Scripture: John 15 v 9 - 12: "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you."
In a world that is filled with romantic novels from the Bronte sisters and Jane Austen, to the movies and songs of today, we have an idea we know what love is. The excitement of the secret love of D'arcy and Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice still thrills us today.
This is a far cry though from what the love of Jesus brings to us. There was never a moment of love so great as when He died the death we should have suffered because of sin. In the whole of human history, this was the single most outstanding act of love.
There was nothing romantic or beautiful about His death. It was cruel, inhuman agony which He willingly suffered to spare us this same eternal fate. When He cried out at the end, My God why have You forsaken me? - that would have been the cry of our hearts for eternity.
John 3 v 16 - 17: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."
Godly love gives to the uttermost and keeps on giving. Time, care, prayer, friendship, meeting needs, touching lives, with whatever we have been given by God to uplift the body of Jesus. This body looks very similar to how Jesus looked on being removed from the Cross.
This body needs the resurrection power to give it life, momentum, unity, direction, truth and authority. Individuals have received this through being born again and filled with the Holy Spirit, but for the whole body to be resurrected it needs a miracle of love.
It starts with us. God responds to the way we manifest His love towards others. The more we do of His perfect will, the more He does to encourage us. We have to pay it forward! If we don't forgive then He does not forgive us. So we must start this ball rolling.
If there is someone who makes us angry, and lash out verbally or physically, that someone has been put there by God to reveal a problem in ourselves. Really. So think of whoever it may be and start by thanking God for His mercy in sending that one to show us our problem. Now send this irritating person a prayer of blessing. Then we must change our attitude and deal with our own nature.
If we are full of pride in thinking we are better than others, we are failing to discern the Lord's body. Every part is equal to every other part. We are each fragments of one whole body. It's a bruised and battered body so some parts may be different colours. It is stretched out over the whole Earth so we may speak different languages, but we are one.
Pray to be connected in love to every other part. Love, God's love, means speaking the truth about Jesus to those who have not heard or have fake information about Him. Only the truth will give them an opportunity to be saved.
Jesus commands us to love one another as He loves us. That means we are fully able and equipped to do so. If every Christian started doing this right now, the resurrection power would come down and turn this world upside down. Jesus never entertained us, He went about healing the sick, driving out demons, raising the dead, preaching the gospel.
Jesus never called down the power of God for He is the power of God. And He gave all this power to us, to follow His example of love and reconcile sinners with our Father. We need to demonstrate that power, not to enhance our status in some spiritual competition, but so the sinners have something to put faith in, like the beggar at the Beautiful Gate outside the Temple.
Acts 3 v 2 - 8: "And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God."
This miracle ignited the church in Jerusalem, causing the Pharisees to panic because they thought killing Jesus would end this sect and stop the miracles. The new apostles rejoiced and endured the beating and the church grew like wildfire.
The church has left off this kind of love of Jesus and adopted a people-pleasing mode of operation to keep the congregation coming in the doors and filling their coffers. They have deleted the word sin from their preaching and as long as everyone feels good they are satisfied. They are politically correct and have offended no one. Except God. Except the real believers.
The Lord is busy sorting out the sheep from the goats. The sheep are His true followers who walk in love, joy, peace and obedience. The goats are those who have a form of religion but deny the power thereof. They are either caught up in tradition or entertainment or both. They proclaim that they love God but they speak not the truth. Take this moment to assess where you fit into the scheme of things. Make adjustments where necessary.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Your love fills us with gratitude, and yet we know we must love like You do. We fall short many times and hurt ourselves and the body of Jesus. Teach us Your ways O Lord, that we may love unconditionally and be faithful to Your calling. In Jesus' name. Amen.
