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The Letter I began to write a letter to all of you who have supported our ministry with prayers and love during this past year. Yet, as I wrote, nothing that I could do seemed to be adequate. My wife Sherry and I began to look at all the various holiday cards that we could send to you. Some had beautiful pictures of old Saint Nick, others were Christmas trees resplendent with decorations, some were winter scenes, and yet others were the standard “we wish you a Merry Christmas” cards. As we looked at these cards, it became evident that none would do. You have been such a blessing to us this year. Your support, and continued prayers for us and our ministry gives us the strength to carry on for our Lord Jesus. Your faithfulness, in the midst of an often perverse and unfaithful generation, drives us to continue our work for Jesus Christ our Savior. This season reminds me of many things. It reminds me of my childhood, when my brother and I were up before the dawn to beg Momma and Daddy to let us at the presents … it reminds me of times when we received those gifts that we thought we just couldn’t live without, only to find that they were easily broken and destroyed just days after Christmas … it reminds me of the good times my wife and I had with our children, two now fully grown and another with the Lord Jesus, as we watched them open their presents … those days now but a memory. I could give you many things this Christmas, many things of this world that are but fleeting, easily broken like the toys we once cherished but now can no longer find; but rather than give you that which is so temporary I feel led to give you this. I will give you a Love Letter. This Love Letter is not from me, but is from One greater than I am. My love is so small, cherished one, but His love is so infinite. My love is so inadequate, beloved of God., but His love is a river that never runs dry. And when that Love, a Love written in red, runs through our lives, then our love, once so puny, mingling with His Love becomes as great and as infinite as the Fount from which it flows. For God is love, Christ is love, and I am love if I am in Christ. 1. The Christian Way of Life Starts With Loving Jesus How do I know that I am a Christian? Am I a Christian because of something that I do? Am I a Christian because I was baptized in a certain way? Am I a Christian because I follow certain laws, and avoid certain taboos? Am I a Christian because of what I do, because of the Church I attend, or because of my doctrinal stance? (John 8:42-47 KJV) "Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. {43} Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. {44} Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. {45} And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. {46} Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? {47} He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God." I want you to take a moment and consider the Scribes and Pharisees who followed Jesus throughout His earthly ministry. When I say “follow”, I do not mean to say that they were His disciples – quite the contrary, they were children of the devil, heathen and unconverted, destined because of their unbelief to spend an eternity in damnation and hellfire. But consider these religious people. They attended “Church” every time the Preacher (Jesus) was there. They were as many I have seen, sometimes on the back row, sometimes in the front pew, faithful attendees – but absolutely lost. Some of these people had been over to the First Church of John the Baptist and picked on its pastor. Some had stood outside the masses and heard John proclaim that Christ our Lord was the One True Messiah, and some perhaps had snickered as they saw this lowly Son of a Carpenter step forward, ragged in dress, and present Himself to be baptized by the Baptizer. How do we determine a Christian? How do we know that we are Christians? All around us people step forward and list a series of “doings”, a series of “sacraments”, a series of outward indicators and say, “Here, see now – this is what makes a Christian! The fat man will declare, “If you stop using tobacco, you are a Christian”. The thin man will declare, “If you stop overeating, you are a Christian”. The plain woman will declare, “If you stop wearing makeup and jewelry, you are a Christian”. The ritualist will declare, “If you baptize by immersion, you are a Christian”. The ascetic will declare, “If you fast frequently, you are a Christian”. But I tell you this plainly, Beloved of God, there are many who are thin, do not smoke, do not drink, who wear no makeup, who have been ritually baptized following every precept of the Scripture, and these people are going to bust hell wide open! The Pharisees and Scribes who followed Christ were perfect keepers of the Law. They were careful to pray frequently throughout the day. They kept the sacraments of the Law more perfectly (so they thought – see Luke 6:2-5, and how they accused our Lord) than did Jesus. They were great tithers, and were careful to give frequently to the Temple of God. They were great fasters, and fasted frequently and with much ado. Yet, with all their outward adherence to religion, these Pharisees and Scribes were headed toward the flame of God. They thought that being right with God was all about what you did for God, but they were sadly mistaken. Christianity does not begin with what you do. The unbeliever can do outwardly righteous things, and still go to hell. The unbeliever can fast, and tithe, and give. The unbeliever can be in Church meeting every time the doors are open and still be lost. The unbeliever can be theologically correct, and yet be a child of Satan. The Christian way of life does not begin with what you do, but it starts with Who you love. Jesus told the Scribes and Pharisees: “If God were your Father, ye would love me”Here is a perfect test as to whether I am saved or not – Do I love Jesus? Not just at Christmas, when the manger scene is on the front lawn of every Church. Not just during the holiday season, when religious songs are on nearly every radio station. Not just during this time of year, when the maudlin shows, the tear jerkers pop up on the television with regularity. No, no Beloved. If God is our Father, then we must have a love relationship with the Son. If God is our Father we will love Jesus. Or, as Jesus said, we would “keep on loving” Him (this is expressed in the original Greek text, where love in our text is in the Imperfect tense, Active Voice, and Indicative Mood). If God is our Father we will keep on loving Jesus! We will have a relationship with God the Father because we have first had a relationship with God the Son. Now that changes everything! The Pharisees and Scribes were perfect keepers of the rituals of the Law, but they did not love Jesus, they had no intimate relationship with the Messiah. They loved to find fault, they loved to try and entrap Him, they loved to brag about all the rituals that they kept, they loved being proud of who and what they were – but they did not love Jesus. There are many in our Churches today who have crept in that do not love Jesus. They have come into our midst, walked the aisle, publicly professed to believe in Jesus, but their lovelessness is evident in their behavior. When the preacher begins to share the message that Christ has given him to share, the loveless do not want to hear it. Some tune the message out, and concentrate on other things. The children of God listen expectantly, waiting to hear the Word of the Lord, waiting to hear a Love Letter from Jesus. The Lovers of Christ seek His face, seek His direction, and so order their lives so as to please Him. The Lovers of Satan cling to the things of the old man, the things of the flesh. They do not love, but lust. They lust after recognition, after gain, after approbation, after self-satisfaction. The Lovers of Christ seek to build their relationship with Jesus, seek to draw ever closer to His breast. The Lovers of the Flesh appear holy on Sunday, but remove this oh so righteous garb when they leave the flock and go back unto their own. The Lovers of Christ cry out for more of Him, more of Him. The Lovers of the World gather together in the dark of the night, in the secret places, and plot as to how they can crucify the Savior. The Scribes and the Pharisees were never so revealed as when they incited the crowd to release the thief Barabbas in order that a Righteous Christ be murdered. (Matthew 27:17-20 KJV) "Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? {18} For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. {19} When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. {20} But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus." Outward righteousness does not save, but it is the inner heart that keeps on loving Jesus – this is the true Church of God. If they do not love Jesus, they are not of our Family. The Precious of God, the Anointed of God, the Beloved of God are those who love Jesus, and because of that relationship, that surrender, that trust, they are saved. As the Scripture says: (Galatians 3:6 KJV) "Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." Abraham believed God because he loved God. Abraham loved Jesus, because he had a relationship with Jesus. A believer, a true believer, a truly saved believer loves Jesus! 2. The Christian Way of Life Demands Love of One Another (John 15:10-14 KJV) "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. {11} These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. {12} This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. {13} Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. {14} Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." The unbeliever can come into our assemblies and perform very rite that we perform. The unbeliever can tithe, and be baptized, and take the Lord’s Supper, and attend Sunday School, and attend Bible Class. And, believe it or not, there are evidences that unbelievers can perform supernatural acts through the power of their Dark Lord. An unbeliever can outwardly do anything that we as Christians can do – except one thing. Unbelievers cannot love as Jesus loved. In fact, unbelievers cannot love as Jesus commanded us to love. Consider the commandment and it’s Source. Because we love Jesus, because we have a relationship with Jesus, then we will do what our Beloved asks. We will keep His commandments because we love Him. And this is His commandment: That ye love one another, as I have loved you Let’s break that down, and look at it from all sides. Jesus preluded this commandment with the truth that we cannot truly be joyous, we cannot be overflowing with joy, unless we understand and apply this preeminent commandment. Jesus said, That ye love one another Looking in the Greek text we see that “love” is in the Present tense, Active Voice, and Subjunctive Mood. The Present tense of the verb shows habitual action, and should be translated “you keep on loving on another”. The Active Voice shows that we who are believers are the ones who produce the action of the verb, and the Subjunctive Mood shows that Jesus knew that whether we loved one another or not would depend on our adherence to His command. We who are believers are to keep on loving one another, yet many within our Churches have not the slightest idea what this means. The early Church understood this concept, but, sadly, many of us do not have the slightest idea what Jesus meant by this. Consider this command: (James 5:16 KJV) "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." How often do we confess our faults to one another? And, if we confess our faults to one another, how quickly do many run to tell someone else what was said. How hideous that we break the sanctity of that which was entrusted to our care! How blasphemous that we, when a brother or a sister confess a fault, do not immediately drop to our knees in prayer, seeking intercession for that believer! The early Church understood that it was a Body composed of many parts, and that when: (1 Corinthians 12:26 KJV) "… one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it." There is hurting in our Churches, hurting in our Body, and that hurt cannot be healed while we, in self righteousness, walk about with nose high in the air proud that we are no so afflicted. Every member should be willing to confess its faults, its pain, its shortcoming to one another so that we can pray for and love one another, just as Christ our Savior loves us. As our Beloved hung in agony on that bloody symbol we call a tree, as He struggled to breath and felt the tearing of His precious flesh; as He hung, exhausted, and all that you or I would ever sin was dumped on His very soul; as He hung, in anguish, and the mockers stood below Him spitting and crying out, “If You’re truly the Christ, come down You Charlatan, You Faker, You Pretender!” As He underwent this torment, and watched every disciple He had ever saved scurry away like rats abandoning a sinking ship, He drew a fevered breath and said: (Luke 23:34 KJV) "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do ….." This was the Love that our Jesus had for us. When we insulted Him, He loved us. When we hated Him, He loved us. When we reviled Him, He died for us. This He did for us. And, if we will live the Christian way of life, we must seek to love as Jesus loved. When a fellow believer comes to us with hurt, we must be willing to pray for and minister to that cherished one. When a believer confesses weakness in a certain area, we must listen, love, and direct with the Word of God. When a believer expresses need, we who are believers must move forward as representatives of Jesus and pray for that need. To many who claim to be Christian, their faith is an opportunity for them to condemn others who do not measure up to some human standard of religion. But the true believer stands ready to love sacrificially: “… as I have loved you …” As Jesus taught us to love. We must love as Jesus loved. We must allow our love to cross the barriers of color, and love the African believer just as much as we love the Mexican believer just as much as we love the Caucasian believer just as much as we love the Indian believer …. If our love has a color barrier to it, then we do not love as Jesus loved. We must love one another as Christ loved us. We must love our fellow believers even when we differ in color, or nationality, or doctrinal position. Love such as this does not condone evil, but it also does not stoop to self righteousness. All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. When I lift my eyes to Heaven, I do not thank God that I am not like that tavern owner, nor like that alcoholic, or drug addict, or sinner – and then feel superior because of all that I have overcome. No, God forgive us, no! We must all be like that tavern owner who, realizing his poor estate, would not even look Heavenward, but said, “God forgive me, a sinner”(Luke 18:11-14). I know that in me there is no good thing (Romans 7:18), and that all that I have or ever hope to be I have through the great Gift of God, salvation by the Blood of Jesus Christ. When we all begin to realize that we are all sinners, equally lost, and saved only by the Grace of Jesus, then we will cease to judge one another but will love one another as Christ loved us. This type of love, sacrificial love, is what we are commanded to do. And we know we have not reached this state as long as we remain self righteous and segregated, divided into cliques and small but exclusive groups. We who have accepted Christ as Savior are all in the family of God, all in the same Body, and must all love one another. This is the Christian way of life, a way of life that no unbeliever – whether on the rolls of the local Church or not – can ever mimic. Only the believer can reach this goal, and satisfy this command. 3. The Christian Way of Life Demands That We Love The Unlovable (Matthew 5:43-48 KJV) "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. {44} But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; {45} That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. {46} For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? {47} And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? {48} Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Here is the greatest proof that the Christian way of life is a supernatural way of life – we must love the unlovable. Let me quickly point out that loving the unlovable does not mean justifying sinful behavior in self or others, nor does it mean to twist the judgment of the Scripture to suit the tastes of the world. There are certain actions that the Scripture, God’s Holy Word, has defined as sinful, and all people know in their heart of hearts that these actions are counterproductive to joyous living. I can give you a list of these sinful actions, but rather than that just look in Galatians 5:16-26 for a pretty thorough list. Loving the unlovable does not mean justifying error. Jesus Christ, who loved the world so much that He gave His life for the world (John 3:16) often called the Scribes, Pharisees, and other religious heathen that followed Him “children of Satan”, “hypocrites”, (Matthew 15:17; 22:18; 23:14, et al.), liars (John 8:44), and evil (Luke 11:13). It is not love to justify evil nor error. However, love does not retaliate in kind when attacked by the unlovable. When an enemy attacks the believer, we are required by Jesus to retaliate with love. Unsaved people retaliate against one another with evil, with vengeance, with the law of talon and claw. Saved, born again, supernatural children of God return good for evil, love for hatred, peace for confusion, understanding for the animated sicknesses that this world so often indulges itself in. This is not a thing that we can do in our own power, for when I am the victim of injustice my flesh cries out to retaliate. That sin nature that is part of my genetic makeup whispers, “Hurt him back – take an eye for an eye – give him what he deserves”. Yet, did Jesus give me what I deserved? When I spat on Him, did He give me what I deserved? When I drove the nails in His flesh, did He give me what I deserved. When I washed my hands of His blood, did He give me what I deserved? Jesus did not give us what we deserved, and thus we who have accepted Him as Savior must not give the heathen what he deserves. No, but when we are cursed, when we are harmed, when we are smitten, we are to lay down our lives just as Jesus laid down His life. We are to remember: (Romans 12:19-21 KJV) "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. {20} Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. {21} Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." This holiday season I pray that we, each one of us who have accepted Christ as Savior, begin to live our lives as our Lord has commanded us to do. If we are saved then we must love Jesus. If we are saved we must love one another. If we are saved we must love the unlovable. Consider Him who lowered Himself to be born in the flesh, the Son of God, due all worship and majesty, Who forsook the Throne room of God to lay in a feed trough. Jesus Christ our Savior. Jesus Christ our Lord. Pastor David Didaskalos Ministries http://www.bibleteacher.org |