Pastor T.C. Arnold
4^th Sunday after Trinity
Luke 6:36-42
July 5^th, 2009

            It’s easy to love the people who we determine to be “lovable.”  It’s easy to love our spouse – to love our kids – to love our family and friends – to love that cute little child in our parish-family.  Well, let’s at least say – sometimes it’s easy.  When these people – the ones who are the very closest to us – make us angry, upset or sad – we might think – it’s not so easy.  Oh we still love them – we just don’t always like them very much at that particular time.

            Some people are easy to love.  Some are not.  It’s hard to love our enemies.  Yet, Jesus says more than once in this sermon He is preaching to his disciples – love your enemies.  That’s hard to do.  Jesus says in verse 27 just before our Gospel text for today, “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.”  That’s hard to do.   In verse 35 – right before the Gospel text for today He says again, “Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.”  That’s hard to do.  God expects us to love those who do not love us.  God expects us to do what God has already done – love our neighbor even when they haven’t been so “lovable.”

            In the Gospel text read this morning for the 4^th Sunday after Trinity Jesus is teaching about “loving.”  This sermon preached directly to His disciples is a word of action.  You have heard of the “Sermon on the Mount.”  This sermon is a sermon which tells those who were listening who they are and what the Lord has made them to be in His grace.  This sermon you heard in the Gospel reading has been called the “Sermon on the Plain.”  It’s not so much about “being” a Christian as it is about “doing” the Christian life.  Jesus instructs on how the Christian life is lived.  He tells His disciples that true teaching and learning also involves living out and living in the Word and Work of Jesus to our neighbor – whether that neighbor be friend or enemy.

            It’s about “doing.”  “Do not judge,” says Jesus.  “Do not condemn,” says Jesus.  “Forgive,” says Jesus.  “Give,” says Jesus.  In the original Greek all four of these verbs are imperatives.  That means there is an extra measure of emphasis given to these words and also that we “continue” to do these actions today and forever.  In other words, it’s not a one time event.  Do it and then forget about it, we might think.  Do it once and that’s enough, we might think.

            We know that’s the case with the words of Jesus – but we don’t always act that way.  Many times we do it once – we make sure everyone notices that we did it – boast about how we did it – and then never do it again.  We say, “Did you see how I was being so loving toward my neighbor?  Did you see how forgiving I was in this situation or that circumstance?  Did you see how I was not judgmental?”  We make sure everyone knows – but then forget Jesus spoke an imperative (a continuance) the next time we are faced with this action.  We forget what Jesus said to Peter when Peter asked, “How many times are we to forgive our neighbor?  Seven times?”  Jesus said, “Not seven times, but seventy times seven” (which means every time).  We forget what Jesus said with forgiveness we are to demonstrate and with the other ways we are to act toward our neighbor.

            A person that possesses the qualities that the Lord gives has what God desires for them to have.  And when a person forgives and gives – when a person can not judge and not condemn – they are demonstrating these vary qualities.  And let’s remember – that’s not just a “part time” or an “every once-in-awhile” thing.  That is what we live in and fill our lives with.

            There’s a story about how once an American Indian heard that white people slept on feathers and actually enjoyed it.  So he thought that he would also try this.  He took three feathers, placed them on a rock for a pillow, and lay down to sleep.  But he had a poor night’s rest.  In the morning he awoke with a headache and exclaimed, “How is it possible for white people to sleep on feathers and enjoy it?”  What was his trouble?  It’s not too hard to figure out.  He had not taken enough feathers.  Had he put thousands of feathers in a bag and used that for a pillow, he would have experienced how satisfactory it is to sleep on feathers.  So it is with us.  We can’t take just a little of what God has for us in life and expect that to be enough – whether that be demonstrating Christian living or receiving His very life given at this altar.  We live and live and God gives and gives.  So, receive and receive as you give and give to others because Christ gave to you first.

            Jesus uses a parable that reminds me of the American Indian who only took a few feathers for his pillow.  The Indian was blind.  No, I’m sure he could see – but he had no idea what “sleeping on feathers” is all about.  He could not tell anyone how it was like to sleep on feathers because he didn’t manage to accomplish the task the way it was intended.  There are so many resources available that will claim to show you how to live your life.  Some are labeled “self-help.”  Others claim to cleanse you of negative energy.  Some things out there can be helpful and others can be down right damaging.  How do we know?  How do we know if we are supposed to sleep on three feathers or a whole bag of feathers to gain the proper perspective?

            This is how – allow the one who can see to guide you.  Go back to the Word of God and see the Lord’s instruction for your walk in life.  Go back to what God says in the Bible because our Lord has a way of showing you how life’s “lack of” understanding and confusion are wrapped up in His wise counsel.  And it’s not just counsel that flows from the Ten Commandments or trying to make the right decisions.  It’s also counsel that points us to where our Lord has met us for the life to come – His Gospel.

            Our teacher, our Savior, has sight and leads His people in the way of truth.  He is the lamp to our feet and the light to our path.  He is our sight – our insight – to much better things.  And when we still seem to be confused by the changes and chances of this world – when we still seem confused about why our hurt continues or why God is allowing the suffering that hits so close to home – we can retreat to the one who leads us through it all.

            Not everyday are we going to be “sighted” people who understand how to handle each situation.  Not everyday are we going to make the right decision or even feel good about the choices that we have made.  But in Christ – our sighted guide – we have a Lord who pleads for our life.  Beloved in the Lord, as long as we are on this side of eternity, blindness will be prevalent.  And in order to have sight, we need the light.  And we have the light.  That’s our Christ.  That’s our Lord who leads and guides us.  Do not take the hand of a blind man and allow him to lead you across paths with sharp turns and dangerous cliffs.  That would be certain death.  Christ is our guide – our way – our truth – our light.

            It’s easy to love “loveable” people.  Sometimes it’s easy.  It’s hard to love our enemies.  By taking the hand of our sighted guide – Jesus the Lord – we have the truth that gives us a different perspective.  That perspective is love at all costs.  That love at all costs was a love that died for us.  That love died on the cross so that even those who would be enemies of the cross can see the kind of unconditional love that only God can give.  That’s the love He gives to you.

Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Amen.