LETTING GOD’S LOVE FLOW FROM US (Lenten 44)
Today, in the Liturgical church calendar is MAUNDY THURSDAY, I have known for many years it is called that, but until today never knew what it was all about, apart from the Queen giving out special minted coins on this day, I guess because of social distancing this will not happen this year.
There is also an emphasis (at this time) on Christ washing the Disciples feet as he did at what is called “The Last Supper”, and numerous churches around the world include “foot washing” in their Communion Service at this time. This sure challenges the level of our humility.
What I specifically discovered today is that the word Maundy is an Anglo/French word meaning COMMANDMENT, and at the end of the Last Supper Jesus says to His Disciples in John 13:34-35 NLT So now I am giving you a new commandment Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
MESSAGE “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”
WE ARE UNDER ORDERS AND WE MUST OBEY OUR COMMANDER
I am so glad Jesus NEVER asks us to do something unless He gives us the ability to fulfil it. Paul tells us in Rom.5:5 NLT For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us THE HOLY SPIRIT TO FILL OUR HEARTS WITH HIS (AGAPE) LOVE.
The moment we were born again the Holy Spirit flooded our heart with God’s love, so we have no excuse or could ever suggest we do not have the ability to fulfil this command.
Interestingly, way back in Matt. 5:44 NLT (The Sermon on the mount) Jesus declared “But I say, love (agapeo) your enemies!”
MESSAGE I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer.
IT IS ONE THING TO LOVE OUR FRIENDS BUT OUR ENEMIES????
I wonder whether the Disciples completely comprehended what Jesus was saying, both when He spoke the “Sermon on the Mount” and his words at “The last Supper, even though Jesus used the word Agapeo (God’s love) but the revelation would grow in their hearts from the time Jesus “breathed” on them in John 20:22 NKJV He (Jesus) breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit, and then on the Day of Pentecost when they were FILLED with the Holy Spirit Acts 2:4.
As we are coming to the end of our Lenten Journey, let us remember and realise it is our responsibility to keep the love of God flowing out of our hearts to God and to our neighbor. We must learn to keep very short accounts with God and on the horizontal, we must maintain a spirit of repentance and surrender to the Lord so we can fulfil Eph. 5:18 AMP. N.T. but ever (continually be filled and stimulated with the [Holy] Spirit.
The proof we are Jesus’ disciples is not that we can:
- Preach like the Apostle Paul
- That we speak in tongues
- That we can cast out devils
- That we can prophecy
- The list could go on and on
THE PROOF IS THAT WE LOVE ONE ANOTHER amen
