Tuesday, June 23, 2015

No Names, No Titles, Just Christ

I know this is unrealistic in our polarized culture today, but what if . . . what if we could become a culture in which the only identity we had was tied to our identity in Christ? I have to believe a lot of things would be different.

Jesus treated everyone with the same love when he was here on earth. The thing that made Jesus angry the most was when his kingdom was divided by labels--labels like Jew, Gentile, male, female, sinner, righteous. Some of today's labels are sinner, Christian, American, foreigner, racist, male, female, democrat, republican, wealthy and poor.

Quite frankly, I am tired of all the labels. It is divisive and counter productive. It is completely opposite of what Jesus stood for and practiced. Jesus sees us all as people who need a redeeming God to bring us together as one.

Paul wrote in Galatians 3:26-28, "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ Jesus have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male or female for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Jesus sought a culture where people were brought together as one--not divided. Those who constantly want to divide our culture are creating the polarization. Leaders of our country constantly want to pick a side, promote their side and drive a wedge of division deeper into our culture. Think about that as you search for people to put into leadership positions in this great country.

Honestly, the church could take the leadership in our culture. We can begin to create a space where people come and are not labeled. They are seen as people who need to be clothed with Christ. We should all be able to find our identity in the one who came to bring us together as one. The church needs to set the example.

It should be an easy example to set if we submit ourselves to find our identity in Christ.



Thursday, June 11, 2015

Love Neighbor As Yourself

Jesus tells us the second greatest command is to "Love your neighbor as yourself."

If someone were to ask you "Do you love your neighbor?" Would you be able to say "Yes."

How would you even know? How about if we were to ask your neighbor? What would they say?

The thing is Jesus is not just talking about the people who live around you. He is talking about anyone you may come in contact with during the day. As I sit in Starbucks right now I am surrounded by neighbors. Some of them have values different from mine, some of them come from different countries and some I  may even be uncomfortable around, but that does not mean I can't listen to what Jesus' says.

I am to love people no matter who they are, no matter where they live and no matter where they come from.

This is not a suggestion from Jesus, it is a command. This is the second greatest command behind loving God. I can not escape it.

The thing is it can be hard sometimes because there are some people I just don't like to be around. Jesus says that is not an excuse. He wants us to be different than what is considered normal. Jesus put it this way in the Sermon on the Mount, "If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even sinners doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Are not even pagans doing that?" (Matthew 5:46-47)

When Jesus says we need to "Love our neighbor as yourself" he is telling us this includes the unlovable--those who are different from us and those who may even be our enemies.

So let's ask ourselves this question again, "Do you love your neighbor?" How would those around you answer that about you?

Now go love your neighbor! Whoever that may be today!

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Imitating I Am

"Be imitators of God."

That is what Paul writes to the church in Ephesus.

Jesus came and dwelled among us teaching us what it means to imitate God. Paul goes on to explain how we should live as imitators of "I Am." He says "walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us" (Ephesians 5:2).

The way of love is surrendering ourselves to God and His mission--That's what Jesus did.

The way of love is surrendering ourselves to others--that is what Jesus did.

If we love God and others we will learn sacrifice. We will learn what it means to put God first and what it means to think of others needs above our own.

Paul calls this a fragrant offering and a sacrifice--to God.

How can you surrender to God this week? How can you surrender to others?