I am speaking on John 13:34-35 at our Maundy Thursday service:Jesus said: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
So its by your love for one another that anyone else could then pick you out from the crowd as a follower of Jesus. And not something else.
My question: What would that something else possibly be? What do you think it is? What does the secular media think it is? What do Christian people think it is? What do 'Church shoppers' think it is?
By 'x' all people will know that you are my disciples, if you 'x'."
What could 'x' be if it is not love? Take a stab at it and be creative.
?
Maybe it was a visual gag. When Jesus said by this he held up a little braclet that said wwjd on it.
ReplyDeleteYou could imagine the disciples thinking - 'how will everyone recognize us Jesus' disciples?' and then only thinking of Jesus authority.
ReplyDeleteSo An alternative this would be
"By your status (ie: your authority, your sense of direction, your deliberate purpose in life, your commanding presence etc...) will all men know that you are my disciples"
Very easy trap to fall into I reckon!
Maybe it was a visual gag. When Jesus said by this he held up a little braclet that said wwjd on it.
ReplyDeleteWhat would Judas do?
Luke -- thats it. You got it.
ReplyDeleteAny more like that?
I would like a litany of them.
:)
Here some other "this"s
ReplyDeleteBy your parabolic teaching...
By your hippie demeanor...
By your conversations with fig trees...
By your views on abortion...
ReplyDeleteBy your pursuit of social justice...
By your political clout...
By your innovative thoughts about Scripture...
By your orthodoxy...
By your pacifism...
Not sure how I feel about all these, but I hope they get you thinking. Enjoy the service. I've decided the Lord rained out yesterday's Yankees game as a sign that I was supposed to go tonight. So I'll see you CCNYC folk sometime soon.
Martin T.
Yesterday's rainout is a sign that I must go to the Yankees game tonight and skip Maundy Thursday service. Just to clarify.
ReplyDeleteBy your blogs.
ReplyDeleteBy your conservative politics.
By your suspicion.
By your wealth.
By your smug self-righteousness.
by your:
ReplyDelete* beige pants and chambray shirts
* little band of followers who hang off every word you say
* intellectual brilliance
By your not swearing
ReplyDeleteBy your softness
By your picketing of quasi religious movies
By your signing email petitions
By your sending crappy sentimental emails
Scott
By your Christian music collection
ReplyDeleteBy your perfect church attendence
By the outward claim of a sinless life
By your incessant wintness
By the power of your sermon
By the size of your congregation
By your ability to not sin
By the length of your quiet time
By the eloquence of your prayer
By the humility of your heart
By your brokenness before God and man
By your faith that moves mountains
By your great works for my church
By your willingness to die
By the scale and scope of your philanthropy
By your condemnation of sinners
By your knowledge of the word
By your perfect exegesis
By your well maintained friendships
By your picture perfect family
By your unblemished life
By the outpouring of God’s blessings on you
By the lack of trial, suffering and pain in your life
By your seemingly perfect joyful glow
But which of these, be they good or bad, beyond Christ’s perfect command can produce anything but hypocrisy and prideful sin?
God Bless you brother as you lead worship this Holy Thursday!!
the things that I use to do the recognizing...
ReplyDeleteBy your:
1. outright strangeness
2. Use of strange filters when interpreting reality.
3. Belief that "the bible" is magical"
4. Refusal to acknoledge or engage darkness/horror.
5. pathetic/weak/ridiculous ideas about 'forgiveness'
6. what you do, or don't do, on Sundays.
7. Wierd ass offers to pray with people you hardly know
8. Emotionally manipulative tactics used at your regular gatherings.
Have a brilliant "commandmenty" Thursday service =p
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ReplyDeleteyou know it somehow always takes me three tries to pass the word verification on here. wierd. (including this time)
ReplyDelete