More Scriptures to Make Our Heads Spin

I both love and hate the New Common Lectionary, the selections of scripture readings for each Sunday ofthe year, set up on a three year cycle.  I love it because it forces me to think about and pray about and preach about topics and issues with which I would rather not deal.  I hate it because it forces me to think about and pray about and preach about topics and Issues with which I would rather not deal. 

The scriptures for today, John 10:11-18,  Acts 4:5-12 and 1 John 3:16-24, when taken together just make my head spin.  In the first we hear Jesus say, “I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Then Jesus goes on to say, “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock and one shepherd.” 

One Shepherd and one flock, sounds great until Luke chimes in through the book Acts: “there is salvation in no one else (but Jesus), for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.” Certainly many Christian Denominations believe and teach that there is only one way to God and that that is Jesus.  Other religions also have factions that teach similar beliefs that their way is the only way.  Any time a religion says something along the lines of “God so love the world, BUT…Look out! I certainly believe that Jesus came to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to invite all nations and peoples into that Kingdom.  I also believe that God is big enough and creative enough to provide pathways for all of God’s people to find their way into the Kingdom. 

Here enters the writer of First John (thanks be to God): “We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.” 

The writer of First John provides us the key to a living and loving faith: that love appears not just in words and maybe even not primarily in words and speech, “but in truth and action.” It is the Spirit God has given us, that abides in us, that leads us into truth and action.  This truth and action says more about our faith, about our relationship to God and to other people than our judging who is in or out of God’s Kingdom could ever say. 

As the Old song proclaims: “they will know we are Christians by our love, by our love, yes they will know we are Christians by our love.”  Not by our judgment, or our ability to correct others, or by our need to have our own way. . .but by our love!  Jesus never commanded us to agree with one another. He commanded us to love. Yes, they will know we are Christians by our love!