Known by Love

Maundy Thursday ( April 13, 2017) service at Forest Hills Presbyterian Church in Richmond, VA.  Forest Hills and Eastminster Presbyterian worshiped together.  Scripture is John 13:1-17, 31-35.

 

Known by Love

 They will know we are Christians by our love.

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand
They will know we are Christians by our love. *

Some familiar words from one of my favorite hymns,

          saying you and I will be known by love:

The ways we express our love for each other,

          our families and friends;

The ways we express our love for our community,

          those in need and in pain;

The ways we express our love for the stranger,

          offering hospitality and kindness.

They will know we are Christians by our love.

 That is a good definition of love in action;

          being in service to one another and to God.

This is the new commandment Jesus gives to the disciples:

          …love one another.
Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.

 Jesus is saying farewell;

          He knows what is coming and

He has a gift and lesson for the disciples, his friends.

          Jesus will wash their feet
                     and give them this new commandment.

Why wash their feet?

Theologians will say
          It provides spiritual purification;
          It symbolizes baptism and communion;
          It represents welcome into God’s household;
          It is a call to follow Jesus in humble service.
Yes, all true and I like that last definition best.

 When Jesus washes the disciples’ feet

          it is an act of love, a humble act in service to others;

          a perfect example
                       of the commandment to love one another.

Peter gets upset…

          because foot washing
          is something done by a servant,
          not by a teacher, not by the Lord.

Jesus explains:

So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet,
you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
For I have set you an example,
that you also should do as I have done to you.

Jesus is saying farewell.

His words and actions are meant to help the disciples
          through the next few days,
                   for Jesus knows the trials to come,
                             the betrayal, the denials, the suffering,
          through their time without Jesus’ daily physical presence as teacher,
                    as rabbi, as friend,
          through their lifetimes,
                    as they go and spread the good news;
                    as they become examples of acts of love;
                    as they go and build communities of believers.

So how do you and I fulfill this commandment?

Are we known by our love for one another?

We have come together this evening,

                    2 congregations worshiping together,
          Christians in community
                   sharing the love of God.
There are many ways you and I give our time and talents
          in caring for one another…
                   serving on a committee,
                   volunteering with a local organization,
                   visiting the sick or homebound,
                   comforting those grieving,
                   mentoring a youth,
                   praying for others.

 A lot could be said at this point 

          about how Christians in general are seen by others.

There are times we do not fulfill this commandment;
          We are not led by our hearts,
          We do not offer the hospitality and love we should.
As Christians you and I have our failings, our shortcomings;
          yet, as individuals we strive to do better.
You and I are followers of Jesus,
          embracing his teachings,
          wanting to proclaim the good news,
          yearning to share the love of God which we have felt.

Jesus is an expression of God’s love for us;

          God’s everlasting love!
Love that began in a garden,
Love that was present in the wilderness and in exile,
Love so full of grace that God became flesh to walk among us.

Jesus is the great example of God’s love for us;

          through teaching,
          through suffering,
           through death.

We remember in this worship service,
          the long night;
Tomorrow,
          the darkness of suffering and death;
Saturday,
          the waiting and grieving.

It will lead us to the joy of Easter morning.

 We are not there yet.
We wait.
We pray.
We remember Jesus’ words from John 15:

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends
 You are my friends if you do what I command you.
 I do not call you servants any longer,
because the servant does not know what the master is doing;
but I have called you friends,
because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.
 You did not choose me but I chose you.”

 God chose us.

God’s grace and mercy reaches out to us.
God knows us.
God’s love surrounds and encompasses us.

 Let us follow where God leads.

Let us fulfill the commandment.
Let us be known by our love.

* Words from hymn We are One in the Spirit by Peter Scholtes Glory to God hymnal #300..