Disciples of the love of God (3)
Matt. 28:18-20;
As earlier noted, the church is primarily for teaching. When we come to the church, we have come to learn. Discipleship will be to say what Christ is saying and do what He is doing. We are called to learn, to know and practise what we see in the resurrection.
How did God show his love for man? He remembered sins no more (Heb. 8:!2); He showed his love in his giving (John 3:16).
The giving of his son refers to the sacrifice of Jesus. This refers to the death, burial and resurrection. The resurrection, therefore, reveals to us the love of God. If we are disciples of the resurrection, then we ought to be disciples of the love of God.
In the resurrection, I am married to Jesus. I am one with him. Hence, Paul uses marriage as an example to show the relationship between Christ and the church. The married Christian is called to mirror his relationship after the one between Christ and the church.
The husband ought to be forgiving and loving. That family bond must continue. Also, in the resurrection, we have seen that we are brothers. God is our father. Jesus is the firstborn (Heb.. 2:11; Col. 1:15; Rom. 8:15-17,29).
In the resurrection, we have the brotherhood.
Matt. 25:35-40;
35 For I hungered, and ye gave Me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took Me in;
36 naked, and ye clothed Me; I was sick, and ye visited Me; I was in prison, and ye came unto Me.’
37 Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when saw we Thee hungering and fed Thee, or thirsty and gave Thee drink?
38 When saw we Thee a stranger and took Thee in, or naked and clothed Thee?
39 Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee?’
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, ‘Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.’
You show love to God by showing love to people.
In the resurrection, we are brothers and there’s a way brothers act. The bond of brotherhood is greater than any other.
Gen. 13:7-8;
7 And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdsmen of Lot’s cattle; and the Canaanites and the Perizzites dwelled then in the land.
8 And Abram said unto Lot, “Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen; for we are brethren.
Brothers don’t strife. Oftentimes, when you find Christians living in strife, they are not being disciples of the resurrection. The Christian must learn to be a chronic believer in people.
See Abraham and Lot. Lot left and got into trouble yet Abraham still went to rescue him. You don’t watch brothers suffer and turn a blind eye. Be a disciple of that brotherhood. You chase after your brother till you have found him. The love of God loves recklessly
Be loyal to the brotherhood, it’s what we have learnt in Christ. Strife is not allowed, and bitterness too.
1 John 4:20;
20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
The extent to which you love God is the extent to which you love your brother.
Daily Bible Reading Plan:
Bible Reading – Psalms 10-17
TEACHING OF THE DAY
Let your eyes be single