Easter V, Cycle C

"Our Christian Constitution"

May 2, 2010

The Rev. Dr. David M. Wendel

Saint Luke's Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs

Lessons: Acts 13:44-52; Revelation 21:1-6; St. John 13:31-35

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

If there is one positive that seems to be coming from the current polarization and dissension in our nation, surely it is the renewed interest in our Constitution! Being now "middle-aged", I can't remember a time when average, ordinary citizens were actually reading and talking about our country's Constitution. I remember studying it in school, back in the good ol' days. I guess we hoped our national legislators and Supreme Court justices were paying some attention to it. But for regular folks to be picking up copies of the Constitution, dusting them off, and actually reading it? I don't remember such a thing. And yet, today, I hear people talking about the Constitution all over the place! And not just the radical fringes, either—some of you in our congregation! There seems to be a sincere, interested discussion going on about the nature of our government, the original intent of our forefathers, the rights of the federal government as over against our state governments, and above all, the rights of free citizens to live, worship, speak out and determine the course of government. And if you haven't been caught up in this renewed interest in the Constitution; if you haven't gotten involved in this discussion; if you don't have a copy of the Constitution—go to the check out line at Barnes and Noble, where as recently as Friday, you could find copies of the Constitution—right there in the most visible location in the store—for $6.98!

And in the same way, if you haven't paid much attention lately to the Christian constitution; if you haven't given much thought to the guiding principle of Christianity, as presented by our Founding Father, Jesus; if you'd like to delve a little deeper into what it means to live your life as a follower of Jesus, then I suggest you post our Gospel lesson for today on your refrigerator, or save it to your Blackberry or I-phone, so that it will pop up whenever you turn yourself on, because here, in our reading from John today, we have what can be considered, the simple, straightforward constituting statement for Jesus' disciples—what He calls a New Commandment—the one central, guiding instruction for all His children—that we love one another as He has loved us. For by this, Jesus says, everyone will know that we are His disciples—if we have love for one another.

Now granted, some might disagree about what really is the Constitution for Christians. Some might say that the Bible, as a whole, is our constitution—and there is certainly some reason for saying that. For truly, the Bible is God's Word explaining, revealing to us how it is that we became God's people in the first place, and how, after we sinned, we have been redeemed by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, and His glorious resurrection. In this sense, though, we might think of the Bible as being something more like the Declaration of Independence—the document that declares, not our independence from God, but instead, how it is that God sets us free from our dependence upon sin, death and the devil. The Bible reveals to us how it was that we became God's saved, redeemed children. The resulting question is, how are we to live, as God's children.

And just as the United States Constitution was intended to guide and direct our citizens as we seek to live together as individuals within these united states, we certainly look to Jesus, in particular, for guidance about how we are to live as citizens of the kingdom of God, now that Jesus has given His life for us, that we might live new lives in Him. We know that being saved by the blood of Jesus is intended to set us on a new path in life—to help us walk in newness of life, but what does that mean? Of course, each book and verse of the Bible has valuable light to share about this new Christ-like life we are to be living day by day—but as we all know, that can be overwhelming, and baffling. By the way, that's why the people of Israel, having received the Ten Commandments, thought it would be helpful to have the rabbis explain what following the Ten Commandments really meant in daily life.so, over time they gave explanations to the people—laying out for common ordinary folks how to apply the Ten Commandments. Unfortunately, they ended up with 613 commandments, making the following of the Ten, not easier, but more complex, and almost unworkable for common, ordinary folks wanting to keep God's will.

In the same way, then, Jesus didn't advocate following the 613 rabbinic extrapolations, but as He was preparing for His own arrest, trial and crucifixion, at the Last Supper, Jesus gave His disciples one, simple, clear instruction—a New Commandment that was to guide the lives of His followers. Indeed, it was to shape the new life that they were to live as His people, after being set free by His saving death and resurrection. And that commandment was—is—"love one another, as I have loved you". That's why I suggest this might be considered the constitution of the Christian Church. And helpfully, it's one line and can be said in one sentence: "love one another—just as I have loved you." When you boil down the Christ-like life; when you refine all of Jesus' life and teachings down into its pure, unadulterated essence, that's what you have—love one another, as I have loved you.

And yet, as straightforward and simple as that is, as easy as that is to remember—don't we find it extremely difficult to put into practice? The difficulty is not in knowing it, or remembering it—the challenge comes in knowing how to live this commandment to love, so that the world will know that we are truly, Jesus disciples. So, here are a few pointers to help us live in Christ's love—here are three things to keep in mind as we seek to love, as Christ loves us.

First, we need to remember that this love is to be the guiding principle for those of us within the kingdom of God, not the kingdom, or kingdoms of this world. We Lutherans strongly teach what we call the "Two Kingdoms" principle, or doctrine. There is a kingdom of this world that has to be governed by natural law, which is based on God's Law in the Ten Commandments. This means all governments are to follow and use laws for good order, justice and peace between nations and peoples. This law has to do with not murdering, not stealing, not lying, having respect for parents and all in authority, and so forth. Individual governments have the right to establish rules for governing that, within their own culture, are intended to preserve and protect civil order, justice and peace. That's the goal of the kingdom of the world, and the kingdoms of this world. Governments are not to be established on Jesus' New Commandment. Love is to be the overarching rule of the people of God, within the Kingdom of God. Love is not the overarching rule of the kingdom of this world. We ought not expect, or try to have our governments govern on the basis of Jesus' commandment to love one another as He loves us, because governments cannot legislate love, and God never intended that. A government cannot love—it can only legislate and govern to foster and ensure good order, justice and peace. Individual people, can love, and that's why Jesus gives us this New Commandment.

Second, loving one another doesn't mean "anything goes". When Jesus commands us to love one another as He loves us, that doesn't negate His teachings on adultery, anger and hatred, giving to the poor and needy and the like. Jesus' commandment doesn't mean, "I love you—do whatever you wish." In fact, the greatest love sets boundaries and limits. The worst parenting, for example, is the parenting which says, "I love you—so do what you want." The most effective parenting says, "I love you—and because I love you, here's what I expect of you." The love isn't based on expectations, fulfilled or unfulfilled, but being a loving parent means one teaches and guides one's children, setting boundaries and limits for behavior. It's the same with Christ-like love. While this love is self-giving and self-sacrificing, it also speaks the truth, is honest in all things, reproves and reprimands, as well as forgives and forgets. The best way to understand this Christ-like love is to remember that it always seeks what's best for the other. Whether it's love for our children and youth, love for my homeless neighbor, love for my co-worker or classmate, I am loving when I give them, not whatever they desire, but whatever is best for them. It's not a matter of "tough love", but "real love". As St. Paul describes it, "love is patient and kind; not jealous or boastful, not arrogant or rude; love doesn't rejoice at the wrong, but rejoices in the right; love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things—real love, never ends."

Third, and finally, in learning what it means to love one another as Christ loves us—we remember that "we love, because He first loved us", as it says in 1st John 4. Blessed Martin Luther tackles this whole challenge to love, when he wrote, "how does one come to love? The heart of man is such that it cannot love unless it has first seen the benefit of loving.So, God gave us His Son, poured out His great treasure most generously, and sank and drowned all our sins and filth in the vast sea of His great goodness so that the heart cannot but let this great love and blessing draw it to love in return, and be prepared willingly to fulfill the Commandment. Otherwise, the heart cannot love; it must find that it has been loved first," Luther says. "Therefore God comes, takes hold of the heart, and says: Learn to know me—I have plunged into your wretchedness, have drowned your sin in My righteousness, and this knowledge softens your heart. In this way," writes Luther, "love is taught."

This is the greatest thing to learn, and to know—what God has done for us in His only Son, Jesus. We learn how to love, when we experience the love of God, ourselves. Our hearts are softened, and prepared to love, when we are loved. This, Luther says, is how one comes to love. Let this be then, our spiritual constitution: let us love one another, as Christ loves us. Let us love one another that the world may know, that we are indeed, truly, His disciples! So, love one another!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.