Readings: John 1: 43-51, I John 3:11-21
For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another…We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
-1 John 3:11, 14-18
Sarah Lundgren
It’s still Christmas! The last day. We began our Advent journey many weeks ago preparing to experience the miracle of Emmanuel, God come to live with us. We have traveled through lessons and carols and brilliant art from our children and lighting the Christ candle and family recipes and unveiling gifts and surprised beams and not-so-surprised chuckles and alone time and family time and zoom time all sharing in the joy of the miracle of Jesus. Christmastide wanes with today’s readings about love. The gift Jesus left us to share with one another.
This passage from 1 John reminds us to love one another. Sure, no problem. Love is the way. But next, we read that hate and murder are the same. Wait. But. Ahhh, that’s not fair. Really? So if I’ve got enmity in my heart towards my brother or my sister weaving conspiracy theories right in with the gospel…I too have a problem? Next this scripture points us to perfect love, explaining that without sacrifice and without action we cannot be part of God’s love. I want in with God’s love!
1 John’s teaching fits right here, right now, in our homes, in our church, in our community. In our differences, if we choose to hate, we choose death. In our divided politics, let us love. In our Covid-19 protocols, let us love. In our contrasting ideals of education, let us love. In our cry for justice, let us love. In our support and honor of black lives, let us love. In our learning and our growing in seeing our own biases, let us love.
But what about the part of love that is sacrifice and action? What material possessions can I give? Who are my brothers and sisters in need? What does laying down my life for my brothers and sisters, like Jesus, look like in 2021? For me, this needs to look like advocacy for black and brown lives. Connecting with many students and families experiencing disruption and hardship surrounding this pandemic. For our church, could it look like advocacy through connecting with church communities of color, building bridges, standing on common ground? Could it look like naming injustice of the past and seeking reconciliation and unity?
In Reading While Black, Esau McCaulley writes “[The church’s witness] involves calling injustice by its name. If the church is going to be on the side of peace [and love] in the United States, then there has to be an honest accounting of what this country has done and continues to do to Black and Brown people. Moderation or the middle ground is not always the loci of righteousness.”
In this turning point in our church calendar from Christmas to Epiphany may we follow Jesus, laying down our lives for our brothers and sisters and loving one another.
A Collect for Guidance:
Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being; We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Song: Noel Chris Tomlin – Noel (Lyrics) ft. Lauren Daigle