MEMORISE:
For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Galatians 5:14
READ: Luke 6:27-35
27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.
30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
MESSAGE
There are some basic truths that all heaven-bound Christian pilgrims must embrace for total freedom from the devil and his lies. One of these truths is that God's commandments are eternally relevant and cannot be broken without consequences. Our first parents disobeyed God and the consequence was that their perfect life was destroyed, and the cordial relationship they had with the Lover of their souls was broken. Little did they know that the commandment God gave them was for their own good. Heaven is not devoid of divine law! The will of God is the law of heaven. No wonder our Lord taught us to pray this in Matthew 6:10:
“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”.
The reason why the beings in heaven do not just do what pleases them is because divine law and order reigns in heaven. Psalm 103:20-21 says:
“Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure”.
It is therefore a misplaced understanding of grace for any Christian to think that once a fellow is saved, there is no obligation to obey any form of commandments because there is no law to keep. In fact, as Christians, we are under the law of Christ and this law is administered through the Spirit of Lordship (one of the seven dimensions of the Holy Spirit), who lives in us (1 Corinthians 9:21, Romans 8:2, Isaiah 11:2).
What then is the law of Christ? The Master Himself sums it up, saying in Matthew 22:37-40:
“…Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets”.
To fulfill the law of Christ is to walk in love. The Holy Spirit spells this out clearly in Galatians 6:2, saying:
“Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ”.
Our Lord also spells out what it means to walk in love in today's Bible reading, teaching us what love in action really looks like. You cannot claim to be walking in love when you steal, sleep with your neighbour's spouse, defile your neighbour's daughter or go to the extent of killing other people. Love will not allow you to do so. This love was first demonstrated by Jesus Christ Himself and He is willing to impart it into those who would accept Him as their personal Lord and Saviour. Are you fulfilling the law of Christ?
PRAYER POINT:
Father, let Your love be shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Mark 5-6, Isaiah 14:12-32
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 5: LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU
1. While passing thro' this world of sin,
and others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure without, within;
Let others see Jesus in you.
Chorus:
Let others see Jesus in you,
Let others see Jesus in you.
Keep telling the story, be faithful and true;
Let others see Jesus in you.
2. Your life's a book before their eyes,
They're reading it thro' and thro'
Say, does it point them to the skis,
Do others see Jesus in you?
3. Then live for Christ both day and night,
Be faithful, be brave and true,
and lead the lost to life and Christ.
Let others see Jesus in you.
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