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v In last week’s sermon, Father Bill pointed out how the Law exposes sin, and he spoke of the effect of sin.
Ø The Law is impersonal and dispassionate.
§ Like a sign at the beach that says, ‘No swimming, Sharks in the water’
· The sign doesn’t do anything about the sharks
· The sign doesn’t care if someone swims or doesn’t.
¨ If someone is eaten by a shark, the sign is untouched by sympathy
· Arguing with the sign has no effect.
¨ It’s just a sign – a medium for the conveyance of accurate information.
Ø Nothing more, and nothing less.
Ø The Law points toward God, but it is not God.
§ Like signposts on the road that mark the route.
· But are not themselves the destination.
§ However, sometimes people see the Law as God.
§ This understanding of God primarily views the world in simple moralistic terms.
· This view sees a God that does not smile or frown.
¨ But with robotic movements, dispenses justice.
Ø Did you act morally?
§ Enjoy the eternal pleasures of heaven
Ø Did you act immorally?
§ Burn in the dark fire of hell.
¨ This view of God sees justice and mercy as incompatible.
§ As simplistic and unscriptural as this understanding is, we all know people who seem to operate with this understanding of God.
· On bad days, I see this person in the mirror.
Ø Praise God, that our Lord is different this dispassionate moralistic God.
v Perhaps in reaction to the moralistic God, some have concocted the ‘Luv God.’
Ø Properly spelled L-U-V
§ C.S. Lewis discussed the Luv God this way:
Ø “… by Love, in this context, most of us mean kindness - the desire to see others than the self happy; not happy in this way or in that, but just happy. What would really satisfy us would be a God who said of anything we happened to like doing, "What does it matter so long as they are contented?" We want, in fact, not so much a Father in Heaven as a grandfather in heaven - a senile benevolence who, as they say, "likes to see young people enjoying themselves," and whose plan for the universe was simply that it might be truly said at the end of each day, "a good time was had by all." Not many people, I admit, would formulate a theology in precisely those terms: but a conception not very different lurks at the back of many minds. I do not claim to be an exception: I should very much like to live in a universe which was governed on such lines. But since it is abundantly clear that I don't, and since I have reason to believe, nevertheless, that God is Love, I conclude that my conception of love needs corrections.”[1]
Ø Another significant misunderstanding of Love finds fertile soil particularly among the privileged.
§ This is a Love that manifests itself primarily in the abstract.
· That is, a warm feeling exists for a particular group – or even all of humanity, however this warm feeling is the beginning and end of the Love.
¨ No appropriate action results from this abstract love.
§ For example:
· Do we have deep feelings and sympathy for humanity as we read in the paper how people are dying like flies in a distant country, but yet do nothing?
¨ Not even spend five minutes in prayer for those for whom this day’s sunrise will be the last they see?
· Or do we say, ‘yes that’s terrible,’ to the lack of housing in Immokalee?
¨ But we have yet to swing a hammer for Habitat for Humanity?
· What about when St. John’s says that we need help in ushering, at the Thrift Shop, or in the choir.
¨ Do we expect someone else to shoulder the burden?
· A friend of mine puts it another way, he says if you want to know what kind of Christian you are – look at your checkbook.
¨ Do we dare look at the priorities that our checkbooks quantify for us?
§ In a clear rebuttal to this abstract love, the Epistle of James says that ‘faith without works is dead.”
¨ Love without actions is not only worthless it’s a dangerous deception.
v Praise God, that Jesus loves us in a different way.
Ø Our Gospel reading for today succinctly shows us the heart of God.
§ The heart of God that loves us and took reconciling action on our behalf.
§ “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
· How deep is the love of God?
¨ So deep that He would send His Son to die in order to reconcile the relationship that we destroyed in the Garden of Eden
Ø and regularly undermine on a daily basis.
Ø This passionate bright fire exceeds our comprehension.
§ He took clear action at a specific time in history.
· ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son’
§ Passion that seeks us out
· That calls to us
¨ Runs after us
¨ Know wonder Pascal – the mathematician and philosopher – described God this way:
Ø “Fire
§ The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.
· Not of the philosophers and intellectuals.”
Ø We have to deal with Jesus Christ.
§ He will not be dissuaded.
· He hung on a cross because He knows what hangs in the balance.
¨ Life and Death
Ø Our Life and Death
v Our Old Testament reading speaks of the fiery serpents, whose poisonous bite meant death.
Ø It’s important to note what God did not do in the wilderness.
§ He did not remove the snakes
· Instead, He provided healing
Ø We stand in the wilderness today
§ Poisonous snakes surround us
· snakes of pride, snakes of envy,
¨ of anger, of sloth,
Ø covetousness, gluttony,
§ and lust. (The seven Cardinal sins)
¨ We will be bitten – and the poison will burn hot in our veins.
Ø Will we look to the Cross for healing?
Ø An uncomfortable question that our Gospel reading raises is ‘do we want healing?’
§ John wrote, “the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light.”
¨ The pleasures of darkness are real – as is death.
· So do we want healing? (pause)
¨ This is a daily decision.
Ø And to my shame, I don’t always choose healing.
Ø The cure that God provides is not a pill, but a person.
§ The person of Jesus Christ.
· ‘He sent His Son’
¨ Not an underling, - but His Son
Ø True God from True God
§ Begotten, not made
· Of one Being with the Father
§ His Son came to draw us into the family of God
· He came seeking marriage
¨ To one wife – not to many wives
Ø The Church – His one bride and His one Body
§ The One – Holy – Catholic - and Apostolic Church
§ We are members of this one Body.
¨ We are the hands and feet of His Body
· As an individual, separated from the Church, I am as useful and alive as a severed hand lying on the floor.
Ø He came and died as a substitute for us
§ Just as a husband would gladly give his life for his wife, Jesus gave His life.
· ‘that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’
Ø Jesus died distinctly differently than martyrs before Him, and Christian martyrs continue to follow His example.
§ So that we understand the difference, here’s a quote from a pre-Christian martyr as he was speaking to the king who was about to kill him:
· “But you, unholy wretch, you most defiled of all mortals, do not be elated in vain and puffed up by uncertain hopes, when you raise your hand against the children of heaven. You have not yet escaped the judgment of the almighty, all-seeing God.[2]
Ø In stark contrast to this, as Jesus died on the cross said “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
· Jesus prayed for those who were killing him.
§ Those people that killed Jesus were precisely the people that Jesus loved and came to save.
· Who killed Jesus?
¨ I did. (pause)
Ø You did. (pause)
v How deeply does Jesus love you?
Ø Does He love you a little bit (thumb and forefinger)?
§ How about this much? (Both hands)
· No, He loves you this much (crucified position)
¨ And with His hands outstretched like this He died for us.
v For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Ø Amen.
[1] Lewis, The Joyful Christian p.37-39 (unverified)
[2] 2 Mac 7:34-35a. NRSV
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