Wyoming Church of Christ Sunday 12th Oct, 2008 Allan Blyth
1Cor1:10;3:16;10:23,31;12:12,27-13:8a
Theme: Body Life (3) “Love”
Intro
Body Life (1) 3 Principles for a harmonious body life.
(i) We need each other
(ii) Resolve privately in person, ready to forgive
(iii) Act ASAP
Body Life (2) Unity of Purpose 1 Cor 1:10
“Be of one mind and purpose’ NRSV
Jesus knew what was required when asked by the teacher of the law in Luke 10:25 “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied with a question, 26″What is written in the Law?” to which the religious teacher replied, ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
And Jesus answered: 28″You have answered correctly,”
Body Life (3) What does it really mean for us to love?
Brief outline of love:(sensual), (friend/brother), (sacrificial/decision/committed love). – the love that never fails.
“The 5 love languages” by Gary Chapman
1. Words of affirmation 2. Quality time 3.Receiving Gifts 4.Acts of Service 5. Physical touch
As love languages differ from one person to the next so too do the ways we love God. And each is equally valid, sincere and obedient. Some of the ways some people love God may not seem of much value to some of us.
I’m working on the assumption today that we are all agreed that God got it right when he commanded us to love Him and to love one another – in other words, what He designed us for – God is love as 1 Jn 4:7 reminds us.
One of the workshops I attended at World Convention recently was on just this topic – the different ways we love God. I have made brief reference to these in today’s church bulleting and also my notes are available in hard copy or by e.mail on request to anyone who would like them. We probably all express our love in all of these ways but it may be that just as in human relationship where we love with a variety of love languages, most of us will be inclined to specialize in one or two.
Some of us love God especially with the mind;
others with their hands; others in the quality of their relationships, others in contemplation and still others through their emotions and bodies.
I have a friend who almost needs to be banned from book shops! – especially Christian bookshops and especially the Theological and Ministry sections. He just can’t stop himself from buying the latest book, the latest translation of the Bible, the latest research on church and community growth principles, leadership, programs to bring justice to the poor and so on. That person is one who loves God especially with their mind. You may be able to think of someone you know like that.
Then there is the person who almost needs to be banned from the church building, the church grounds and the yards and garages of widows and single parents. This person is the one always fixing something, mowing the lawn, installing the new…., cleaning up the mess made by the storm, delivering meals to the homeless and hampers to the poor at Christmas, painting the fence, scrubbing off the graffiti and so on. This is the person who specially loves God with their hands.
Then there’s the person who is at every meeting of the church, who never misses small group, who is keen to invite people home or to McDonalds for a cuppa, who loves to extend a welcome hand or hug before during or after the meeting. Yes, the special relational love.
And then there is contemplation. Some people find it hard to fathom that a person could become a hermit, an ascetic, or live in solitude for days at a time without any contact with anyone. I remember Julie giving me a 3 day silent retreat for my 50th birthday. It was wonderful, but not something that I would have done for myself – until I experienced it. Loving God by contemplation.
All of these ways of expressing our love for god can be found in the scriptures – remember the psalmist Ps 1 who exhorts Blessed are those …… who delight in the law of the LORD and meditate on his law day and night. 3 They are like a tree planted by streams of water…” Or Elisha 1Ki17:3-7
And finally there’s the matter of emotions, or we could say loving God kinaesthetically, in movement – dance, attitudes of prayer and spiritual exercises. What comes to mind was David dancing with joy in worship to God 1 Chr 15:29 “As the ark of the covenant of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.”
What is the critical element of this text for us if we would be conscious of this diversity of ways of expressing our love of God and also note Michal despising David?
Yes, there is potential for any of us to despise those who love God in ways that are different to the principle ways in which we express our love of God. How often have we heard the criticism of this branch of the church – they are all over the place with their charismatic worship – the Toronto blessing was a case in point a few years ago as we the John Wimber Vineyard movement a few years before that. Or the criticism often levelled at churches alleged to only focus on the social gospel – more concerned for issues of justice and minority groups than the simple gospel message – as with the Latin American theologies where poverty is so endemic.
To those who would despise Christian brothers and sisters whose expression of love may be different to theirs Jesus said, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. Lk 6:37
So we come back to our first premise: We all need each other. Likewise all the ways of loving God are needed too in order for God to be loved with love worthy to the one who is God. Love of neighbour, extending justice mercy and walking in humble fellowship with our God.
As the IIM continues and we become more aware of different expressions of love within our fellowship let’s see these as blessings bringing the full diversity of love into our body & guard against considering things with which we may not have comfort or familiarity as being inferior.
Story: Flemming & Lord Randolph
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for[c] our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1Jn 4:10-11 NIV
We love because he first loved us. 20 If we say we love God yet hate a brother or sister, we are liars. For if we do not love a fellow believer, whom we have seen, we cannot love God, whom we have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love one another. 1Jn 4:19-21 TNIV
