February 4 Sermon: All You Need
Is Love,
A Study of 1 Corinthians chapter 13
Ask just about any kid in school about the greatest story ever told,
and they’ll not likely to jump into the story of Jesus. Instead they’ll probably start regaling you
with the tale of J. K. Rowling’s boy wizard Harry Potter. His continuing adventures have sparked a
worldwide phenomenon. Six books and four
movies– and the next book is awaited with
anticipation. While we muggles may be tired of Harry, his readers certainly
aren’t.
In a few churches, the books have been denounced based on their magical
subject matter. But are these stories
really about magic and wizardry? Or are
they tales of a battle between good and evil?
Is the story’s attraction based on flying broom sticks and magic wands
– or the response of true friends to challenges and adversity? It’s a tale about friendship based on honesty
and loyalty; and about response to adversity with courage and cooperation; in
other words, the real magic of relationships
We admire Harry, not so much for his magical abilities, but for the
quality of his character.
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Those magical, supernatural powers in the Harry Potter books might
remind us of the supernatural gifts – the spiritual gifts that Paul has been
writing about in his letter to the Corinthians – that troubled and disagreeable
congregation. They didn’t fly on broom
sticks or engage evil with flashing wands, like Harry and his friends, but some
members claimed they had certain supernatural gifts that gave them special
status. Gifts like prophecy or
preaching, greater knowledge and understanding, speaking in tongues and so on –
abilities that were exhibited before the whole congregation, so all could see. They thought these unique powers separated
them from the “less-gifted” members.
Last Sunday I told you about that praise band at the Corinthian
church, “The Austin Lounge Lizards” and their song.
I just can’t abide a sinner like you.
God can’t either, that’s why I know it to be
true
That Jesus loves me -- but he can’t stand
you.
Well this week’s song has a refrain:
All can see I’m more spiritual than you,
Cause Jesus really loves me, a lot more than you
To think my gifts and abilities are mine to be used for my benefit – to
enhance my position and elevate me above others– is a real temptation. In Harry Potter’s world, the young wizards
are constantly tempted to use their powers to benefit themselves – or for their
own glory. Some do and we see the
consequences. Sometimes they end up
putting the entire magical community in danger.
Just as in
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In the novels, Lord Voldemort is the
personification evil. His underhanded
philosophy is that there is no such thing as good and evil – only power. Sounds like Machiavelli. Maybe that isn’t a real temptation for
you. Yet for some, there may be a time
when they are willing to put aside any consideration of good and evil in order
to achieve an important goal. That goal
may seem good, but the means to it requires a compromise with evil. Yielding to the temptation is finally self-defeating
and self-destructive.
But as our hero Harry battles Lord Voldemort,
he resists being caught up by dark wizard’s power play. He does so with the wisdom of his mentor,
Professor Dumbledore who offers the most important insight in the book. The
most magical force of all is love.
That sounds like
He reminds his readers in
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Why?
Because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God... If we love one
another, God lives in us... 1
John 4:7, 12
The Christ-like love we share with others comes to us from God, and is
the sign that God’s Spirit is working within us.
Remember when Jesus was asked to sum up the God’s laws and
commandments? He said Love the Lord
your God with all your heart and mind and strength... and love your neighbor as
yourself. Matthew 22;37-40
Don’t just say you love God - show it by sharing God’s love with others
– with everyone.
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The Danish philosopher Kierkegaard noted that many of the great minds
of his century had devoted themselves to making people’s lives easier -
inventing labor saving devices and so on. Kierkegaard said he would dedicate
himself to making people’s lives more difficult.
How?
He would become a preacher.
Not everyone you encounter is all that lovable, yet you’re supposed to
love them. It’s much easier to dislike some people. Resentment comes easily. Keeping the
commandment to love may be hard, so God offers us His help.
God's love has been poured into our hearts through the
Holy Spirit that has been given to us. Romans 5:5
His Spirit would give us the power to love the unlovable - to love
those who don’t return our love - to even love our enemies.
Christ-like love is a renewable resource. Giving it away does not decrease the
supply. The Spirit keeps refilling our
hearts with God’s love.
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Even though we often read Paul’s beautiful words about love at
weddings, he’s not talking about sentimentality, romance or warm feelings. Paul
is writing about how members should behave toward one another in church, the
body of Christ. Of course his words
extend to day-to-day decisions in all human relations, for they instruct us on
how to act in a Christ-like manner in our families and among friends and
colleagues.
He doesn’t say you have to hug them all - but he does say be patient
and kind - Don’t insist on your own way, It’s a very practical kind of love. Don’t
be jealous or rude. He even says don’t be irritable. 13:4,5
Love is an act of the will, a choice, a
commitment without conditions. It is the
kind of love that Jesus showed in His ministry - and the kind of love he has
for each one of us.
Live a life filled with love, following the example of
Christ who loved you and gave himself up for you and
Our love for others should model Christ’s love for us. To follow Jesus means following his
example. Treating
others - speaking to others in the same ways that he did.
For example, keep no record of being wronged and don’t even
think about getting even. Don’t be
glad about injustice, but rejoice in the truth. And never give up on someone. Keep the faith. 13:5-7
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Harry Potter is told by his mentor, it is our choices that define us,
not our abilities. Harry is admirable because of those right choices. Throughout the series, he constantly puts
himself in danger to save his friends – facing the power of evil not with magic
but with the power of sacrificial love.
He illustrates the kind of love that Paul writes about – the kind of
love Jesus commands - a love that is willing to put the needs of others before
self.
In that sense love is the greatest virtue for it expresses directly
Christ’s way of life. Even beyond that,
it reveals God’s nature.
God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides
in them. 1 John 4:16
Faith and hope, courage and
truth, marriage and family all have their foundation in sacrificial,
unconditional love.
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Love is also the greatest because it never ends. 13;8 After all else has
passed away, love will be the one thing left – the love of God for us and our
love for one another. Prophecy and
knowledge, powers and abilities are great and potentially useful in the
present, but they will all come to an end.
What matters in the end is not what we’ve been
able to accomplish with our gifts and talents, but whom and how we’ve
loved. In the end it is love that allows
to grow into the person God created us to be.
Love that seeks no cause, no end, no reward beyond
itself.
“I love because
I love; I love that I may love.”
St. Bernard