Jesus sat at the table with his disciples, their feet cleaned, their egos humbled. He shared with them, yet again, that soon he would be leaving them. And in the midst of this, he shared his desire for them. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
He tells them how the world will know them. Likely, they had their own notions of how the world would know them. They knew he was the Messiah, they believed he would overcome all the reigning powers and that He would reign victorious, and they expected to be known in his courts. And yet he tells them, the world will know you are mine if you love one another.
Their whole identity is wrapped in Him. He defines them. Even as Peter denies him in the courtyard, he is identified as “one of His”. From the day of Pentecost forward, these men are known as Christ followers. They are known as those who proclaim the name of Jesus, who have chosen to live as he lived and to teach what he taught. John, one of Jesus’ closest friends, said this is how we know we are in Him: whoever claims to live in Him must live like Him. (I Jn 2:6)
Loving like Christ was their identity.
So many times in the last months I have heard the cry of ‘what if we lose our identity’. This should frighten us, but only if we are speaking of an identity that is in Christ. I hear this from those who fear that any change in our Christian heritage will bring about a loss of identity. Our identity is misplaced. We seem to identify ourselves (as do those on the outside) through our issues…acapella worship, the name on our doors, how often we take the Lord’s supper. These things define us. And that frightens me.
Perhaps, just maybe, it is time to ‘re-identify’ ourselves. Not with some new contemporary, high tech notion but with an ancient, proven truth. What if our churches, truly began to practice, putting on Christ? What if we raised up disciples to be like Christ? What if, as the body of Christ, we started being known for the love of our savior & our replicating His love?
It worked in Jerusalem. The church there loved each other…and everyone around them. And in no small way. They were a mega church who took care of each other through small groups. The people around Jerusalem were amazed , they saw these people taking care of one another, joyfully and without any reservation. They heard the apostles teach of this Jesus who gave His life for all, and who had conquered death. The church was known for Christ. They were known for living the way he had taught them to live.
And God grew the church. Not so it could be recognized but so HE would be recognized. The growth had nothing to do with how they worshiped. The growth had to do with how they lived and WHO they lived through. It was all about Jesus and living the love He had taught them.
What needs to change in the church today? I believe it is the way we identify ourselves. When society looks at the church and sees unreasonable love and devotion to one another and to God, we are on the right track. When our identity becomes so wrapped up in Christ that nothing matters but bringing glory to Him and to the Father, His church will flourish…just as it did in the beginning.
Lord, I pray, let us shine your light.
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” -John 8:12
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matt 5:14-16
