How to Love Better

Title:  How to Love Better By Pastor Lohn Johnson

1 Corinthians 13:1   1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

My dear friends in Christ, In this text St. Paul sends his famous "love talk" to his Christian friends in Corinth. So many couples chose these words  of Paul for their wedding day. Many have cherished these words of love. But our love is so often like this:  A young man went off to college. At every break, he would bring home a different girlfriend. His father was amused.   But every time, his mother would say something. "Son, she's beautiful. But is she perhaps a little too somber?" Or with the next, Mom would eventually wonder, "I don't know. She's so particular." And then with another, "She sure strikes me as too mousy for you, my dear."   At last the young man brought one woman who was so bubbly and bright! But he had a sneaking suspicion. He thought, "No wonder I'm head over heels. She's just like Mom!" What a hit she made with the mom. Mom was thrilled with the girl.   Wouldn't you know it? His father took the young man aside. "Son, I've always kept my opinion to myself. As long as you're happy, I'll love this girl. But I can't put my finger on it: there's just something about her I don't like!"  That’s a picture of how imperfect our love is.   Well, I confess. I have more to learn about the ways of love. I bet you do too? I bet each of us aims to be more loving.

I. And to us Paul promises "And I will show you a still more excellent way," (12:31b). Yes, Paul, show us the way of love! Paul will Show us: How TO BE BETTER LOVERS!

A. And we respond: "If only this… If only that, then I would be a better lover to the people in my life.  Yes,  if only . . ."

1. It seems that Paul gives us his own list, his "if only" list.

a. He thinks: "If only, I could speak all their languages.” b. If only I could preach with prophetic power, c. If only I could move the mountains, with faith jump the furthest sea. d. If only I were more willing to give all I've got. To give myself just like my loving Lord, like Jesus did!"

2. It’s as if he thinks, then he could be a better lover.  Obviously all this cut close to Paul's heart because Paul was always seeking to be a better lover of the people in the churches like that in Corinth.

B. So we have to ask: What more do you need to be a better lover?

1. And again we think: “If only. If only.”   a. But Paul knew he’s loved by God even though he is not a good lover.   b. What about you? None of us are good lovers but there’s Good news! You have been loved. Unconditionally, undeservedly, you are loved by God!  God has poured out his love on you. You are filled to brimming over with love from God.

2. Did God love Paul because of what Paul did for God? No! God loved Paul from the start, before Paul did anything. Paul hated Jesus, was bent on wiping out Christ's people, when God's love shone down on Paul. a. Why does God love you? It’s not because of you.  God loves you because of himself! " Purely, perfectly, finally, and forever, God loves you!   b. You see that “if only” prayer is really so silly. "God, if only you would change me, then I would love more. If only you would make me more like Jesus, then I would love like Jesus." Really?  Maybe our prayer should be: "God, you have loved me. You have baptized me, made me Christ's. Lord, help me to believe your love. You give me all your heart. Help me to live your love. Move me to love from your heart!"

B. So the answer to: What more do you need to be a better lover?  Jesus! Only Jesus can make you a better lover.

1. But look again at Paul's words. Does Paul really describe anyone you know? Who speaks the language opening every heart? Who speaks a word sweeter than angels, speaks with such love? Who?

a. Only Jesus!  Only He knows all God's mysteries. With mountain-moving faith, he gives all he has. He gives himself, body and soul, to God's furious hellfire, giving himself for his loved ones! Jesus is love.   b. Did you hear about the fellow who played the part of Jesus in the church Passion play? Shouldering that heavy cross, stumbling up the church's long driveway, he felt so honored. When his friends from church played their parts and jeered his "Jesus," the actor was near tears.

Then he heard the voice of his neighbor, one with whom he had issues. This neighbor joined the jeers, tossing out silly lines. "You think you're so big, 'Jesus.' Too busy to mow your lawn?" The jibes went on and on, even turning personal, nasty. "Your house looks ugly. Almost as ugly as your daughter!"   "Jesus" had had enough. Throwing down the cross, he stomped over to that neighbor. Hot words, were exchanged. The Passion play ground to a halt. Everybody tried to smooth things out.   Afterwards, the director told that "Jesus," "Tomorrow night, we'll have to let your stand-in play the Lord." The poor man was so embarrassed. Heartsick, he begged, "Please, I can do this."   Sure enough, the next night, his neighbor came back for round 2. Again that neighbor shouted Angry and mean words! You could see "Jesus," red-faced, struggling under that cross. But the neighbor kept dishing it out. "And don't get me started on your momma!"   His teeth clenched, "Jesus" cocked his head and fixed his stare on his tormentor. "I'll deal with you after the resurrection!"  So again he failed to love.   Is that our Jesus? No! But all our nastiness has hit his heart. And he carries our sin clear to the grave. He rises, lives, and loves us still today!  But we can’t be better lovers like Jesus.  We can’t love like Jesus as that actor playing Jesus proved.

II. So now we’ve got to ask:  From where can you get more, better love?

A. Paul's words so beautifully describe love. Does he describe any of us?

1. Here's a scary exercise. Try to repeat Paul's words, but substitute your name for the word love in vv 4-7, like this: "Name is patient and kind; name does not envy or boast; name is not arrogant or rude. Name does not insist on its own way; name is not irritable or resentful; name does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Name bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

a. Ouch! The words stick in my throat. Thank you for not laughing, and booing.   b. My love fails. My heart goes dry. I am painfully aware that I need to be a better lover!

2. Do Paul's words describe you? No! Does Paul's portrait of love really depict anyone?  Again only Jesus.

a. Jesus is patient. Has he never said, "I forgave you once. But no more"? b. Jesus is kind. He's always saying, "Are you stuck? I'll help!" c. Jesus does not envy. He could say, "Only I am perfect. Why should I consider you?"  But He didn’t. d. Jesus doesn't boast. Imagine this ridiculous picture!  Jesus is at the throne, bragging, "Father, see me. I am perfect; I am love!" In truth, Jesus is at the throne pleading, "Father, see these wounds you gave them to me for them. Forgive them, guard them, guide them!" e. Jesus is not arrogant or rude, does not insist on his own way. Gladly He gives himself into the hands of his God, he begs, "Father, not what I want. Your will be done!" f. Jesus is not irritable or resentful. He does not get angry at wrongdoing done against him. Gentle as a lamb, he takes up the cross for all the wrongs we do. g. Jesus rejoices with the truth. His resurrection shouts the truth that He truly loves you! h. Jesus "bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (v 7). All that his Father promises—Jesus makes it come true for you. And truly Jesus "never ends" (v 8).

B. So the Answer to the question: From where can you get more, better love? Is nowhere but Jesus!

1. And now through faith He makes us like Him.

a. For we know where love comes from. Jesus loves us! You've got God's word on it. "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love" (v 13). Now in Him we can love with such a love that it spills over to those in our lives who do not yet know Jesus.  Isn't that why God has brought us together in this church family? He loves for us to love one another.   b. God has given us each different abilities. You have your unique experiences. And so we each make our unique contribution.

2. Faith holds on to Jesus, faith takes to heart his love. Hope looks forward to all Jesus so lovingly gives us. So why is love the greatest?

a. Only love nails God's heart. John, in his First Letter, says flat out, "God is love." "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God" (1 Jn 4:8, 7).   b. He brings us to love like this: Two brothers were so excited to be going to the country to church camp. For these boys, this would be their first week away from home, free of the big city. Their mother had scraped together her every last penny, walked down to the Goodwill thrift store, and purchased a couple of big old suitcases, camp clothes, used shoes, and even some bags of candy.   So the brothers stood in the excited crowd in the church parking lot when they heard the bad news. "The big bus broke. And this little bus can't fit everybody. Maybe somebody will somehow be able to come back tomorrow for the rest of you. But today, only one boy from each family can board this bus. One boy, one bag, that's all."   The little brother about burst into tears. "That's okay," said the older one, "you go."   "No! You go," he blubbered. "I can't go without you anyway."   "Follow me," said the big brother. He quickly led his brother behind the church. He placed his brother's packed bag there with the garbage cans. He opened his own luggage and dumped all his treasures into the dumpster. He put down the suitcase on the ground and whispered, "Keep quiet, and get in!" Stooping over, straining, he balanced that big bag on his back. He trudged on up the bus steps.  He loved his brother so much he carried him on his back.

CONCLUSION: Similarly Jesus would take on his back all the weight of our sin to get you to paradise.  So now we know the depths of his love?  You and I are fully known by Jesus, the Jesus who fully loves us!  It is He who fills us with His love so it can overflow to others.

Our Divine Bridegroom

Title:  Our Divine Bridegroom By Pastor Lohn Johnson

John 2:9-10  9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom  10 and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now."

INTRODUCTION: My dear friends in Christ, Years ago when Johnny Carson was the host of The Tonight Show he interviewed an eight year old boy. The young man was asked to appear because he had rescued two friends in a coalmine outside his hometown in West Virginia. As Johnny questioned the boy, it became apparent to him and the audience that the young man was a Christian. So Johnny asked him if he attended Sunday school. When the boy said he did Johnny inquired, "What are you learning in Sunday school?" "Last week," came his reply, "our lesson was about when Jesus went to a wedding and turned water into wine." The audience roared, but Johnny tried to keep a straight face. Then he said, "And what did you learn from that story?" The boy squirmed in his chair. It was apparent he hadn't thought about this. But then he lifted up his face and said, "If you're going to have a wedding, make sure you invite Jesus!" The little boy was on to something. And the people at the wedding at Cana learned the same lesson.  If you're going to have a wedding, make sure you invite Jesus

I. The wine had run out prematurely. It was a social gaffe beyond bad. No more wine and the feast was still going on. Maybe it was due to an unexpected number of guests. Perhaps it was Jesus’ disciples.

A. Jesus' heart went out to his hosts. So, he turned six stone jars (each holding 20-30 gallons each) filled with water, into wine. That’s between 120 to 180 gallons of wine. That’s 3 55 gallon barrels of wine.  Do you get the picture? That’s a lot of wine. But there’s got to be more to this miracle, other than to make sure Jesus is on your guest list when you have a party—so he can make more wine.

1. Well, yes there is.  First we learn that there’s a message that comes from Jesus’ using those water jars.

a. Jesus uses the big stone water jars—the ones that are normally set aside for the Jewish rites of purification.  The Pharisees insist on washing hands, utensils, cups and even couches before they eat a meal; it’s a law they’ve made up, as they expanded the Law of Moses.    b. The Pharisees were big on laws—in fact, they believe that you earn God’s favor and work your way into heaven by keeping lots of laws.

2. But washing hands and silverware doesn’t get rid of sin.  The Law of Moses, signified by the six stone jars of washing water, cannot save us. So Jesus has a better use of these pots. It is to say, “Someone greater than Moses was here.”

B. And note Jesus did not rise up and wave His hands over the water pots. He did nothing that seemed out of the ordinary. Jesus stood behind the scene.

1. He had the servants fill the water jars. He had the servants take the water, now become wine, to the master of the feast.

a. He could have charged the wedding couple a hefty price for all that wine, but He didn’t. He could have taken credit for His miracle, but He didn’t.    b. But this little miracle was quietly done behind the scenes.  The servants knew; the disciples knew; and you and I know.  But there is even something more going on here at Cana.   Even though Jesus He saved the day by providing wine for the wedding guests, that was not His primary objective.

2. His objective is to say, “It was time to begin the wedding feast.”

a. When Jesus changed the water into wine, He wasn’t saving the best wine for last; He was bringing out the best wine first because the wedding feast was just beginning.    b. Jesus the Divine Bridegroom had come to claim His Bride, and here at Cana He begins that wedding feast by changing water into the choicest of all wines.

II. And at this feast Jesus proclaims that He is the divine Bridegroom.  And His objective is to come to claim His Bride – and all believers are part of His Bride, the Church.  So He is your Divine Bridegroom and He rejoices over you, His Bride.

A. And we would be absolutely correct if we wondered, “Why?”  It’s not like we are the cream of the crop.  We are not some fair maiden who has caused our God to take note of our loveliness and goodness.

1. We’re not the fairest of the fair, but the ugliest of the ugly.  Our deeds are wicked.

a. Our hearts are full of unbelief and our lives show it.  Our mouths speak words of rebellion.  Our minds think that which is evil.   b. Picture a bride walking up the aisle, her teeth yellow and black, her hair full of dirt and oil, her odor repulsive, and her garments ratty and full of holes.  What bridegroom would stand up here beaming with pride as she took each step toward him?  More likely he would, quick as lightning, run out the door.   c. One pastor tells of a wedding he will never forget. It went just beautifully until the very end of the ceremony. In that tender moment when bride and groom kissed, the bride's five-year-old brother, the ring bearer, let out with a "YUK!" The congregation was on the floor laughing. As people left that afternoon, the place glowed with everyone's grins. And in years to come, when people think of that wedding, the one thing they will remember is YUK!  In a way, that is what we are confronted with in our gospel lesson. Jesus could have been like that little boy but he wasn’t.

2. Yes we look like “YUK!” because we are full of sin’s ugliness, but your Divine Bridegroom rejoices over you.

a. And that’s not because He closes His eyes and holds His nose.    b. And Jesus’ miracle at Cana sets it all in motion. Cana points us to the cross.  That is the high point of the wedding feast.  It is where the Bridegroom says, “I do,” to His Bride.  At Calvary Jesus’ time had come.  The time for Him to die for His sinful Bride.  He dies there for you, not in spite of your sin and rebellion, but because of it.  He doesn’t love you only when times are good; He loves you “for better and for worse.”    c. And so even though you and I live for ourselves and reject His claim on us, His love does not waver.  Even though we are an unfaithful Bride, He bears our burden and He forgives you of all your wrongdoing.

B. Even though we were not at Cana, we are a part of Cana’s feast.  Your baptism includes you in the wedding festivities.

1. The new wine that Jesus made at Cana comes to you at the font.

a. In baptism Jesus makes you His beautiful Bride.  In baptism He gives you a new name—You are the Bride of Christ.    b. And in your baptism He made you holy and radiant covering you, His Bride, with His holy innocence.

2. At Cana the headwaiter said that the best wine is served first and then the cheaper wine is brought out.  But for you there is no cheaper wine.

a. Christ never serves poor wine to His Bride.  He only gives you the best of His gifts.   b. His mercy and grace will never run out.  He will never grow tired of you.  His love will never fail.

III. The lesson of the wedding at Cana is ultimately that: the Lord has begun the wedding feast with a quiet miracle.  He was present then and He is present here now with you. And where the Lord is present, He is working miracles. And the miracles He works here are far greater than turning water into wine: He’s turning dead sinners into living children of God.

A. And please, do not discount your Baptism. To see someone raised from the dead would be a pretty awesome wonder to behold.  To see the devil cast out of an individual would be another outstanding sight. Both of those happen in Baptism: you’re raised from sin and death to life and salvation. The devil is cast out and Christ is now your King.

1. When Hollywood does exorcisms, the devil is cast out after all sorts of supernatural wonders and signs; but you don’t get your faith from Hollywood. You get it from the Word; and the Word assures you that Christ was present at your Baptism in a quiet miracle.   2. And to show His power He even used a servant—probably a called and ordained one—to speak His Word and apply the water. But it was His doing—His miraculous doing. By that Baptism, you were raised from death to life—eternal life. By that Baptism, the devil was sent packing.

B. Please do not discount the preaching of the Word, whether it be the sermon proclaimed here or your conversation with a friend.

1. The devil would have you believe that such talk is cheap, that pastors are windbags and the sermon is something to be endured. But whether it be a sermon or your own conversation, it’s the speaking of God’s powerful Word—the same Word that created the heavens and the earth, the same Word that Jesus spoke to heal the sick and raise the dead.   2. By that Word, He still creates faith and forgives sins. In the sermon, the pastor’s just the mouth: but the Lord is at work in His Word to give you life.   3. When you speak His Word to others, you’re the mouth of God, and the Lord is at work to bestow the miracle of eternal life on others.

C. We dare not leave out the Lord’s Supper, for Jesus is certainly present there.

1. We receive it often, and rightly so, for Jesus told us to receive it often. But with familiarity comes contempt, and you’ll be tempted to think of it as just another rite or something that makes the service drag out.   2. But once again, it is there that Christ gives forgiveness and life. It’s in the Super that heaven and earth come together. It’s there that you have a foretaste of the feast to come. With God’s permission, man will come up with all sorts of spectacular discoveries; but only Christ can give you eternal life, and He does so here.

CONCLUSION: So if you look carefully at the miracle at Cana it teaches us much of what we need to know about Jesus.  It tells us that Jesus comes and announces that He is the Bridegroom.  It tells us that He comes to prepare His Bride for the wedding feast.  And now we know that He comes even now and works miracles as subtle and quiet as that miracle.  Those miracles take us from Satan’s Kingdom to God’s.  Those miracles take us from being dirty ugly brides to the pure brides of Christ.  Those miracles feed His bride as we wait for the ultimate fulfillment of the wedding feast.  And He will come in the not so distant future to take us to our even greater wedding feast that will last forever. Amen.