“What’s Love Got to Do With It?”
Those of us of a certain age may remember this as the title to one of Tina Turner’s first solo hits. It won the Grammy for best song in 1984. And it’s a cynical song, coming from the perspective of someone who has been deeply hurt and is unwilling to risk being hurt again.
We’ve been taking a less cynical approach to our Easter series “Love Is Alive.” Because God is love (1 John 4) and Jesus is God with us, and because Jesus has been bodily raised and remains with us, we can say with confidence that love is alive.
The love that is alive is qualitatively different from the love that Tina Turner sang about. Jesus expected that his heart would be broken. More than that, he expected that his love for humanity would bring about betrayal, denial, condemnation, and death. In our Gospel readings from April 28 and May 5, Jesus tells us (his disciples) that loving us was and is worth all of that and more.
And then…he tells us to love one another “as I have loved you.” “As” means in a similar way. Our love for one another is to be willing to empty ourselves for each other. This would not be possible had Jesus not emptied himself for us. So “as” also means “since.” Since Jesus has poured love into us we have it to give. We know what it provides, and we know what it takes.
This love breaks the ageless cycles of retribution, of separation, of shame, of guilt, of hopelessness. What’s love got to do with it? Everything.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Don Wink