Eastertide

May 6, 2021

Scripture Reading: 1 John 5:1-6

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.

“Oh, what a tangled web we weave…when first we practice to deceive.” ― Walter Scott, Marmion

The problem with commandments is not that they are burdensome. Trying to get around them entangle us in webs of complexity that are burdensome. The process starts with the failure to have no other gods before God, when, in fact, we move easily among the gods that tempt us. The whole prosperity gospel venture says wealth illustrates our status with God. Visualize that concept next to a cross with God’s son hanging on it.

Mark 7:10-13 tells us that Jesus called out the elders for doing workarounds when Jesus said For Moses said, “Honor your father and your mother”; and, “Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.” But you say that if anyone tells father or mother, “Whatever support you might have had from me is Corban” (that is, an offering to God)— then you no longer permit doing anything for a father or mother, thus making void the word of God through your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many things like this.’

Ultimately if we read what we call God’s Ten Commandments, we will agree with Jesus that following two commandments covers them all, loving God and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. These are very straightforward and not burdensome until they challenge our personal desires. Our goal is to practice them so thoroughly until we prefer the lightness of their load.

Prayer: God of love, help us to seek and find the lightness of your passion as it permeates our very being. Amen.

*See Mark 12:30-31

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.