“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-5.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you”. John 15:12
The Merriam-Webster thesaurus describes “commandment” as “a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned”. It gives as its synonyms words like “charge”, “decree”, “dictate”, “edict” and others. Jesus issued a “decree” to all His followers in John 13:34 and John 15:12 that they must love one another as He has loved them. These statements are plain and are without any ambiguity – As Jesus has loved us so we must love one another. There was no condition we fulfilled or action that we took that prequalified us when Jesus died for our sins because of the love He has for us. His action demonstrates love as God’s nature hence Jesus taught us to do likewise if we are to be classified as His disciples. Apostle John writes in 1 John 4:7-8 “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
Loving others, especially those that may have hurt us, is a major challenge that many professed Christians have difficulty contending with today. But Christ who directed us to love also demonstrated that it is not an impossible task. We can love those that hate or spite us as Christ did. It involves our focussing on the things of God and looking up to Christ as our example rather than being consumed by bitterness or the desires of our flesh. The Scripture says in 1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world; for all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches —comes not from the Father but from the world. And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever”. We have to defeat this humanistic, self-centred and fear-based worldview that depicts ourselves as being the ultimate – to please and to satisfy.
Through the guidance of Christ’s teachings and the power of the Holy Spirit that is provided for us we have the capacity to love those who ordinarily we may feel are unlovable. Through using Christ’s example and the Holy Spirit empowerment we can overcome pride and align our passions, ambitions, wills to the dictates of our creator. We must love humanity and further God’s plan for an everlasting fellowship with us and should not comprise this fellowship by being misled by what the world throws at us.
In the time past God gave commandments to Israel of old, directing them on the path they should follow to have abundance of life and the fulfilment of promises, which God made to Abraham and their fore fathers. History taught us the repercussions that followed the Israelites’ disobedience of these commandments and the punishment that came their way, which they were also warned about. Jesus has promised the church, the new Israel, of victory if we obey His command to love one another as He has loved us. He has promised us peace, which the world cannot give us, and fruitfulness when we abide in Him and in His love. God is faithful and will keep His promise, which His Son, Jesus Christ has given to us. He has given us talents and He wants us to use these talents to show His love to the world around us.
We thank God for another opportunity for the Professional Harvest of this church where we are called upon to appreciate God for the numerous opportunities He has given to us. He is the one that taught us the things we know today. He has lifted us from the difficulties of the past and has brought us to today. In Deuteronomy 8:11-13 God spoke through Moses thus: “Take care that you do not forget the Lord your God, by failing to keep his commandments, his ordinances, and his statutes, which I am commanding you today. When you have eaten your fill and have built fine houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks have multiplied, and your silver and gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied…” From verses 17-18, He continued: ‘Do not say to yourself, “My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.” But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth’.
Beloved, God has given us power to be what we are today and His commandment is for us to bless His work and others with a fraction of what He has blessed us with.
Have a fruitful season as you bless His work, His servants and love the brethren He died to save.
Your brother, Vicar & Archdeacon
S.Igein Isemede