“This is my commandment,
that you love one another as I have loved you.”
John 15:12.
Did you wince? When you read the verse above, did you feel your heart miss a beat and fill with regret and trepidation? If you did NOT reread it. How about now? If you are reading this and are a married man, here is a similar verse.
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church…”
Ephesians 5:25
Ouch, if you are a married man, you winced this time. We ought to all have winced the first time. All of a sudden, life just got hard! You mean to tell me, preacherman, that I am to love in the way Jesus loved. Are you telling me I should lay down my life for others? No, I don’t mean to say that. I meant to tell you this is what Jesus is saying to you. Jesus said, Luke 9:23, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
The focus of the Christian life is always supposed to be the other, first God and then other people, but not the self. Christianity breaks into our private ego-centric lives and introduces us to a purpose and a privilege more significant than ourselves. Christianity does not say, “Great, and I’m glad you are following Jesus. Here is your silver spoon. It says, “Great, here are your burdens. Here is the care of your neighbor. Here is the same sacrificial love that killed your founder. Here is your cross.” The divine worldly payoff of following Jesus is NOT a product. The only gain for us is the person of Jesus Christ, the presence of Jesus Christ, and the purpose of Jesus Christ.
Sometimes, we need a gentle reminder that walking in the light of his love is sometimes a steep mountain trail. But, empowered by God, it is a steep mountain trail with a backpack of grace and mercy. Praise be to God.
Have a great week.
Pastor Corey