“Believing
and Beloving”[i]
A
Communion Meditation Preached by the
Rev.
Jean Niven Lenk
First
Congregational Church of Stoughton, United Church of Christ
Sunday,
May 6, 2012
Texts: Deuteronomy 6:1-9; Matthew 22:34-40
I’d like you to think about this question -- when you say
that you believe something, what is it that you mean?
Because the word “believe” can have a lot of meanings. One of the most common is when we make an
assumption, such as “I believe he has left the building.”
Another way of using the word “believe” is when we’re not
certain of something. For instance, “I
believe the capital of Kansas is Topeka, but it also may be Wichita.” (BTW, it’s Topeka.)
The word “believe” takes on a different meaning within the
church, and it usually refers to certain statements or ideas of faith that we
have accepted, such as “I believe that God exists.”
But if you go back to the English
language before the Enlightenment, before 1600, the verb “to believe” had a
different meaning. The word “believe”
was used not in reference to an idea or theory, but rather to a person.
To say that we believed someone meant that we trusted them, felt loyal
to them, and loved them. Put simply, to
believe meant to belove.
We used the word “beloved” as an
adjective, as in “my beloved grandmother.”
But this makes it a verb – “I belove my grandmother.”
I invite you to turn to #358 in
your Chalice Hymnal. This is the Nicene Creed, which was written
in 325 AD and has been recognized and accepted throughout the universal Church ever
since as a definitive statement of beliefs.
The word “creed” comes from the Latin word credo which literally means “I believe” --
and “I believe” not in the sense that “I agree intellectually that certain
statements are true,” but rather meaning, “I give my heart to.” “I believe” not just with superficial feelings
or emotions, but I believe by giving of myself at my deepest level to. In otherwords, credo means “I belove.”
Let’s look at the first line of the
Nicene Creed – “We believe in one God.”
Notice that it does not say, “We believe that there is one God who is the Father, the Almighty.” It says, “We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty.”
Now, what we if used that pre-1600
use of the word to believe and said instead, “we belove one God, the Father,
the Almighty.” How might that change what
this creed is really saying?
Our denomination, the United Church of Christ, is not big on
doctrines or dogma or creeds such as the Nicene or Apostles creed, which you
will find on the next page. We have
instead a “Statement of Faith,” which is #361.
As the UCC states on its website, our “overarching creed is love.” It’s just a hunch, but perhaps these creeds
would find a more prominent place in our tradition if the word belove was used
in place of believe.
“I belove, I give my heart to, I
give myself to one God, the Father, the Almighty.”
Which God? “The maker of heaven and earth, of all that
is, seen and unseen.”
And the next line – “I belove, I give my heart to, I give myself
to one Lord, Jesus Christ…”
And further on – “I belove, I give
my heart to, I give myself to the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life…”
Think about the difference this makes. To believe this way means to belove God. It does not mean believing that a set of
statements about God are true. It’s
about loving God with all our heart and all our soul and all our mind.
This is exactly what God commands in our Old Testament
lesson from Deuteronomy and what Jesus calls the Greatest and first commandment
in our lesson from the Gospel of Matthew:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your
soul and with all your might.” You shall
belove the Lord.
For the Christian faith, and for its Jewish roots, believing
means beloving God, giving our heart to God, giving ourself to God.
Think of all the statements you could make that begin, “I
believe that God….” Rational. Cerebral.
Analytical. Distant.
Better would be “I believe in God…” Faithful.
Dedicated. Steadfast.
But what about, “I belove God…” Love with all my being, with all I am and all
that I have.
And if we say that we belove God, there is
something we are then called to do. And
that is how we will serve. Because it is
not enough to say, “I belove God” or “I belove Jesus.” We must actually DO something to show that
love for God.
As I said last week, this is the season we ask you to consider what
gifts and talents and areas of interest you have and how you might offer them
to Christ’s church. The ministry
opportunities we have are many and varied.
If you are approached by Paul Christensen or Janet Clough or Adam
Isbitsky or anyone else asking your participation, I hope you will consider
saying “yes.” But – and this is
important -- please don’t wait to be asked.
Please prayerfully consider over the rest of this worship service how
you might like to serve – whether it’s leading a small group, teaching a class
of children or adults, serving on a board or committee, or reaching out to the
greater community. And then put your
name up on the sign up board that you will pass as you make your way to Coffee
Fellowship!
Do you love God with all your heart and soul
and might? Do you belove God? Then put your love into action.
Amen.
[i] This sermon is inspired by Marcus Borg, “Believing and Faith,” Speaking Christian: Why Christian Words Have
Lost Their Meaning and Power – And How They Can Be Restored (New York, New
York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2011), p. 155ff.
