Sunday school 9am and Worship 10:15am
Sunday school 9am and Worship 10:15am
This is my commandment,
that you love one another, as I have loved you. John 15:12
Loving as Jesus loved. Now one could say that well known instruction from Jesus is impossible. I mean really, loving as Jesus loved? Loving even the tax collectors, the lowest, the ugliest people. Hey, Jesus even loved people who hated him. How can we possibly do that, loving as Jesus loved.
Well, there’s one little word added to the verse here. You. Love as I have loved you Jesus says! Jesus is reminding us he loves each of us so much. That his love penetrates through our ups and downs, through our just okay or normal days, through even our horrible or no good days! Hey, Jesus even loves us during those days we’d rather just forget happened, even in our embarrassments, even when others say, shame on you, or we ourselves feel self-imposed shame for whatever reason.
Gosh friends, when you really think about Jesus’ instruction to love each other as he has loved us, again, does it seem impossible or difficult? Well sure. That is, if we try and do it on our own. Our love simply must be formed with the words and message of the gospel in our hearts.
As you talk to someone annoying or tough to deal with, can you remember Jesus dealt with all that and he loved. So why shouldn’t you? Can you even consider you are that way to God sometimes, yet he still loves you. As you walk through the days which are just okay or even horrible or no good, can you remember Jesus also endured such days so why shouldn’t you? As you consider the hateful stuff you hear or see, or even sadly hateful circumstances or people which might come across your path. Might it not escape your memory Jesus was not immune to any of that, and yet, he still loved through it all! SO why shouldn’t you?
Dear friends, it may seem impossible, but if we remember Jesus loved before us, and he sets the bar, then maybe the burden of love doesn’t have to be taken on so much. Maybe our hearts can be freer, our steps lighter, our love greater because Jesus helps carry the load, helps us bear the seemingly sometimes insurmountable weight of love.
This week, do you feel his arms around you? Is he carrying you? Don’t try and take on loving everything and everyone by yourself, because it’s impossible, you’ll never be able to do it. But maybe, just maybe, with Jesus helping you, with his message in your heart, and his steps before you, perhaps the weight of that love will be just a bit lighter and easier. And what is that weight, it’s the weight of the ultimate symbol of love. It’s the weight of the cross!
To God be the glory
Pastor Brandon
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