But the greatest of these is LOVE

What is it we're doing? We're planting a church! But what is it that we're really doing? We're making disciple-making disciples! But what is it that we're really doing? We're being obedient to God! But what is that we're really doing? We're loving God! But what is it that we're really doing? We're responding to God's love! 

As we lean into the task of planting a church in Angier let us remember that the reason we are doing so is because we are responding to the love God has shared with us.

First Corinthians 13:13 says, "But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love." The three markers of a healthy Christian and a healthy church are faith, hope, and love; but of these love is the most important. 

Why? It is because one day we will come face-to-face with Jesus, and in that moment there will be no need for faith or hope. In that moment our faith will be realized, and our hope will be fulfilled. However, love will never cease. We will spend eternity loving God, being loved by God, and loving our fellow brothers & sisters in Christ.

In Matthew 22:34-40 Jesus teaches us that love summarizes and encapsulates all of God's instructions. In other words, all of God's commands are wrapped up by relationships - our relationship with God and our relationship with others.

Love is a choice. It's a verb. It's unconditional and freely given. It's not based on the merit of another, but is given for the benefit of another.

Love is the spiritual discipline of submitting your self-interests for the sake of another. It is the act(s) of putting the interests of God ahead of your own and putting the interests of others ahead of your own. What that means is that love requires sacrifice. Being love-filled means living a sacrificial life serving others, giving generously, helping, and being a blessing.

Second Timothy 1:7 tells us that believers have received a "spirit of love." We have been given a spirit of love so that we may imitate Jesus. As Ephesians 5:1-2 says, "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma."

Jesus clearly displayed great love for His Father. He was obedient to the Father in every way. Jesus, also clearly displayed great love toward us in that while we were spiritual enemies of God He gave His life to reconcile us to the Lord. This is what love looks like for us as believers: Total, humble obedience to God, loyalty to Him in all things, and sacrificing for the sake of others.

What does that kind of life actually look like? I believe it is characterized by two words: gratitude and generosity. We should be so grateful for God's love that we should generously give our lives into His service and for the good of others. A life characterized by gratitude and generosity results in a life of sacrifice. We are called to be a living sacrifice, but without love that kind of life is not possible. And even if it were possible, that kind of life would simply be a clanging cymbal (1 Cor. 13:1).

Let us take all the necessary time each and every day to meditate on God's great love for us. Let's contemplate the gospel: what Jesus did for us that we may enjoy the riches of God's glory. And as we reflect on God's love may our hearts be filled with gratitude and generosity. May God's love be seen in us through our giving and serving.

May Anthem Church be filled with love-filled followers of Jesus. May God help us to respond to His love that we may help others to do likewise.

In awe of Jesus,

Pastor Rick