It was April 3, 1968.  The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had just arrived in the city of Memphis.  He was there to help bring attention to the plight of the Memphis sanitation workers who were being forced to work in an unfair environment.   That evening he preached what historians would later describe as one of the most prophetic sermons ever given.  It would also be his last.

That evening’s text happened to be the parable of the Good Samaritan.  After re-telling the story in his own words – after offering several possible explanations for the lack of compassion that was shown by both the priest and the Levite – Dr. King said:  “. . . the first question that the Levite asked was, ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?’  But then the Good Samaritan came by.  And he reversed the question: ‘If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?’”.

Now over the past five weeks we have been looking at ways that, despite our best intentions, we as Christians get it wrong.  We have seen how those outside the Church – especially young people who are conspicuously absent from our numbers – see us as being self-centered, judgmental, calloused, narrow-minded, and homophobic.  So, what are we doing wrong to have so many people view us in such negative and unflattering terms.   Could it be that, like the Levite and the priest, we tend to ask all the wrong questions because we are focused on all the wrong things. 

And, no, this isn’t the first time in church history that people of faith have asked the wrong questions, focused on the wrong things, and came to the wrong conclusions.  As a matter of fact, the majority of the New Testament was written to Christians who were “getting it wrong.”

How many of you are familiar with what is commonly referred to as the love chapter – I Corinthians 13?

      If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

     Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.  It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.  It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

    Love never ends.  (I Corinthians 13:1-8a)

Well, friends, believe it or not, Paul wrote those words to some of the most dysfunctional, mean-spirited Christians of that time!  They were so concerned about being right nothing else mattered!  As a result, they had become exactly like the scribes and Pharisees that Jesus railed against. So, why didn’t Paul just read them the riot act?  Why didn’t he list all their sins and misdeeds then demand that they either repent or take their membership elsewhere?  After all, their behavior wasn’t just wrong . . . it was disrespectful, deplorable, and despicable! 

And that was Paul’s point!  You see, they had taken “wrong” to a whole new level.  As a result, there was no way to reason with them; there was no way to get them to step back and take an objected look at themselves.  So, Paul knew something that we should all remember.  There comes a time when the only thing that can change an individual or an entire group is the power of love – a love that was demonstrated in the life of our Lord.  In the end, Paul knew it was all that was ever needed

++++++.

Like our early brothers and sisters, far too many Christians of today are getting it wrong because we have allowed doctrine to dictate and theology to divide.  But it is not too late to get it right.  All we have to do is love as Jesus loved. 

So, how do we do it?  How do we love as Jesus loved?  Well, to begin with we become more like the Samaritan.  We look at those who hate us; those who misunderstand us; those who have even tried to harm us then we ask one simple question.  If we don’t stop . . . if we don’t help . . . if we don’t love what will happen to them? 

So, what should we do to get it right?  What should we do to reach all those folk who have chosen to leave the church or never come in?  When we are uncertain or unsure of the right thing to do . . . when the situation or the behavior is beyond our ability to comprehend what should we do?  We simply need to ask ourselves:  In this situation, what is the most loving thing I can do? 

If we want to touch lives; if we want to see miracles occur all we have to do is love.  It really is as basic as that!  For as Peter once said, Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.  (I Peter 4:8)   Even yours and mine!

To God be the Glory.  Amen.