A Radical Love & A Radical Response

Growing up I always thought of Christian’s as gentle, quiet and peaceful. I associated Christians with love.  Yes, that is true, especially the love part, since everything we believe in, everything that compels us, everything that saves us is based on love.  But I never in a million years would have used the word RADICAL to describe a follower of Christ, until I came to truly know God and experiencing his love. Yes, his love is absolutely, amazingly radical!

 

 

We see the Apostle Paul, one of the most radical followers of Jesus write to the Colossian church:

 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because ofyour evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.” -Col. 1:15-23

God’s love for every single soul is radical! 

And as a Christian we are called to respond radically….I was listening to message yesterday about complete devotion and what that looks like. The pastor phrased God’s calling and God’s desire for us so simply, yet so radically:  There is a radical choice to be made as a Christ follower; either live in the mediocrity of making Jesus PROMINENT in our life or we live in the radical reality of making Jesus PREEMINENT in our lives. Have we truly made Jesus OUR LORD in our lives, or is he just a piece of the puzzle?  Are we lukewarm Christians or are we on fire for what the truth that is Jesus Christ?

I had the opportunity to lead kids worship with our summer camp here in Bucharest this past week and one of the songs that we taught the kids was a song that represented exactly that, the preeminence of Christ.  When Jesus was asked by one of the teachers of the law what was the greatest commandment, Jesus replied “Love the lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and with all your strength.”  In explaining the song to the kiddos, I shared that what that means is desiring Jesus to be the center of your life—everything you do is for Him and you do it with everything that you have and with everything that you are! Jesus truly becomes Lord.  Jesus is no longer prominent, but Jesus is preeminent. 

When speaking to the church at Laodecia, Jesus says “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:15-16) That too is radical.  Jesus doesn’t want us to be lukewarm with our faith, but rather hot .  And how could you not?!!  When you truly understand the salvation of Jesus Christ, His grace that saves us and the love that motivates him, our natural response would be love him back radically!

As Christ followers, are we being intentional with spurring each other on to good deeds? Are we standing up for the things that we know displease our holy and righteous God? Are we speaking truth to people even when we may be ridiculed, laughed at or persecuted? Are we zealous for the things that are God centered rather than ‘me’ centered? Do we desire sharing Christ with the lost and seeing His Kingdom come and His will be done? My prayer is that as followers of Christ we would continue to live radically for Him…and why would we not?! We have everything we need in Him and we know the truth…for the Holy spirit that lives inside us testifies with the Spirit of God. We are radical because He is radical! 🙂