Jesus owns (Agape) Love

John 14:15-21 is the lectionary text for next Sunday, May 17.

It is personal with Jesus, the fulfiller of Law and Prophets in the command to live Agape Love.
"If you love ME, you will keep MY commandments."
"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."
(vs. 23, 24)  "Those who love ME will keep MY Word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.  Whoever does not love ME does not keep MY Words; and the Word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me."

Make no mistake, it is GOD'S WILL that we live this Agape Love that Jesus commanded.
It is not about feelings, but about obedience to God's Will.
You need not feel it right away for stranger or enemy, but you must actively commit to their well-being, according to Jesus, who says that this is from the Father.

Jesus' Commands.
Jesus' Word and words.
They are God's.
To  be faithful to God is to be faithful to the living of what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled in the living of Agape Love and Grace.  It is that simple, and it is that difficult a task.
In the merit-based, quid pro quo centered world of empire, it is about selective giving of self for the sake of self and ones just like self.
In the Grace, Agape Love centered Kingdom of God, it is about giving freely to the undeserved and actively committing to stranger and enemy, the most vulnerable, who cannot and/or will not give back.
That flies in the face of empire.
It flies in the face of American Civil Religion - the same thing.

With God, it is NOT faithful to believe oneself to be superior, supreme or better than others.
With God, it is NOT faithful to get all one can for self, even or especially at the expense of others.
With God, it is NOT faithful to get power so one can use it to benefit some unfairly over others.
With God, it is NOT faithful to do what one does for position, prestige, fame or self glory.
The Good News of Jesus forbids it.
The values of the Kingdom of God do not allow it.

Instead, those who would be followers of Jesus are supposed to live in Jesus' Way.
We are called out to live different lives from empire (ekklesia).
We are community (koinonia) built on Agape Love and Grace.
We are people who willingly submit to Jesus' commands to live Agape and Grace in the world.
We are people who value Jesus' way as the better, only sustainable way for the world.
We are people who actively work toward the Shalom of ALL people, regardless of our differences.
We are people who are merciful instead of vengeful, spiteful or punitive with others.
We are people who are humble instead of falsely superior, supreme or ruthless over others.
We are people who are inclusive and accepting, rather than intolerant or exclusive.
We are people who unite instead of divide, and build bridges instead of walls.
We are people who welcome the stranger, heal the sick and care for those imprisoned.
We are people who feed the hungry, clothe the naked and satisfy the thirsty instead of self gluttony.
We are people who give freely of our abundance, rather than build bigger barns in which to store more for ourselves.
We are people who share with those we do not know and care for those who are foreigners in our midst and across the world.
We are people who uphold the equal rights, dignity and respect of others as much as for ourselves.
We are people who advocate on behalf of those held down, back our out by empire and its values.
We are people who actively reach out to the marginalized by the forces of empire.
We are people who value everyone and champion the equitable treatment of everyone.
We are people who demand equal opportunities for all in every aspect of existence.
That is what it means to follow Jesus.

Claiming the name of Jesus and offering praise and worship and tithes to Jesus is not what Jesus commanded of us.
Judging others in Jesus' name is specifically what Jesus commanded us NOT to do.
Treating others shamefully in Jesus' name is what Jesus specifically said makes us goats, bound for weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Neglecting others for the sake of self and trying to justify it with our faith in Jesus is what Jesus said specifically will put us on the other side of the great chasm from Jesus.
Those are what it means to live in, participate in and collude with empire.

Jesus owns Agape and Grace.
Jesus lived it with us.
Jesus commands it of us.

So, are we followers of Jesus, or of empire?
What did Jesus say?  Do you know?
Hmmmm?

Pastor Jamie