The great commandment is often called the complete definition of the Christian religion, or, the sum total of what we are about. In the commandments that are called the greatest by Christ, we are told first to love God and then to love each other as we love ourselves. Think about it. If we could accomplish this, if we could really love God the way that we could, and then love ourselves and all of God's created people, just think what a wonderful place this world would be. Just think of what a difference that love would make in this world. If this commandment is the complete definition of our religion, I think that it is a pretty good one. It does cover the sum total of what we are about as Christians, loving God and loving each other. I think that we can understand this best by exploring the definition of love as used in the Bible.
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word hesed is used more than any other to describe love. It is a word like many Hebrew words that cannot be translated easily into just one word in our language. In its totality it means loving kindness, mercy, loyalty, devotion, faithfulness and steadfastness. Used more than any other verb for love in the Old Testament, hesed is often used to describe how God loves us. You might remember in our responsive psalm today, we spoke of God's steadfast love. That is hesed. That is the love that God gives to us. Steadfast and faithful, merciful and loyal, loving-kindness. God is devoted to us.
Hesed is also used in the Old Testament to describe how we are to love God and each other in Micah 6:6-8 when it says that we are to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with our God. In other words, we are to be imitators of God's hesed. It is the choice we are to make, the goal we are to strive for, when living a life that follows where God is leading.
In the New Testament we have Greek words for love, the most common of which is some form of the word agape. Similarly to hesed, agape cannot be translated easily into one English word. Its meaning is deeper than that. To me, it almost seems an extension of hesed, for the word agape refers to a life-enhancing action that glows from God to humans and vice versa. In no uncertain terms, agape tells us that love is an action. It is not merely something that we feel. It is something that we feel enough to do something about. Agape enhances life. It makes life better. It helps us to live our lives to the fullest. It helps us to live that life that God created us to live.
In Paul's first letter to the church at Thessalonica, he speaks of agape love. In our reading for today from chapter two, Paul speaks of love that is strong enough to share the gospel under less than ideal circumstances. Despite hardships, threats, and cruel accusations, Paul and his fellow missionaries loved the people in Thessalonica enough to boldly step forward and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. But that is only the first step taken in love.
The second is this, Paul and his followers share themselves as well, all because of love. They give of themselves. They do not love from afar, but they come to Thessalonica in person. They teach and share and love with their actions. And as their mission work leads them elsewhere, they continue to share the gospel and give of themselves by supporting and encouraging the Thessalonian church through letters, and through prayer. They take steps in love. They follow the great commandment.
One other important point about the example of love shown to us in this letter is the nature and attitude with which the love was given. The letter says that the actions taken in Thessalonica were done with gentleness, like that of a nurse caring for her own children. The nurse spoken of is a wet nurse, one who gave nourishment to the children of others. But Paul says that they were so gentle in their love that they were like a nurse with her own children. The nourishment that they brought was done with love like the love of a mother for her children, like love that exists within a family. This love is gentle and nourishing. This love enhances life. This love is steadfast and loyal, faithful and devoted, filled with mercy. That is Paul's example to us of how to love.
This love is a puzzling thing at times. It can seem so easy with some people that we meet and so difficult with others. Sometimes it seems natural to love God, and other times it is a struggle. Love is not easy. But I have a perspective that I'd like to share with you that has helped me out from time to time when I need a good reminder of what love really is.
I'm a big fan of the hymn writer Fanny Crosby. She is one of my Christian heroes. Blind since her early infancy, Fanny grew up with circumstances all around her that helped her to develop and amazing memory, a gift for music and a tremendous aptitude for writing verse. As a child, Fanny memorized much of the Bible. I think that the list include the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible), most of the psalms and proverbs, the four gospels and some of Paul's letters. One of the first students at the School for the Blind in New York City in the mid-nineteenth century, Fanny wrote many poems and songs, could play several musical instruments and wrote and memorized verses upon verses to share with special guests that came to visit this innovative school. Her poems were presented to Presidents and world-renowned artists.
Fanny's love for hymn writing didn't begin until she was in her mid-forties and had a conversion experience of sorts. She had always been raised as a Christian, and attended church regularly. But one night at a revival meeting, Fanny felt moved to ask herself if she really believed, if she really lived a life of faith. Whatever happened that night in Fanny's life, she began to write verses that have become some of the most loved in our repertoire to this day. The writer of over eight thousand hymns, Fanny's most beloved is still Blessed Assurance.
Now, you are probably wondering why I'm spending so much time telling you about my hero, Fanny Crosby. Well, the reason is this. As great as her hymn writing was, I believe that she had another gift that was just as great, her philosophy of Christian love. This is what Fanny said, and it is how she lived her life. "Don't tell me a man is a sinner. You can't save a man by telling him of his sins. He knows them already. Tell him there is pardon and love waiting for him. Win his confidence and make him understand that you believe in him, and never give up!"
Fanny said that she knew people had their shortcomings. What they need is to feel loved. When they can feel that love, then they can give it. They can pass it along to someone else. A person must first be able to feel love before they can love someone else. It was as simple as that to Fanny, and I think that it is as simple as that for us.
When we look at love in the Bible, I believe that it forms a sort of chain. First, God loves us with that wonderful all-encompassing hesed love. As we spoke of today in the Children's Time, that is the foundation from which all our love emanates. It is only by God's grace that we are able to love. When we feel God's love, we can love God in return. They, we can love ourselves and see ourselves as children of God. And when that happens, we can love others the way God would have us love. Love is the connection, the action that holds us all together.
Some have wondered why Jesus answered the way that He did in today's passage from Matthew. He is asked the question, "Which commandment is the greatest?" Instead of answering with one commandment, Jesus answers with two. First, we are to love God with our heat, soul and mind, Jesus says. Then, there is a second commandment that is like it. We are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
To Jesus, it seems that these two commandments are bound together. They depend on each other. They cannot be separated. They are the connection that binds us to God and to each other. They are the sum total of what we are about as Christians, the complete definition of our faith. What a wonderful goal to work toward. By God's grace, may we feel God's love and may we love each other in return. Amen.
Peace,
Rev. Cynthia Bacon
Minister
You may email at:
cbacon@heritagemadison.org
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