John 13:35 “By
this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
(NIV)
For the last two months, I
have had the pastoral privilege of leading five young people in our church
through the process of Confirmation. This coming Sunday all of them will stand
before our congregation and make special vows, by publicly declaring their
faith in Jesus and promising to follow in His footsteps as His disciples. It’s always
a very sacred moment in the life of our church and it gives everyone a sense of
accomplishment. Most of the young people in this group have grown up in our congregation,
so their confirmation affirms the years of support and encouragement that they
have been given from their families, both at home and in the congregation.
It will also be a time
when the adults in the church should personally review their commitment to being
followers of Christ. Discipleship is a life-long process and never ends until
we leave the surly bonds of Earth. Each day should be an opportunity to learn
more about God in order to apply our faith and effectively display our
Christianity. For Jesus, being a disciple meant showing love to one another, so
a faith which is devoid of this is a mere religious fabrication. If other
people cannot see Christ’s love in our lives, then our faith has a credibility
problem and will be seen as inauthentic.
I have a lot of hope for
the young people who are being confirmed, as well as their older peers who have
already been through this wonderful process. They seem to care more about one
another and have a high sense of what is unfair, unjust, and untrue. The world and
its environment deeply matter to them, so they expect those of us who declare ourselves
as Christians to be actively involved in caring for our planet and for one
another. What they do not expect from Christians is a hard-hearted and
contemptible faith which treats others disrespectfully and vengefully discriminates
against people who disagree with them. Young people loathe self-righteousness
and reject all forms of greed. In my opinion, they are truer disciples of
Christ because they understand that love is what generates faith in the first
place, and not pride or fear.
Point to ponder
What does Christian discipleship mean to me? What does
it actually mean to Jesus?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we want to be Your disciples and
show the world how much we love You. You also call us to be Your disciples but
want us to show love to one another. Help us to follow Your simple teaching;
help us to truly love one another. In your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor
of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville,
Tennessee. Come and join us for worship on Sunday mornings at 11:00 AM. You
will be made very welcome 😊
Today’s image is one of
John’s latest Pentecost drawings called ‘Spirit 2019.’ If you would like to
view a larger version, please click this link: Spirit2019.
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