In The Name Of Love

Jesus came in peace with love.


When Jesus rode in on that donkey, he was making a statement. He was willingly and strategically entering Jerusalem during the celebration of Passover as a king. All of the imagery for an onlooker that day would have picked up on it. The shouts of acclamation, the palm branches, the coats on the ground – all actions to honor a royal. And Jesus’ ride? He chose a donkey. Not just to fulfill prophecy, but to make a statement. Kings mostly rode donkeys. When they wanted to rally the troops and people for battle, they would ride a war horse. But when they wanted to display peace, they rode a donkey. Jesus rode a donkey.

When Jesus made his big entrance, he made it with a gesture of love and peace.

Question…
If you were a Jew living in Roman-occupied Jerusalem at that time, is this how you would want Jesus to make his big entrance into the capital city? Why or why not?
We all agree we need more love in the world.

Everybody agrees on this. U2 sang Pride: In The Name of Love. Michael Jackson sang Heal the World. U2 sang One. The Beatles sang All We Need Is Love. U2 sang Crumbs From Your Table. John Lennon sang Imagine. U2 sang I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For. Air Supply sang Seriously, Did You Really Spend Money On This Album?  U2 sang Grace.  U2 wins.

So what’s the problem? It sure seems like everybody loves love. We love songs about love. We love movies about love. We love cards that express love. We love holidays that are filled with love. What do we call the most intimate of physical intimacy – making love – and humans apparently have loved it for a very long time, and show no signs of slowing down…

So, again, with all of us loving love, why aren’t things better than they are?

The Problem: love has as many definitions as definers.

Some people understand love as a feeling. I love you because I feel so much love for you! I can’t get you out of my mind! I just want to be with you in every way. Let’s ride this wave together – everything about how we feel about each other feels so right – there’s not wrong, here. Until someday comes when the feeling is gone. Then I don’t want much to do with you, and regret much of what I did with you!

Some people express love for those close to them very well. But if you’re not in the family, you’re on permanent probation. Cross me, and there will be no more love for you! In fact, I may appear to be your friend one day, but the next day I may be your worst enemy. I will love you if you love me, but I will not tell you what love looks like to me. When you cross the line you know nothing about, then I will let you know, and with vengeance.

Some people are crystal clear with their definition of love. I will love you if you do exactly what I want. If you don’t do what I want, I won’t show you any love. In fact, I’ll show you the opposite. I will only love you if you agree with my worldview, my theology, my politics, my taste in music, my love for guacamole, my setting of the thermostat, my TV shows, my cable news channel… the list is endless.

Each of these – and there are many more – are examples of conditional love.

Questions…
Toward which of these understandings of love do you sometimes gravitate?
Does your understanding of love change depending on the recipient? How does your understanding of love change from someone especially close compared to a coworker, a rival, or an enemy?

Maybe the problem in our world isn’t that there isn’t enough love, but that the love is ill defined.

Love of one’s homeland leads to aggression toward those perceived to threaten it. Love is expressed as violence. And so we see foreigners mistreated in the name of love socially, economically, and sometimes physically.

Love of one’s power passionately protected. Funds hoarded. Greed fed. Books cooked. Portfolios embellished. Silver traded. Jesus crucified. All in the name of love.

Love of one’s politics leads to passionate debate that can even lead to threats and acts on threats. Opponents maligned. Mud-slinging. False allegations. Half-truth million dollar commercials. People rallied by fear. Opponents hated. Character destroyed. Jesus crucified. All in the name of love.

Love of one’s race leads to the protection of one’s color. Love that leads to prejudice, racism, the KKK, cross burnings, genocide, oppression. Jesus crucified. All in the name of love.

Love of one’s religion leads to violent displays of loyalty and devotion. Suicide bombers. Planes crashing into buildings. Places of worship being bombed. Abortion clinics being bombed. Synagogues being burned. Genocide. Spanish Inquisition. Crusades. Salem Witch Trials. Prophets murdered. Gays bashed. Jesus crucified. All in the name of love.
Questions…
Can you recount examples of each type of malicious love – malovelance (yes, I know it’s misspelled – work with me)?
Have you ever been the recipient of any of the above forms of “love”?
Have you ever expressed “love” in any of the above ways? How did it go? What was the result?

Jesus had a radically different definition of love.

Love wasn’t simply a feeling, but a verb. Love was substance, the foundation, an action, and a sense of being.

Love wasn’t simply for those he easily loved, or just for those who loved him back. Love was for anyone and everyone.

Take a moment and read some of Jesus’ words that he used to define love in Luke 6:27-42. What strikes you most about Jesus’ teaching in this passage?

Take a moment and witness Jesus’ final moment in Luke 23:26-46. What strikes you about Jesus’ actions? How were they congruent with his teaching?
Questions…
If you were a Jew living in Roman-occupied Jerusalem at that time, is this how you would want Jesus to make his big entrance into the capital city? Why or why not?
Would you be okay with Jesus making a similar entrance into the world today?
Is it possible that we may make the same mistake as our predecessors’ if we assume the Christ’s coming will be more like a warrior?
What if the battle is won not on a horse, but on a donkey?
What if the way to change the world is through radical love, not super-power?
What changes do you imagine you would make if you lived according to Jesus’ definition of love?
What changes do you imagine you would experience in your key relationships? In your relationship with your circle of influence? With your enemies, or those who don’t seem to like you so much?
What aspect of Jesus’ love are you going to incorporate into your life ASAP?