Even in the questioning, even in the wrestling their joy is evident, and this love and joy gives Paul reasons to be joy filled himself. Love is contagious! Love is a powerful witness of one’s faith and beliefs. This reminds me of Rob Bell’s book titled, “Love Wins,” a book he wrote with his own theological struggles. Bell says this about love. “First, I believe that Jesus’s story is first and foremost about the love of God for every single one of us. It is a stunning, beautiful, expansive love, and it is for everybody, everywhere.” The church in Thessalonica gets it, the understand the core of their faith, the core of their belief in Christ. Paul made one visit to them, preached the gospel of Jesus Christ and now the visible result is a stunning, beautiful expansive love. One might think they are not facing any challenges, that they are all like-minded, no division among them, but that is not true. Paul’s letter seems to indicate a bit of surprise that all is going well. The reality is that when Paul went to Thessalonica, he was  forced to leave because of intense opposition by the Jewish community. For the church in Thessalonica, the experience of love and the promise of love to come was the glue that kept them together in their faith.

Experiencing love does change one in a deep way, it’s like the fabric of our being is rewritten in our hearts. I remember this story of a woman who walked into the church where I served. She was bringing in grocery cart after grocery cart of food to donate to our food pantry. I didn’t know this person, had not seen her once and I was stunned by her generosity. I was watching her wondering…what is this about? Why is she bringing in all this food? When she had completed her delivery, I walked her out to her car and started to talk to her. I wanted to know what was behind her lavish, a mean bountiful, lavish donation. She shared with me that years ago, many, many years ago, her husband had left her and she had three children to raise. She went on to share that she didn’t know what she was going to do. She was devastation by the divorce but also concerned about her ability to provide for her children. She said, I will never forget your church… I came to your food pantry and people were so accepting, so loving. No one made me feel like I was less of a person because I was coming here. Your church saved my life. Of course, life is good for me now. I have a great job and my children are all grown up, but I will never forget the love and acceptance I experienced here. Love led her to a spirit of thankfulness and thankfulness that poured out in her generosity. What a story to tell! Love found a place in her heart and love had a lasting effect on her life for years to come.

This first Sunday in Advent is when we prepare again for the coming of Christ. It is a time of waiting and wondering just what is means that love enters the world again. I keep thinking about the church in Thessalonica, I keep thinking about how they was able to let their love lead the way in the midst of conflict and struggle. They are a model for us of the power of love to spread joy, build community and strengthened hearts in holiness.

I’ve experienced that kind of love right here, right here in our own midst with our own challenges and struggles. Yes, we have different theological views on some things, yes we have different understandings of what the church should be and what the church should be doing. And yes, we’ve been here in this in between time before haven’t we? We are not at the same place we were 12 years ago, and we are not the same people we were 12 years ago for love has changed us. No wonder the Spirit called me to come back to you for your love changed me. This is how I experienced your love; you were with me when my mother died…yes that was over 12 years ago. Sending cards, giving words of support. You helped me to fine joy in the midst of sorrow and grief. And just recently you have showed the same kind of love as I shared the illness of my brother.

Oh yes, love continues to flow regardless of our circumstances. And then there is the love and support I’ve seen you give to each other. I’ve seen you, I’ve seen you sitting in the pews funeral after funeral. Standing beside bereaved husbands and wives. Holding each other together. I’ve seen you celebrating the life of beloved, long term members…again and again you come to this place, to this sanctuary to give witness to love. Oh yes, we have journeyed together before in a time of waiting and wondering. Some waiting for what is next in their life, some waiting for the next life, some just waiting for the promise of love that we celebrate and embody with the birth of Christ. Advent has begun and we are waiting for the Promise of Love to come again. Bell writes this at the end of his book in summary of his beliefs.

“Love is what God is, love is why Jesus came, and love is why he continues to come, year after year to person after person.” Bell ends his book with what I would call a blessing that I now give to you as a blessing.

“May you experience this vast, expansive, infinite, indestructible love that has been yours all along. May you discover that this love is as wide as the sky and as small as the cracks in your heart no one else knows about. And may you know, deep in your bones, that love wins. “ Amen