Reformation Through Love

Jesus was all about reformation of a religion that had gotten bogged down in rules and regulations that left no room for Grace.  God came to earth to reform our way of thinking 2000+ years ago and God is still seeking to reform us today.

Is our Faith about following rules and laws or is it about loving the people that are around us?  

Do we seek to stay on the straight and narrow, never venturing to the left or right so as to keep ourselves in a bubble?  Or do we step off of the path to take the hand of someone who is in need, of food, of shelter, of recognition, of acceptance, of love?

(See Luke 10:25-37, parable of the Good Samaritan)

In his parable about the sheep and the goats, in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus described a King who separated his people into two groups, those who loved and those who loved not. To those who showed love he said,

‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,  I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?  And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

To those who did not show love and were more interested in their own holiness, Jesus said,

 ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’  Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

We live in a world where there is much judgement and condemnation of people who are ‘different.’  We, as Christians should be the ones to love unconditionally, but unfortunately we are often seen today as the ones who condemn and judge.  

Our church needs another reformation; a re-forming of our principles and values.  Jesus loves all people without respect to anything that divides by human standards.  Isn’t it time we do the same?  

Please join us on April 20th at 7:30pm on zoom as we listen to three special guests who have personal stories to share; stories that will touch us, that will challenge us, and hopefully will reform the way we think about how to love the people around us.

Have a blessed week,

In Christ,

Merryl Dietz