4^th Sunday after Epiphany – January 31, 2010

Now, I will admit that I am no doctor. I do not claim to have a PHD in medicine. So please understand that as I talk here briefly about the circulatory system of the human body, my knowledge is limited. Still, with that said, I am pretty sure I am safe to say that the circulatory system is vitally important. After all, its main components are the heart, the blood, and the blood vessels. And according to my understanding, this system includes a loop through the lungs where our blood is oxygenated and also a loop through the rest of the body which provides this oxygenated blood to the parts that need it. In addition to this, it works together with the digestive system to provide the nutrients the body needs to keep the heart pumping, to fight disease, and to stabilize body temperature.

It has been said that love is the “circulatory system” of the body of Christ. Who can argue with such an evaluation when you hear the words of our lesson, as it reminds us of the importance of love?

1 Corinthians 12:27-13:7 - ²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. ²⁸ And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way. 13     If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

A poor man, whose eyesight was failing and who was dying of an incurable disease, was visited by his pastor one day. As they sat and talked, the poor man said, “Pastor, I am a rich man, richer than I ever was as a businessman. My riches are in that box on the table. I would like you to open it and read some of the documents to me.” Wondering what secret riches the box might contain, the pastor opened it and found a large, well-used bible. The old man said, “The first document I want you to read is my PARDON, you’ll find it in John 3:16, ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’ Now please read my certificate of SONSHIP from Galatians 4:4,5, ‘God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, ⁵ to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.’ Next, read my LIFE INSURANCE policy from 1 John 2:25, ‘And this is what he promised us—even eternal life.’ Now my ACCIDENT INSURANCE in Romans 8:28, ‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.’ Finally, you’ll find my DEED in John 14:2, 3, ‘In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.’ Pastor, I am a rich man, rich in the mercy and love of my Lord and Savior.”

When talking about love, this is the only place a person can properly begin - with our Savior, the love of God, the cross. The trouble that we run into is that far too often we take this love for granted; or treat it like yesterday’s news that has become outdated. But dear fellow redeemed, people for whom Christ died, children of the heavenly Father, we cannot afford to do that. This message is your life, it is your life-line, it is your only source of true survival, it makes you who you are, it is your everything! To emphasize that truth once more, listen again to the story of our salvation.

From the moment we were born, each of us was pronounced dead. That is because we inherited a sinful nature that is hostile to God. When we entered the world we brought with us a restless evil urge to play God. We were born with our backs to God. We found pleasure in doing things that displeased Him. Yes, that was you, and that’s everyone born of a man and woman since that day Adam and Eve first sinned. As a result, God’s judgment of death and hell was pronounced on us and there was no hope of escape because there was nothing we could bring to the bargaining table to received God’s pardon.

But what we could not bargain for, God supplied purely out of love. He provided a solution that would solve the conflict between his holiness - that demand of punishment for sin, and his mercy - that desire for the salvation of all people. So, God gave his Son, his only begotten Son to be the perfect substitute who would trade places with sinners under his condemnation. As our substitute Jesus had to shed his blood. He had to offer up a perfect sacrifice on the cross as payment for the world’s sins. So on Calvary’s mountain God let loose his fierce hatred over sin and directed all of his anger and all of his justice on his Son Jesus. And Jesus hung there and took it all – the pain, the ridicule, the agony, the hell, the separation from his Father, the death. By doing so, he won pardon for all our guilt and sin and with his resurrection he sealed the deal. That pardon became our very own when, by the working of the Holy Spirit, the miracle of faith was worked in our hearts. Now, instead of being pronounced dead, we are alive; instead of hearing guilty, we hear innocent; instead of enemies, we’re sons and daughters; instead of hell; our title reads “heaven.” There is, there has never been, and there never will be greater love than this.

It is this love that must be the backdrop to our examination of the words before us.

You see, the congregation in Corinth was a church in crisis. When it came to unity, the members were out of step. They were choosing one leader over another. When it came to morals, they were out of control. Even though a man was having an affair with his father’s wife (most likely his stepmother), they refused to discipline him. When it came to their knowledge of the Bible, they were out of line. When it came to public worship, they were out of order. What a mess this congregation had made of itself! There was a problem in every pew. They needed to understand what love was!

So Paul told them, all these things you are doing are not love. All these spiritual gifts that you have which you are arguing over: saying which gift is better, look at my gift, see what I do for the church, notice how long I’ve been a member – it’s all worthless without love. Those are strong words, but that’s what he says, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.”

And in these words there is a rebuke to each of us. How do we use our gifts? Only when it suits us best? That’s not love, that’s sin. Only when there’s something in it for me? That’s not love, that’s sin. Only if some of those who never do anything start pulling their share? That’s not love, that’s sin. Only to be recognized? Only to be praised by men? Only when I like the cause? Only when we get a different pastor? That’s not love, that’s sin. Only after I’ve got mine first? That’s not love, that’s sin. And so the list goes on. And so we need to be reminded of what real love is.

So we go back to Christ and his cross. “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). John wrote, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16). “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10). This is real love. This is love that seeks the good of others. This is love that puts selfishness aside. This is love that detests laziness. This is love that says let me use my gift for the good of others. Because God loved first, love responds. Because God graciously forgave us, love forgives the sins of others, even when our hurt is high. When we understand Christ’s love for us; see his unstoppable drive to save us; observe the spotless example he left for us; then that love will govern our actions.

The words are familiar, but listen again: “⁴ Love is patient, love is kind.” That is, our love is to have the capacity to be wronged and not retaliate, to rise above petty things and be generous in the way it treats others. You know, like the patience and kindness of Jesus who loved long enough to be laughed at and cursed, slapped and struck, blindfolded and mocked. Who loved long enough to feel warm spit on his face and sharp whips on his back. Who loved long enough to see his own blood puddle at his feet. Who loved long enough for the rooster to crow and the sweat to sting and the hammer to pound. Who loved long enough for every sin to soak his sinless soul until his swollen and parched lips pronounced the final verdict: ‘It is finished’” (Jn 19:30). “[Love] does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” You know, like Jesus, the very Son of God and creator of the universe, who humbled himself to be made like his creatures so that he could die. “[Love] is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” That is, our love shows no irritation. It does not keep account books of the evil things people do, or the hurts received from them. You know, like our Heavenly Father who says, “I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist” (Isaiah 44:22). ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

It’s like a story from the days when slavery was still practiced in our country. A man happened to pass by a slave auction one day where they were about to sell a woman. In pity, he bid on her and received her. After the price had been paid, he turned to the woman and said, “Do you know what I have done? I have bought you to be free. You are now a free woman and at liberty to go wherever you wish.” Filled with gratitude, she burst out saying, “By no means, my Master; I will never forsake you, but serve you so long as I live.”

That certainly was a noble deed of love, but what was this love compared with the love of Christ? He has bought us free from a slavery which was much worse than the slavery in which this woman was held. And it was not money with which he bought us, but his precious blood. This love constrains us to serve him with our gifts all the days of our life, serve him by serving others in love. Amen.