II Corinthians 5:14-16

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.”

Last week we began our stewardship emphasis under the theme, “Let this task be lived for you, Jesus.” We were reminded that everything that we do in our lives, since we were redeemed by our Lord Jesus, is now for Jesus. No matter what we might be doing, we are to do it to God’s glory.

As we try to do that for our Lord, we often face obstacles. Often times those obstacles are people. I am sure that you all know someone that has made your life more difficult, or who routinely makes your life difficult. Maybe you’ve even thought about how nice it would be and how much more pleasant your life would be if that person wasn’t there.

The Apostle Paul had to deal with people who made his life very difficult. Some hated him so much that they tried to kill him. On a number of occasions, Paul was put into prison or beaten, several times so severely that he almost died.

In spite of that, Paul traveled from country to country and often forfeited life’s simplest comforts. Paul was driven by love, not love that comes from people who are trying to hurt or even kill you. He was driven by the love that had come to him from God. Writing a second letter to the Corinthians, he spoke of that love and explained how it had affected him. Let’s turn to a few of the verses from that letter to see how Paul was led by the love of God to live his life with love toward others.

“What Does Love Look Like Now?”

When we first heard of Paul in the Bible, he was known as Saul. But it wasn’t just his name that was different than the person who wrote these two letters to the Corinthians. His life was quite different, too. Early in his life, Paul, then known as Saul, had attained a reputation as a hater and persecutor of Christians. When we heard about what he did to those who followed Christ, we may have asked, “Why didn’t God just get rid of him?”

God had a plan for Saul. He not only changed his name to Paul, but he changed Paul’s life ambition as well. The greatest persecutor of Christians became the greatest missionary of Christians. Paul explains what happened with the words, “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.” (5:14)

Paul understood God’s love, and that love completely changed him. It’s a pretty amazing and unlikely story. But the fact of the matter is, the same can be said about each one of us. We were also enemies of God who didn’t understand his love. But in no less a miraculous way, God came to us and called us into his family. When we realize what God did for us, and the price that it cost him, our lives are also different. We understand what Paul meant when he wrote, “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” (5:15)

That means that there will be a difference in the way that we view other people and in the way that we treat other people. Paul added, “Form now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.”(5:16) After Paul’s encounter with God on the road to Damascus, he saw people differently than he had before. He saw them, not as people who were causing him trouble and making his life difficult. He saw them through the eyes of his Lord, as lost sheep who had no shepherd, who needed guidance and protection. God’s love compelled Paul to forfeit his own comforts, time, and money to seek and save those lost sheep.

The Christian Church has always been a church concerned with the well-being of people. As a congregation we work together to feed and nourish God’s people with the Word and sacraments so that they will not stray from the path that leads to heaven’s gate.

But keep in mind that this church, and every Christian church, is made up of individuals. And each individual has been called by God to be trained to love people, to love not only the kind and gentle, but also those who make their lives more difficult. God wants us to look at the lives he has given us and see the people who are there.

Each of us has a home and a family. These are people who need our love. It might just be mom who is carrying in the groceries and could use a hand. It might be the young child who is struggling with his or her homework who needs a few minutes of your time. It could be a husband or wife who has come home from a long day of work or a challenging day at home who needs a few words of encouragement. God established families so that love could be shared, not only his love with them, but their love with one another. God’s love compels us to live with love in our hearts for one another.

When we step outside of our families, it might become just a bit more difficult to love the people who surround us. They might not have our same backgrounds, or interests, or even our same faith. Sometimes loving them as Christ loved us isn’t always that easy to do. Is it really necessary for us to apply these words in every case?

Don’t forget, Paul spent most of his time away from his family. As a missionary, he spent most of his time with strangers, some who appreciated his efforts and some who didn’t. There were many occasions when the devil made life so difficult for Paul that we wouldn’t have been too surprised to hear that he reacted angrily or with hatred instead of with love.

But Paul knew God’s love—love for the very man who was trying to destroy his people. Love that sent his only Son to pay for the very sins that he was committing. And that love from God compelled Paul to love even the difficult people.

So how far does that go? The disciples once asked Jesus how often they should be willing to forgive someone who repeatedly sinned against them. They thought 7 times would be a fair number. But Jesus told them that 70 x 7 would be more like it. His point?—You don’t stop loving someone with Christian love because God didn’t stop loving you.

When God looked down from heaven, he saw people who needed him. Paul was one of them, but so were you and I. We were traveling the same road to hell that Paul had been on. We would not have found our own way to eternal life. So God did what he had to do. He sent his Son to us, just as he sent him to Paul, and he saved us from an eternal death.

There are now people in our lives who need our love. Sometimes these people come into our lives through the roles that God has given to us. In our jobs we have contacts, clients, co-workers, and customers. They might not come to us and tell us that they need help with their sinfulness. That’s probably not very likely. But there might be an opportunity for us to build a bridge, a bridge that would later on enable us to talk to them about more than just what they need for their lives here on earth.

None of us lives in an isolation chamber, as far as I know. We are surrounded by neighbors, friends, and acquaintances, some of whom do not know their Lord, and, therefore, do not know the danger that they are in. At times, there are openings for us to show them compassion or kindness. Matthew recorded a list that Jesus shared which shows us opportunities that we have to serve our Lord by serving our neighbors. He said, “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Mt 25:34-36)

There is a prayer in the front of your hymnal on page 129 in which we ask God to help us see those opportunities. It reads, “Open our eyes to see the great and noble mission that lies before us. In the hurting eyes of the lonely, in the painted eyes of the sick, and in the searching eyes of the lost, help us to see your face, O Jesus, and to serve others as we would serve you.” Granted, at times that will be easier than it will at other times. But motivated by the genuine love that God has shown, and shows to us every day, we will make the efforts to represent him well in our lives. Knowing that, because of God’s great love, we will one day be in our perfect home in heaven, we can forfeit some of the comforts of this life for the sake of others.

So whether it is a friend or one who is not so friendly, a neighbor or someone whose name you don’t know, remember that God loves them and sent his Son for them. See them as God sees them, as a soul paid for by Christ. Then use the opportunities that God gives to you to help them, to help them in their lives here on earth, but more importantly, toward their life in heaven one day. That is your highest calling in life, and it will be your greatest privilege.

Amen.

–Rev. Roger Rockhoff