All we need is love?

First, I'd like to apologize for not posting a new topic on Table Talk until Wednesday. Excuses are being left at the door, so I'll get on with the discussion.

This week I want to put a discussion on the Table which may challenge our thinking a bit. At Theophany on Sunday night we spoke about 'loving one another' and living out those commands that we find from Jesus in John 15. Let's fact it, though. Loving one another is ambiguous in John's Gospel and it doesn't get much clearer in the other long 'love scripture' in 1 John 4. We know we're supposed to love, but what does love look like?

This is a huge topic, and I only introduced one suggestion of how that happens in the sermon, saying that 'love is presence and presence is love.' That's one way in our culture we can love, but there's so much to be said on this subject.

'Love' is a popular subject in our culture, but the question I have is this, 'is there a difference between the way that Christians talk about love and the way that the world talks about love?' In the 1960s John Lennon famously sang, 'all you need is love.' A few years earlier, another Englishman, C.S. Lewis had something to say in his book The Four Loves to challenge an idea of love like John Lennon's. Lewis said (paraphrase), 'John's first epistle is correct to say, 'God is love,' yet the opposite of that statement is not true. Love is not God.' Do you agree with Lewis? Is there truth to John Lennon's lyric? Is there a difference between Love according to the world's defition and the love which Jesus speaks about?

Ok...I'll wait to hear from some of you on this matter. If this is too complicated a question, just say the word and I'll send another apology and offer another posting. Thought I would take the risk and see what would happen. At least it's now on the Table!

Jack

Announcement for this Sunday's Theophany Service

Hey everyone...

I'm writing about a change of time for the Theophany Worship Service this Sunday. Due to the Christianity Explored sessions with Colin Meneely, we will be gathering at 5.00 pm. Our service will conclude right before 6, so that we can attend the dinner preceding Colin's session.

I also encourage all who can attend to come and hear Colin's presentation. We are blessed to have active discussions on evangelism this week, and it is my hope that Theophany can be a visible part of CHurch Street's emphasis on evangelism. If you've registered already, dinner begins at 6 pm. If not, there is no charge for attending the sessions, which begin around 6.30 pm.

Blessings

Jack