Scripture: 1st John 5:2
This is how we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep God’s commandments.
Thought for the Day: When we read that we are to keep God’s commandments, the author is not referring to some lengthy and burdensome list. The author of 1st John is referring specifically to the two Great Commandments – to love the Lord your God and to love your neighbor…and you could probably add: loving your enemy and praying for those who persecute you. In this morning’s sermon, we will reflect on the family of God and what it means to be adopted into the household of God. In light of the last week’s happenings, I want to ask Christians to spend some time in the Christian scriptures – i.e., the New Testament. Clearly, fear is gripping us and keeping us from living out what our faith requires us to do. No matter how scary or threatening other people might appear to be, we are not given other options but to love. Christianity requires us to be Christ-like, and for that reason, it is tough, demanding and leaves us vulnerable. What grieves my soul are people who claim to be spokespersons for Christianity, yet they are calling upon us to take the worldly path of hate and retribution. They draw upon select verses from the Old Testament, and use them to narrowly define what is meant by the words love and neighbor. Now please understand, I do not pretend that this is easy or even rational. I fail daily, yet Jesus continues to challenge any of us who attempt to limit the power of God’s love to truly transform the world. Are we willing to risk following Jesus, embodying Christ’s understanding of what is meant by the family of God?
Prayer: Give me, O Lord of the Human Family, the courage to embrace your all encompassing love and its broad definition of neighbor. Amen.
Don’t Miss Today’s Worship
Bruce’s Sermon: Galatians 4:4-9
Meet The Photographer, Mark Burns
in a Free Panel Discussion at The Centrum
This Thursday at 6:30pm
