“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 NIV
Over the last couple of weeks, our church has been preaching a message titled, “Redefining Christian.” For those who call themselves “Christians,” the focus is on the importance of being a disciple of Jesus.
As disciples of Jesus Christ, our mission is to according to Matthew 28:18-20:
The two previous messages focused on how we work to love those in the church, where those outsides of the church will look at and determine the love that Jesus has asked us to practice as His disciples.
Here are the links to the previous post on this subject:
Paster Rurel, of Crosspoint Church in Niceville, Fl, continued the message today in this sermon series, and these are my thoughts from this excellent message today.
“Love” is one of those words thrown around with reckless abandon.
“I “love” ice cream.”
“I “love” my dog.”
“I “love” my wife, Tracy!”
I’m guessing my beautiful wife, Tracy, would appreciate it if I loved her a little bit differently than ice cream and the dog.
It is my opinion that the most excellent description of love is found in 1 Corinthians 13, which is called the love chapter. If you have been to a wedding, it is a great possibility that you have heard verses from that chapter first and center in the vows of that wedding.
For a disciple of Jesus, love is a choice. And as followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to love those we may find unlovable. And doing this is impossible without the Spirit of God living centered in our lives.
As we grow in our faith, it will become evident that as we walk through this life, we will deal with two groups of people:
- Followers of Jesus Christ (We know them by their fruits)
- Unbelivers (In God’s hands)
‘Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”’ Matthew 28:18-20
Broken down:
- Go and make disciples
- Baptising them
- Teaching them to obey
In this message, we’ll focus on our relationship with “unbelievers.”
One thing that happens in the church is that we end up in what I’ve heard called a “bunker mentality.” Meaning that we hang with “our” own, shying away from those who need our message of hope the most. This does go against what we have been called to do in the “Great Commission.”
‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ‘ John 3:16
We are the extension of God sending His Son. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become part of that mission.
‘Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. ‘ 1 Corinthians 9:19
Before he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, Paul’s mission was to imprison and persecute the church. After that meeting, his mission was “to win as many as possible,” according to 1 Corinthians 19. I believe that Paul is the finest example of someone who embodied this mission, aside from Jesus himself, ever recorded.
One of the challenges that we will face is who is a believer and an unbeliever. This is not to say that we can see the heart of anyone; only God can do that. When Paul was dealing with the Corinthian church, he found that the church had a member living outside of how we are to live as Christians.
This member was living a sinful life, and the church allowed him to continue fellowship in the church as if nothing was happening.
‘I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. ‘ 1 Corinthians 5:9-11
According to God’s Word, we “must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister” who is actively engaged in sin.
You may be saying, “Come on, John!! We wouldn’t be associating with anyone this being the case.”
‘ “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. ‘ Matthew 7:15-20
It’s hard to believe that we would be wrestling with “unbelievers” in the church and outside of the church, but we do.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to help each other, and this will require that we have conversations with other believers about what they are struggling with—supporting them and encouraging them in their walk.
‘(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. ‘ Ephesians 4:9-16
Like Paul, our efforts in the world that God loved so much that He sent Jesus to die for is to “win” people to Christ.
And one of the most powerful ways that will be the most influential in this effort will be our lives changed by the hands of Jesus Christ. Without that, our efforts will have little to no weight in influencing anyone to come to know Jesus.
This will take a lot of patience on our end in this effort.
Sometimes our zeal to get others to know Jesus the way we do can be a detriment to our efforts.
‘And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.’ 2 Timothy 2:24-26
“Opponents (unbelievers) must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth…”
The conversion of another to know Jesus as their savior is always in God’s hands, which we can not forget.
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your grace, mercy, and forgiveness.
I am thankful for the faithfulness of the Pastors of my church to preach the Word of God.
I pray for Your return. Based on Your Word, we can hasten Your return by living out our faith in a way that attracts Your elect.
I pray for Your strength, courage, and willingness to live with You center in my heart.
In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen!! 🙏❤️
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