After the Empty Tomb
John 1:10-12; 14, 16-17
10He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
14So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
16 From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.
John 14:34,35
34So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have love you, you should love each other. 35Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
Jesus came to his own people…and they rejected him. But even in the midst of that rejection “he was full of God’s unfailing love and faithfulness.” Jesus was the representation of God, all loving and faithful.
Rejected by most, betrayed by one, abandoned by all, Jesus remained faithful to God to fulfill his purpose on earth, for us, the ones who rejected him. He was full of unfailing love as he walked this earth – teaching those who didn’t understand, calming the fears of those who were afraid, healing the outcast and unclean, the grateful and the ungrateful, valuing the unseen, and those who misunderstood why he had come.
God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came to earth, came to us in the person of Jesus Christ, who loved faithfully, unconditionally, and sacrificially. And now he calls us to the same. “Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” Filled with God’s unfailing love we are to faithfully love one another. Those we like and get along with AND those who hurt us, reject us, betray us, abandon us, those who don’t understand, those who just want something, those who don’t love us back…. I’m sure there are others you could add to the list. Yes, even those.
“Your love [our love] for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” Jesus showed us how, he provided the Spirit to empower us, now it’s our turn, with God’s unfailing love available to us to, we are to faithfully love one another.
Who has God placed in your life to love? To demonstrate who God is and how he loves? Who or what type of person is most difficult for you to love? (It’s ok to be honest. In our honesty is where God continues to transform our hearts). God’s unfailing love is bigger than our obstacles and biases. With the tomb empty and Jesus returned to the Father, we now are the ones who will carry God’s unfailing love and faithfulness to our hurting world.
“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.” Eph 3:16
Linda Waldo
Spiritual Formation Pastor| New Covenant Church
10He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
14So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
16 From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.
John 14:34,35
34So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have love you, you should love each other. 35Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
Jesus came to his own people…and they rejected him. But even in the midst of that rejection “he was full of God’s unfailing love and faithfulness.” Jesus was the representation of God, all loving and faithful.
Rejected by most, betrayed by one, abandoned by all, Jesus remained faithful to God to fulfill his purpose on earth, for us, the ones who rejected him. He was full of unfailing love as he walked this earth – teaching those who didn’t understand, calming the fears of those who were afraid, healing the outcast and unclean, the grateful and the ungrateful, valuing the unseen, and those who misunderstood why he had come.
God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came to earth, came to us in the person of Jesus Christ, who loved faithfully, unconditionally, and sacrificially. And now he calls us to the same. “Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” Filled with God’s unfailing love we are to faithfully love one another. Those we like and get along with AND those who hurt us, reject us, betray us, abandon us, those who don’t understand, those who just want something, those who don’t love us back…. I’m sure there are others you could add to the list. Yes, even those.
“Your love [our love] for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” Jesus showed us how, he provided the Spirit to empower us, now it’s our turn, with God’s unfailing love available to us to, we are to faithfully love one another.
Who has God placed in your life to love? To demonstrate who God is and how he loves? Who or what type of person is most difficult for you to love? (It’s ok to be honest. In our honesty is where God continues to transform our hearts). God’s unfailing love is bigger than our obstacles and biases. With the tomb empty and Jesus returned to the Father, we now are the ones who will carry God’s unfailing love and faithfulness to our hurting world.
“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.” Eph 3:16
Linda Waldo
Spiritual Formation Pastor| New Covenant Church
Recent
Archive
2020
March
April
May
July
Categories
no categories