Love One Another (John 13:34)

Today’s Readings: Exodus 6-8; John 13:18-38

Why is it so hard? Jesus gives us a simple command that will distinguish us from the world and we don’t do it very well. Love one another. Such a simple sounding directive. Still we seem to gravitate toward hate a lot more than toward love for those around us. We use all kinds of excuses to avoid the command. He isn’t the same color. She wears her skirts too short. He talks funny. She is ugly. He works at a rival company. She doesn’t work at all. He’s uneducated. She’s has too many degrees… The list is unending as to why we fail to love each other.

Love, though, has nothing to do with the things above. Love is an action verb. It’s a decision we make in relation to others. We choose to love or hate. Love is giving, expecting nothing in return. Love is respect for the Deo Imago each person holds within them. Love is doing good for others just because we can. It is the most important, visible characteristic of a Christian.

Jesus says that’s how others will recognize us – by our love. Not by our attendance record. Not by our work ethic. Not by our belongings. Not by our heritage. Not by our membership. Not by anything other than love. How did Jesus define love? He gave His all for us. He sacrificed His very life on our behalf. In return, He was mocked, spat upon, beaten, flogged, and crucified.

With all Jesus endured and His simple command, we fail to heed His directive. Even among “Christians” we see a lack of love. People sit on opposite sides of the sanctuary to avoid talking to each other. Between and after service, we carve each other up around the lunch table with our gossip. We fail to come to each other’s aid in times of need and instead question what they did to get themselves in that plight.

Then we bad-mouth our sister denominations. We talk about their error and only “my” church is right. Everyone else will probably end up in hell because of the error of their ways. Institutional religion sets rules, regulations, and policies that rival the Pharisaical Law. Independent organizations decry the institutions and blast them from the pulpit while they slide by on many of the same issues and the world looks at us and wonders why we can’t get along if we’re all Christians.

They are right! Jesus says to love one another. They will know you by your love. They will recognize something different in you because of the family ties you have, brothers and sisters in Christ. Why can’t we understand His command and fulfill it in our lives? Perhaps we need to start at the beginning with a fresh commitment. We need to remember who it is we serve and why we serve Him. We need to stop and remember that Jesus died, not just for you or your favorites, but He died for every living soul. He died to free all of us from the death that comes from sin and gives us new life in Him.

It’s time we listen to His words again. And as James tells us, “Be doers of His word, and not hearers only.” Love one another. This is how others will know you.

Join me next time, won’t you?

Richard

He Starts to Pick (Matthew 4:18, 21)

Today’s Readings: Psalms 105-106; Matthew 4

We hear lots of sermons about the kind of men Jesus chose to accompany Him on His journeys. The apostles were for the most part common men. They didn’t come from the aristocracy, but for the most part came from the wrong side of the tracks, so to speak. Fishermen, tax collectors, ordinary men from several walks of life came together to form a band of hand-picked individuals who Jesus would call on to carry on the work He started.

Today I noticed something I had seen before, but never really put together well until today. Here’s what I saw in a new way. Everyone Jesus called was fully engaged at the time of their calling. Peter and Andrew dropped their nets. James and John did the same. Matthew was fully engaged in collecting taxes when he left his occupation to follow Jesus. Their occupations differed, but all worked incredibly hard.

That’s the distinction I find in the disciples as I thought about what drew Christ to them. Yes, they sought the truth He taught. Yes, they were loyal to Him after the resurrection. But as you think about what Christ demanded of them during their journeys together in terms of the sheer volume of work, these men showed inexhaustible reserves of energy during their three years together. Think of the energy it would take to marshal the crowds that gathered around Jesus. Think of the labor involved in carrying the baskets of food when Jesus began breaking bread and fish that fed five thousand men along with all the women and children.

Think about the labor of moving the sick and injured through crowds so Jesus could get to them to heal them. Yet these men continued to stay with the Master and serve Him…tirelessly. They slept in the garden when Jesus needed them to prayer, but how many hours had they worked that day? We don’t know, but I imagine it was a full day of teaching, healing, moving crowds around to get to the Master and then the preparation for the Passover feast.

Is following Christ going to be an easy, carefree lifestyle? I don’t think so. Get ready to roll up your sleeves when you follow in His footsteps. You can bet He has work cut out for you. He has no intention of letting your hands be idle so as to provide opportunity for mischief. These disciples were busy people. Do you meet the standard?

Join me next time, won’t you?

Richard