Through the Bible - Daniel 7-8, 2 John
Good morning,
A friend responded to yesterday's devotional with the following observation:
"I’m convinced that not only was the incarnation God’s plan from the very beginning to actually show up here in the flesh and then live and die for us, (check out The Message paraphrase of John 1: 14 where Jesus moves into the neighborhood) but it’s clear from so much of the NT that when we consider the body of Christ, so much of what we do that proves effective is incarnational – we are the hands and feet of Christ in this world."
John 1:14-15The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish. from THE MESSAGE
Today's verse comes from 1 John chapter two, written later in John's life.
2 John 4-7 I can't tell you how happy I am to learn that many members of your congregation are diligent in living out the Truth, exactly as commanded by the Father. But permit me a reminder, friends, and this is not a new commandment but simply a repetition of our original and basic charter: that we love each other. Love means following his commandments, and his unifying commandment is that you conduct your lives in love. This is the first thing you heard, and nothing has changed. (from THE MESSAGE)
or from the NKJV
2 John 5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. 6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.
Isn't that what we'd like to have said of our churches by Jesus, that we are "living out the truth", that as we considered yesterday that the "word had skin on" , or as Pastor Bob put it from The Message paraphrase, "Jesus had moved into our neighborhoods"?
Verse 6 describes what love, agape love is, walking according to His commandments, as He taught us.
MacArthur writes, "John defines love, not as a sentiment or an emotion, but as obedience to God's commands (see also 1 John 5:2-3). Those who are obedient to the truth as contained in God's commandments, the fundamentals of the faith, are identified as walking in love."
1 John 5 Every person who believes that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah, is God-begotten. If we love the One who conceives the child, we'll surely love the child who was conceived. The reality test on whether or not we love God's children is this: Do we love God? Do we keep his commands? The proof that we love God comes when we keep his commandments and they are not at all troublesome. (from THE MESSAGE)
May we walk, may we live in the love of Christ this season and every day of our lives, as bearers of the light. I was reminded of the Michael Card song "Bearers of the Light, I wont post the lyrics here but if you're interested you can find them at: http://www.michaelcard.com/details_product.php?com_type=song&com_id=194
"The principle of discipleship and mentoring is seen in the relationships between Paul, Barnabas and Timothy. The song of their lives, lived in community, teach us that the light of the gospel is best borne together, by men and women who walk together and pour themselves into each other's lives."- Michael Card
In Christ,
Mike
2 JOHN
My dear congregation, I, your pastor, love you in very truth. And I'm not alone — everyone who knows the Truth that has taken up permanent residence in us loves you.
Let grace, mercy, and peace be with us in truth and love from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, Son of the Father!
I can't tell you how happy I am to learn that many members of your congregation are diligent in living out the Truth, exactly as commanded by the Father. But permit me a reminder, friends, and this is not a new commandment but simply a repetition of our original and basic charter: that we love each other. Love means following his commandments, and his unifying commandment is that you conduct your lives in love. This is the first thing you heard, and nothing has changed.
Don't Walk Out on God
There are a lot of smooth-talking charlatans loose in the world who refuse to believe that Jesus Christ was truly human, a flesh-and-blood human being. Give them their true title: Deceiver! Antichrist!
And be very careful around them so you don't lose out on what we've worked so diligently in together; I want you to get every reward you have coming to you. Anyone who gets so progressive in his thinking that he walks out on the teaching of Christ, walks out on God. But whoever stays with the teaching, stays faithful to both the Father and the Son.
If anyone shows up who doesn't hold to this teaching, don't invite him in and give him the run of the place. That would just give him a platform to perpetuate his evil ways, making you his partner.
I have a lot more things to tell you, but I'd rather not use paper and ink. I hope to be there soon in person and have a heart-to-heart talk. That will be far more satisfying to both you and me. Everyone here in your sister congregation sends greetings.
(from THE MESSAGE)
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