Reverend Ray Osborne, Senior Minister
Please Note That Most Messages Follow
The Revised Common Lectionary

If I were to take a poll this morning and query you about the word "Christianity," asking you to define the word for me, I think perhaps the definitions given would vary. The definition of Christianity of course is a theological inquisition. And many of you know that theology has been a topic of debate since the days of Abraham. Isaac, and Jacob. Theology was debated among the Pharisees, Saducees, the Scribes, Jesus, Paul, and many others through the ages. I personally enjoy theological debate and I would even classify myself as a theologian. But what about this word - "Christianity?" While we all may have different definitions of the word, while we all may interpret Scripture differently, is there any one thing that we can agree upon? I think so. In fact, I think there are many things that we can agree on today before we leave this place.

While the list of pseudo/false beliefs about Christianity continues perpituitously, I am only going to dispel one this morning. One of the popular definitions of the word "Christianity" is that Christianity is a religion. Please hear me when I say that while Christianity may meet all the requirements of being classified as a religion, I think it goes far beyond.

Encyclopedia.Com says:

"Religion- a system of thought, feeling, and action shared by a group that gives members an object of devotion; a code of ethics governing personal and social conduct; and a frame of reference relating individuals to their group and the universe. Usually, religion concerns itself with what transcends the known, the natural, or the expected; it is an acknowledgment of the extraordinary, the mysterious, and the supernatural."

As I read those words I have no problem saying that Christianity can fit within that definition. But that definition cannot contain Christianity. Christianity is far more than a religion. Christianity is a way of life that is based upon trust in Jesus as God’s Son, as one’s personal Savior, as resurrected and alive, and Christianity is a process of discipleship - a learning process where we are the students and Jesus is our teacher. The culmination of our mentoring relationship with Jesus, is that we might learn to live how he wants us to live out our lives in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Now that’s a whole lot to chew on isn’t it? Let me try to simplify it. When I married Stephanie a lot of changes came into my life. Most of the changes were good changes. In fact, I’ve learned how to survive married life so let me re-word that - it’s all been good changes!

Stephanie used a phrase that I had never heard before. I heard her use the phrase "forty-eleven bushels and a peck" in conjunction with the word "love." I’ll never forget the first time I heard it. She was looking in my eyes and I was looking in her eyes and all at once she said "I love you forty-eleven bushels and a peck!" Man! I’ve had a lot of people say a lot of different things to me but I have to admit THAT was a first!!! I wasn’t sure how to take that! I leaned back and said so intelligibly, "HUH?" She went on to explain to me that when she was growing up her mother use to say that to her. It represents an infinite amount to which there is no end. Randy Travis put it "I’m gonna love you forever and ever, forever and ever amen."

Alright - I’m not Randy Travis but you get the picture!

While I am certain if we had gathered our definitions of the word "Christianity," one definition we would not have found is this one:

Christianity is about forty-eleven bushels and a peck of love.

Christianity was born out of an immeasurable love. "For God so loved the World that He gave His only Son that who ever might come to know Him as Savior might never die but instead live forever!" (John 3:16 Osbornes Translation)

Christianity is about how much God loves you and I. Holly sung the words in her song, "Life is Hard, But God is Good."

I don’t have to ask you this morning if there have been times when you have felt anything but love - we all have been through those times. I also don’t have to ask you if there has ever been a time or perhaps times when you have felt completely deserted by God. Again, we all have. What I have to say up here this morning might not amount to a hill of beans but listen to what God wants you to hear. Right now God is saying to you: "Insert your name, I love you! I love you forty-eleven bushels and a peck! I love you so very much and care about what is going on in your life right now so very much that I have given for you the most prized possession I had - my only Son. I love you THAT much!"

Christianity is about forty-eleven bushels and a peck of love.

Its origins is in God and it comes to us through Jesus. Listen to what Jesus says is saying to you this morning: "Insert your name, I love you! I love you forty-eleven bushels and a peck! I love you so much that I freely and willing laid my life down for you. Do you understand? I love you so much I died for you! In your place. I love you THAT much! And what’s more, I love you right now. I see where you are, I know what’s going on in your life and I want to remind you - I love you."

Christianity is about forty-eleven bushels and a peck of love. It’s THAT love that you and I are to become channels of toward one another and to our world. Remember the words of this morning’s text? Sit and listen as God’s Word speaks directly to our hearts this morning:

"Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.

God's love was revealed among us in this way:
God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another.

No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God.

So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.

We love because he first loved us. Those who say, "I love God," and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.

The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also."

Christianity is about forty-eleven bushels and a peck of love. THAT’S how much God loves us. THAT’S how much Jesus loves us. And Beloved - THAT’S how much we ought to be loving one another. If we are going to profess that we are Christians, if we are going to claim membership to this way of life referred to as "Christianity," we must be willing to love one another. Not just love one another, BUT love one another forty-eleven bushels and a peck!

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