WATCHWORD:
33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:33-35
Meditation:
Signs of a Christian
Over the centuries, man has displayed all kinds of symbols to tell the world that they follow Jesus Christ, or simply, that they are Christians. I have a chain around my neck with a cross, as so many people do, and that declares that “I am a Christian!” Do you believe it?You may see cross lapel pins or ear rings. Maybe you will see the sign of a fish on the trunk of a car, another mark of following Christ. In some gatherings of followers, it is the haircut or dress that makes the statement. I guess there is nothing wrong with any of this, if that is your leanings. But, do they really say, “I am a Christian, a follower of Christ”?
Is there a true universal mark or sign that tells the world whose you are? The answer, of course, is ‘Yes’. Jesus gave us that universal mark that reveals that we are Christian. It isn’t as easy as slipping a chain with a cross around your neck, or a little pin on your dress or lapel. Nor as easy as regular attendance at church, Bible study groups, working in a soup kitchen, going on a mission trip or talking about the latest devotional you read. All that is simple, anyone can do them, with just a little bit of effort. But…
Yes, but, none of that approaches the mark, the commandment, that Jesus has given us. Earlier He had told us to “Love your neighbor as yourselves” and that was tough enough. Then he upped the ante, raised the bar, elevated the standard, and set a higher cost of discipleship. Not only are we to love one another, He changed that into a new commandment: “Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
There is nothing in that Commandment that suggests there are different shades of Love. You know, love for our friends and family, and fellow members of our church. But then, there are those over there that are different. That don’t look like us, and it is hard to understand their speech. Is that the same kind of love? Absolutely. Jesus says the love that I have for you, is the same love I have for them.
Think of Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan. This whole business of loving others as He loves us, is the point of the parable. Even the hard-headed Pharisee got that point, but could he deliver?
Jesus has set a high bar, and as we look around our world at this time, it’s hard to imagine that there are any real practicing Christians out there. It seems we are more inclined to believe lies or stories when they’re told about people with whom we do not agree, rather than loving them as Jesus loves us, and seeking to understand truths.
Jesus loves me, this I know… go and do likewise. Amen.
Bulletin Board:
Lament
by Evangeline Paterson
Weep, weep for those Who do the work of the Lord With a high look And a proud heart.
Their voice is lifted up in the streets, and their cry is heard.
The bruised reed they break. By their great strength, and the smoking flax, they trample.
Weep not for the quenched For their God will hear their cry, And the Lord will come to save them. But weep, weep for the quenchers.
For when the Day of the Lord Is come, and the vales sing, And the hills clap their hands. And the light shines.
Then their eyes shall be opened On a waste place, Smouldering,
The smoke of the flax bitter in their nostrils,
Their feet pierced By broken reed-stems . . .
Wood, hay, and stubble, And no grass springing.
And all the birds flown.
Weep, weep for those Who have made a desert, In the name of the Lord.
Closing Prayer:
Oh Lord, as we work together to build your empire, let us be the light that leads the world to you. God, teach us to be good role models to the people around us, so that when they see you and your love within us, they would want to know you more and more. God grant us the patience to work together, bring us all together as a family. Let us work together with understanding and compassion in our hearts. Let us not be rude or arrogant towards one another, as we light the way to your heavenly kingdom. Amen.
