John 13:34-35
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
1 John 3:16,18
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. … Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
1 Corinthians 13:4-5
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful.
Jesus says that loving His people in the way that He loved us (self-sacrificially) is the evidence that we are truly His disciples.
It troubles me that there are professing Christians who do not seem to take this seriously, who act as though it does not apply to their situation, or to the relationships they have - or to the interaction they have with other people on Facebook.
Where is the love working itself out in patience, kindness, humility, deference?
Where is the love that does not insist on its own way and is not easily irritated?
1 Corinthians 6:6-7
"…brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers[.] To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?"
Why defame the name of Christ before unbelievers - just to prove yourself to be in the right in a situation? Can you not love the honor of Christ enough to let God vindicate you in His time, even though it feels like you have "lost" by not insisting on your way?
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Tuesday, April 3, 2018
Jesus is everything, and rightly demands everything
Colossians 1:15-17
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Hebrews 1:2-3
…his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
1 Corinthians 8:6
there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
Romans 11:36
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
John 11:25
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die."
It is the One who created all things for Himself, who upholds the universe by the word of His power - it is He who clothed Himself with flesh in order to lay down His own life to redeem His fallen people.
Everything is from Jesus and for Jesus.
It is Jesus who is -
The Resurrection and the Life.
The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
The Way, the Truth, and the Life.
The only Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep.
The Bread of Life, and the Living Water.
The Light of the World.
The true Vine.
Jesus is supreme - pre-eminent in everything (Col.1:18).
Jesus is everything; everything exists because of Him, was made to serve His purposes, and is kept in existence by His hand.
It is no wonder that the entire Bible is about Jesus; the OT points to Him, the NT teaches what He did for us and who He is more specifically.
It is also no wonder that one cannot claim to be a disciple of Christ while trying to serve sin or self. There is only one Lord and Master of the universe; those who serve Him must be completely yielded to Him, as the whole universe is.
You were created for Jesus.
It is impossible to be His disciple and still try to rule your own life; this would be like joining the marines while being contracted to play on a professional sports team.
You can have only one Master, and it is an all-or-nothing choice.
He will have all of you - all your time, energy, will, choices - or He will not have you at all.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Hebrews 1:2-3
…his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
1 Corinthians 8:6
there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
Romans 11:36
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
John 11:25
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die."
It is the One who created all things for Himself, who upholds the universe by the word of His power - it is He who clothed Himself with flesh in order to lay down His own life to redeem His fallen people.
Everything is from Jesus and for Jesus.
It is Jesus who is -
The Resurrection and the Life.
The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
The Way, the Truth, and the Life.
The only Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep.
The Bread of Life, and the Living Water.
The Light of the World.
The true Vine.
Jesus is supreme - pre-eminent in everything (Col.1:18).
Jesus is everything; everything exists because of Him, was made to serve His purposes, and is kept in existence by His hand.
It is no wonder that the entire Bible is about Jesus; the OT points to Him, the NT teaches what He did for us and who He is more specifically.
It is also no wonder that one cannot claim to be a disciple of Christ while trying to serve sin or self. There is only one Lord and Master of the universe; those who serve Him must be completely yielded to Him, as the whole universe is.
You were created for Jesus.
It is impossible to be His disciple and still try to rule your own life; this would be like joining the marines while being contracted to play on a professional sports team.
You can have only one Master, and it is an all-or-nothing choice.
He will have all of you - all your time, energy, will, choices - or He will not have you at all.
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