Text: Galatians 5:13-15
For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment. "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
Many who hear of the freedom that comes with the Good News immediately think that there needs to be some guidelines, rules, regulations or else....
It is understandable to think that freedom must be controlled or else...who knows what might happen. This is precisely why Paul raises the note about using this freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence." The freedom we have in Christ is freedom won for us through Christ's self-giving love of the whole world. In fact, the law as we understand it as law given to the people of Israel is also a love that nurtures self-giving and care and love of others. The freedom in which we live as followers of Jesus is a reflection of a life beloved and cherished by God. There is no need within our freedom to be self-indulgent or self-focused or self-concerned...as though we are free to cut ourselves off from others or free to live as we choose no matter what consequences that produces for myself or the world around me.
We are free - to love - to be loved - to step into a life that is no longer an opportunity to "make it for myself" but one in which all relationships will be shaped by the command to love. Paul is attempting to teach of a communal love that seeks reconciliation (he deals with that quite a bit in Corinthians) and serves...and in the middle of all that, there is Christ in the midst of us.
Connection: It is easy to be self-indulgent! That doesn't mean we should not do things for ourselves. But when our self-indulgence removes us from others and sharing our lives with others...our world...our vision...shrink and often we can quickly be ruled by fears. Fear that we may lose what we have. Instead, it is good to practice giving life away...sharing goods...sharing love....sharing thoughts...sharing wealth....sharing time. The list can go on. Imagine a "love command community." You may be giving to others and yet, others are giving to you. A circle of love in which individuals are loved and honored...and so it the whole group.
Living Lord it is your love for us that inspires our loving and our relationships with all your saints. Give us eyes to see the loving ways that call us into life so that our days of fear and biting may be transformed into days of peace and mercy and love. Amen.
For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment. "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
Many who hear of the freedom that comes with the Good News immediately think that there needs to be some guidelines, rules, regulations or else....
It is understandable to think that freedom must be controlled or else...who knows what might happen. This is precisely why Paul raises the note about using this freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence." The freedom we have in Christ is freedom won for us through Christ's self-giving love of the whole world. In fact, the law as we understand it as law given to the people of Israel is also a love that nurtures self-giving and care and love of others. The freedom in which we live as followers of Jesus is a reflection of a life beloved and cherished by God. There is no need within our freedom to be self-indulgent or self-focused or self-concerned...as though we are free to cut ourselves off from others or free to live as we choose no matter what consequences that produces for myself or the world around me.
We are free - to love - to be loved - to step into a life that is no longer an opportunity to "make it for myself" but one in which all relationships will be shaped by the command to love. Paul is attempting to teach of a communal love that seeks reconciliation (he deals with that quite a bit in Corinthians) and serves...and in the middle of all that, there is Christ in the midst of us.
Connection: It is easy to be self-indulgent! That doesn't mean we should not do things for ourselves. But when our self-indulgence removes us from others and sharing our lives with others...our world...our vision...shrink and often we can quickly be ruled by fears. Fear that we may lose what we have. Instead, it is good to practice giving life away...sharing goods...sharing love....sharing thoughts...sharing wealth....sharing time. The list can go on. Imagine a "love command community." You may be giving to others and yet, others are giving to you. A circle of love in which individuals are loved and honored...and so it the whole group.
Living Lord it is your love for us that inspires our loving and our relationships with all your saints. Give us eyes to see the loving ways that call us into life so that our days of fear and biting may be transformed into days of peace and mercy and love. Amen.
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