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I recently read something Grammy winning American, author, actor, stand up comic George Carlin and actor-author Sam Harris said and was sadly not shocked or surprised. When asked what is religion George Carlin replied, “Religion has actually convinced people that there’s an invisible man-living in the sky-who watches everything you do, every minute of the day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he wants you to do. And if you do any of those ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever ‘til the end of time…. But he loves you!”
In the words of actor-author Sam Harris, “The danger of religious faith is that it allows otherwise normal human beings to reap the fruits of madness and consider them holy. Because each new generation of children is taught that religious propositions need not be justified in the way that all others must, civilization is still besieged by the armies of the preposterous. We are, even now, killing ourselves over ancient literature. Who would have thought something so tragically absurd could be possible? By contrast, why would anyone go to war for the sake of an absence of belief?”
I wondered the same thing after reading what George Carlin and Sam Harris had to say for after all it seems that all religion does is consider themselves holy and fight among themselves and with other religions. But in this mornings sermon text after Jesus had washed the disciples feet and predicted His betrayer, Judas, Jesus gives us a new commandment that has nothing to do with religion which is man made.
Open your Bible to John 13:31-35
When Judas had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of man glorified, and in him God is glorified; if God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Picture if you may, Charlie Brown sitting in his chair reading and along comes Lucy, “Charlie Brown,” “Yes Lucy.” “Charlie Brown, you know what I don’t understand?” “Of course not Lucy, I don’t read minds.” “Charlie Brown,” “sigh from Charlie Brown,” “Charlie Brown, I don’t understand what is love?” “Lucy, yes Charlie Brown, Lucy, who does understand what love is?” “Charlie Brown, please explain what love is.” “Lucy, say I see this beautiful, cute little girl walk by, “Charlie Brown, why does she have to be cute? HUH? Why can’t someone fall in love with someone who has freckles and a big nose? Explain that Charlie Brown!” “You know Lucy you’re right, let’s just say this girl walked by with a great big nose” Lucy shouts, “I DIDN’T SAY SHE HAD A GREAT BIG NOSE CHARLIE BROWN!” And Charlie admitting defeat replied, “Lucy, Not only can you not explain love, you can’t even talk about it.”
Love isn’t easy and in another Peanut’s cartoon Lucy is talking to Schroeder, who is highly focused on his piano. Ignoring his concentration Lucy interrupts, “Schroeder, do you know what love is?” Schroeder stopped playing and replied, “Love: Noun, to be fond of, a strong affection for or attachment or devotion to a person or persons.” Then Schroeder quickly resumed playing his piano while Lucy replied as she gazes into space, “On paper he’s great!”
Sadly how true that is for many, on paper we’re great but it’s when it comes to living the words that we cannot talk about it and often fail. So what is Jesus telling us when he tells us to love one another?
First of all: Jesus is not telling us to live together, but to love one another. To make a sacrifice in behalf of one another for love is not one sided. Love at times can be an effort to give unto another.
Second: Jesus is telling us to take care of one another, not like each other, but in love take care of each other. When I was hungry you fed me, when I was naked you clothed me, when I was thirsty you gave me drink, when I was sick and in jail you visited me.”
Third: Jesus is telling us to act loving, even if we don’t feel loving. “It’s good to see you, I missed you. How was your day? HOW WAS MY DAY IT WAS AWFUL! LEAVE ME ALONE!
The love of Jesus was an action, not a feeling. Sadly in our society today for many love is not an action; love is a feeling mistaken as lust. If we could learn to feel for another by acting in love towards another.
Open your Bible to John 13:36-38
Simon Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now; but you shall follow me afterward.” Peter said to him, “Lord, why cannot I follow you now? I will lay my life down for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay your life down for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the cock will not crow, till you have denied me three times.”
We may not like their tone of voice, their actions, but we do not have to act out on what we feel for true love is treating them with respect because, just because that is what Jesus commanded us to do. For the mind of a Pharisee thinks truth is more important than love, but Jesus showed us that love is the most important part of truth.
Last week I stated that the meaning of religion is derived from the Latin word religare, meaning to “join” or “link” and classically is
understood to mean the linking of human and divine as they interpret the scripture and meet in worship. The roots of religion often are self-promotion within one’s own eyes.
Our sermon text began with Judas leaving the room and then Jesus’ prediction of Simon Peter’s betrayal. Both men were betrayers, both men stabbed Jesus in the back. One man went to hell, the other man saw Jesus again on the day of his resurrection. We use one man’s name as a slur for our enemies and we name our children after the other man’s name.
It isn’t until we get away from practicing religion and start living faith that we will ever begin to realize a revelation in our lives.
Revelation 21:1-8
Then I say a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a great voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water without price from the fountain of the water of life. He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be His God and he my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers; idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
Irrelevant of who we are, the Good News is that Jesus Christ not only Commands that we love one another. Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior practices what he proclaims. I have proclaimed for years that I do not have religion for I grew up seeing the double standards, I say one thing but do another in secret, and realized that religion will get you to hell. And it seems that all religion wants to do is be hostile and judgmental in the name of their holiness.
One day a man with a boat came upon a small island and when he got out of his boat he discovered three huts and a man. The man with the boat said “Hello” to the island dweller and after a while inquired about the three huts and if anyone else lived on the island. The islander replied that the first hut was where he use to go to church, the second hut is his home and the third hut is where he goes to church now as he got tired of the old church.
What’s wrong with religion? Why be so hostile? When is the last time you have felt love in your heart, love for another who you may not care for? God, not religion, is the beginning, Alpha, and the end, Omega, but it isn’t until one makes the choice that the beginning of struggles in their life can become an oasis in the desert. Take a drink of the living water God offers you and then you will no longer thirst again and have an eternal peace within you. It isn’t until we (you and I), have that eternal peace within us that we can get along and be one not in religion but in the name and love of God.
Are you thirsty, are you tired of struggling and fighting? When was the last time you clearly felt the love of God flowing through you unto others?
Let us pray,
Father God in our daily lives may we remember if we obey Jesus commandment to love one another; even as I have loved you, that you may also love one another. For only then may we stop having and practicing religion and know how to act in relationship to each other.
Amen
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