Tag Archives: Love

The Love of G*d, the Love of Christ who commands us to love one another

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 9:36 am on June 22, 2015
Tags: Love,   

Love — Not Fear! — Rev. David J. Schreffler

June 22, 2015

“Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of G*d was coming, Jesus answered them, “The kingdom of G*d is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say “Lo, here it is!” or “There!” for behold, the kingdom of G*d is in the midst of you.” Luke 17:20-21

“Why is G*d landing in this enemy-occupied world in disguise and starting a sort of secret society to undermine the devil? Why is He not landing in force, invading it? Is it that He is not strong enough? Well, Christians think He is going to land in force: we do not know when. But we can guess why He is delaying. He wants to give us the chance of joining His side freely. I do not suppose you and I would have thought much of a Frenchman who waited till the Allies were marching into Germany and then announced he was on our side. G*d will invade. But I wonder whether people who ask G*d to interfere openly and directly in our world quite realize what it will be like when He does. When that happens, it is the end of the world. Now, today, this moment is our chance to choose the right side. G*d is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last forever.” Mere Christianity C. S. Lewis (1898 – 1963) “For All The Saints” volume II (p. 121)

The Gospels are fascinating. Do you know why? Because, while three Gospels, the ones we call the Synoptics (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) say that Jesus will give no sign of the kingdom or of his divinity, the fourth, the Gospel of John, gives us many signs of G*d’s reign through Jesus Christ. And the gospel writer calls them signs (semion is the Greek word). The wedding at Cana is the “First Sign” — “Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee” John 2:11. So while there is no huge sign in the sky saying “Here he is”, G*d has landed into this world in the person of Jesus Christ, and Jesus, along with the Holy Spirit are the first of the landing forces — with an expectant invasion to come. But we have no idea when that invasion will come. And that is good, and that is bad. It is good because we do not want to live in fear of the last days. Even the prophets were divided as to whether this is something we should want to come, or something we should fear. But, the fear of the end days should lead us to faithful living each and every day. And the only way that this can be bad is this: “fear” is no way to live your life, nor is it the foundation of a relationship with G*d — G*d does not want a relationship based on fear: but on love.

What are some fears you can put aside today that will allow you to build and strengthen your relationship with G*d?

Pastor Dave

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on June 20, 2015
Tags: , , Love, ,   

Repentance (As if ripped right out of the headlines) — Rev. David J. Schreffler

June 20, 2015

“If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him; and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times and says, “I repent”, you must forgive him.” Luke 17:3-4

“Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away…the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

“But when you have returned with your heart to G*d, when you have put away the old person and have put on the new one, then testify to the new person by virtues as you have earlier testified to the old by vices. Nobody becomes a master at once.” Johannes Bugenhagen (1485 – 1558) On the New Person “For All The Saints” volume II, (p. 112)

It is one thing to sin, and to repent to the one to whom you have sinned — forgiveness comes easier the first time then it does the tenth. But to continue to sin over and over again to one person, and to continue to seek forgiveness, well this seems so Sisyphean in logic. Why would we continue to do something sinful over and over and over again to someone, and then expect that our offers of repentance would be met with anything but skepticism? And yet we are commanded to forgive not seven times, not seventy-seven times, but an eternal number of times. So we have trouble — trouble for the forgiver, and the one who seeks forgiveness.

The trouble for the forgiver comes in the act of forgiving someone hoping that this time they will change. But that is not why we forgive — we forgive because Jesus commands us to forgive — an unlimited number of times.  As we watch the community of Charleston, South Carolina deal with the tragic events of the shooting in the AME church, we watch families who are struggling with an enormous loss offering forgiveness for the shooter, and requests for repentance.  A terrible act of hate that transpires in a church, is met with love that is taught in the church.  The seemingly immovable object of hate is obliterated by the irresistible force of G*d’s love in Jesus.

The trouble for the one seeking forgiveness is that, as Paul says, “Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away…the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) So, if we are a new person, we should be a “changed person” — and by changed I mean someone who learns a new way to live.

What needs changing in your life so that you will be a “new creation in Christ?”

Pastor Dave