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In this blog (web-log) we explore how members of Nazareth Moravian Church and other Christ-followers can fulfill our congregation’s mission statement:
“To minister, as living witnesses, the saving grace of Jesus Christ.”
I believe the best way to accomplish our mission is to embody Jesus’ example and teaching in our relationship with God and our treatment of others.
Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. (1 Jn 4:8)
Scripture tells us that God is love – not just any kind of love, but rather a sacrificial love focused on healing, redeeming, forgiving, and saving others. The apostle Paul described the love of God this way:
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
You may have heard this passage quoted at a wedding, but Paul wrote the words to Christ-followers living in the city of Corinth, Greece as they were in the middle of a congregational argument!
The sort of love Paul is talking about is not the kind of romantic or affectionate love associated with the warm-feelings of Valentine’s Day. The love of God incarnated in Jesus Christ is a sacrificial love. In our Gospel lesson for Sunday, February 23rd Jesus notes that this love can be expressed as an extension of grace to those we are in conflict with, to our enemies, or to those outside our group of belonging. Jesus said:
“… Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. …
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Luke 6:27-28, 32-35
Christ’s teaching was, and still is, counter-cultural and counter to accepted wisdom and “common sense.” It is HARD to put such love into practice but we can’t say Jesus didn’t warn us and take the challenge seriously. Making our best attempt to love others as God loves us – especially those we find unlovable – is the essense of what Jesus meant when he said: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23).
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