggests this is always bound up with our knowledge of Jesus but more importantly to love God is to listen to him. The Gospel reading today affirms the importance of God. Matt 22: 34-40 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they came together, and one of them, a teacher of the Law, tried to trap him with a question. “Teacher,” he asked, “Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus answered, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like it: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” The whole law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets depend on these two commandments. Its important perhaps to explain that since the 5 books Moses contained 613 commandments this was a question rabbis had often discussed, as they attempted to work out which were more important. But the trap being laid for Jesus, was that any answer he gave would please some at the expense of alienating others, so to some degree there was a real chance that Jesus could be ridiculed publicly, plus there was the suspicion that Jesus had come to “abolish” the law. In his reply Jesus decided to focus on “Love” rather than becoming embroiled in the exchange of petty arguments over of regulations and counter rules. So instead he raised the bar in terms of proceedings to give priority to “Love” as a principle which could then be applied to all religious and communal life. Jesus made it plain that the one principle of Love would apply equally to the two main aspects of religious duty, that is one’s attitude to God, and ones attitude to other people. Notably he used the same verbal form, “You must love”. Insisting also that one’s religious duty is focused outside oneself. Jesus in the parable of the Good Samaritan defines neighbor as everyone, and the nature of love which God expects is equally unlimited. This is the greatest and most important commandment. The foundation of our faith and the starting point for those who are planning for a life with God in eternity. That’s the goal, and as the study points out even for those who early Christians who knew Jesus its hard work being a Christian, as we are all different and conflicts are inevitable. The answer is: honesty, scripture and prayer. The honesty is the honesty of pastoral discernment, listening to find out what’s actually going on, for we cannot acquiesce in a broken relationship, it must be worked out. The Epistle Reading challenges us all to share what we have amongst ourselves and others, place our trust in God as well as taking our Christian duties more seriously . Hebrews 13: 1-6 Keep on loving one another as Christians. Remember to welcome strangers in your homes. There were some who did that and welcomed angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, a though you were in prison with them. Remember those who are suffering, as though you were suffering as they are. Marriage is to be honoured by all, and husbands and wives must be faithful to each other. God will judge those who are immoral and those who commit adultery. Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never abandon you.” Let us be bold, then and say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?” Last year 46,000 immigrants arrived in our, country and while its important to have sound immigration policy so justice for the taxpayer in terms of health benefits and housing for those immigrants, as Christians ours is to welcome them in the first instance and see what we can do to help. In terms of the present recession we are beginning to experience job losses and the flow on affect of the downturn in the economy. We are here now as the body of Christ, honoring God, and asking for his continued blessings to do the work he has for us. Real love for others produces tangible actions: Hospitality for strangers, empathy for those in prison, and those who have been mistreated, respect for your marriage vows, and contentment with what you have. We must ensure that our love runs deep enough to affect the hospitality, empathy, fidelity and contentment he wants us to enjoy. God is challenging us to open our homes and our lives to one another and to those outside the church. How can we learn to be satisfied with what we have? To strive to live with less rather than desiring more, give from out of you abundance rather than accumulating more, relish what you have rather than resent what your missing. See God’s love expressed in what he has provided and remember that money and possessions will all pass away. We become content when we realize God’s sufficient for our needs. Those who become materialistic are saying by their actions, that God can’t take care of them- or at least he won’t take care of them the way they want. Insecurity can lead to the love of money whether we are rich or poor. The only antidote is to trust God to meet all our needs. |
