Love and Joy

The pastor was greeting folks at the door after the service. A woman said, "Pastor, that was a very good sermon." The pastor says, "Oh, I have to give the credit to the Holy Spirit." "It wasn't THAT good!" she says.

The NRSV translation of the John 15 has the word “abide”. As the father loved me, so I have loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

What does abide mean?? Do you use “abide” in your every day conversation?? The NIV translates it as “Remain”. Remain in my love. Well that sounds a little better, but it doesn’t give me exactly what I’m wanting. What does this really mean?? I pulled out my trusty dictionary and looked up “abide”.

The first definition was “to put up with or tolerate”. I don’t think that fits. The second definition though I think really fit. “To continue to be sure or firm, endure.” Let’s add that into these verses. As the father loved me, so I have loved you. “Continue to be sure of my love”. If you keep my commandments you will continue to be sure of my love.

Just as I have kept my father’s commandments and I continue to be sure of his love.” Then vs 11. “ I have told you this so my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” WOW. Complete Joy. That sounds like something I want to be a part of.
So I have to keep Jesus’ commandments so I can be sure of his love. HHHMMM. I wonder. What exactly does that mean. What commandments is he talking about?

Can’t I just be sure of his love because he is God and God is good? Does this mean that if I don’t keep his commandments, I can’t be sure that I will have his love??
Jesus says in vs 13 “My commandment is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

Jesus tells us in Matthew 22 “the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. The second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as your self.“ Here in today’s text he states that again. Love each other as I have loved you.

So if we obey his commandments, we can continue to be sure of his love. His commandment is to love each other as he loved us. If we are sure of his love, his joy will be in us and our joy will be complete. The commandment he tells us to obey is to love each other.
Love each other. That’s pretty easy. We can just stop here. I gave everyone a hug this morning. OK. I love you guys. You’re the best. Have a great day.


Maybe it’s not that easy. The next vs says “Greater love has no one than this: that he lay down his life for his friends.”
Wait a minute.
I’m starting to not like this as much. If I love my friends, I will lay down my life for them. Then the next line says “you are my friends if you do what I command.”

Jesus says, “So my friends do what I command. I command to love others and lay down your life for them. If you do that, you can be sure of my love and you will have my joy and my joy is complete joy.“
I was doing pretty good until he threw in that “lay down your life stuff.” I want to just cut that part out. I don’t like that verse so we can scratch it out and ignore it from now on.
Lay down your life. Jesus already died. Why do I have to lay down my life. I don’t like this verse. I don’t like it I don’t like it. I have too much to live for.

I have a beautiful wife and daughter. A nice house. A good job. I was called to preach. I can’t do that if I die. Who is going to do the dishes and throw away all the Sonic cups if I’m gone.
I don’t think we are all called to be martyrs. And I don’t think that’s what Jesus has in mind. Yes there are many who will completely lay down their lives. I remember a story a couple years ago.
A Palenstinian kid fell in the river and was being swept away. An Israeli man jumped in to rescue him. The man did rescue the boy, yet the man did not make it. He drowned. What could have driven the man to jump in. These two groups despise each other.
But we are in the USA. Religion (for the most part) is free. You won’t be killed for being Christian here. How do we “lay down our lives” as Jesus said. I think by living for others and dying to self is what we do.

Look at all the bags we have ready for Ronald McDonald House today. That is a selfless act of giving. Your not getting anything back for that. How about confronting the principle of the school when he says the students can’t pray at school. That could shine a bad light on you from society.

What about confronting your neighbor about the way he treats his wife. That will put a mark on you at the coming up block party. Or how about your friends. All these years your never mentioned anything spiritual to them except to say “God Bless you” when they sneeze.

What if you told them what Jesus really means to you. What if you told them everything. Would it kill you and your relationship with them? Would you be dying to self??
But it’s tough right. These are your friends. The guys you hang out with. The girls group you talk with.
There are some things you never talk about. One is politics and the other is religion.
Besides….If I start talking, they might ask me a question I don’t know the answer to.

Like Why?? Why do I put my eternal trust in a guy that other religions say was just a prophet and other people now say was just a man. Do I have more to say than “well he just makes me feel good”. The apostle Peter tells us to have a reason for the hope that lies within us, and be able to explain it with gentleness and respect.

Well why are you here each Sunday? Why do you get here at 9am to worship God? Is it out of habit? Is it to hear me preach? (I might think your fibbing on that one). Is it to see what that crazy preacher kid will do next? (I can see that).

I’ve been a member of churches where there was nothing happening. If I tell my friends to come to church and they ask why, I wouldn’t have anything to say in response. John talks about that lukewarm church in Revelations.
You could say “we sing some of those great Wesley hymns we sang when I was a kid.”
Or “we are getting food together for the homeless church in Temple and books and toys together for the kids at Ronald McDonald House. You should see the look on their faces.” How about “We watch Andy Griffith shows for Sunday School”.
What brings you to church Sunday after Sunday. What can you say to your friends? Remember, if we obey his commandment to lay down our lives, we can be sure of his love. If we are sure of his love, his joy will fill us.

I know joy is not a manly word, so for the men lets use power. His POWER will fill us. As his power fills us, we will look different and act different and feel different and……share, selflessly. So listen to St. Peter.

Have a reason for the POWER in you. Have a reason for getting up to worship. Lay down your life. Because as Jesus said “those who lose there life for my sake will have eternal life.” That’s what I pray for you. Amen

What a change

man things they are a changing. Thursday is my last day at Dell (vacation the week after that). 3 weeks off and then starting up at Sardis UMC. These 3 weeks are filled up though. Going to Saris on Friday, Six Flags on Saturday (hopefully-maybe). Next week is pretty clear except for the interview @ Brite on Thursday, but Heather's wedding next Saturday and then dinner with Rogers UMC Sunday. Annual conference is June 4-7. Family Reunion is Saturday the 10th. Julia starts camp on the 11th and we move that next Wednesday on the 14th. WOW.
I need to do my best to stay in the Word during this time. Have to focus on what is important. Really excited though :o)
-Pastor Sean