The Gospel of Love

Friday, March 18th, 2011

Today's Passage: Luke 3:1-20
Memory Verse(s): Luke 3: 11-12

At least every other day in the news, we hear of some bombing, hijacking, or other terrorist attack carried out by people from other religions claiming to be devout believers in their god.   They take delight in being called "religious extremists".  But there is something about a person who comes out with totally radical statements and actions stemming simply from love.

John-- remember him?  He's the one who couldn't wait to get out of his mother's womb when Jesus and His mama came near.  Even before birth, he was purposed to serve the Lord of Hosts.  But you've got to understand the context in which his message was preached.  Imagine always worshipping God one way, then being told that you needed to do it differently.Since Abraham's initial sacrifice, God's people were required to bring their best animals as a sacrifice to Him as atonement for their sin.  

Then John came along and introduced a whole new gospel: one that presented Christ as The Way to God.  No more animal sacrifices-- just us!  Not only did God want relationship with us, but demanded that we DEMONSTRATE His love through our actions!  What a novel -- and scary -- idea!  No wonder there are still some who don't accept it today.  But knowing what we know about the kingdom of God, and how much God is willing to give up just so we can have His love, I can see why John didn't care if he lived or died, just as long as he was sharing that gospel of love.  So if you'd consider him a religious extremist, count me as one, too.

  If it means I get to hear the Father's voice and communicate His love, then I, too, choose to live in the wilderness and touch no perverted thing.  And what wouldn't I give to see people step out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of His dear Son?  All of it!  The time has come for the prophets of the Most High to once again declare, "Prepare the way of the Lord!" for the kingdom of God is near.  If we're extreme, it's because we're preaching a gospel of Love.  And no-one who receives it will be turned away.

Prayer: Father, we Your servants and handmaidens are poised and ready to preach Your love.  We must eat it, sleep it, walk it, and live it.  And in order to reproduce Your heart, nothing can be more important to us than being rooted and grounded in Your love.  Help us represent You well, and bring glory to Your Name.  In Jesus' Name and for His glory, Amen.