Scripture Matthew 26:1-16
The story of Corey,
Poland & Artful Eddie
What is risky love? Risky love looks like a Christian woman by the name of Corrie Ten Boom and her family who helped hide, feed and assisted in the escape of over 800 Jews from Nazi Germany. They had a hidden safe room built into their house with an alarm to alert when the Nazi’s were in the neighborhood. When seeking food ration cards, she asked for 100 and was given them which she distributed to Jewish families who were not able to obtain them. She and her family risked their lives for the sake of people from a different faith and nationality because God’s love compelled them to do so.
How many risky love stories like hers may one day come out of Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova as people in those countries help the citizen’s of their border country – Ukraine?
THE STORY OF
ARTFUL EDDIE
Artful Eddie lacked nothing.
He was the slickest of the slick lawyers. He was one of the roars of the roaring twenties. A crony of Al Capone, he ran the gangster’s dog tracks. He mastered the simple technique of fixing the race by overfeeding seven dogs and betting on the eighth.
Wealth. Status. Style. Artful Eddie lacked nothing.
Then why did he turn himself in ? Why did he offer to squeal on Capone? What was his motive? Didn’t Eddie know the sure-fire consequences of ratting on the mob?
He knew, but he’d made up his mind.
What did he have to gain? What could society give him that he didn’t have? He had money, power, prestige. What was the hitch?
Eddie revealed the hitch. His son. Eddie had spent his life with the despicable. He had smelled the stench of the underground long enough. For his son, he wanted more. He wanted to give his son a name. And to give his son a name, he would have to clear his own. Eddie was willing to take a risk so that his son could have a clean slate. Artful Eddie never saw his dream come true. After Eddie squealed, the mob remembered. Two shotgun blasts silenced him forever.
Was it worth it?
The Risky love
of Simon the leper & Mary
Matt 26:1-16
When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, "As you know, the Passover is two days away — and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified."
3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. "But not during the Feast," they said, "or there may be a riot among the people."
Luke – earlier - feet
John 6 days before – feet (lamb feet 6 days before to prepare for sacrifice)
Mt & Mk 2 days before head (lamb head 2 days before to announce ready)
Jesus is shown hospitality by: RISKY LOVE Jesus is shown hostility by: NO LOVE
Woman – Perfume - mourning/not celebration Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of Silver
Simon the leper – Healed & Hosting Chief Priests & Caiaphas the High Priest
Lazarus – raised from dead & wanted Pilate washed hands & Herod looking for a miracle.
Like these 3 people on Jesus way to
the cross, they show us Risky-ALL IN love that takes a chance. Love that goes
out on a limb. Love that makes a statement and leaves a legacy. Sacrificial
love.
Love which is unexpected, surprising, and stirring. Acts of love which steal the heart and leave impressions on the soul. Acts of love which are never forgotten.
ARTFUL EDDIE
PART 2
Back to Artful Eddie and his son: Was it worth it for Artful Eddie to clear his name that resulted in his death?
For the son it was. Artful Eddie’s boy lived up to the sacrifice. His is one of the best-known names in the world. Had Eddie lived to see his son Butch grow up, he would have been proud.
He would have been proud of Butch’s appointment to Annapolis. He would have been proud of his commissioning as a World War II Navy pilot. He would have been proud as he read of his son downing five bombers in the Pacific night and saving the lives of hundreds of crewmen on the carrier Lexington. The name was cleared. The Congressional Medal of Honor which Butch received was proof.
When people say the name O’Hare in Chicago, they don’t think gangsters – they think aviation heroism. And now when you say his name, you have something else to think about. Think about the undying dividends of risky love. Think about it the next time you hear it. Think about it the next time you fly into the airport named after the son of a gangster…gone good.
The son of Eddie O’Hare.
John 3:16-17
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
For
the one who has shown you this kind of love, what measure of love are you
willing to risk for Him?
What is risky love? Risky love looks like a Christian woman by the name of Corrie Ten Boom and her family who helped hide, feed and assisted in the escape of over 800 Jews from Nazi Germany. They had a hidden safe room built into their house with an alarm to alert when the Nazi’s were in the neighborhood. When seeking food ration cards, she asked for 100 and was given them which she distributed to Jewish families who were not able to obtain them. She and her family risked their lives for the sake of people from a different faith and nationality because God’s love compelled them to do so.
How many risky love stories like hers may one day come out of Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova as people in those countries help the citizen’s of their border country – Ukraine?
Artful Eddie lacked nothing.
He was the slickest of the slick lawyers. He was one of the roars of the roaring twenties. A crony of Al Capone, he ran the gangster’s dog tracks. He mastered the simple technique of fixing the race by overfeeding seven dogs and betting on the eighth.
Wealth. Status. Style. Artful Eddie lacked nothing.
Then why did he turn himself in ? Why did he offer to squeal on Capone? What was his motive? Didn’t Eddie know the sure-fire consequences of ratting on the mob?
He knew, but he’d made up his mind.
What did he have to gain? What could society give him that he didn’t have? He had money, power, prestige. What was the hitch?
Eddie revealed the hitch. His son. Eddie had spent his life with the despicable. He had smelled the stench of the underground long enough. For his son, he wanted more. He wanted to give his son a name. And to give his son a name, he would have to clear his own. Eddie was willing to take a risk so that his son could have a clean slate. Artful Eddie never saw his dream come true. After Eddie squealed, the mob remembered. Two shotgun blasts silenced him forever.
Was it worth it?
RISKY STORIES
FROM THE BIBLE
Now let’s look
at some stories of Risky love that took place on Jesus way to the cross. We
have been focusing on what Jesus was ‘doing’ on his way to the cross – today we
will focus on what others were doing to Jesus on his way to the cross and see
where we can find Risky love or a lack of it.
Matt 26:1-16
When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, "As you know, the Passover is two days away — and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified."
3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. "But not during the Feast," they said, "or there may be a riot among the people."
Luke – earlier - feet
John 6 days before – feet (lamb feet 6 days before to prepare for sacrifice)
Mt & Mk 2 days before head (lamb head 2 days before to announce ready)
Jesus is shown hospitality by: RISKY LOVE Jesus is shown hostility by: NO LOVE
Woman – Perfume - mourning/not celebration Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of Silver
Simon the leper – Healed & Hosting Chief Priests & Caiaphas the High Priest
Lazarus – raised from dead & wanted Pilate washed hands & Herod looking for a miracle.
CONCLUSION
Love which is unexpected, surprising, and stirring. Acts of love which steal the heart and leave impressions on the soul. Acts of love which are never forgotten.
Back to Artful Eddie and his son: Was it worth it for Artful Eddie to clear his name that resulted in his death?
For the son it was. Artful Eddie’s boy lived up to the sacrifice. His is one of the best-known names in the world. Had Eddie lived to see his son Butch grow up, he would have been proud.
He would have been proud of Butch’s appointment to Annapolis. He would have been proud of his commissioning as a World War II Navy pilot. He would have been proud as he read of his son downing five bombers in the Pacific night and saving the lives of hundreds of crewmen on the carrier Lexington. The name was cleared. The Congressional Medal of Honor which Butch received was proof.
When people say the name O’Hare in Chicago, they don’t think gangsters – they think aviation heroism. And now when you say his name, you have something else to think about. Think about the undying dividends of risky love. Think about it the next time you hear it. Think about it the next time you fly into the airport named after the son of a gangster…gone good.
The son of Eddie O’Hare.
John 3:16-17
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
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