1 Peter 2:21 (NIV)
To this you were called, because Christ
suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in
his steps.
In Honor of my wife turning ?? I have taken her on a cruise to the Bahamas.
As I was preparing this devotional ahead of time I thought this would fit
nicely.
are made up of well over 700 islands and 2400
cays. Doesn't this sound a bit like the Christian church? There is just one
major difference: Many churches proclaim to be the "One True Church",
while none of the islands or cays claim to be the One True Bahamas! Instead,
all of the inhabitants of these islands are united, proud to be Bahamians!
Can you imagine a single small island tearing itself away
and claiming to be the only true Bahamas? How would the world see this? They
would discern that another country has just been formed, but that new country
would not be considered the One True Bahamas when there are more than 700 other
islands and 2400 cays who could claim that title!
We better wake up from our stupor and do what Peter urges
us to do: "Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you
should follow in his steps." (1 Peter 2:21 NIV)
What example did Jesus leave us? Is it a model of
independence and pride? Is it an illustration of the concept "My way or
the highway"? Absolutely not! Here are the words He left us with:
"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his
Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:10 NIV)
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and
only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal
life." (John 3:16 NIV)
Jesus has set us an example of love, LOVE, LOVE!!!
What should be our reaction to this kind of love as
followers of Christ?
"Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one
another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us
and his love is made complete in us." (1 John 4:11-12 NIV)
"We love because he first loved us. If anyone says,
'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love
his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he
has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother."
(1 John 4:19-21 NIV)
Moreover, one of Jesus' last prayers while on earth was
this: "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 NIV)
If we want to revolutionize the world, we need to clean
up our house first! We are not proclaimers of a certain denomination. None of
our denominations really matter! Remember, Jesus never proclaimed to be a
Presbyterian or a Wesleyan or a Baptist or a Lutheren or even a
Non-denominational! In fact He never even proclaimed to be a Christian! The
focus should never have been directed on our inner self or on our place of
worship, but on the One who loved us so much that He willingly died for us so
that eternity was made possible to each one of us!
We are not here to build our kingdom! We are here to
proclaim God's kingdom and the only way we can do that is by loving not only
God with all of our heart, but each other above anything else as well!
You want a revolution? Focus on Jesus! You want change in
this world? Reach out towards your brothers and sisters across the myriads of
denominations and love each other the way Jesus' showed us the example! Only
then will this world really realize what Jesus is about!
Dear Lord, we pray that we would not focus on our
denominations but instead focus in You. Help us love others like You love them.
Help us be the one that shows your love today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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