Famous 3-word phrases

A sermon for the congregation of St. Stephen Anglican Church, Summerland — The 5^th Sunday of Easter, May 18, 2025

While rector of St. Stephen’s some years ago I created a sermon series focused on four- or five-letter words. A four letter word sermon talked about LOVE. Five-letter editions unpacked FAITH and GRACE. Today, I inaugurate a new series titled “Famous Three Words.” Today’s installment may become the only episode in the series; time will tell. For now however, my focus is on three-word scriptural phrases. Easy to memorize — harder to implement.

While I have never seen any Arnold Schwarzenegger films I do recognize the three-word phrase “I’ll be back,” a brief though ominous three-word cautionary warning which I assume promises a return of the muscled man — for retribution, accountability, or possibly revenge. It appears in many films, especially in The Terminator. His return is to be noted, even feared by his followers. Describing the “day of the Lord” Old Testament prophets likewise warn us to be wary of the end times, though for the blest, such transition times will be good and beautiful. To which group do we belong is the question.

Another popular three-word phrase comes from the sports shoe manufacturer, NIKE who coined the hugely influential tagline “just do it” at an advertising agency meeting in 1988. “From 1988 to 1998, Nike increased its share of the North American domestic sport-shoe business from 18% to 43% (from $877 million to $9.2 billion in worldwide sales). In many Nike-related situations, “Just Do It” appears alongside the Nike logo, known as the Swoosh.”

Turning to Holy Scripture we likewise find many three-word phrases, some very famous, such as “Faith moves mountains” or as was the case last week “Feed my sheep.” Today however, I am drawn to the very simple yet profound three-word set “Love one another.” Jesus instructs us all:

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”  (JOHN 13:31-35)

The exhortation is presented first as a commandment, which reminds me of a Buddhist teacher who once posed an interesting question. “Why must Christians be commanded to love?” Isn’t the experience of being loved enough to motivate sharing what one has received. (Do unto others what you wish done to yourself.) Would a simple nudge not suffice. Or a reminder? We get a commandment.

In today’s service we will use these very words as an affirmation of faith — faith, less than a statement of belief but a pledge to practice love. Later, during communion, we will hear these same words set to music:

“Love the Lord your God
with all your heart and soul and mind
And love your neighbor as yourself.”

The song next goes further, suggesting that love demonstrated in a community of the faithful is a hallmark, a standard, a symptom, a consequence of faith:

“Let us be known, Let us be known
By the way we love one another.”

What first appears as a commandment, becomes a ritual testimony, eventually to become a symptom of a healthy community. Christianity is all about Love — love given and received, love offered and welcomed, love shared, without condition or cost. Love is not static; it is not a state of being; love is a verb. It appears as it is shared.

How different is such a lifestyle compared with secular experience everywhere. It seems that love is in short supply. Writing in The Atlantic Magazine in 2023, Jake Meador writes:

“Contemporary America simply isn’t set up to promote mutuality, care, or common life. Rather, it is designed to maximize individual accomplishment as defined by professional and financial success. Such a system leaves precious little time or energy for forms of community that don’t contribute to one’s own professional life or, as one ages, the professional prospects of one’s children. “Workism” reigns in America, and because of it, community in America, religious community included, is a math problem that doesn’t add up.”

Certainly his analysis reflects urban and American experience now two years ago. The situation is obviously more intense now. The individualism of right wing politics anywhere and everywhere stresses competition, self-protection, avarice, fear, even cruelty.

And the Gospel?

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Yep: Jesus says to us “I’ll be back.” He says “just do it.” And best of all, “love one another.