Mark 12:30-31 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
John 13:34-35 "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."
Yesterday we talked about, “If you love me” and today we will see how that love works out day-to-day. Quickly let’s take a look at three people Jesus loved on. In John 8:3 we see that, “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group” Under the law they were allowed to stone her for what she’d done, but what did Jesus say? "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." (John 8:7) She was repentant and Jesus forgave and loved her. Next look at what we refer to as the woman at the well. After confessing her multiple marriages to Jesus He responded, "You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true." (John 4:18) Then how about Peter who had vehemently denied even knowing His Lord, yet upon His resurrection Jesus told him, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "You know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." (John 21:15) Oh and remember David who said after his confession of adultery and murder, “Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.” (Ps 51:13) Repentance brings forgiveness AND restoration that can only come from a loving Savior. No matter the sin He extends the offer AND He expects us to do the same. So the next time you are tempted to look down your nose at another just remember that you, too, have been forgiven.
All Scripture NIV
God loves you and so do I.
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A beautiful call for our surrender to God's grace. Every time I find myself feeling judgmental, I remind myself of Jesus' warning, "Judge not that ye be not judged," for we will be judged according to our own judgment. Paul's words are also a great reminder, that if we want to live according to the law, then we will judged accordingly -- in other words, if we break one iota of the law, we are guilty of breaking it all."
Accepting God's grace, as you've reminded us here, also requires that we extend grace to those we encounter in our lives. For me it is interesting to watch how my ego rationalizes my own sin and yet highlights and magnifies the sin of others and how, if I am not in that daily surrender to the Spirit, I begin to rest in my own supposed righteousness, rather than the righteous I am granted through Christ's sacrifice for me. Dying daily to me and allow Christ to live through me is a daily opportunity and gift.
Thank you for bringing this all home for our remembrance.
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Accepting God's grace, as you've reminded us here, also requires that we extend grace to those we encounter in our lives. For me it is interesting to watch how my ego rationalizes my own sin and yet highlights and magnifies the sin of others and how, if I am not in that daily surrender to the Spirit, I begin to rest in my own supposed righteousness, rather than the righteous I am granted through Christ's sacrifice for me. Dying daily to me and allow Christ to live through me is a daily opportunity and gift.
Thank you for bringing this all home for our remembrance.