There's only one way to recognize a Christian.
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:34-35
Christ gives us a new command- a command inextricably wrapped up in the New Covenant. He sets before us a new example of love: this is a love that serves and sacrifices, just as He did in His life and death. It is an impossible love, enabled only through the Holy Spirit- given to us through the New Covenant.
A community that selflessly and sacrificially loves God and man is a community that will stand apart as radically different. But as "little Christians," isn't that what we Christians are called to live like?
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:1-2
Imitators of God don't just love who we feel like loving. We love those who are powerless in their sin. We love the ones the world shunned. We love the socially awkward, the outcasts, the rebels, even sometimes the annoying little brothers.
It's not enough for us to talk about this anymore. The time for words has ended, the time for action has come. The sun has set on the days of the church being labeled as a gathering of hypocrites, and in the morning it will rise on a group of people who are willing to collectively "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles," a group of people who will together "run with perseverance the [world] race marked out for us." We are going to stop loving what the world loves, and instead we will "fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Because actions speak louder than words. And it's time that our actions show on Who we've fixed our eyes. It's time for us to have real, authentic community, where everyone is unconditionally loved, because Christ loved us first.
"In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us."
Titus 2:7-8
This is what the World Race is about. My prayer this week is that our team really lives out this calling, and practices what we're preaching to the ends of the earth.
Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
John 13:17
In other news, now I'm official:
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=342652&paper=63&cat=104
This is a newspaper article from the local paper. I think everyone's highlight is my dad calling me a thoroughbred racehorse.
Apparently I can't trust him in print. 😉
