St. Luke Ev. Lutheran Church of Watertown

Sermon delivered by Pastor Anthony E. Schultz

Easter 6 May 22 + 25, 2003 1 John 4:7-11

Dear Friends, let us love one another, for love comes for God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

People of God—rescued from the flaming lake of fire in hell by the innocent blood of the very Lamb of God:

It was a long time ago—in Dr. Keessling’s class that we read Romeo and Juliet. “But soft! What light through yonder window breaks! It is the East, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief that though her maid art far more fair than she…” Remember? Juliet’s cheeks so soft and bright—that they make the very stars to pale—the way the noonday sun makes a lamp look dim. Cheeks so soft and bright that even in the night they would make the birds to sing. “See how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O, that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek!” When you talk of love—that’s the kind of love most people think of—the Romeo and Juliet—powder and perfume—holding hands—fingers intertwined—soft warm lips—a lingering kiss! That’s the kind of love that first comes to mind! As wondrous and precious as that love is—today God’s Word talks about a love far more priceless still. Today God’s Word reminds us:

God is Love!

1. In love God sent his Son to save us

2. Therefore—love one another!

For each of the 5 Sundays after Easter we have been reading from 1^st John. Remember the precious message of law and gospel in 1^st John. “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8,9 Oh, I don’t think we would be quite so crass and crude as to say we don’t do any sins. Nobody’s perfect—we would be quick to agree. I don’t claim to be perfect. But at least I’m not as bad as some people I know! Do we think we are better than the people we see going into the bars while we drive past them to church on Sunday morning? Do we think we are better than the people on the TV talk shows—that guess wrong three and four and five times—as to who is the physical father of their baby? Do we think we are better than the man in California—accused of murdering his wife and unborn baby—then trying to hide their bodies in the ocean? Do we play the part of the Pharisee—who stood up and prayed about himself; ‘God, I thank you that I am not like all other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector!’” Luke 18:11b If we claim to sin less than our neighbor—we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Admit your sins—without excuses—without minimizing them—without trying to explain them away. “God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” This Memorial Day weekend—when you have time to stop and think—remember God’s Word from 1^st John. “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” 1 John 2:15-17 The older we get—the more the devil tempts us—to sin with our eyes. To want what we don’t and can’t have. To boast and brag about what we have and what we have done. But the things and the stuff of this world wear out. They get used up. They fall apart and break. But people who hope and trust in Jesus’ forgiving love will live with Jesus forever in Heaven!

Today God’s Word says, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” You do not have to look far in this world to find hate. There was a truck driver murdered the other day. And why? Because he wore a very carefully wrapped towel on his head instead of a baseball cap? Because he had a beard that was long and untrimmed instead of being clean-shaven? What is that but prejudice and murderous hate! It is painful to stop at the grocery store in the middle of the morning—to hear a little child scream and scream and scream while the mother pushes the grocery cart utterly oblivious to the tears streaming down their child’s face—her mind completely absorbed in the choice sticks and twigs breakfast cereal with or without freeze dried blueberries and strawberries! I am reminded again and again—the opposite of love is not hate—as much as complete and utter neglect! To have such a cold, hard, calloused heart that simply does not care! A heart that could not care less—where you are or what you are doing or when you will be home again! God sent his one and only Son into the world—so concerned about the things and stuff of this world—to rescue us from sin and death.

It’s not that God loves lots—God is love! That means God loves everyone! We were at the mall the other day—reading my book—sipping my coffee—when I looked up to see a guy. He was all dressed in black from top to bottom. There’s nothing wrong with that. Some very fashionable people wear all black outfits. He had a whole bunch of tattoos. There’s nothing sinful about that. He had all kinds of body pierce-ings. There are people in Africa who love Jesus—who come to church every Sunday—who have brands and tattoos and ceremonial cuts in their cheeks—that have tribal significance. And I don’t know of any passage in Scripture that says that’s a sin either. This young man had a haircut that’s difficult to describe—some parts were shaved and some parts were very long—in particular combination. That’s not a sin either. This young man wore a t-shirt that was all black with the word misfit printed on the back. The part that really bothered me about this young man was the look in his eyes! There was a vacant—a sad—a lonely—a pained look. This young man walked along the edge of the hall—all-alone—looking down—looking away—looking hopeless! Who was this guy? Jesus knows. Jesus loves that young man—so much—that Jesus died for him! God is love! God loved that one young man so much—that if there was no one else in the whole wide world—Jesus would have died just to rescue him!

God is love! It always fascinates me to hear about this world’s attempts to punish evil. I heard that in China they have a new law against spitting—spitting on the sidewalk or in the street—because they fear this might spread SARS. The fine? $6! I’m thinking that could be a real moneymaker in Watertown—if they had that law! The lady on the cruise ship who wrote that threatening note? They say she could get 20 years in prison—20 years for a threat! I don’t know—how a threat can get you 20 years—while actually murdering someone—can get you as little as 15 years—if you are well behaved while in prison. And crimes against property? This guy who is accused of some 78 crimes that have only to do with money? They say he could get as much as 1,000 years—if found guilty and served his sentences consecutively! That would show him. How inside out is that? 15 years for murder—and a thousand years—if you tell lies about money? What’s wrong with this picture? God’s Word says, “The wages of sin is death! But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!”

This is love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. It always amazes me—the different ways people die. There was a very little person this week who died after being bitten by lots and lots of ants. You wouldn’t think an ant bite—even lots of them—could be fatal. Some body died the other day—sliding down a banister at a museum on a field trip. There were a whole bunch of people on an airplane the other day—where a door broke loose—and what—a hundred people got sucked out of the plane? There were a bunch of school buses—that went rolling down embankments—and people died. There are constantly stories about trucks, cars and trains. Races to get around the gates and through the intersection before the train. In a crash—the train always wins. This weekend—there will be accidents—people on motorcycles—that insist on the freedom of not wearing a helmet—feeling the freedom of the wind through their hair. A love of freedom that could cost them their physical lives. People die suddenly—unexpectedly—in what we call accidents. Jesus died according to God’s thoughtful careful plan. A plan of rescue decided upon in the eternity that preceded creation. When it was just the right time—God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under law—to buy us back from the guilt—the death penalty our sins deserved. God sent his Son to be the sacrifice that once again would make us one with our Heavenly Father. Jesus’ sacrifice takes all our sins away!

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Fruit that will last! I still remember the autumn of 1970—being on a bowling team at Northwestern College—bowling down at the Schmidt’s bowling alley. One day I was doing very badly. It was about the 8^th frame and I was somewhere in the 40s. Not a hundred and forty—just the 40s. My teacher—my friend said, “A lesser man would be discouraged!” I always remembered that. To this day—when something is going painfully wrong—and the harder you try—the worse it gets—I remember—“a lesser man would be discouraged!” That simple word of encouragement—bore fruit—fruit that has lasted going on 33 years. Just imagine how important it is—to build up and encourage instead of criticizing—finding fault—tearing down—causing hurt and pain. Jesus picked us. He chose us. He made us children of God. He is the vine. We are the branches. Apart from Jesus we can do nothing. With him—closely connected to him—built up by the gospel we will bear sweet juicy fruits of faith—fruits that will last!

God is love. It was a long time ago—in Dr. Keesling’s class that we read William Shakespeare’s Othello—a love story—and a painful tragedy, too. A murderous Othello—blinded by jealousy tells the fair Desdemona—if all of Iago’s hairs had been lives—my murderous stomach has room for them all. And now Othello is going to murder his love Desdemona. O, banish me—she says—but don’t kill me. He says—no! Kill me tomorrow—let me live tonight! He says no! But half an hour! He says--no! Let me say one prayer! “It is too late!”, he cries and smothers her to death! So it is—in this world. Again and again there are lies and betrayal—unfaithfulness and adultery and sin. So it is—in the spiritual realm. There are lies and betrayal—unfaithfulness—spiritual adultery and sin. How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God. God who is love! Only God’s forgiving love in Christ can warm our hearts—so we know for certain we have an inheritance stored up in heaven—where moth and rust cannot corrupt—where thieves cannot break in and steal. Only God’s forgiving love in Christ can warm our hearts—so that everyone will know we are Jesus’ disciples—his students, followers and imitators—because we love and forgive one another!

To God alone all glory!