WATCHWORD:
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. John 13:34
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:1-6
Meditation:
The Check List
Have you ever thought about the life of a person committed to Judaism, trying to live in total conformity to the laws that had been an integral part of their belief throughout their life? How does one follow, let alone keep track of, those 613 laws? What happens if you violate one? You have been loyal and committed to 612 laws but that one, that one law, whatever it is, you failed to meet the standard that was set for you. What happens then? Do you carry that guilt around the rest of your life? How does that even work?
At some point, we might say to ourselves, thank goodness, I’m not a Jew. Or maybe you think about Jesus speaking about pride and how it interferes and how it contributes to our comparing ourselves with others. Thank God, I am not like that (fill in the blank). What happens then?
613 laws, that would be a bulky checklist. What’s on our checklist? You must accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Check. You must be baptized. Check. You must attend church every Sunday. Ah…every Sunday? You must not judge others. Ah… can I express an opinion? That’s judging? Tithing? Must I? If I don’t, is that a sin? Is the tithe calculated before or after taxes? Gross or net income? So, confusing. Must I wash that person’s feet? Really? Jesus did that? Really? And, so it goes – our checklist.
I asked my pastor one time if he would preach a sermon on the topic of sin. He asked me, “What is sin, Stan?” Where do I begin? Later, I thought about that. I think I know about loving the Lord my God with all my heart, and I think I do, but how would I know? I haven’t killed anyone today, yet. Not by word or deed. I think. I have not stolen, at least I don’t think I have. Maybe I robbed somebody of peace of mind because of my actions, or what I wrote, or what I said, although I don’t know. I haven’t committed adultery. Oh, wait, what does that mean? Do thoughts count? I loved my mother and my father although I have to confess I wondered at times as I was growing up if they loved me, I mean after all they were not into sparing the rod.
I wonder if in the course of our walk as Christians, if we fail to follow our own set of laws, or expectations, or commandments, and fall short, what then? Churches today are divided on things and are critical of the way people live, that, in the minds of many, are contrary to what they think the Bible tells us. We look down are long and narrow noses at those we do not agree with what we think is right, or whose lifestyle with respect to, say, sexual orientation, is absolutely shocking and sinful. “Let us take those folks out and tie them to a post and burn them. After all they are going to hell!” Whew, what happened to judging? What ever happened to “hate the sin but love and embrace the sinner”? Isn’t that on their checklist?
Yes, we have our own personal checklists. In our minds, we know what Christians should be doing and believing. Right? In reality, the walk of a Christian is an imperfect walk, and we often throw up our own guardrails. Then, one of those very short verses in the Bible comes to mind, “…and Jesus wept.”. Yes Jesus weeps. You know, the same Jesus that said suffer the little children to come onto me, in direct opposition to his own disciples. You know, the same Jesus that said he who have no sin may throw the first stone, and there was no one. The same Jesus that said go and do likewise, you know, do onto others as you would have them do unto you. The same Jesus that said, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. Gratitude should fill our hearts that we have a loving God that forgives us when we follow our own checklist rather than His. Amen.
After Thought:
There is only one checklist, and there are two items on it: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your mind and your soul, and love others as Jesus loves us. Follow those two and you have checked off all 613 laws. Bases covered, Period.
The Apostles’ Creed, a prayer of belief–
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church (Christian Church), the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
