“For the Love of God is This”

Meditation on 1 John 5:1-6

May 10, 2015

Mother’s Day

^5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. ² By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. ³ For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, ⁴ for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. ⁵ Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? ⁶ This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.”

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     Since the birth of my first child more than 25 years ago, I have enjoyed Mother’s Day.  Not that I ever really have any “big” plans. I work on Mother’s Day, of course, because I am a pastor, so I am just happy if I am able to be with my husband and at least some of my children for some of the day and share a simple meal at home. Doesn’t need to be fancy! Mother’s Day for me usually means long distance phone calls or Facebook messages and emails. Josh is in the Air Force, stationed in California. Danny, Hiu-Fai and our grandchild, Sie Sie, live in Boston. My parents live in Florida.

    What I like best about Mother’s Day is that it provides us one more opportunity to remember God’s goodness to us! And to give God thanks! I am thankful for my mother, who is still living. So many people my age no longer have both parents living! And I am thankful for all the older women who have served as spiritual “mothers” for me over the years. I am especially grateful for the wonderful blessing of my children--and a grandchild now, too!

    It may surprise you, though, that in spite of my own personal joy on Mother’s Day, I have come to believe that celebrating motherhood in the church and lifting up only women who have children is unfair and unjust, and perhaps even cruel for some. For God, who opens and closes the womb, has not given every woman a family of her own. How do they feel on Mother’s Day? Other women are separated from their children--and children from their mothers--due to military service or other overseas jobs or mission work. How do they feel on Mother’s Day? And what about mothers who struggle with the tasks of mothering and feel like a failure, particularly if their children may have gotten in trouble at school or with the law? What about the many mothers who have lost a child to death? Or children whose mothers have recently passed away? How do they feel on Mother’s Day?

     Mother’s Day, for some, is not a day of joy, but instead is a reminder of pain and sorrow or disappointment, like pouring salt into an open wound. I wonder how many women have left a Sunday worship service on Mother’s Day with tears in their eyes, rather than being lifted up and inspired to serve God more?

     This year, my friends, I am determined that we be sensitive to the needs of all our sisters in the Lord. Our message today, stirred by a heart to serve God and build up the Body of Christ rather than tear down any of its members, is all about love.

   

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    I was glad to encounter this passage in 1 John in our lectionary readings for today.  It’s full of the language of family relationships! But it is the perfect passage for today, when we might be distracted by thoughts of family gatherings or problems; it turns our eyes and our hearts back where they belong--to Jesus and our family of faith.

      The familial language doesn’t celebrate human beings or call attention to our accomplishments, failures, weaknesses or strengths. But this is language we can all understand--because we have all been born and raised in a family of some kind. This familial language is how we learn about relationships--Jesus with God, God with us through Jesus Christ, and caring relationships with one another, in obedience to God. For our love for God is revealed by our willingness to submit to what God requires of us. And what does He require? That we love one another.

     We use family language--“Father,” “Son,” and the “children of God”-- to talk about God, Jesus and ourselves all the time, without giving it much thought. We say that fellow believers are “brothers and sisters in Christ,” usually without being aware that when we talk this way, we are radically redefining the terms as we use them in our society. We learned this from Jesus. Our Lord taught us to pray to our “Heavenly Father.” He spoke in parables about the kindness and generosity of the Lord by using family language and relationships. In Matthew 7:9-11, Jesus asks, “…what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?" Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him?”

     While Jesus uses family language to teach about God’s love and His close relationship with God, he also emphasizes the importance of this new family of believers, united in Him, over the worldly community, the foundation of which are biological families. Jesus does this partly by refusing to use family language for his own “blood” relatives. In Matthew 12:47-49, when someone says to Jesus, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You,” Jesus answers, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"  And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He says, “Behold My mother and My brothers!”  He also urges would-be followers to show their commitment to God and the call to discipleship by not returning home to bury their loved ones or even to say goodbye. Jesus says in Luke 9:62, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

       In 1 John, we discover the word “born” used not to mean a physical birth, but a spiritual rebirth, much like in the gospel of John 3:3 when Jesus tells Nicodemus, who visits him secretly in the night, that unless one is born again one cannot see the kingdom of God. Being “born of God” in 1 John is made possible only by faith and making a public declaration of our love for God. If we are silent or “secret” believers, then we are not true believers! All who profess love for God are “born of God” and are “children of God.” But if we love God, then we must also believe in Jesus Christ, God’s Son, says 1 John 5:1, for “everyone who loves the parent loves the child.”

     The main point of this passage, friends, is not really that we must believe in Jesus Christ, for the writer of this letter knows that he is already talking to believers. The letter is meant for the Church! The main point of this passage, as is much of this epistle, is that when we love God and seek to obey his commandments, we will also love one another---for this IS his command. And brothers and sisters, we can do this--we can love one another--if we have faith. We can obey! First John 3 assures us that God’s “commandments are not burdensome.”

     This passage is encouragement to those who may feel beaten down by the world. Don’t let the disappointments and pain of this world steal your joy. Each of us, at one time or another becomes discouraged amidst our trials or suffering. That’s when we need one another the most! We need to hear words of kindness and hope. Sometimes, we just need someone to listen and say nothing--least of all something judgmental! Sometimes, we just may need a hug. We often need to be reminded of God’s unfailing love and new mercies every morning. We are forgiven! We are set free! We need others to pray with us and for us. For when we are discouraged, we are powerless to live as the Lord would have us live! The only way to conquer the world, friends, is to confess our doubts, fears and anxieties! Give them all to the Lord and receive His grace.

    Together, with faith, we will conquer the world. We will have victory because of our faith in Jesus Christ and the love of God-- our love for God--that will lead us to love one another.

Let us pray.

Holy One, how can we ever thank you enough for what you have done for us through your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ? Thank you for giving us our faith in Him, a faith that will conquer the world, a faith that cleanses us from all sin. Thank you for the hope and promise we have of new life in Your Son. Forgive us for becoming discouraged through our trials and our suffering and for when we may have neglected others who have been struggling. Teach us to pray for our brothers and sisters and reach out with your love to those who are hurting. And Lord, we pray a blessing on the women of our congregation and community this day. May they feel your loving presence with them and hear your voice. Stir all the women of our community to respond to your call in faith, without looking back from the plow. Help us all to obey your commands. May we all learn, by your Spirit and through your Word and prayer, to love one another--as you command us to do. In Christ we pray. Amen.