seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
John 13:31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him,[c] God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
36 Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”
Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”
37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
38 Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!
c. John 13:32 Many early manuscripts do not have If God is glorified in him
I took this quote from the easy English site I've been using all these years. It conflicted me this morning... so I need to look at it on my screen more.
Other people often watch how Christians behave. They want to know if our faith makes us different. Love is the evidence that we follow Jesus. Other people will notice this. They will realise that this kind of unselfish love is very special. And they may ask us about Jesus. They may want to know how and why we are able to love in this special way.
I want to show you two verses..... They are pointed out by the commentary at bible_studys.org.
Deuteronomy 6:5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Leviticus 19:18 18 “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
These two verses weren't originally in the 10 Commandments that God gave Moses back in Exodus 20. Back when God was in meetings with Moses [while Aaron and company were firing up the cauldron to cook up a golden calf to worship]..... there were 10 Commandments. Jesus used these two verses to hone those 10 Commandments down to 2. All the hundreds of little rules, regulations, policies and procedures were based on the 10 Commandments..... making sure the "chosen" people wouldn't break the Commandments God handed down to Moses.
Instead of adding two more Commandments..... or more rules, regulations, policies and procedure.... Jesus streamlined life by following Two Commandments instead of Ten. He made it easier to live life.... and love life... because when you find someone to love.... it just makes life better.
So now I have to go back to the confliction I am dealing with.
Peter carried a sword. He was a fisherman... so he was very fit.... but he carried a sword. One of the commentaries pointed out that Peter was the one that chopped off the ear of a soldier when they came to arrest Jesus. Was Peter also one of those who expected Jesus to take on the king David persona and run Rome out of Jerusalem? When Peter "confessed" that Jesus is indeed the Messiah.... was Peter really saying he was sure Jesus would soon begin to fight?
Did Peter and the others think that Jesus was going to join up with His secret army and take on Rome without them? Peter did have his sword sharpened and ready.... If Jesus was finally going to fight for the rights of all the descendants of Jacob [Israel], Peter wanted to go. Peter would fight.... He would lay down his life... with Jesus in the lead.
Jesus knew it wasn't going to go down like that. Jesus would be arrested and the mission would progress to it's grand finally, the empty tomb, followed by a fish dinner and the return Home for Jesus. Peter was expecting a fight.... the Messiah was going to free Israel.... and Peter wanted to fight along side Jesus.
This morning.... there must be at least twenty churches around where I live. They represent just about every major church food group. We've got a Catholic Church along with all the prominent Protestant churches. There's even a Primitive Baptist Church within a couple miles of where I am living. All but three of them are closed five days a week.... yep... closed. A couple are even closed on Wednesday evening... closed... not because of COVID.... they were closed all week because they don't have anything on the schedule.... no preaching... so they are closed.
I was taught that the church was where we go to find Christian Companionship. I was taught that Christian Companionship was so that I could "learn" to live a good Christian Life. But all the learning in the world does no good unless I get a chance to use it... or see it in use. When I was in Junior High School.... I took biology.... I don't remember a single thing the teacher said... but I remember cutting open a worm and a frog. Doing something.... that's what teaches us how to live a good Christian Life.
Three churches in my area are running a food bank. They are open every day.... they search out other sources of help as well. If I need rent assistance, or help with the electric... they have a source. If my child has a birthday coming up... there are women who have donated brand new dolls and bears... there are brand new toys to bring a smile. They were there before COVID and they will be there after COVID..... showing "love". Once in a while... a Bible Verse will find it's way on the packaging but most of the time... it's just caring help.... now that's a church.
I have been told that politics had raised it's head in the church. I have been told that preachers are taking sides and pushing one leader over another. I have been told the church has been taken over by one party who are rich and greedy.....while the other party is full of baby killers and child molesters. Have we returned to the days of Nero? Nero accused the Christian Church of his day of having huge orgies and murdering babies.
I went to one church about a year ago.... all the men were wearing a gun. I'm currently in Arizona... it's open carry... but in church????
Jesus told His disciples to Love One Another..... just like He loves us. The church should be a place where people can share some bread and conversation and smiles. Children should be able to play safely at church. People are supposed to be kind to one another at church... and in their homes but I'll settle for kindness at church because that will spread quicker. Jesus told us to Love One Another.....
The Church should not be a locked, dark, cold, locked warehouse of books, rules, regulations, policies and procedures. The church should not be a place for the hyping of the Second Amendment.... it should be a showcase for the Second Commandment..... taught by Jesus while Judas was snitching on Him.
Find someone to be kind to today.... Be a real Christian.... it will warm your heart.
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