Feel the Love: 1 John 1:1-4 - Holy Trinity Sunday

The Word that gives life was from the beginning, and this is the one our message is about. Our ears have heard, our eyes have seen, and our hands have touched this Word. The one who gives life appeared! We saw it happen, and we are witnesses to what we have seen. Now we are telling you about this eternal life that was with the Father and appeared to us. We are telling you what we have seen and heard, so you may share in this life with us. And we share in it with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing to tell you these things, because this makes us truly happy. (CEV)

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There’s a saying that “the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach.”

Nobody understood this better than my late grandmother. I swear, she made it her mission in life to feed everyone. If you visited her home, even unexpectedly, you would not leave unfed. 

Word soon got out among the neighborhood children, who would knock on her door and ask if she had anything good to eat—and she always said “yes.” She was well-known for her peanut butter blossoms and nut rolls—but her pepperoni rolls were everyone’s favorite. My home church hosted a dessert auction fundraiser, and a man in the congregation paid $500 to buy the hundreds of pepperoni rolls she’d donated.

In her obituary, it was written that she was famous for her pepperoni rolls—and it felt a little strange to me, at first, to include something like that, because she did far more in her 93 years of life than just baking. But here’s the thing—they were a tangible expression of who she was as a person. Aside from the copious amount of pepperoni she rolled into each one, it was her love that made them taste so good.

Jesus certainly expressed his love for people in tangible ways. He fed the hungry with five loaves and two fish. He washed his disciples’ feet. He laid hands upon people and healed them. He taught the crowds using parables, which communicated God’s truth through real-life experiences people could relate to. 

In the opening sentences of the first letter of John, the apostle writes that “Our ears have heard, our eyes have seen, and our hands have touched this Word.”

That’s great for everyone fortunate enough to know Jesus in person. But what about the rest of us? 

Jesus had certainly given people a lot to talk about. But faith needs something it can cling to besides someone else’s stories and testimonies. Don’t get me wrong—these do make a difference. But every believer needs to hear with their ears, see with their eyes, and touch with their hands the reality of Jesus Christ.

Last Sunday, we celebrated God’s gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. God’s Spirit appeared not as a person but as a violent, rushing wind. Tongues of fire came on the believers, so that everyone heard the Gospel in their own language and understand. Then, they broke bread together. Those who had much shared with those who had little. And every day, God added to their number those who were being saved (cf. Acts 2:43-47). 

This same Spirit lives and moves among us still, making God’s love a reality in our time and place.

Please understand you would not be here now if God had not acted powerfully in your life. Your ears have heard; your eyes have seen; your hands have touched. 

Last Sunday, the members of our church council spoke about God’s mighty acts in their lives—and so many of these stories involved God saving them or the people they love from dying. They spoke about walking away from severe car and motorcycle accidents. I learned that God acted through our GriefShare ministry to stop a participant from ending their life. 

We spent just as much time talking about the ways in which members of this church, both living and dead, put their faith into action in ways which made a world of difference. You send meals, you go grocery shopping, you do laundry, shovel snow, and cut grass. God has acted powerfully even through the sending of a simple get-well card. Believe me when I tell you that people came to faith in Jesus Christ because someone in this church loved them enough to reach out to them in this way. 

Our clothing closet celebrated its tenth anniversary this spring. By my estimation, we’ve distributed over 200,000 pieces of clothing to our neighbors in need—and if you’ve worked at this ministry even once, you’ve seen what a difference your work makes. 

Ten days from now or even ten years from now, you’re not going to remember this sermon or what hymns we sang today. But you will remember the tangible ways others shared Christ’s love with you—just as they’ll remember what you did for them. 

Let us never be content to be a church that goes through the motions every Sunday morning at 9:30. This is a feast of celebration! This is a family affair! Let us work together to make Sunday morning the highlight of your week. Let there be beautiful music that stirs your emotions and hymns that you’ll keep singing throughout the week. Let us love each other so much that those who come here with troubled hearts leave with peace and hope. 

In your personal walk with Jesus, make sure that you are receiving all of the tangible gifts God gives to nurture your faith. Don’t just read the bible; use a devotional booklet to help you understand. Come to bible study where the Word comes alive. If you struggle to pray, use a prayer book—or ask someone to pray with you. 

When you see someone in need, don’t just give them your thoughts and prayers. Give of yourself. 

Church isn’t a place you go to, it’s a family you belong to; it’s our identity as well as our purpose. We are living proof that God’s love is a reality in this community. People will naturally be drawn to divine life and love, and if people aren’t knocking on our doors to get in, let’s pray for the Holy Spirit to help us clear away all the obstacles, open up our hearts, and make this house a home for all God’s children where everyone belongs.