Agape Love is not a feeling.
What Jesus COMMANDED is active commitment on behalf of the other, even stranger and enemy, and especially those considered "the least" among us...
Jesus shared that He must offer His ultimate expression of Agape and Peter could not handle it. Self-sacrifice is a part of Agape, and worse, unconditional self-sacrifice. Those who are recipients of this commanded love need not merit, earn or deserve it. It is given freely to the undeserved... related to Grace - undeserved loving mercy given freely.
We don't like that. We want to believe that we deserve what we get, unless of course we have done something wrong, at which time we prefer mercy. But with anyone else, we want THEM to get what they deserve, especially if they have done something wrong. It is our nature. I remember a youth pastor telling a thousand teens at a gathering of America's Pride in Pittsburgh some years ago, that "we tend to judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions." I believe that is true. We readily think the worst of others who do the same wrong things that we do, while not thinking the worst of ourselves, because we know what was in our hearts and minds.
Thus, Jesus makes it about Grace and Agape, not because we deserve them, but because we NEED them.
"I know what I deserve. Don't give me what I deserve. Give me Grace, baby. Give me Grace."
Tony Campolo, years ago at a S.C.U.P.E. Conference in Chicago.
So when Peter would discourage Jesus from the ultimate self-sacrificing, unconditional act of Agape Love, fulfilling what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled in the world, Jesus had to rebuke Peter for not "getting it." We live Agape Love and Grace unconditionally, because others NEED it, even the stranger, enemy and "the least" among us. It is commanded by the one we call Lord of our lives.
It is not about being the best or having the most, having the "magic" act done to us or "magic" words come out of mouths. It is not even about working out our own salvation, according to Jesus. If we are about saving ourselves, we are missing the mark. It is about losing self and a life that is different from the Gospel of Agape Love that Jesus gave us that we are to be about in this part of God's Kingdom, here and now. It is not about promoting self with more wealth or power, or even about our salvation as a motive - personal salvation, prosperity and greatness be damned, but rather about denying self and taking up the Cross in order to follow Jesus. If we are followers of Jesus, after all, we must go where Jesus went - Agape Love, Grace and the Cross. It is about how we live with the other children of God in this part of the Kingdom, here and now. What good is it to gain all the wealth and power, prestige and status in the world, and forfeit life with Jesus? How can we repay Jesus for the life Jesus has given us?
What we DO will be repaid. Agape Love is action, not words or feelings. Refusing to actively commit to the other is an action of indifference, apathy, complacency or hatred. Elsewhere in this Gospel of Matthew, Jesus put it this way - "The measure you give will be the measure you get." (7:2)
Jesus encouraged giving to all who beg, giving alms, giving something to eat, giving good gifts, giving pay to the laborers, money to the poor and commanded the giving of active commitment on behalf of the other, even stranger and enemy, and especially "the least of these." It is upon this giving of Agape in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, welcoming the stranger, visiting the sick and imprisoned on which Jesus gauges the judgment of repayment for WHAT HAS BEEN DONE (25:31-46) in Matthew's Gospel.
So, what have you been giving lately? What have you done?
Pastor Jamie
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