Reformation Sunday – The Law of Love is the Gospel Good News
On Reformation Sunday, we often talk about Martin Luther who wrote 95 thesis and posted them on the church door in Wittenberg. He intended to simply start a conversation about how the church – and God’s people in it – could change, could reform so that people could stay on tract, in formation - on what was central – namely the Gospel, or Good News of Jesus Christ.
Although we often focus on the split that occurred in the church, one of the gifts that Luther gave us and the whole church is his understanding of the law and the Gospel. Luther believed that the law is what drives us to Christ and the Gospel is the Good News of Jesus Christ. Luther believed and taught that we need both the law and the Gospel – that they work hand in hand.
When we think of the Law, we often think of the 10 commandments. But there are over 600 laws in the Hebrew Bible – what we call the Old Testament. One of the things that the rabbis, Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes did was study the law so that they could follow it and teach it. And so, after the scribe had heard and seen Jesus teaching and answering well the questions given to him by the Sadducees, it was not an unusual question for the Scribe to ask Jesus, as a rabbi, “Which commandment is the first of all?”
Jesus’ answer begins with the most famous and familiar commandment in Jewish tradition. It even has a special name, it’s called the Shema. ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’” Heart. Soul. Mind. Strength. In other words, love God with all your being. Since the scribe had only asked for the greatest commandment, presumably, that would have been enough. But Jesus doesn’t stop there. Instead, he continues, The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
And then, Jesus does something interesting – he binds the two commandments together, like two sides of a coin, saying, There is no other commandment greater than these.” In other words, the first leads to the second and the second, presumes the first. If you love God, then you WILL love your neighbor as yourself. And if you love your neighbor, you are loving God.
You may recall that most of the time when Jesus interacts with the religious leaders, including the scribes, the conversation is confrontational. They often seem to be trying to trick Jesus. But this scribe listens to Jesus, sees and agrees with Jesus. He even responds by quoting other scriptures in support of what Jesus said. Jesus notices the scribe’s wisdom in interpreting the law and encourages him with the words, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” You are on the right path. You are in formation.
On a Working Sermon podcast, Rev. Dr. Rolf Jacobson, an Old Testament professor at Luther Seminary, told a story from the Talmud about a young nonbeliever and two rabbis, Rabbi Shemi and Rabbi Hillel. The nonbeliever comes up to Shemi says, I’ll convert and become a believer if you can teach me to recite the whole law while standing on one foot,” Rabbi Shemi was carrying a cane and he poked it at the young man shook his head and said, “You are a foolish young man. Go away.” So the young man went to Rabbi Hillel with the same question. Rabbi Hillel looked at him, stood on one foot and said, “What is hateful to yourself do not do to another. The rest is commentary.” He put his foot down and said, “Now go and study.”
Do you see how Rabbi Hillel’s summary of the law is similar to the second side of the coin of Jesus’ commandment to Love your neighbor as yourself? The law that Jesus gives is not a new law. But Jesus states it positively. Instead of telling the scribe and us what not to do, Jesus tells us how we are to live in a positive way.
“Love God”. “Love the neighbor as yourself.” These sound pretty simple. But living them out takes a lifetime. It isn’t always easy.
But I think that this is exactly the word we need to hear today in our mixed up and hurting world. As you know, the world is full of people who are hurting due to the chaos and disaster – some from war and some from natural and unnatural disasters. In addition, the election and the vitriol – especially on social media - is getting even more harsh. And, in response, people are continually dividing themselves up into camps of “us” vs. “them.” But, for us, as Christians, as those who follow Jesus, there is another way to be. Jesus tells us, “Love God. love your neighbor as yourself.”
A few of us have been watching a Video series together called, “After Party.” In this video, David French, a political writer, tells the story of how his wife showing love to the neighbor.
Because David works as a writer of religious news and politics, responses to his articles and opinions on Facebook and twitter or X are also religious and political – and sometimes the responses are nasty. One of his harshest critics was a woman named Kathy. He has learned to deal with this as just part of the job.
David’s wife Nancy knows the pushback that David has received and yet, after reading stories about sexual assault victims who are not believed, she feels compelled to tell her story of being sexually assaulted in a national newspaper. After she writes it, she receives lots of responses on facebook – some supportive and some not. She decides to simply delete the negative ones but to “follow” everyone who shows empathy. Kathy, the biggest critic of her husband, shows empathy to her.
Despite knowing that Kathy is a harsh critic of her husband, she decides to follow Kathy anyway. An online friendship of sorts began. Then…during pandemic Kathy – who is disabled – writes a panicked note on Facebook that she is almost out of food and is afraid. Nancy responded… and while it took several weeks, Nancy persisted and finally was able to order food and have it delivered to Kathy. She later arranged to meet Kathy. They became real friends. They still disagree on lots of issues. But because Kathy showed empathy to Nancy, and Nancy responded with loving kindness to Kathy, the love between them began to grow. Kathy – who had no friends – now has two: Nancy and David.
It is easy to get carried away by the distractions and hate of our world. This has happened again and again to the people of God. As we read in the book of Jeremiah, the people who were in exile had lost hope and then they lost their way. But God had compassion upon them and so we read in Jeremiah that although the people had forgotten their covenant with God, God had not forgotten about them. And so, God promises that “the day is coming that I will put my LAW within them. I will write it on their heart so that they WILL all know me.”
Jesus gave us a new commandment, the commandment of love. It is an old commandment made new in Christ. And so let us not despair, regardless of the challenges in our world. Christ is with us and continues to write God’s word of Love on our hearts. God isn’t finished writing. We don’t yet all know the love of God. But in the meantime, on this day and the next, let us love God and God loves us and choose to act with empathy, kindness and love for our neighbor and ourselves. The Law of Love is the Gospel Good News of Jesus Christ and this is what Jesus calls us to do. Thanks be to God. Amen.
+ Reformation Sunday, October 27, 2024 +
+ Faith Lilac Way Lutheran + Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane