A New Commandment

A New Commandment
“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.” 
                                                                                                                 John 13:34,35
We are in a loved starved world.  A world where more and more people, are disposable. There is violence is in our schools.  Gangs of youth are shooting one another.
Around the world people are being killed by terrorist groups and governments simply because they are of a different belief.
People  are looking for love and a place to belong. They are much of the time looking in the wrong place.
People want to be loved to be a part of something, a family, a group in which they are accepted. But all to often they don’t see hope.
The church needs to be that place of hope. The world needs to see the love and hope in the church.
Jesus said,
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, 
that you also love one another. “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
                        John 13:34,35
Jesus also said,
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” 
                                                                                        Matthew 22:37-40
If we truly show love the world will see this and be drawn to it.  We must love our neighbour.
Our neighbours are not just those who live next to us, they are the kids that are in gangs, the homeless man or woman on the street.  The single mother with little income.
    They are also the business executive in the office tower, with the fancy car and big bank account.
All of these people have the same need: they need the love of the LORD Jesus Christ and it is our job to take that love to them.
We must live lives that are acceptable to God. Lives that reflect Jesus.
We must live our lives in Word and in deed. Live in such a way that people will be drawn near to Christ.
As Francis of Assisi said
Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.

Something to think about:
When was the last time you spoke to someone outside of church about God?
Do people see God’s love in you?
  Are you living a life that reflects Christ’s in your words and in all that you do?
Think about it.