Proof of being a Christian
This is a note I sent to my congregation this week. I’ll post more Scriptures that support the fact that loving the body of Christ is 1) an evidence of being a Christian, and 2) what people who do not yet know Jesus are looking for as evidence of being a Christian. How can Christians possibly proclaim that God is love and have any credibility unless we love each other?
Dear Church,
The themes for the sermon series this fall has been the fruit of the Spirit, found in Galatians 5:22, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.” Last week we talked about love.
Jesus said a very interesting statement to His disciples on the night he was betrayed. He said “By this all men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:35).” I’ve always taken that to mean that we were to love people. That’s true, but Jesus was specifically talking to the twelve disciples and He told them that if THEY loved each other, the world would know they were His disciples. It’s as if He said, “look, if the twelve of you can really love each other, the world will know that what you’re living and telling is the real thing.” He was saying that to a group of guys who had lived with each other for 3 years, walked together, ate together, worked together and ministered together. They knew the good as well as the bad about each other. They probably didn’t get along that well at times. This was a very diverse group, from those who rebelled against Rome to those who worked for Rome. There were those who loved others and those who wanted to call fire down from heaven and consume villages. There were those who were content with being part of the group, and those who wanted to be in charge. The Scripture is clear that this was not a group who always got along with each other.
The point is, sometimes it is easier to “love the world”, the nameless people “out there” we don’t know, than the ones sitting in the pew right next to us, or near us. That is why, I believe, Jesus didn’t say anything about proving to be His disciple by loving the world, He said love the person next to you with an unconditional love. That’s how the world will know you Jesus is the real deal. Do you love the people in your church? All the people in your church? Jesus didn’t leave another option (Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 20If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. 1John 4:20-21). For us to make Jesus known to a world indifferent or hostile to Him, we must prove His love by loving each other. Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruit” (Matthew 7:20), and in this case, others will know us by our love for one another. Do you need to make a change? Are there some people you have to get things right with? Don’t wait. Prove yourself a disciple of Christ. I’ll see you Sunday.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
Dear Church,
By this will all know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35
The themes for the sermon series this fall has been the fruit of the Spirit, found in Galatians 5:22, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.” Last week we talked about love.
Jesus said a very interesting statement to His disciples on the night he was betrayed. He said “By this all men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:35).” I’ve always taken that to mean that we were to love people. That’s true, but Jesus was specifically talking to the twelve disciples and He told them that if THEY loved each other, the world would know they were His disciples. It’s as if He said, “look, if the twelve of you can really love each other, the world will know that what you’re living and telling is the real thing.” He was saying that to a group of guys who had lived with each other for 3 years, walked together, ate together, worked together and ministered together. They knew the good as well as the bad about each other. They probably didn’t get along that well at times. This was a very diverse group, from those who rebelled against Rome to those who worked for Rome. There were those who loved others and those who wanted to call fire down from heaven and consume villages. There were those who were content with being part of the group, and those who wanted to be in charge. The Scripture is clear that this was not a group who always got along with each other.
The point is, sometimes it is easier to “love the world”, the nameless people “out there” we don’t know, than the ones sitting in the pew right next to us, or near us. That is why, I believe, Jesus didn’t say anything about proving to be His disciple by loving the world, He said love the person next to you with an unconditional love. That’s how the world will know you Jesus is the real deal. Do you love the people in your church? All the people in your church? Jesus didn’t leave another option (Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 20If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. 1John 4:20-21). For us to make Jesus known to a world indifferent or hostile to Him, we must prove His love by loving each other. Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruit” (Matthew 7:20), and in this case, others will know us by our love for one another. Do you need to make a change? Are there some people you have to get things right with? Don’t wait. Prove yourself a disciple of Christ. I’ll see you Sunday.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
posted by kansasscott @ 3:38 PM
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