04.29.18 The Heart of Life (series on 1 John)

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In this podcast: 

1. Prayer of Illumination 

2. First reading  Acts 8:26-40 

3. The Psalter  Psalm 98 

4. Gospel reading  John 15:1-8 

5. Anthem "O Love" (Words: George Matheson, Musical setting: Elaine Hagenbert) 

6. Epistle  1 John 4:7-21

7. Sermon  "The Heart of Life" 

8. Offertory "Day by Day" sung by the Second Pres Choral Scholars (from the musical, "Godspell") 

 

Sermon excerpt 

It is easy for us to love those who love us in return. It is easy for us to love those who are like us: who value the same characteristics, who believe in the same principles, who like the same pizza toppings or flavors of Ben and Jerry’s that we do.

But we are commanded to love the one who is unloving, angry, and hurtful because that is who we were to God first.

Only when we love an unlovable person do we see for ourselves what God-as-love is really like. When the love of God flows through us and transforms another life, changing that unloving person into someone who also has been born anew of love, then we know God.[1]

Our love for others should follow the same pattern as God’s love for us. Like God, we are to love the one who is unlovely and unresponsive.

 

[1] Feasting on the Word, Year B, Volume 2, Kindle Locations 16390-16394.