Taking Time To Love

Taking Time To Love!

Sermon Notes

(Longer Version, with additional Scripture)

February 4, 2007

Rev. Jim O’Neal, Senior Pastor

Sun Lakes United Methodist Church

9248 E. Riggs Road, Sun Lakes, Arizona 85248

(480) 895-8766

Psalm 103:1-8 NRSV

¹Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. ²Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits — ³who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, ⁴who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, ⁵who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

⁶The LORD works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed. ⁷He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. ⁸The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Matthew 22:34-40 NRSV

³⁴When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, ³⁵and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ³⁶“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” ³⁷He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸This is the greatest and first commandment. ³⁹And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

A. Introduction

1. OUR TOWN by Thornton Wilder

a. In Thornton Wilder’s play, OUR TOWN, there is a scene where the character Emily dies. She goes to the graveyard and is told, “Emily, you can return for one day in your life. Which day would you like?” She replies, “Oh, I remember how happy I was on my twelfth birthday.” All the people in the cemetery say, “Emily, don’t do it. Don’t do it Emily.” But she wants to. She wants to see mama and papa again. The scene switches and there she is twelve years old, and has gone back to that day which she remembers as being so wonderful. She comes down the stairs in a pretty dress, but her mother is so busy making a cake for her birthday that she cannot even stop to look up at Emily. Emily says, “Mama, look at me. I’m the birthday girl.” Mama says, “Fine, birthday girl. Sit down and have your breakfast.” And Emily stands there and says, “Mama, look at me.” But mama doesn’t. Papa comes in and he’s so busy making money for his family that he’s never really looked at her either. Neither will her brother look at her. The scene ends with her standing in the middle of the stage saying, “Please anybody, just look at me. I don’t need the cake or the money. Please look at me.” And nobody does and when they don’t, Emily turns to the stage manager and says, “Take me away. I’ve forgotten what it was like to be human. Nobody looks at anybody. Nobody cares anymore, do they?”

b. I don’t agree with Thornton Wilder’s pessimism. Many people do care. We just sometimes forget. We get so caught up in the pursuit of worldly things, or we get stuck in the rut of just making it through the day that we fail to take the time to love.

2. Song: WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE SWEET LOVE

(As you may recall, this song was written by Burt Bacharach, sung by Jackie DeShannon, and then later has been sung by many others.)

a. In the 1960’s there was a song with the line: “What the world needs now is love sweet love. It’s the only thing there’s just too little of.”

b. Today’s Bible lessons seem to be saying a similar thing. These verses call us to consider love. Each of us is being asked to look at what the Bible says about God’s love for us, and God’s call for us to love other people. We are being called to take the time to put our love into action. Today’s Scripture lessons lift up three important points:

B. Consider the words of the Bible.

1. Today’s Scripture lessons: Psalm 103:8 and Matthew 22:37-39

a. Consider the words of the Bible, as it speaks of love. Today’s Scripture lessons are clear concerning the importance of love. Psalm 103:8 says: “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” (NRSV) Jesus quoting Old Testament Scripture tells us: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39 NRSV, see also: Deuteronomy 6:5 & Leviticus 19:18)

b. These verses tell us that God loves us and that we are to love God and our fellow human beings.

2. The rest of the Bible witness

a. Indeed all through the Bible you find the word love and the call to be loving. It is a witness made hundreds of times upon the sacred pages. To mention just a few of these: Malachi 1:2 says, “The Lord says to his people, ‘I have always loved you.’” (TEV) In Deuteronomy, God says, “Therefore I command you, you shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in the land.” (Deuteronomy 15:11 RSV) Jesus Himself in the familiar John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (RSV) And Jesus, also, tells us: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34 NIV) I John 4:7 says: “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.” (NIV) And finally I John 4:16 says: “God is love.” (NIV, RSV, etc.)

b. The Bible is clear. God continues to take the time to love each of us. And God calls us to be loving to others.

C. Count your blessings!

1. Today’s Scripture: Psalm 103:2

a. Psalm 103:2 says: “Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” (NIV) The Bible calls us to count our blessings. We are to be thankful for all the love God has poured upon us.

b. Have you done that? Do you thank God each day for all the loving-kindness the Creator bestows upon you? My list would include these blessings: “Thank you Creator for your love of me in and through Jesus Christ. I humbly thank Jesus for giving His life to atone for my sins, and for opening the door to Paradise for me. Thank you for my wife, children, parents, and family. Thank you for my friends and for my Church. Thank you for those who show me kindness each and every day. Thank you for America, and the freedom you have given me in this country. Thank you for those who protect my freedoms and civil liberties. Thank you for the talents and abilities you have given me. Thank you that I can share your love with others.” You and I are truly blessed. Remember to express your gratitude to God each day in prayer.

2. Charlotte Valente

a. I know that some of you are thinking this: “Sure, it’s easy to say ‘thanks’ when things are going well and you have your health. However, pastor I’m going through great struggles and my health is not good.” Then I encourage you to listen to the story of Charlotte Valente. It was from an article by a newspaper reporter and editor named Mary Ames Anderson that I learned of Charlotte. Ms. Anderson wrote: “I was walking through the corridor of the Children’s Hospital in 1953, when I heard a young voice say, ‘Here I am!’ I stopped and turned to see where the voice was coming from. And that’s when I saw a little girl, barely two years old, lying in bed hugging her teddy bear. She seemed so young to be speaking so clearly. Both of her tiny legs were hanging in the air, in traction. ‘Well, hello!’ I enthused. Smiling, she asked, ‘How are you today?’ But before I could answer, she interrupted, ‘I have brittle bones. This one is broken. Last time it was that one,’ she said, as she pointed to her right leg. ‘But this time it’s this one. I have had eleven fractures!’”

b. Mary Anderson continued, “By the age of six Charlotte had been in and out of the hospital 85 times. She has a rare disease, which makes her bones break very easily. She had over 200 fractures by the time she was ten, but she was a delightful little girl, always smiling and very positive.” Ms. Anderson stated that she only saw Charlotte cry twice. She cried when she could not go to her sister’s wedding, because she was in the hospital. She cried when she was on television for a fund-raiser. She said, “I will never walk, but hundreds of others will, if only you’ll help.”

c. Charlotte’s disease “arrested” itself when she reached puberty. However, it left her body distorted, and small. Charlotte in this earthly life will always be the size of a child, and never weigh much more than 50 pounds. She will always be in a wheel chair. But that has not stopped her. Charlotte Valente did well in school. She graduated from high School and went to college. She graduated from college magna cum laude, and she was valedictorian. At her commencement ceremony she said, “I’m the luckiest girl in the world!” She thanked God for her blessings, her family, friends, and all those who had ever helped her. After graduation she went on to law school and once again graduated with honors! She then passed the state bar exam and is a practicing attorney. As the Reverend Robert Schuller put it: “Charlotte Valente is not only one of the ‘lightiest,’ but one of the mightiest lawyers in California!” How about you? Do you like Charlotte count your blessings? You too have a lot to be thankful for.

D. Commit yourself to the way of love!

1. Today’s Scripture: Matthew 22:39

a. Jesus in our New Testament scripture tells us to: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39 NRSV)

b. We are called to be a people of love. We are called to share the love of Jesus with others. Christians are committed to the way of love as a lifestyle.

2. Train Station Babysitter (From the book: TRY GIVING YOURSELF AWAY by David Dunn.)

a. A friend of author David Dunn was waiting for a train at the Union Depot in Cincinnati, Ohio. She saw a teenager, who was about 15 years of age, sitting alone in the corner of the depot. Then she saw a mother with two crying children and an armload of packages enter the train station and sit down. The woman looked tired and frazzled. The teen came up and said, “Can I take care of your children while you go and get something to eat? You look tired and the next train isn’t due for a while, so why don’t you let me help you? I’m very good with children.” The woman was startled at first, but then said, “Oh, thank you! That would be wonderful.” The mother went over to the snack bar, calmly ate a sandwich, while this anonymous and generous babysitter watched her kids. A little later the mom returned looking relaxed and refreshed. She said, “Thank you so much.” The teenager asked, “Are you catching the next train?” The next train was in fact just pulling into the station and the woman replied, “Yes, as soon as I can get things together.” The teen then said, “Let me help you.” And then she gathered up all the woman’s packages and headed toward the train. After they boarded, she waved and said, “Goodbye.”

b. Then the teenager went back to the train lobby and sat down. She wasn’t there more than ten minutes when she spotted another mother with children. She walked over and again volunteered to baby-sit. And after awhile that mother and her children boarded the train. Then she found another mother and did the same thing. By this time the observer was a bit puzzled, so she approached the teenager and asked, “I’m curious. I’ve been watching you for an hour or so, and you’ve spent the entire time helping these young mothers and their children. Why are you doing this?” The teenage girl replied, “Oh, I was one of five children. My dad was in the army and we were always moving from one place to another. My mom got so tired carrying the packages and suitcases, and carrying all of us. I remember her saying to me, ‘You are so good with children.’ My dad went to war in Europe and he never came back, so that left mom alone. And she just recently died, so I thought that maybe I could do something for others because she said I was good with kids. I thought there would be a lot of mothers who would be tired here so that’s why I come to the depot. It makes me feel good. It really helps.”

c. Giving yourself to others. That’s what Jesus calls us to do. How do you rate yourself when it comes to sharing the love of Jesus? Do you need to do more? Commit to being more loving to your family. Volunteer to help at a Care Center, or tutor some young person. Help at Wesley Community Center, or help at a homeless shelter like the UMOM New Day Center. Love as Jesus has loved you! (See I John 4:19)

E. Conclusion: Recap

1. Consider the words of the Bible. It repeatedly speaks about God’s love for each us, and God’s call for us to take time to love others.

2. Count your blessings! God has poured wonderful blessings upon each of us. Be thankful.

3. Commit yourself to the way of love! Don’t just talk about love. Live it! Be a disciple who truly shares the love of Jesus with others.

Psalm 103:1-8 NRSV

Matthew 22:34-40 NRSV

Taking Time To Love!

1. Consider the words of the Bible.

It repeatedly speaks about God’s love for us,

and God’s call for us to love others.

2. Count your blessings!

God has poured wonderful blessings upon each of us.

Be thankful.

3. Commit yourself to the way of love!

Don’t just talk about love. Live it!

Be a disciple who truly shares the love of Jesus with others.