Love and Glory

Following the resurrection of Jesus Christ he appeared to His disciples on several different occasions. During one of these appearances Jesus carried on a very pointed conversation with the ever talkative Peter. As we ease drop on the final texts of their conversation there is a great lesson that the church must learn today if Christianity is to survive.

John 21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
John 21:18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
John 21:19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
John 21:20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
John 21:21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?
John 21:22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

Did you see the lessons? First Christ asks Peter, “Do you love me?” Peter is upset because this is the third time has been asked this very question. Peter replies with the emotional response, “You know I do because you know everything.” Then just as quickly Jesus responds, “Prove it by your actions.”

Jesus declares to Peter that his, like ours, love for Christ will be proven by our response to humanity. We must lose ourselves so greatly in the desire to see people come to mature relationships with Jesus that we ourselves our willing to die to make this possible. We must become so powered by the Holy Spirit that we fear no one or anything in this pursuit. Unfortunately this is not the case of Christianity today. Today I am afraid that we fear men more than God. How else can we hear messages on the radio that carry a message of God’s forgiveness without first expounding upon the severity of sin? God’s word is clear in the book of Romans and Galatians that the purpose of the law was to make sure no one could stand before God without excuse for their action and that this law would act as a guide to bring us to the knowledge of sin and seek a savior. Yet today the vast majority of Christianity is a “lawless” society. Do not get me wrong, I am not promoting legalism. I detest the faintest scent of legalism to the point that I like Martin Luther could formulate papers denouncing the traditions of men in favor of the truth of God’s word. So what am I saying? I am saying that there are black and white issues that must be addressed in this society and we need not fear declaring these.

When we fear loss of membership over truth, when we fear loss of tithe over truth, when we fear loss of income over truth, when we fear loss of possessions over truth, when we fear loss of positions over truth, then we can rest assured that God’s love is not perfected in us. 1John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” This is to say that we do not have a love that would drive us to the cross for someone else. We cannot stand with Paul and wish ourselves accursed nor can we even say that we are dead to self so that Christ might live in us. Oh, that I might die soon for Jackie has lived far too long. You see when I die I will have no problem feeding you. If I am dead, broken, and poor like a slave then there is nothing anyone can do to me to make me less than I already am “the chief among sinners.” The ability to minister to others and demonstrate Christ’s love comes through the victories Christ pours out through the glaring holes of my faulty character. I then, unlike Peter in our passage, will stop looking to see what God is doing with others but will consider myself blessed for what He is doing to glorify Himself through me.

In the end the world does not need anyone of us to redefine the gospel, dress it in slick programs, or write more books. It wants to see Christians who truly love God, who are consecrated to Him and not traditions, who do not concern themselves with another’s servants, but declare bodily how Christ has changed them and now lives in them. This power will come through close conversation with Christ, prayer and Bible study, and will cause us to once again be a moving force of Christianity that makes hell tremble. If you read this and care to join me let us set a time for a solemn fast and prayer that the Holy Ghost and the preaching of God’s word in Fayetteville might have full course and we might be used to bring glory to the name of the Father, the Son, and The Holy Ghost. May God be glorified as we move forward starting yesterday!