Come to the Waters |
St. Mary's Episcopal Church Green Cove Springs, Florida Sixth Sunday of Easter (Easter 6), Year B May 17, 2009 Go to St. Mary's Home Page |
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Come to the Waters |
St. Mary's Episcopal Church Green Cove Springs, Florida Sixth Sunday of Easter (Easter 6), Year B May 17, 2009 Go to St. Mary's Home Page |
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Acts 8:26-40
Psalm 22:24-30
1 John 4:7-21
John 15:9-17
The Collect of the Day
Jesus said to his disciples, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. “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. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.”(John 15:9-17)
Inspiring Love
The Rev. Dr. Bill Stroop, Rector
Last year, Trevor Wikre played football for Mesa State in Grand Junction, Colorado.[1] During the 2008 season, Trevor made a decision that some of us may find weird or inspiring or perhaps just plain wrong.
About midway through the season, Trevor was at practice when the little finger on his right hand got caught in a linebacker’s jersey. When the whistle blew, the Trevor saw his little finger bent at a horrific angle, the bone sticking out of the skin. Most guys would head straight to the locker room and call their mommies, but not Trevor, who told the trainer to, “Just tape it up. We’ve got practice to finish.”
But the trainer finally convinced Trevor to go to the hospital, where doctors told him that they’d need to insert pins and repair ligaments, to make his finger right again. That meant four months of healing time and no more football for the remainder of his senior year. His season was over.
“No way,” said Trevor. “This is my senior year. We’ve got to make this work. “We can’t,” said the docs. “We can,” insisted Trevor. “We can cut it off.”
Trevor said later that he couldn’t accept that he had played his last game. He couldn’t do that to his teammates. He said that he’d “take a bullet for those guys.”
So after what must have been a more than interesting conversation with his parents, and signing a ream of consent forms, Trevor got his his wish, and and had his little finger amputated. He only missed one game because the doctors warned him that the stitches could rip. He was back on the field for the rest of the season, which ended with Mesa State holding a 6-5 record.
Some of you have played football, and most of you are parents or grandparents. Does this story sound bizarre? But it doesn’t end here. Trevor’s coach, Joe Ramunno, once did the same thing. When he was in high school shop he slashed his finger. He insisted that the wounded finger be amputated so he wouldn’t miss his senior season. Picture Trevor and his coach giving each other a “high four” when the offense came off the field.
So how do the people around Trevor feel about his sacrifice? His mom supported his decision, and most of his teammates were awestruck by his commitment. Others, who had been injured weren’t so enthusiastic. “Thanks a lot for making us look like wussies,” said one. His fiancée, Traci, commented that his commitment to his team meant that if he ever needed to sacrifice anything for their future, he would do it.
For Trevor, who aspires to coach football himself, says it was all worth it. “I love my team. I’m a big believer in actions speaking louder than words.”
A story like this gets everyone thinking, “Would I sacrifice a finger for a team?” Many would probably answer, “No.” Football is a great game, but for most people, even most football players, I would imagine, it is a game and not worthy of losing a body part. However, at some level, there is something admirable about a person who was willing to make a long-term sacrifice for the good of the whole team.
But what if the situation was not a game? What if the stakes were higher? Many are the stories of soldiers, for example, who out themselves in the line of fire to protect a buddy. We read the accounts of martyrs and others throughout history who sacrificed their very lives in service to a cause beyond themselves or for beliefs that were too precious to compromise. A finger is one thing; a life is another. What kind of love does it take to make the ultimate sacrifice? What kind of team is worth that level of commitment? In that vein, you might want to read the story in 4 Maccabees about faithful Eleazar and his family and how they would not compromise their religious principles.
In today’s gospel, John tells us that Jesus, foreshadowing the pain of the cross, said to his team of disciples, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). The words translated into English as “love” and “friends” in this passage are cognates. In the original Greek, the word used for “love” (phileo) is a form of the word translated “friend” (philos). Thus, a “friend” is literally someone who is loved. It’s more than the connection of shared common interests and goals, like on a football team, or positive regard for a buddy or pal. Friendship, in the way that John writes about it, is always grounded in deep love – something that survives the end of a season or a graduation ceremony.
In John’s gospel, Jesus uses the phrase “lay down my life” several times to describe what he will be required to do. “I lay down my life,” Jesus said. “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10:17-18). From the very beginning of his ministry, Jesus clearly knew that his work, his preaching, and his teaching would eventually come into conflict with the religious and governmental authorities. He knew his death would be the end result of that conflict. But despite knowing that, he did not give up or try to avoid capture. Jesus knew that because he loved his friends the way God loved him from the manger to the tomb, his life of love and faithfulness to God’s vision would shape and define his team of disciples to carry on his ministry after his death.
The message of the gospel for us today is to understand love in the way that Jesus loved his friends. To give or accept “friendship” the way Jesus meant, is to love in a sacrificial way. We must love others sacrificially, too.
Trevor Wikre was not the caliber of football player to be recruited by the NFL. He did not choose to have his finger amputated to protect his own chances of being spotted by a potential recruiter during his senior year. He was just someone who loved football and loved his teammates, and we have to assume that during his four years at Mesa State, his coach and fellow players loved him a whole lot, too. We may be quick to judge him with disbelief, or call what he did ridiculous, foolish or outright stupid. But have to remember that people will do just about anything for someone when they are truly loved.
Jesus laid down his life because he was loved into it by God. We can do it for others because we have been loved into it by Christ.
For Jesus, “laying down” his life meant a painful physical sacrifice. We may never be called to do that for another, but there are lots of ways of laying down our lives that don’t involve death or organ donation. We may need to amputate our personal ambitions in order to do what’s best for our families. We might be called to give sacrificially of our hard-earned money in order to care for someone who is experiencing a crushing need.
There are a thousand ways we can lay down our lives on behalf of Jesus, but we’ll only be able to do it if we are truly willing to receive his love for us. We can’t earn Jesus’ love; we can only receive it and allow it to transform us. It’s only then that we, as friends of Jesus, will be able to “bear fruit” that will last.
Two wealthy Christians, a lawyer and a merchant, joined a party that was traveling around the world. In Korea one day, they saw, in a field by the side of the road, a boy pulling a rude plow, while an old man held the plow handles and directed it. The lawyer was amused, and took a snapshot of the scene.
“That’s a curious picture! I suppose they are very poor,” he said to the missionary, who was an interpreter and guide to the party.
“Yes,” was the reply. “That is the family of Chi Noui. When the church was being built they were eager to give something to it, but they had no money; so they sold their only ox and gave their money to the church. This spring they are pulling the plow themselves.”
The lawyer and the businessman by his side were silent for some moments. Then the businessman said, “That must have been a real sacrifice.”
“They did not call it that,” said the missionary. “They thought it was fortunate that they had an ox to sell.”
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While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.
1 Sing to the LORD a new song, *
for he has done marvelous things.
2 With his right hand and his holy arm *
has he won for himself the victory.
3 The LORD has made known his victory; *
his righteousness has he openly shown in the sight of the nations.
4 He remembers his mercy and faithfulness to
the house of Israel, *
and all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
6 Sing to the LORD with the harp, *
with the harp and the voice of song.
7 With trumpets and the sound of the horn *
shout with joy before the King, the LORD.
8 Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it, *
the lands and those who dwell therein.
9 Let the rivers clap their hands, *
and let the hills ring out with joy before the LORD,
when he comes to judge the earth.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.
O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
[1] This sermon was inspired by and borrows from the story of Trevor Wikre that appeared in Timothy F. Merrill (Exec. Ed.). “Pinky Love” in Homiletics May-June 2009. Accessed 14 May 2009 at http://www.homileticsonline.com.
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Copyright © 2009, William G. Stroop - All Rights Reserved.
14 May 2009
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