In Letter From A Birmingham Jail, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. asks the question, “Was not Jesus an extremist for love?”
He then quotes from Sunday’s Gospel text, a continuation of Jesus’ sermon on the level place, Luke 6:27-38, saying, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you…”
These words are indeed extreme. Jesus speaks these expectations of the way we live in the kingdom of God, and they are difficult to hear, let alone put into practice in our daily life.
Let me make one thing abundantly clear. Just as I said on Sunday, the church has twisted these words of Jesus and misused them to encourage people to stay in abusive relationships. Compelling a person to stay in an abusive situation is a misuse of the Gospel. God preserves life, loves justice, and stands for the oppressed. So sometimes loving our enemies means walking away from them. Sometimes it means holding them accountable and not enabling destructive behavior.
And yet, life in the kingdom of God – the kingdom Jesus began to usher in, that is near, the one for which we pray that it may come on earth as in heaven – life in this kingdom of God is marked by radical and extreme love. Love that looks into the face of enemies and sees them as beloved bearers of God’s own image. Love that looks at the person in the mirror and sees a beautiful masterpiece of God’s own creating. Love that gives itself away with a generosity that seems wasteful by the measure of other kingdoms.
Christ is an extremist for love. Love that upends social conventions and norms. Love that casts out every ounce of fear and millileter of hate. Christ is an extremist of love and not even death stops him from bringing God’s reign of love.
Nothing stops God from assuring you that you are loved and from teaching and empowering us to love with this extreme, radical, overly generous, all-forgiving, barrier-breaking love.
This is the love you share each time you give to someone expecting nothing in return. Give that kind of gift this week.
This is the love you proclaim every time you give the gift of listening to someone, even someone you disagree with. Proclaim that love this week.
Blessings on your week,
Pastor Drew
0 Comments