Tolerance Is Not Love And Love Is Not Tolerance

Text: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

The idea and concept of ‘love’ is one of the most misunderstood things in our modern day and age.  It seems like everyone is talking about the power and importance of love.  Protests have been spring up everywhere in our country in the name of love.  Hollywood and television stars speak about love weekly.  On social media, it is about impossible not to stumble across pictures and quotes on love.  There is even a new hand sign for love where a person cups their hands together to make the shape of a heart. 

That old song from 1979 by John Paul Young still rings true, “Love is in the air.  Love is in the air in every sight and every sound.”    

Unfortunately, though, even though love is in the air and even though there is an incredible amount of talk about the subject of love, I am afraid that the majority of people talking about love do not completely understand what it is.  Perhaps it could be said that we live in a time in history where love has been promoted and discussed more than ever before, while at the same time having a vast amount of ignorance on what love actually is.

To complicate things even more, not only are many talking about love incorrectly, but they are also imposing their misguided view of love upon the masses.  For example, we are being told that we must learn to love more and more, for love is the thing that can offset and cancel out hate.  We are told that we need to love to make this world a better place for everyone, as if love will make a perfect utopia. 

As previously mentioned, though, those who are pushing the campaign to love, unfortunately, do not understand what real love is.  In other words, they teach us that love is all about avoiding offense to someone else; however, this is not love.  They tell us that love actively approves of what others are doing; however, this is not love.  They share that love is quick to agree with our friends and neighbors; however, this is not love.  They express that love makes sure our friends can have their way at all costs; however, this is not love.  They impress upon us that love seeks to be inoffensive and glorifies diversity; however, this is not love. They gush that love is an intensity of feeling; however, this is not love.  They say love is what makes us feel happy and fuzzy and warm inside; however, this is not love.  They assert that love allows us to be free from hurt feelings and displeasure; however, this is not love.  They tell us that love blindly validates and approves of another person’s dreams and aspirations no matter what they are; however, this is not love.

Indeed, there is great confusion about what love is in our culture.  While it is true that everyone seems to be in love with the idea of ‘love’, it is also unfortunately true that very few people understand what love really is. 

Maybe the problem is that we have confused ‘love’ for the idea of ‘tolerance.’  Yes, maybe we have confused the terms love and tolerance.    

Consider the word tolerance for a moment. The word tolerance in our contemporary culture has evolved to mean that a person should not only put up with another person’s point of view but must also celebrate, enable, and promote that person’s point of view, regardless if one agrees with it or not. Any opposition to this modern view of tolerance is immediately seen as hateful and not loving. Therefore it is easy to see how the current view of tolerance can be mistaken for the idea of love. 

Generally speaking, though, the Bible frowns upon tolerance. For example, in Revelation 2, the pastor of the Church of Thyatira was condemned for tolerating a false teacher in the church, whereas the pastor of the Church of Ephesus was commended for not tolerating false teaching. In other words, tolerance has generally been seen not as a Christian virtue but more often than not, a pagan virtue. But love?  Yes, true love is a Christian virtue – it is at the heart of what Christianity is all about.   

So if love is not tolerance and tolerance is not love, what exactly is love, at least according to Christianity?

Well, love does not act the way that we might think – it does not typically operate the way that it is portrayed in Nicholas Sparks movies or sung about in Beyoncé and Katy Perry’s music.  Love is not defined by those signs at ‘love not hate’ protests.  For example, love does its works secretly and hides its actions from the applause of others – it does not do its acts of charity to be seen or known by others.  True love is not boastful or arrogant.  It does not seek to gain but seeks to give.  True love does not insist on its own way, and it is not irritable or resentful.  Love does not make a lot of noise rejoicing in the evil of others, but it rejoices and works for the truth – it pleads with people who are in error, it risks the possible offense to restore a neighbor in the freedom of truth. And finally, love does not hold on to its actions towards a neighbor as if it is keeping score, but rather, it acts for others free of charge.  

Clearly love is not the same as tolerance.  It also is not a floaty feeling.  It is not a romantic emotion.  It is not a self-serving.  It is not sourced in ourselves.  But rather, this true love seeks to honor God and Him alone for our good and joy.  Love seeks the proper teaching about the Lord with correct doctrine.  Love seeks to remember the Sabbath and God’s Word.  Love seeks to respect those in authority like parents and governing officials.  Love seeks to preserve life, especially those that are weak and insignificant – those unable to protect themselves in the womb or at the end of life.  Love seeks to protect marriage from pornography, divorce, and adultery.  Love seeks to defend our neighbor’s possessions, and it seeks to defend our neighbor’s reputation.  Love seeks to rest in contentment. Love is sacrificing – it is seen and demonstrated when a person gives of themselves for the good of another, as when Jesus laid down His life for you, for me, and for the entire world (1 John 3:16). 

Today we stand on the edge of the Season of Lent.  And with Lent, we are being prepared for the most dramatic display of God’s love – the Cross.  Indeed, we hear in our Gospel reading that Jesus talks about His love for you, for me, and for the entire world as he says to the disciples that the Son of Man will be delivered over to the Gentiles, be mocked, shamefully treated, spit upon, flogged, and killed. Jesus was preparing the disciple of what was about to come – His love in action towards mankind through suffering and dying.   

Dear friends, in Jesus we do not see tolerance, but we see love.  If Jesus would have gone the way of tolerance, He would ‘not’ have gone to the cross but would have left us in our sins.  And if we were left in our sins, we would be left with damnation.  So much for the way of tolerance!  But because of His great love for us and His rich mercy, Jesus could not tolerate our sin.  Indeed, the Son of God could not tolerate our sin, so He was compelled to the cross – in love – to do something about it.

You see, Jesus is God’s anointed.  He is the keeper of the sheep.  And as the great Shepherd who keeps His sheep, He lays down His life – in love – for the sheep.  He cannot and will not tolerate straying sheep or threatening wolves.  Truly, Jesus is the display of the Father’s love – the one who suffers long and is kind, not puffed up, the one who never fails.  Jesus is the one who is driven by mercy and compassion to deliver you and me.  He is gracious when we are in distress; His face shines upon us in our grief over sin.  And by His steadfast-unending-consistent-persistent-everlasting-love He saves us. 

Out of love for His creation – you – Jesus has opened your eyes to see Him and see His forgiveness, life, and salvation.  Out of love, Jesus came to the aid of the blind man of our Gospel reading and He comes to us in our sorrow and misery and shares His goodness and mercy and love with us.  He creates in us humble and contrite hearts that we might always cry out to Him for mercy.  He fills us with His love.  He grants us renewal by the Holy Spirit.  He gives us eyes to see His glory in His Word and Sacraments.  He does this not out of tolerance – oh no!  But rather, He does this because of His love – love for you.   

In the name of Jesus: Amen.  

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What Lasts Forever?

The following 'Funeral Service Sermon' is posted with family permission.  May the Lord give to the family of Marvin Meyer, and all who mourn, comfort in their grief and a sure confidence in the Lord's loving care.

Text: Matthew 28:19-20

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

We have all heard the phrase, “Nothing lasts forever.”  But what does it specifically mean, though?  Well, this phrase means that time consumes everything and time never stops flowing, which means that nothing can outlast time.  Considering this, it is a rather depressing thought, is it not?

As a result of nothing lasting forever, human relationships are temporary – they cannot outlast time.  Sooner or later they come to an end.  Upon graduation, college students, who are dear friends to each other, often weep as college comes to a close. Eventually, precious children leave home, having to say goodbye to their childhood memories. Eventually every marriage comes to an end.  Ultimately, no matter how healthy and no matter how stubborn a person may be, life itself comes to a close. 

Such is the case with our brother Marvin who passed away this past Saturday.  Even though he earned the nickname, by me, as the stubborn German, his stubbornness finally gave way, as the number of his years came to an end.  Time had a way of wearing Marvin down, as it does with everyone.  That is to say; even though Marvin possessed a unique German stubbornness that caused him to raise his fist up like a boxer that one time in the hospital with his half-smile grin, well… time just took its jolly good ol’ time and wore Marvin down. 

That is the thing with time.  It either goes too slow or too fast – we can’t seem to manage it or control it, and in the end, it appears to have the last laugh, as it just rolls past the events of today without seeming to slow down to show any compassion or care. 

Obviously, everything that I have shared up to this point has not given us much comfort, especially when we need it the most right now.  While I wish I could tell you that I have discovered the mystery of time travel or ways to control time, I cannot.  The truth of the matter, we cannot control time, we cannot tame it, and we certainly cannot outlast it.  And that is why the words from our Gospel come to us as such a surprise.  Indeed, the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew rivet our attention this morning, as they provide not only a profound insight to our dilemma but deep comfort as well.  Jesus said,

“Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age – to the very end of time.” 

Dear friends, let your eyes and your hearts remain fixed on Jesus for He is constantly with you until the end of time when we shall no longer walk by faith, but forever by sight.  In other words, the presence of Jesus is constant and never ending.  He is with us each and every day – all day – until the consummation of the age.  Time cannot and will not bring an end to His care, His grace, and His mercy. 

What this means is this.  Even though time has its way of wearing us thin and even though it has a way of bringing all good things to an end, we shall not fear or doubt for Jesus is with us today, tomorrow, and to the end of time.  As Psalm 23 tells us, “Even though we walk through the darkest of valleys, we will not fear, for the Lord is with us; His rod and staff comfort us.”      

But what do we say about our brother Marvin?  The Lord has promised to be with us, to never leave us nor forsake us – He will be with us to the very end of time – but what about Marvin?  Even though death has delivered a blow to Marvin, the promises of Jesus remain faithful.  Marvin has not been abandoned in death.  Even though Marvin did not outlast time, time will never outlast Jesus.  Jesus is the alpha and omega – the beginning and the end.  This means that the Lord cannot be separated from Marvin or you by the effects of time. You and Marvin will never be alone despite life or death and as already stated, notwithstanding the consequences of time.   

Dear friends, the Lord is with you, he will not separate from you.  You are not alone to work with unaided strength in this life.  You are not alone in this life, and you are not alone in death.  Time will not wear Jesus thin; it will not end your relationship with Him. 

In fact, the Lord God has appointed a moment in time, a moment so precise that before you have time to look up and blink your eyes, it will be all over.  What am I talking about?  I am speaking about that appointed time when everything will be changed.  That time when you, me, and Marvin will hear a blast to end all blasts – a blast from a trumpet.  On a signal from that trumpet from heaven, the dead will be up and out of their graves, beyond the reach of death, never to die again.  At the same moment and in the same way, we will all be changed – at that appointed time death will be swallowed by triumphant Life!  Death will not have the last word.  In fact, it could be said that the Lord has appointed a time for the end of death itself. 

Dear friends, as we have heard, time has a way of being cruel to us.  Death certainly stings, but do not lose heart, for in a single victorious stroke and at the proper appointed time, sin, guilt, and death will come to an end, for Jesus is Lord over death, Lord over time, and your Lord who will never leave you nor forsake you.   

Marvin is not alone today.  You are not alone today.  There is no end to the Lord’s steadfast and unending grace and mercy, for the Lord is with you day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.  In fact, he will be with you for eternity with the reality of forgiveness, life, and salvation.      

In the name of Jesus: Amen.    

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Hope In The Midst Of Lament

The following 'Prayer Service Sermon' is posted with family permission.  May the Lord give to the family of Marvin Meyer, and all who mourn, comfort in their grief and a sure confidence in the Lord's loving care. 



Text: Lamentations 3:22-26, 31-33

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

It is a good feeling to have hope.  With hope, a person walks with a smile, the world seems lighter, and there is even a skip in the step.  Hope keeps us going in the midst of life.  However, as we know, hope can come, and hope can go.  Indeed, hope can quickly rise and quickly fall, just like the waves of the ocean. 

I think it is safe to assume that we may be a little low on hope this evening – hope has fallen.  Our brother Marvin has passed away.  Death has struck Marvin, which has inflicted grief upon us and caused us to shuffle our feet and slouch in sorrow.  Indeed, tonight we find ourselves much like the Israelite people in our reading from the Book of Lamentations.      

Very briefly, if you were to spend the rest of the evening reading through the Old Testament book of Lamentations, you would find that it is a very depressing and heavy book.  It was written some 600 years before Christ came to us in the manger.  It was written right after the nation of Babylon destroyed the city of Jerusalem, which resulted in Jerusalem being in ruins. The temple had also been destroyed.  The majority of her people had been led away into humiliating exile, displaced to live in a foreign country named Babylon. Those that were left were experiencing complete impoverishment and a terrible famine. Nobody would’ve been able to say, “Things could be worse!” Things could not have been worse.  There was no glimpse of sun in the complete stormy chaos. 

The book of Lamentations means what it sounds like.  It is the lament and tears of the prophet Jeremiah over his people and over his current circumstances.

In the midst of the chaos, destruction, and violence, though, we come upon our verses that we just read tonight from Lamentations chapter 3.  These verses are like clean and fresh water in the midst of a sun-scorched desert.  In the midst of the lamenting, the agony, the pain, and the loss we read these verses that speak of hope.  Hope for Jeremiah, hope for Israel, and hope for us in our present grief and pain as well. 

Yes, tonight’s verses from Lamentations speak of hope that is not found in the circumstances of the Israelites.  They speak of hope that is not found within the feelings of the people.   They speak of hope that steers eyes away from feelings and away from circumstances to Almighty God’s faithfulness.

Dear friends, it is so very easy to come to funerals and lose hope.  Even hearing the news about death causes hope to fracture.  The sight of the casket, the sight of the hearse, hearing an obituary, a phone call telling us that a father, a husband, and a friend has passed away, can all seem to crush hope.  But this does not mean all hope is lost.  You see, as we have just heard, Jeremiah expresses hope – not sadness –while everything around him seemed to be hopeless.  The reason why this was so?  His hope was in God’s steadfast love, God’s unending grace.  Think about this for a moment; things can be bad in life; however, bad circumstances do not necessarily have to fracture hope. 

Our Christian hope arises only from the fact that the Lord has mercy upon us and creates hope in us.  That is to say; Christian hope does not come from the circumstances and feelings of life.  Christian hope is not anchored in the ups and downs of life.  But rather, Christian hope is anchored in the steadfast love and steadfast faithfulness of our Lord, shown to us in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

So are we to simply look away from the casket this evening?  Are we to forget the reality that we have lost out brother, Marvin?  Are we to man up and pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, so that we can somehow hope in God’s faithfulness?  Believe it or not, but lamenting is not a bad thing. Our tears and agony about the pains of life are precisely how God created us to be. Jeremiah lamented over the hopelessness of his circumstance and the inabilities of the people.  He confessed the sin of his people and the problems and pain of life.  He lamented to God; He cried out for mercy… So, what this means is that when bad things happen in life – when death strikes a blow to us – we get to lament the desperation of our circumstances.  We get to lament over the loss of Marvin.  We get to lament the pain of death.  We get to lament the loss of a father, husband, and friend.  But, we must not stop there.  The reason why: we also get to hear the hopeful message of God’s faithfulness to you, to me, and to Marvin.  We get to hear the Christian hope in the midst of the grief and sorrow that we face. 

It is like this.  The Apostle Paul in the New Testament confesses that he is a mere and weak fragile jar of clay, but the Lord’s power is greater than him.   The Apostle Paul confesses that he is hard pressed on every side, but not crushed.  He confesses that he is perplexed but not in despair.  He confesses that he is persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed.  Paul says that even though the outer nature is wasting away that he does not lose heart.  In other words, Paul does not lose heart because he knows that it is not this temporary life that we derive hope from.  Rather we derive our hope from what is eternal and sure. 

As all of this was true for Jeremiah and the Apostle Paul, it is true for you this night as well.  What is true?  The Lord’s steadfast love that never ceases is true.  His mercy never come to an end is what is true. This means that you can hope in Him. 

Christ is sure my friends.  God’s promises are sure in the midst of uncertainty.  Your identity and your worth are in Christ.  Nothing in the events of today or tomorrow can change what Christ did for you.  God’s love is steadfast for you because Christ’s salvation still stands for you.  There is hope in the midst of despair for you and me, that hope is the Christ. 

And this hope in the sure and steadfast foundation of Jesus belongs to Marvin as well.  Forgiveness of sins, life, salvation, and the promised resurrection belong to Marvin!    

Tonight, we lament the loss of Marvin, but we do not lose hope.  We do not lose hope, for nothing – nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable – absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s steadfast love that is revealed to us in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

In the name of Jesus: Amen.    

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Do Not Fear, For You Will Share In My Glory

Text: Matthew 17:1-9

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

The Lord continually revealed Himself to the people of the days of old.  For example, the Lord came and appeared to Moses in the light of the burning bush, as we hear in the Book of Exodus.  As a result, Moses’ face shined with the light of God’s glory.  And in today’s Gospel reading we heard about the Transfiguration.  Jesus’ face was shown like the sun; His clothes became dazzling white.  Moses and Elijah were also there with a bright cloud upon that high mountain. 

Considering all of this, what is this Transfiguration really about?  What does this Transfiguration teach us today? 

Well, the Transfiguration demonstrates Jesus’ glory and majesty – that He is no ordinary man.  It shows us that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of living God, the Messiah, the Maker and Savior of the world.  It also shows us that Jesus is the fulfillment of everything spoken in the Old Testament Law and everything spoken by the Old Testament Prophets. 

There is another dimension to the Transfiguration, though.  And that is this; it is a miracle that not only teaches us about Jesus’ character and identity but it also shows us something about ourselves.  That is right; the miracle of the Transfiguration is meant to impact you and me. 

You see, Jesus typically did not just throw out miracles here and there – He did not waste them – but was very intentional about His miracles.  He did not do them to show off, but He did these miracles for the purpose of granting faith to humanity.  Yes, behind all of Jesus’ miracles was His love for mankind and His intention of revealing Himself to the world.  Thus, His miracles were ways that He reached out into the human race, into some tragedy to address it.  And by doing so, He granted faith, while also revealing Himself. 

And so when we think of the Transfiguration – this miracle of Jesus shining on the mountaintop with Moses and Elijah, and the voice of the Father testifying that Jesus is His Son – we must above all consider how this miracle impacted Peter, James, and John.  And as we understand how this affected Peter, James, and John, we will know a bit more about how this miracle impacts us personally. 

You see, this miracle did not end directly with Jesus saying:  "Don't tell anyone."  He added:  "Don't tell anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead." 

Peter, James, and John saw Jesus shine on the mountain.  Not for His own sake, but for their sake and ours right here and right now.  In other words, the miracle was revealed to Peter, James, and John, so that they could share the account of this miracle with us. 

To the point; what all of this means is this: the glory that lit up the sky that night is the glory that Jesus came to give to us.  The glory that shone from His body is the glory that Jesus will impart to you, to your body, at the Resurrection! 

Dear friends, by our baptisms into Christ’s body, we are given a glimpse of the glory in this Transfiguration miracle.  We are given a sneak peek into the glory that we will share with in the resurrection – that day when the trumpets will sound and the graves will burst open, and our souls will reunite with glorified bodies forever and ever. 

But for all of this to come about, Jesus first has to come down one mountain and begin His walk up towards another mountain.  Yes, indeed.  Today marks the descent of Jesus from the glorious mountain of the Transfiguration, down into the valley of suffering, and then up to Mt. Calvary. 

This is indeed where we are also going to a church.  We have been journeying up to the Mt. of Transfiguration since Christmas, and after today, we travel off of the mountain into the valley of Lent towards Mt. Calvary. 

But, why the change of mountains, why the change from a heavenly glory to the glory of the cross?  My friends, because that is how Jesus would bring glory to our bodies, rescuing us from death and the icy grip of sin – by trading places with us, by taking our shame, by dying for the lost and forsaken. 

Jesus dies your death to give you His life.  He bears your shame to give you His glory.  That's how much He loves you and me and why He came down the Mt. of Transfiguration and went to Mt. Calvary. 

The three disciples that witnessed the Transfiguration no doubt needed the memory of that vision just to get them through the horror of Good Friday.  But can you imagine their joy on Easter?  Their joy when they saw Jesus again, glorified, never to be touched by death again?

Imagine their joy when they saw Jesus as He was after His resurrection, glorious and dazzling, to be and remain that way forever.  Imagine their joy when Jesus said:  "Because I live, you too shall live!"

You see, the Transfiguration glory they witnessed that night on the mountain was only a taste of the glory that was to be His forever.  And His death and resurrection made that glory His gift to all believers, which is you!

This changes everything, my friends.  Does it not?  It changes how we face our suffering.  It changes how we think about our death as well.  And what is so remarkable is that this change has already begun in you because of what happened on the day you were baptized.

You see, baptism is like your own Transfiguration.  In fact, an ancient custom of the Church calls for the newly baptized to be clothed in garments of white as they come to the baptismal font.  This is a way of confessing that Baptism is our very own Transfiguration.  Baptism is the moment when Jesus grabs ahold of us and marks us with His glory.  In baptism, Jesus is essentially saying:  "You are my family.  You are my sister.  You are my brother.  And you will share my glory with me forever."

But as we know from the Bible, after the passing moment of the Transfiguration of Jesus, came the suffering, and the dying for Jesus.  And as it was true for Jesus, it is true for you.

Dear friends, the glory that Baptism promises us is a glory that we will not have as our own in this world, or in this life.  No, our bodies will still grow old.  They creak.  They begin to wear out.  We can feel death in our bones, and we can sense it when it moves stealthily upon us at our birthday each year.  Indeed, even though we are baptized, we face death; it looms before us; we all approach it.   

And when the thought of death frightens us, and we don't know if we can bear the sufferings that may well precede and go with it – the humiliation and the sorrow – then we understand why Jesus gave us the miracle of the Transfiguration and the miracle of our Baptisms.

In love, Jesus shows us what we will be in the end.  In love, Jesus shows us what glory awaits us on the other side of the sufferings and death – yes, even after our bodies have fallen apart and become food for worms, even after they've returned to the dust.  Jesus shows us the glory that He has promised to give us on the day of His second appearing. 

You see, the vision of this glory gives us the courage to face death with boldness even as we are tucked in our graves.  Because we are baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection, death is only a pathetic and pitiful little thing.  It is only a moment.   

Yes, death can growl and snarl all it wants.  It can and will tear into us and make us cry.  But death will never win in the end because our Redeemer lives and His eternal life is given to us by our baptisms through faith.

Baptized Saints, because Jesus lives, you too will live again.  He is the Champion, and He has marked you as His own in Baptism so your grave cannot hold on to you.  Even though your grave is staring at you and your body will be put six feet under, you shall sleep secure, for you have heard today that you will stand before Jesus, glorified and whole, and will sing His praises.

What better way for a Christian to face death and suffering than with the vision of Jesus, shining on the Mountain top, and knowing that we are looking at a glory that He gives to us.  This is the eternal glory that awaits you on the other side of the grave, my friends! This is why this miracle was revealed to Peter, James, and John, and this is why the miracle was revealed to you personally this day. 

You are baptized; you belong to Christ Jesus. Do not fear.      

In the name of Jesus: Amen.    

Note: Portions of this sermon are indebted to Rev. Joshua Reimche and Rev. Will Weedon.  

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