You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16
Be the light
God’s people are important to His process of calling others to Himself. Consider the words of Paul to the Romans, in chapter 10:13-14 – where he writes, “How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them?” And don’t forget the “great commission” of the [church] to be His hands and feet and the mouth pieces though whom He speaks.
Like a light in a dark room we are meant to help others see their way out of the darkness to God. So what we say and do is meant to draw attention, not to us, but to our deeds and words – which should reflect God in us and in return reflect honor and glory back to Him.
Response to God’s Word
Father let the words of our mouths and the actions we take or the countenances and responses we have reflect Your love in us and our love for You – so that in all things You receive the glory – Forever Amen+
Jesus said to him, “‘Lovethe Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Matthew 22:37-39
Who and What’s Important?
Life isn’t about us. It is about God and loving others more than anything or anyone else. It is about obedience that flows from “TRUE” and unadulterated love for God and others. Jesus makes it crystal clear what priorities we are to place on self in His response to a question about which commandment was the greatest. Jesus exemplified this love for the Father in His ‘garden prayer to the Father’ when He prayed, “Nevertheless, not my will but Yours be done.” And of course there is no greater example of His love for others than His selfless LOVE made evident by Him laying down His life for us on a sinner’s cross of shame.
Loving God and loving others is of the greatest importance to God
The Standard
Note the emphasis on the importance of these two commandments as written in our passage today–
One is the greatest
the second is like it
both involve love
both involve/require dying to self – laying self down
ie – loving like Jesus
– but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father – John 14:31
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. John 13:34
Father, You are Good! You forgive all my iniquities. You bring healing to my mind, my body, and my soul. You have redeemed my life from the pit. Father – You crown me with Your faithful love and compassion. You satisfy me with good things and I am renewed like the eagle who soars on the wind. My soul blesses You LORD – All that is within me blesses Your Holy Name!
I bless You LORD – my Father and my God – my Creator, Healer, and Sustainer of life and I do not – no, I will not forget ALL these benefits. They are unmerited favors – gifts from Your grace, poured out from Jesus, Your Son and my Savior+. Yes, oh yes! You are good and all that is within me blesses Your Holy Name!
And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works, 25 not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24-25
The Hope We Confess
Because Christ is who He is and since He did what He did, we – as believers, who by faith have had their hearts cleansed – should not only make a habit of drawing near to God – we should also “hold unwaveringly to the hope we confess – knowing the one who promised is trustworthy.
We must be intentional
taking the time to consider how we can encourage others. Note the clarification the author makes, we are to encourage each other specifically toward acts of love and good deeds.
be committed to the body of believers. Don’t stop or abandon regularly meeting together as a church community..
Be alert to “the day” that is coming and step up the encouragement as His return gets closer and closer
Response to God’s Word
Father, thank You for Jesus, our great High Priest, who made a way for us to draw near You with confidence. Help us to truly hold tightly to the HOPE we have in Christ and to think about how to not just speak nice words but speak true words of encouragement, specifically toward love and good deeds. Amen and Amen in Jesus Name!
Above all keep your love for one another fervent, because love covers a multitude of sins.9 Show hospitality to one another without complaining. 10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of the varied grace of God.
1 Peter 4:8-10
Today’s SOAP From My Journal
How Deep Is Your Love?
How fervent [intense] is your love for others? Is it like a fountain flowing deep and wide? Is it boundless and free? Is it sincere, selfless, considerate, and forgiving? Does it readily make allowance for other’s faults – covering a multitude of sins? To be clear, as Bibleref.com explains, “This doesn’t mean that our acts of love for each other can earn God’s forgiveness. Nor does Peter mean to imply that we are paying our sins off through good works. – Rather, the idea that our love for each other covers a multitude of sins relates to our imperfection. Christians are not yet sinless. We are not perfect. We have set the course of our lives away from sin, but we still fail to obey sometimes. We make mistakes, even when we mean well. Love for each other includes forgiving each other, overlooking past hurts, and building each other up when we fall. It is difficult for sin and resentment to flourish in a communityrich in Christ-like love.
This is the kind of love Peter is talking about here in 1 Peter chapter 4. Actually he isn’t just talking about love, he is commanding them to love one another and to work hard at it. Keep in mind that Peter is writing to believers who have been suffering for Jesus’ sake. They have taken on the attitude of Christ and accepted the hardships as part of their purpose as His people.” (BibleRef.com) Here in the fourth chapter he is offering a more encouraging perspective by telling them their suffering is almost over. Loving like this won’t be easy – it includes being self-controlled and sober-minded. It means showing hospitality even when you’re tired and don’t want to, or using your gifts to serve others. I don’t know about you but this one is stepping all over my toes. But don’t run away yet – because Peter knows it’s going to be hard and he gives them the ‘secret’ weapon. Look at verse 11, after telling them to use their gifts to serve one another, he goes on to tell them to rely on God’s Word and the strength that He supplies. He knows when they do this that God will be glorified. But don’t miss verse 7 – and his encouragement to stay self-controlled and sober-minded because they are going to need to pray. Prayer is a big part of the church community.
7So be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of prayer. … 11Whoever speaks, let it be with God’s words. Whoever servers, do so with the strength that God supplies, so that in everything God will be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:11
So, how deep is your love? Is it a love that honors God? Is it selfless or self-focused? Is it unshakable even in times of suffering? Peter knew the believers would need God and each other in order to stand strong and not fall. His words are still true for us today because, like them, we are made for community and we are meant to love one another fervently. Because, as the earlier quote said, “Love for each other includes forgiving each other, overlooking past hurts, and building each other up when we fall.” In other words, our love for one another, is meant to cover a multitude of sins.
“It is difficult for sin and resentment to flourish in a communityrich in Christ-like love.”
18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
2 Corinthians 3:18
Father, You are good! You are Holy and glorious to behold – whether in Your creation, Your works, or Your Word – 💜 – O Lord, You are beautiful to me! May the light of Your Presence and the counsel of Your Word daily transform me – more and more – into the image of Your Son – by the power of Your Spirit in me 💙 So that I reflect Jesus to the world around me – Amen+
But do you know there are some scriptural beauty treatments? Peter said that true beauty comes from “the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit” (1 Peter 3:4). Solomon said, “A happy heart makes the face cheerful” (Proverbs 15:13, NIV). Ecclesiastes 8:1 says, “A man’s wisdom makes his face shine.”
As we absorb God’s light, we’ll reflect Jesus to the world around us. We must constantly behold the glory of the Lord and be transformed into His image by the Holy Spirit. People will notice how different we are. Take a look in the mirror. Is your face reflecting Christ?
Character in a saint means the disposition of Jesus Christ persistently manifested. Oswald Chambers
Commentary by David Jeremiah, as posted on Turning Point – May 15, 2023
Hope you enjoy this beautiful song that came to mind as I was writing the above prayer – May it lead you into deeper worship of Him – who is worthy of our adoration 💗
This song does not belong to me, but is shared from a link found on Youtube
For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.”
Matthew 18:20
The Question and the Answer
Such a little verse with such a big message. You see, it’s not really a stand-alone-verse. Note how the verse starts with “For where …” That little word ‘for’ indicates that what follows goes with what came before …. meaning this little sentence is part of a larger conversation. In this case a conversation between Jesus and the “12”. The conversation started with a question from one of the disciples concerning who would be greatest in the Kingdom Jesus had been telling them about.
Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”
Matthew 18:1
We Don’t Do It alone
Jesus’ answer covers this but so much more, including a shepherd leaving his flock to find one lost sheep … the severity of being a stumbling blog … and restoring Christian relationships … then he concludes the extended lessons with our little sentence of assurance that where even two or three people are gathered in His name He [Jesus] is there with them. The Love God Greatly team explained it like this, “Our relationship with God is personal, and it is meant to be lived out in community where we can encourage one another, hold one another accountable, and support each other — and we don’t do it alone! Jesus promises that, when even just a few believers are gathered together in His name He is there.”
The Role and Importance of the Local Church
The LGG writer goes on to explain what the local church is. She includes its benefit to us, as well as how we might bless others by being involved in it. I would suggest reading and re-reading this quote, and then writing it down somewhere so when it gets hard to stay committed or be involved with your biblical community (church, small group, and even this online community of faith) you can read it again and remember the vital role it is meant to play in our lives.
When we gather with our biblical community, motivated by a desire to love God greatly and help others do the same. Jesus is there with us. That’s what the local church is: a gathering of likeminded people who love Jesus and have a desire to grow, teach, learn, encourage, and support each other while also providing accountability and connection. you were made for this type of community with the local church! What a blessing!
Not Made To Be Alone, study journal p117
Response to God’s Word
Father, thank You for the local body of Christ, at LMBC and all of the other churches represented within this group. We are blessed to be a part of the body of Christ and to gather freely and with the confidence that Jesus is there with us. I confess, yet again, that it is sometimes easier to be ‘an island’ than to gather with others, easier to hear the sermon through earbuds than in person – but I also understand this is not how you intended it – for we are not made to be alone. We are made for “community” with You with family and friends, and with the church, and I believe that includes small groups like Journey Through the Word. We are meant to gather – to pray, to worship, to serve, and to encourage one another – and this is a blessing. May we faithfully engage with the body of Christ – to Your glory and honor – Amen+
In the last two weeks we have journeyed through Scriptures that have shown us how we were created for community with God and with family and friends. This week, as we continue exploring how God did not create us to be alone, we will find that we were created for community with the local church. We will see how Jesus plays a part in that community, as well as the importance of fellowship, serving others, unity, and meeting together. I hope you’ll join me for the journey –
Me from the Inside-out 🦋
This one is a real challenge (pun intended – lol) but don’t let it deter you from rising to the challenge of connecting with or helping someone in your church.
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy,kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others. 14 And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond.
Colossians 3:12-14
Putting Off and Putting On
Paul has just been telling the believers of Colossae how they have been made new – through their faith in Jesus Christ – explaining how their life is now hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:1-11). Now he points them to the way of peace and unity with others by instructing them how to live as chosen children of God. Having just informed that they are to put off anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander and filthy language – He now tells them what to put on in order that the peace of Christ might control their hearts. He says to put on … actually to clothe ourselves with these virtues:
a heart of mercy
kindness
humitlity
gentleness
and patience
making allowances for other’s faults
forgiving anyone who offends you
remembering that God forgave you
on top of all of these – LOVE
The Call of Christ
Living this way is the call of Christ on our life, it pleases God, and it will lead to peace and unity as we are united together as one. When this happens, not only will we know the joy of life in Christ (John 15:1-13) but we will be the salt and light that makes God known to the world (Matthew 5:1-16).
Response to God’s Word
Father, we aren’t meant to live alone – certainly we have been created for “community” – living, working, interacting with others. But admittedly, Father, this isn’t always easy in our own strength. So, please help us to put off the old and put on the new – showing mercy, loving and forgiving others even as You have forgiven us – being kind to each other – humble in attitude and actions – patiently bearing with one another and gentle in our responses, so that You might be glorified and we might live in peace. In Jesus’ Name and for the fullness of His Joy – to Your glory – Amen+
