Lighting up the city with love

“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.”

John 13:34-35

Emmanuel is an incredibly loving church. When Tudor and I first arrived just over a year ago, we were given a warm welcome and felt at home right away. And then I was diagnosed with lymphoma (for a second time). We were new to Plymouth so this could have been a lonely and painful time, but instead we felt loved and cared for by so many people at Emmanuel. We made friends who visited, supported and prayed with us. My prayer triplet was a complete gift. My mother was so thankful that she has told lots of people about this amazing loving church!

One thing I am learning is that just as I celebrate some truth of God becoming rooted in my life, he takes me deeper. He challenges me not to be complacent but to look for more. I believe that in this season of change at Emmanuel, that God is calling us to go deeper in our love for one another. This isn’t easy, it is more than being friendly, more than the odd text or shared social event, more than meeting together to pray.

This love is sacrificial. It is about how we treat one another when the going gets tough, when changes are made that we don’t like, and when we feel pressurised and overwhelmed. Our whole faith is based on sacrificial love. We all know:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

God’s love is so much more than a warm hug or word of encouragement. He was prepared to die for us. Indeed, Jesus said,

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11

And

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:12-13 

And in his first letter, John sums it up like this,

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 1 John 3:16

We may not be called to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters but what about being willing to lay down our opinions, our shibboleths, our way of doing things? I am not talking about our beliefs and our theology but the practical ways we work together.

There are lots of people in new roles and others who are trying to juggle far too many at Emmanuel at the moment. This means that things will be being done differently to how we may be used to, it means that some things may be stopped to allow a new work to begin, and it means that some people may be very stressed. It is in this situation that we are called to love one another with a sacrificial love and not with an entitled attitude. It is when we truly need the fruit of the Spirit. That fruit does not grow through our efforts alone but by giving space to the Holy Spirit to work in us and change us.

For me this love is shown in how we disagree with one another, how we forgive when we have been hurt and how we are willing to try new things. It will be seen in how we complain when things aren’t how WE want them to be. How we speak to one another, and about one another, matters. Are we prepared to put our opinions aside, to die to self, not just in our personal lives but in our corporate life as a church?

It means:

• Surrender: Letting go of what you want to obey God.

• Transformation: Moving away from a self-centred life toward loving God and other people.

• A Daily Choice: Treating your old selfish habits as dead and choosing to honour God every single day.

It isn’t easy. We will mess up but it is when we get it wrong, when we chose God’s way over our own appearance or reputation, when we admit our wrong attitudes, when we say sorry to others and when we speak to one another about things instead of talking about it behind people’s backs or in the privacy of our homes. Then our love will become REAL and DEEP.

I have some pearl jewellery. Some is cheap and cheerful, and the others are quite valuable. At first sight you might not know the difference. But the expensive ones are formed in an oyster. It starts as a small piece of grit that irritates the oyster until it eventually forms a beautiful pearl. Love that reflects the love that we have received from God comes not out of our own efforts to be “nice” and “loving” but from the small irritations of rubbing along with people and working out what it is to love sacrificially.

Peter quoted this prayer of John Stott in the service on Sunday (2nd August). Maybe it will ground us in

God’s love if we too pray it each day.

Good morning heavenly Father,

good morning Lord Jesus,

good morning Holy Spirit.

Heavenly Father, I worship you as the creator and sustainer of the universe.

Lord Jesus, I worship you, Saviour and Lord of the world.

Holy Spirit, I worship you, sanctifier of the people of God.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Heavenly Father, I pray that I may live this day in your presence

and please you more and more.

Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you.

Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life:

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity, three persons in one God,

have mercy upon me.

Amen.