The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Maybe you've heard this, read this, known this much of your Christian walk. Maybe you're reading it tonight and it seems new. However you come to it, I invite you to step up your purpose in the community of Christians that surround you-no matter where you are: church, work, shopping, walking, picking up your kids from daycare.
Recently (in the past two or three years), I've realized that there are believers all around me that believe in the same God that I do. Wow, Julizza, hello! Of course there are. What's the big deal? Well, I don't know about you, but I've been somewhat ashamed/private/not willing to admit that I have that in common with anyone other than my church friends. Why is that? I can't put my finger on it. I guess having a fear of how some of them believe or do things differently in their religion has caused me to feel like we worship separate Gods. Wow. What a tool for Satan. How easy is that for him to feed on? I have since thrown that aside; feeling Jesus-love between all others who love my Lord. "If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever." Not to me be the glory-to Christ be the glory! "Above all, love each other deeply." Who was God talking to when He put this in His word? Wasn't He talking to all of us? That solution sounds too easy. What about all the complications that develop, how do I address those? What if those complications (or even merely the fear of them) are exactly what Satan needs to gain a foothold on me? What if I simply trust God? What if that's what He wants from me? What if love is the way of the Lord? What if that's what He meant when He said that the world will know us by our love (not hate) for one another? Not just the ones who are in our vicinity on Sunday morning. I suppose I'm a dreamer. After all, the ways of the Lord are contrary to this world...
There was once a little girl who was an orphan in the church. She was picked up by door-knocking members of the church and rode the joy bus to school. She got candy when she got off the bus and was dropped off back home. While she was at church, she learned many things. She learned to love God. She learned to love others. She learned to love her parents and listen to what they ask her to do. She learned to love God more than anyone-even her parents. She learned to respect adults, to respect her teachers. She was adopted by families when she was too young to sit alone and they watched her throughout the sermon. She attended children's church and learned a multitude of songs, which she sang while she played alone on the playground at the school down the street. She learned to have faith. She developed a faith so bold that for several years she prayed nightly to God to not allow her to have dreams-good or bad. She was afraid of them. Nightly, God delivered. She awoke with no recollection of dreams from the night each morning. She grew up. She was bused to the church and learned, and bused back home. Wonderful disciples cared for her, invited her to their homes, provided for her family, provided for many of her deepest needs-love, guidance, and care. When she got older, her parents began to be more lenient in telling her she had to go to church. Sometimes it was a downright nuisance. Yet, she continued going because she believed everything she heard-she love God more than she loved her parents. She began wanting more. She wanted friends. She had a few-the children of the disciples that cared for her. But what about everybody else? No, she didn't go to that camp. No, she didn't make it to that devotional. No, she wasn't at that barbecue. No, she didn't know he was having a party. No, she wasn't invited to that get-together. No, she doesn't know them like that. Every Sunday, the now-teenage girl, longing for friendship at a very difficult time in her life, planned her acceptance to the group. Perhaps today the group will sit in the 6th and 7th rows during the sermon. She'll sit on the 6th and the group will sit with her. No, not today. The group is sitting on the 7th and 8th rows. Maybe next Sunday. Next Sunday they surely will sit on the 7th and 8th rows. She'll sit in the middle of the 7th row, perhaps she was blocking the group from coming into the pew by sitting on the end last time. No, not this Sunday. The group sits on the 6th and 7th rows. Perhaps next Sunday she should wait before sitting. Perhaps next Sunday she should go to the bathroom and go into the sermon late and thus know where they will be sitting and can join in. No, the pews are full; it looks like there's no room. Sunday after Sunday, she returns to church. Why? Sunday after Sunday she is missed. Why? "Above all, love each other deeply."
Her story doesn't end there. Her story is more common than we'd like to admit for the church. She doesn't have to be a girl, or an orphan. She just has to be anybody.
We are the church of the living Jesus Christ-Savior, Redeemer, Holy and Glorious in His Heavens and in all His ways-His ways are right, His love unfathomable, His power untouched. He watches our every move and He loves us all. As His people we, I, am called to love...above all else.
