This week, we will be studying 1 Corinthians 13 for our Sunday morning sermon. That sermon of course will be about love. Typically, people like sermons about love. In the popular imagination, sermons about love conjure sweet images of hearts and puppy dogs and other cute things. Plus we imagine that love is easy. Sermons about love don't seem as horribly convicting as sermons about sin or holiness or something along those lines.
Our affection for sermons about love is misguided. Matthew 19 reminds us that sermons about love can be tough. The rich young ruler tells Jesus he has obeyed all the commandments. "Oh really?" Jesus asks. "Even that one about loving your neighbor as yourself?"
"Even that one."
"Okay, here's a test of your obedience. Go take everything you own and give it to the poor. After all, you love yourself enough to meet your own needs. Now prove you love others enough to meet their needs. Give it all way."
Suddenly that command about love doesn't seem so easy.
We should never be fooled into thinking that love is simple. Love is profoundly hard. It involves completely sacrificing ourselves for the sake of another. Jesus' words show us that our capacity for love is greatly limited. Love has to be measured in more than words. It also has to be measured in action.
We say we love one another in the church. That love will not be seen in just words. It will be seen in the sacrifices that we make for one another. If we can't sacrifice time to minister to the needs of other Christians, do we really love? If we can't sacrifice money to help provide for other Christians who are wanting, do we really love? Matthew 19 reminds us that love is never easy. Perhaps sermons about love are really the most convicting type.
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