Good morning,
Why love one another?
I think that we will do well to remember what life was like when Jesus was living with us here on earth. The Roman government was cruel, corrupt, hated and feared by the Jews. Their local rulers had the power of life and death and most of the soldiers that were there hated the Jews and treated them with scorn. Jesus was surrounded by religious leaders who were determined to trap and kill him. Jesus spent a lot of time preparing his followers for life after he returned to heaven. In Matthew 25 Jesus told his followers three stories that would prepare them and us for what is ahead. The first story he told them was about ten bridesmaids waiting for the groom. Only half of them were accepted. Then he told them a story of three servants who were trusted with money while the master was away. Two of them did well, the other lost his life. The final story told about the Son of Man, Jesus, who would return to earth with all his angels and judge the people for what they did before he came back. He broke them up into two groups. One group was on his right side and the other was on his left. To the group on the right he said, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.(v.34) Then he told them why, For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’(vs.35,36) The people had no idea what he was talking about until he said, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’(v,40) Then the king turned to those on his left and said, Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.(v.41)
Those of us who consider ourselves Evangelicals today are quite aware of what Jesus told his disciples. In Matthew 28:18-20 he told them and us to go and make disciples, baptize them and teach them to obey all his commandments. Then he said, And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”(v.20) Later on the Apostles wrote us about the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives us and the special gift sets that would come like the prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Alas, what has happened to us in this era is that we have become a group of followers who expect these specialists to do the work of the church, while the rest of us look on and rely on them to get God’s work done for us. The average church is now more like a business than a family of God’s children living out a life of love that costs us time and pain and our good reputations in the face of a deadly spiritual war. God’s plan for his church is based on his love for us and our love for him and for those around us. John reminds us of this when he wrote, Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.(1John4:7,8) Dear Lord, will you please help us to see ourselves as you see us before we see your face.
1 John 4:7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Roy Wisner
