Remain in My Love

It would be easy to preach a sweet sermon this morning about how mothers show the love of God to their children. And, if you read the Mother’s Day cards available to tell your mom Happy Mother’s Day, you might believe most moms accomplish it. In my experience, there are two kinds of mother’s day cards: there are the sappy sentimental cards with flowers or hearts on the front and there are the cards that feature cartoon characters and goofy humor. We don’t want to get below the surface. In truth, no mother lives up to those sentimental words on the cards, much less the call to be the image of God to her children every day. In truth, no child is pure joy to parent every day. When we pause and pay attention, we know the truth that for every one of us Mother’s Day brings with it memories that cause us to long for days that are now past and days that never came to be, memories of nurture and care that shaped us into the people we have come to be, and hope for our future to include mothering relationships that nurture, that allow us to be gathered under a protective mother hen’s wings and for us to be the protective mother hen who gathers, relationships in which we love one another.

Jesus in our Scripture this morning is gathering the disciples under his wing, preparing them for what lies ahead. Jesus is not being sentimental. This conversation takes place in the Upper Room on the night Jesus was arrested. He washed the disciples’ feet, he told them the truth, “One of you will betray me, and Peter will deny me three times before morning. I am not leaving you alone. God’s Spirit will come to be present with you.” You will grow and bear fruit, you are the vineyard of God, I am the vine, you are the branches and God is the gardener, pruning and tending the vines for abundant harvest.

And for a time, it is going to feel like you have been uprooted. Abide in my love; gather under my wings. The word for abide here is beautiful; it means “make your home in my love.” Choose your values and rules of living in such a way that you make your home in my love.

What do we know about Jesus’ love?

1. Jesus is present. “I am with you always.” “If you love me, you will love as I have loved, and my Father will love you, and we will come and make our home with you.” And in the Greek – it is the same root word – we will abide with you. Abiding in Jesus’ love means choosing to be present to one another, to be available for one another.

2. Jesus has compassion. When those with brokenness, hunger, illness, were with Jesus, he listened, he saw, he had compassion and he healed. Abiding in Jesus’ love means not turning away from one another, listening, seeing, and having compassion to bring healing.

3. Jesus forgives. Even as he struggled to breathe, pushing his feet into the nail to raise his body so that his lungs could take in air, he prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” Jesus knew he was not the judge. Father, forgive them, he prayed, and he did not want them to get what they deserved. Abiding in Jesus’ love means relinquishing the desire for judging and revenge.

4. Jesus serves. There is no greater love than to give up your life for one you love, to sacrifice, to act loving even when they don’t deserve it. Abiding in Jesus’ love means serving with grace.

Abiding in Jesus’ love is not something that comes naturally, or easily, for us. We have to choose with intention how we will live our lives. And for me, that means considering what might happen and planning how to respond.
As my first child was born, a friend shared with me some very helpful advice. When it is hard, remember that you are making a short-term investment on a long-term project. I have found it true that the days can be long, but as we are half-way through 16 and 13, the years are so short. And I am thankful that I was reminded to abide in love through the long nights of nursing and rocking, to be present to the moment, to listen to the mews and have compassion for the vulnerability, to forgive the taking of my deep slumber, and to serve my babies gave me great joy. I could recount other challenges, but I would have to apologize when I get home, so I will simply say that it is challenging to live together, it takes intentionality to make your home in Jesus’ love, for that to be your default setting day in and day out in close relationships.

Jesus wasn’t talking about how to live together as family with people who are related to us, though. He was talking about how we live together as community, as God’s kingdom, God’s Beloved community, how we do God’s will on earth as it is done in heaven. How do we so make our home, our habit, our nature Christ’s that when something out of the ordinary happens, when you respond to a situation that is challenging, when you have to interact with someone you don’t know, you show Christ’ love in your actions?

When I was in seminary, I was living in Dyersburg, serving as the solo interim pastor in Union City for my internship, taking two classes in Memphis at Memphis Theological, and driving a lot. Most of the students at Memphis Theological are serving churches and drive some distance to classes. One of the conversations that arose amongst the students was what to do when we saw someone in need on the side of the road. At 23-24 years old, before cell phones, I did what my dad taught me. Don’t stop. Other students had stories of people they had stopped and helped, some had given people rides, but I knew that I was no help on the side of the road and I couldn’t pick people up and give them a ride. So, what would I do? One night, driving in the rain, a man stepped out into my lane waving his hands and screaming. I was present. I saw and had compassion. I forgave him, I relinquished my desire to judge why this man would be standing in the rain waving his arms like a madman. And, I served with what I hope was grace. I took note of the mile marker and made my way to the police station, where I reported that he was there and in need, thankful for a dispatcher who sent a patrol to respond.

One day as I was driving into Dyersburg, I saw a woman running from a motel room, with no shoes. I took a detour to the closest phone and called the police to check on her.

Because of the conversations I had with my classmates, I had thought about what I could do. I wasn’t going to stop alone to try to help. I made an intentional decision to abide in love by making a practice of going out of my way to call for help.

This week, a Presbyterian pastor in California, whom I know only through Facebook, shared her experience as she drove to church. She slowed as she passed a car stopped by three police cars and she noticed that a figure in a hoodie was on the ground. This is what she shared, “Two of the cops were kneeling on either side of the man. There was a yelling match going on. I pulled off the road and took out my phone, ready to film. One of the cops asked me why I was stopping and what I was doing. ‘Just watching your de-escalation skills in action, I hope.’ ‘You know this kid?’ ‘I don’t think so.’ ‘Then why is it your business.’ ‘Am I disturbing the situation in any way?’ ‘Ma’am, we don’t need any trouble here.’ ‘I couldn’t agree more – I’m here for his sake and for yours as well.’ She continued to watch and held the phone on the scene as they cuffed him, politely, and placed him in the back of one of their cars. As the young man stood up, the female officer nicely helped him up, and he turned to the pastor and thanked her for caring. And before they left the scene, all parties expressed gratitude.

There was lots of discussion again amongst the clergy-types. What should she have done? Should she have gotten involved? I simply thanked her for sharing her story because it caused me to consider how I would respond.

What situations are difficult for you to respond to with Jesus’ love? I invite you into conversation. Together, we are able to help one another to make our home in Christ’s love. How are we called to be present to another person? What situation may be before us that is broken and painful, how will we show compassion? When do we find it hard to be forgiving in a way that relinquishes judgement or desire for revenge? How can we serve, especially with grace? When we feel uprooted, how to intentionally choose to abide in Christ’s love? When you make your home in my love, when it is your default setting, says Jesus, whatever you ask the Father in my name will be done. This is my command to you: love one another. Amen.