They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love

GUMC-155-090620-001291 3rd John 2-4, 11 & John 14:15-21

THEY’LL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE In the “One Hit Wonder” Series

“I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are walking in the truth” --- 3rd John 4 (NRSV).

Whether you’re a student of history or old enough to remember, a serious controversy developed when the young senator from Massachusetts, John F. Kennedy, ran for president. His faith as a Roman Catholic preoccupied the predominantly Protestant voting public. At the time, a well-worn prejudice worried that, if elected, the President of the United States could be an agent of another government, the Vatican. We chuckle today, but it was a serious issue. Sadly, we’ve not learned from our religious prejudices. During the 1999 presidential primary debate, Texas Governor George W. Bush was asked which philosopher he most admired. “Christ,” he declared, “because he changed my heart.” Mr. Bush was roundly mocked for his sincere, six-word statement of faith.1 Nineteen years later, Illinois Senator Barack Obama, also during the primary season, took a shellacking for worshiping at Chicago’s Trinity United Church of Christ. That congregation’s fiery minister, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, regularly preached provocative sermons. Could Mr. Obama could be held responsible for his pastor’s controversial remarks!?! (Are you responsible for what I proclaim from the pulpit?) These three instances spanning half a century, reveal that religious prejudice is a reality.2 Print & electronic media not only amplified those matters, but employed analysts & commentators to fuel the firestorms of detractors who pilloried candidates for their most personal beliefs & faith practices. One wonders how a free press (the fourth estate), benefitting from the 1st Amendment’s right to freedom of expression can engage in attacks on persons exercising their 1st Amendment freedom of expression through individual religious liberties. There seems to be more than a little hypocrisy in that approach. No wonder, as the Gallup poll reports, our trust in the press declined from 1977’s high of 72% to today’s low of 41%.3,4 That 41% figure matches citizens’ approval of the president. Only Congress has a lower approval rating: 18% according to Gallup’s most recent polling (on July 30th). 5 These figures are disturbing, but not surprising. Our national leaders engage in conduct unbecoming their office, their age, their elected stature. The namecalling & ad hominem personal attacks, the coarse rudeness, & lowering of standards between the #1 & #3 persons of our government, & too many others, has created a shameful model played out on our streets & in citizens’ interpersonal relationships. How hard it is to raise kind, respectful children when these well-publicized, unacceptable examples abound. As partisans cheer their person’s bad behavior, where are today’s prophets to hold leaders accountable?

1 https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4528159/user-clip-george-w-bush-admires-christ 2 One could add prejudices concerning Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith and Joe Biden’s abortion views being at odds with him being a Roman Catholic. 3 https://news.gallup.com/poll/195542/americans-trust-mass-media-sinks-new-low.aspx 4 https://news.gallup.com/poll/1663/media-use-evaluation.aspx 5 https://news.gallup.com/poll/316448/congress-approval-drops-trump-steady.aspx

GUMC-155-090620-001291 3rd John 2-4, 11 & John 14:15-21

Adding to the disappointment is how even church leaders – our bishops, clergy, & delegates to United Methodism’s General Conference – so poorly comport themselves amid our denomination’s difficulties. They’re so disagreeable when disagreeing. Jesus’ disciples -- you & I, Grove Church -- are called to something different, something better.

In a brief 219 Greek words, John reminds his church friend, Gaius, & other Christians, to “show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith.”6 Yes, there will be controversies. The Bible does not hide them, recounting them for us to learn (from). Are we learning? At the very least, our earnest disagreements are to be engaged with humility – admitting the possibility that when it’s all over & done, we might be wrong. Certainly, it’s a lesson for our denomination’s leaders. Over the years, many of them behaved dishonorably. Go on-line to see the behavior. There’s no excuse for it. One can be passionate, even angry, without violence & demonizing. It’s not a one- time expression of frustrated behavior either, but evidence of a recurrent mean spirit persistently residing in persons. It is not of Christ. As John’s little epistle admonishes us, “Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but imitate what is good.” Is that such a peculiar idea, an unrealistic goal for Christian leaders? Disciples don’t frequently & regularly become so exercised -- to the point of needing to be exorcised! This behavior reveals an angry, deep-seated personality trait, not a rarely-exhibited, or solitary, indiscretion. Making matters worse, there have been no apologies amid these displays of self-righteousness. It does not conform to a love like Christ’s. During one of history’s most oppositional rivalries between Scotland & England, Oliver Cromwell was quoted as saying to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, “I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible you may be mistaken.” Admitting error & apologizing require humility.

There is our government. There is our denomination. And there is our church – Grove Church. God bless the leaders of Grove Church – truly. You’re modelling something different, something better, something of Christ & faith. These six months have been inordinately difficult for every one of us, including persons leading this congregation. The church staff, chairpersons, committees, & teams have been a blessing and acted as Christ would have us. Family life has changed. Work has changed. School has changed. Shopping has changed. Medical care has changed. Leisure activities have changed. Worship has changed. Everything has changed … except the quality of Christian relationships among us. Praise God. As stressed as everyone is, there are understandable reasons to be short- tempered, disagreeable, curt, & unkind. And when confronting difficult matters, those behaviors get provoked & can become more frequent & meaner. Not among Grove Church leaders. The steering team, trustees, finance committee, staff-parish relations committee, church & society team, preschool board, nurture team, & staff have not only been so good with one another, but in their relationships have shown forth the

6 From The Book of Common Prayer, collect for the 2nd Sunday of Easter.

GUMC-155-090620-001291 3rd John 2-4, 11 & John 14:15-21

beauty of Christ in how they care for one another & how they care for others outside our walls. To be any different would make a hard time harder, unbearable, even. This is not to say that folks have not disagreed. There have been crucial, spirited discussions. Those conversations consistently glorified Christ. If Christian sisters & brothers cannot live our faith with one another, then we’re all sunk. We’re all the worse for it. None of us is any more special than anyone else. I credit God & praise Christ’s Spirit for what he’s doing among us. You & I see the worst when we turn on the TV, engage social media, or read the newspaper delivered on our doorstep or on our computer screen. It is discouraging, dejecting, depressing, and often maddening. All of these nega-tive influences crash in on us, adding to the troubles & hurts we have, ourselves. Something of Christ, though, abides in you, in particular the leaders with whom I’m truly privileged to serve, especially in this time. You restore faith in who & what Jesus people are. In a time of disagreement, Jesus promised, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them (Matthew 18:20).” Indeed. I’m witness to it. That’s where, this is where, in our gathering, albeit via Zoom (!) his Spirit takes residence. The Spirit is not an ethereal ghost, but is alive in the treasured, hallowed relationships in this Body of Christ. You have brought the best of our faith to life in these relationships & service to others. Thank you, my friends. I’m reminded of too many of our elected leaders in government & our denomination’s leaders when I hear Jesus say, “The world will no longer see me.” The world doesn’t see Jesus’ love exhibited in those situations. “But,” he encourages us, “you will see me; because I live, you also will live…. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” Remember that heavenly rejoicing I preached about two weeks ago, when God jumps up & down for joy over us? Here it is again as Jesus says, “I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” Jesus, you have revealed yourself in this time in this church in these sacred relationships among servant-leaders. Praise God. I do not believe that we have, nor will always do the exact right thing or make perfect decisions, but we have &, I trust, will be in right relationship. When it’s all over, as Jesus teaches, it is the quality and integrity of our relationships with God & one another that matter. They’ll know we are Christians … by our love.