In
2 Peter 1:3, Peter writes, “By this divine power, God has given us everything
we need for living a godly life. We have received all this by coming to know
Him, the one who called us to Himself by means of this marvelous glory and
excellence.”
God
has given us everything - understanding and power - to live a life that pleases
God.
One
of the main things that God has given us is love.
That
is truly awesome!
Love
for:
My
wife
My
children
My
grandchildren
My
faith family
My
friends
But
it is also love for my enemies and for those who persecute me.
Matthew
5:43-44
You
have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I tell
you: “Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be
sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the
good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who
love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do
not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is
perfect.”
God’s
Word teaches us to love our neighbor and our enemy.
The
world’s values say to love our neighbor hate our enemy.
We
are doing a really good job of hating our enemies. It seems that when one
person disagrees another person, or when one group disagrees with another group,
we demonize the other person or other group. We can’t just disagree with them;
we have to make them bad, horrible monsters.
Jesus
says that we are to love our enemies.
Jesus
says that we are to pray for those who persecute us.
Jesus
says that when we do this, we show that we are sons of God.
Jesus
points out that God the Father gives the blessing of sun and rain on the good
and righteous as well as the evil and unrighteous.
This
truth came to me this past week.
The
American atheist’s organization has been paying for billboards around the
country. They have one in Albuquerque. The billboard says, “Just skip church;
it’s all fake news.”
When
the news media asked some people about the billboard, most of them said that
they did not support it. Some were very critical of the billboard and the group
that supported putting it up. I have to admit that also was my first thought.
Then God got my attention by bringing the Matthew passage to my mind.
God
showed me those questions that Jesus asked in this passage.
If
you love those who love you, what reward will you get? – None!
Are
not even the tax collectors doing that? – Yes!
And
if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? –
Nothing!
Do
not even pagans do that? – Yes!
So,
if I am critical of those who are encouraging people to reject not just the
church but the Head of the church, Jesus, because what the church teaches about
Jesus is fake, then am I not being just like them? The answer is yes.
I
believe that Jesus has called me to love those who think I am stupid and even
evil for being a follower of Jesus.
I
believe that Jesus has called me to pray for those who want to restrict or even
do away with my freedom to proclaim Jesus as Lord.
Is
that easy? No, it is not. The truth is that my natural inclination is to
condemn and mock those who condemn and mock me.
The
problem with that is twofold.
First,
it is not demonstrating that I am a child of God. That action would not honor
God, and the thing I am called to do above everything is honor God with how I
live.
Second,
it does not reflect the character of Jesus.
When
Jesus is hanging on the cross, after He has been beaten, mocked, and flogged,
He says, “Father, forgive them. They do not know what they are doing.”
So,
as I listened to the news broadcast about the billboards, God spoke to me about
being thankful for the billboard.
Thankful
that the followers of Jesus in America are doing enough to make what we believe
be seen in how we live.
Raise the Roof and
Remove the Walls
is living out a radical relationship with Jesus.
Thankful
that the billboard will make people more aware that Christmas is about Jesus.
Raise the Roof and
Remove the Walls
is making Christmas about Jesus.
Thankful
that through the billboard the gospel has the opportunity to be shared more.
Raise the Roof and
Remove the Walls
is using everything in our lives as followers of Jesus to share the good news.
I
believe that what Jesus was telling me to do was defend the rights of this
group to express their beliefs.
I
know that most if not all atheists would not support my right to worship Jesus
and proclaim Him. I will support an atheist’s right to not worship or believe
in any supreme being and proclaim that.
I
will pray that God would by His Spirit change their hearts, not for my sake but
for theirs.
Lovingly
and By God’s Power Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,
Joe
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