One in Christ

Every Sunday we take the Lord's Supper to "Proclaim the Lord's death until He comes." Why did Jesus want us to focus on His death, even more than His resurrection? Jesus' death was terrible. It was a day that I would like to turn away from. How He was beaten and humiliated. His resurrection, on the other hand, that was a day of victory! It was a day of saying "In your face, Satan! Now who has the last word!" Or at least that is the way I see it. I would much rather focus on that day when I take the Lord's Supper.

So Why then did Jesus say "Do this in remembrance of Me." Luke 22:19

And Paul direct us to "Proclaim the Lord's death until He comes?" I Corinthians 11:26

Go back and look at the Gospel accounts. See the scene at the Lord's Supper. What does the bread represent? The Body of Christ. My body given for you. What does the cup represent? This is the cup of the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

Jesus wants us to remember that He sacrificed His life, body and blood, for us. His disciples. He tells us in John 15:13 that there is no greater love than the one who lays down his life for his friends. Jesus wants us to remember, every time we take the Lord's Supper that He loves us. And He wants us to remember just how much He loves us. He died to save us from all that Satan had in mind for us. He set us free from sin and death. He took our place, 2 Corinthians 5:21, our sin for His righteousness, so that we might be back in right standing with His Father.

That is the love that Jesus wants us to remember every time we take the Lord's Supper. And He wants us to remember not only to wow us with His love, though we certainly should be constantly in a since of wonder at God's love for us through the sacrifice of His Son, John 3:16, but also that we will remember His one command for our lives.

Do you remember what it was? Of all the things that Jesus taught, He only left us with one new commandment. What was it? Love each other. No, more than that.

John 15:12 "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."

We get lost in all sorts of religious matters. How should we conduct our worship services? Where is the right place to worship? Who are the true people of God? All these are important things, but none of them matter if we don't get this one foundational piece: "Love each other as I have loved you."

Perhaps you have heard: "The world doesn't care how much you know until they know how much you care." Jesus said it like this: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Who, exactly is my neighbor? Jesus answers that question in Luke 10:25-37 in The Parable of the Good Samaritan. If you know the story, you know a man was beaten and robbed. He was left for dead along the road. Religious and good people passed by him, on their way, perhaps, to worship God. But then a Samaritan, who was hated by many because he did not worship God the way they did, in the right way, of course, came along. He stopped and helped the man and saw to his needs. Jesus asks the question: Who was the man's neighbor (the ones who were too busy worshiping God the right way, or the one who took time to care for the man in his need?) The one who helped, came the reply. "Go and do likewise," Jesus said.

"Go and do likewise," Jesus said. Simple enough, right? Just go do the right thing by people. Just go and "Love one another as I have loved you." Simple, right?

If we can learn to love each other, as imperfect and incomplete as we are, as we have always been, even as Jesus loves us, the world will take note. We will bear the fruit disciples of Christ are called to bear. Not because our buildings are designed just so. Not because we are worshiping just like the early church did. These things might be important, but none of it matters if we don't love each other with the kind of love Jesus loves us with. "Love," the Bible says, "covers a multitude of sins." I Peter 4:8 Yours and mine. sins as bad as Peter's, who denied that he even knew Jesus three time even after Jesus had warned him that he would do just that. Peter was so broken by his sin that he went out and wept bitterly. He was so broken that Jesus had to call him back to His service, because Peter, I believe, didn't feel he was fit to serve Jesus anymore John 21:15-19

Surely, if Jesus forgave Peter his denial of Him, and even went after him to restore Peter to Himself, we can forgive others when they act in ways that are unbecoming as Christians. Our willingness to forgive and go after them in love will show the world that something beyond business as usual is going on. We will bear the fruit of love that Jesus called us to. and will be one in Christ. He will be in us as He is in the Father.

Jesus asks Peter pointedly "Do you love Me?" Three times, driving home the fact that despite Peter's failure, he loved Jesus. He knew He was Messiah and His only hope. Jesus puts an exclamation point of Peter's love for Him: "Follow Me!"

When we sin and/or mess up in our actions toward other people, whether intentionally or accidentally, we need to remember who loves us and who came to rescue us. As with Peter, He allows restarts. Like Peter, you are not through yet. You just need a restart. a new beginning. Love allows that to happen. Jesus showed that love over and over. He calls us to do the same. Its a high calling to love like that. but listen to Jesus own words:

"A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher." Luke 6:40 To be like Jesus is to love others, not only when they are good, but especially when they are bad. "Love your enemies, do good to them..." Luke 6:35

We are not followers of Christ because we are perfect or ever will be until He calls us to meet Him in the air and all this business of life is finished and done. We are followers of Christ because He loves us and He proved that love by laying His life down for us. We now are called to reflect that love to a world just as messed up as we ever were with a single message that we live out, not just speak out. "Love one another just as I have loved you." If we do this we will bear fruit that will draw others to Him. We will be one in Christ. Heart to heart, remembering what drove Jesus to die for us, and so becoming willing to honor others above ourselves in love. Romans 12:9, 10

Love is the one essential that will make us one in Christ. Let today be the day that we take His challenge and live lives of love for one another.

____________________________________________________________________________

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love each other, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us." I John 4:10-12