Love and Forgiveness: Last Sunday's Sermon

The Readings

Old Testament

Ruth 1:1-18




In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion; they were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. When they had lived there about ten years, both Mahlon and Chilion also died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.

Then she started to return with her daughters-in-law from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had considered his people and given them food. So she set out from the place where she had been living, she and her two daughters-in-law, and they went on their way to go back to the land of Judah. But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back each of you to your mother's house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find security, each of you in the house of your husband." Then she kissed them, and they wept aloud. They said to her, "No, we will return with you to your people." But Naomi said, "Turn back, my daughters, why will you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me, even if I should have a husband tonight and bear sons, would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, it has been far more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the Lord has turned against me." Then they wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

So she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” But Ruth said,

“Do not press me to leave you
or to turn back from following you!

Where you go, I will go;
Where you lodge, I will lodge;

your people shall be my people,
and your God my God.

Where you die, I will die—
there will I be buried.

May the Lord do thus and so to me,
and more as well,

if even death parts me from you!”

When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.

The Gospel
Mark 12:28-34



One of the scribes came near and heard the Saducees disputing with one another, and seeing that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; and ‘to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself,’ —this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question.

The Sermon

Here is a fun fact. In the old testament reading from Ruth. The other daughter in law of Naomi is named Orpah. When Oprah Winfrey was born her mother thought she was giving her the biblical name Orpah but she misspelled it. She got the r and the p turned around. I would speculate that there are now more women named Oprah in this world than there are Orpah's. All because a young mother misspelled her baby's name.

What is at the heart of this story of Ruth? When Ruth's husband died it would have made more sense for her to return to the security of her family but she didn't. She declared her loyalty to Naomi. She said, “Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people and your God my God.”

The book of Ruth ends well and it eventually leads on a path to the birth of Jesus. Ruth loved Naomi and she knew that Naomi needed her. Ruth trusted Naomi. When you read this story you quickly realize it is a story of faith and trust and love.

The same is true of our gospel reading. Jesus, for the umpteenth time tells us that it is all about faith, trust, and especially love. When Jesus is asked by a scribe, which commandment is first of all he says, “Hear of Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Jesus takes this statement from Deuteronomy. It is a discourse between God and Moses.”

In this chapter God continues by saying, “Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise.” God is serious!

Jesus continues his response by saying, “The second is this. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”

This second great commandment comes from Leviticus chapter 19. It says, “ You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” Now, Leviticus has never been my favorite book of the old testament but there is no disputing the wisdom written here. Jesus knew that.

Jesus never stopped preaching about the importance of love and forgiveness. We all fall short when it comes to fulfilling these two most sacred commandments. When I was younger I used to have a favorite saying. I don't get mad. I get even. I was wrong. Revenge is not my role in life. Love is my role. It is the role for all of us. May we all walk in Love. Love of God and love for each other.