Christ Church -- Christ Episcopal Church -- Springfield Illinois

Over the past few months, we’ve been discussing the ways in which an ambassador can serve as an evangelist in a practical manner. This month we’ll discuss the importance of servant love.

In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus said:

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" Jesus answered, "The first is, ‘Hear, 0 Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these." And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that he is one, and there is no other but he; "and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that no one dared to ask him any question. (Mark 12:28-34).

This passage affirms the need for the believer to not only love God, but to also love others. Interestingly, our Lord’s command to love one another is manifested throughout the New Testament. Carl George writes:

Its biblical conviction that the Holy Spirit officially commissions every believer into a ministry of caring for one another. After all, none of the following commands are restricted to a particular title (such as elders only) or a particular gender (such as men only).

The One Anothers of the New Testament

1. ". . . Be at peace with each other" (Mk. 9:50).

2. ". . . Wash one another’s feet" (Jn. 13:14).

3. ". . . Love one another . . . " (Jn. 13:34).

4. ". . . Love one another" (Jn. 13:34).

5. ". . . Love one another" (Jn. 13:35).

6. ". . . Love each other . . . " (Jn. 15:12).

7. ". . . Love each other" (Jn. 15:17).

8. "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love . . . " (Rom. 12:10).

9. ". . . Honor one another above yourselves" (Rom. 12:10).

10. "Live in harmony with one another. . . " (Rom. 12:16).

11. ". . . Love one another . . . " (Rom. 13:8).

12. ". . . Stop passing judgment on one another" (Rom. 14:13).

13. "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you . . . " (Rom. 15:7).

14. ". . . Instruct one another" (Rom. 15:14).

15. "Greet one another with a holy kiss" (I Cor. 16:16).

16. ". . . When you come together to eat, wait for each other" (I Cor. 11:33).

17. ". . . Have equal concern for each other" (I Cor. 12:25).

18. ". . . Greet one another with a holy kiss" (I Cor. 16:20).

19. "Greet one another with a holy kiss" (2 Cor. 13:12).

20. ". . . Serve one another in love" (Gal. 5:13).

21. "If you keep on biting and devouring each other. . . you will be destroyed by each other" (Gal. 5:15).

22. "Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other" (Gal. 5:26).

23. "Carry each other’s burdens . . ." (Gal. 6:2).

24. ". . . Be patient, hearing with one another in love" (Eph. 4:2).

25. "Be kind and compassionate to one another. . ." (Eph. 4:32).

26. ". . . Forgiving each other. . ." (Eph. 4:32).

27. "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs" (Eph. 5:19).

28. "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ" (Eph. 5:21).

29. ". . . In humility consider others better than yourselves" (Phil. 2:3).

30. "Do not lie to each other . . ." (Col. 3:9).

31. "Bear with each other . . ." (Col. 3:13).

32. ". . . Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another" (Col. 3:13).

33. "Teach . . . [one another]" (Col. 3:16).

34. ". . . Admonish one another" (Col. 3:16).

35. ". . . Make your love increase and overflow for each other" (I Thess. 3:12).

36. ". . . Love each other" (I Thess. 4:9).

37. ". . . Encourage each other. . ." (I Thess. 4:18).

38. ". . . Encourage one another . . ." (I Thess. 5:11).

39. ". . . Build each other up . . ." (I Thess. 5:11).

40. "Encourage one another daily . . ." (Heb. 3:13).

41. ". . . Spur one another on toward love and good deeds" (Heb. 10:24).

42. ". . . Encourage one another" (Heb. 10:25).

43. ". . . Do not slander one another" (Jam. 4:11).

44. "Don’t grumble against each other . . ." (Jam. 5:9).

45. "Confess your sins to each other . . ." (Jam. 5:16).

46. ". . . Pray for each other" (Jam. 5:16).

47. ". . . Love one another deeply, from the heart" (I Pet. 1:22).

48. ". . . Live in harmony with one another. . ." (I Pet. 3:8).

49. ". . . Love each other deeply. . ." (I Pet. 4:8).

50. "Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling" (I Pet. 4:9).

51. "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others. . ." (I Pet. 4:10).

52. ". . . Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another . . ." (I Pet. 5:5).

53. "Greet one another with a kiss of love" (I Pet. 5:14).

54. ". . . Love one another" (I Jn. 3:11).

55. ". . . Love one another" (I Jn. 3:23).

56. ". . . Love one another" (I Jn. 4:7).

57. ". . . Love one another" (I Jn. 4:11).

58. ". . . Love one another" (I Jn. 4:12).

59. ". . . Love one another" (2 John 5).

Twenty-one of the fifty-nine, or fully one third, call for Christians to love!

Scores of additional passages enjoin all believers to love their neighbors as themselves, build up the church, be involved in mutual edification, be like-minded, be of one accord, and similarly ". . . do good. . . to those who belong to the family of believers" (Galatians 6:10).

Add to these commands the many other Scriptures that describe the role of caring. One Bible writer, for instance, marvels at how Christ’s forgiveness gives rise to true ". . . fellowship with one another . . ." (I John 1:7). Another thanks God for the maturity whereby ". . . the love every one of you has for each other is increasing" (2 Thessalonians 1:3).

Dr. Cocar summarizes the biblical decree to love in the following manner:

The church is the community of believers where we grow and develop our spiritual lives in harmony with our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Our renewal must be demonstrated in the family of God, in the Body where we’ll function according to our position in it, (Eph 4:11-16).

We are in the most fortunate position in this universe, to be part of the Body of Christ. We are not in competition with our fellow-members, but in a very special relationship, we are in a kind of "Special Olympics." We help one another, encourage one another, pray for one another, carry the burden of an another, etc.

What are a few examples of how the believer can love his fellow Christians? Stated below are several possibilities:

Be a Christian model at home

Visit parishioners who face surgery, and provide listening and prayer support

Take Holy Communion to homebound persons

Make bi-weekly phone calls to lonely and isolated persons of the parish

Work with the pastor in preparing young couples for marriage

Send notes of encouragement to persons going through a crisis

Celebrate persons success at work by congratulating them

Visit persons in the nursing homes or hospitals

Develop a mentor/protégé relationship with a younger Christian (II Tim. 2:1,2)

Speak a word of kindness to a hurting individual

Be kind and considerate to parishioners who are annoying

Help with the weekly parish food distribution to poor members

Pray for the rector and his family

Pray for the staff and vestry

Bring peace to conflict situations between members

Think and want the best for everyone

Don’t be prideful or boastful

Equip and empower another individual by training them for ministry

Avoid gossip and petty talk

Send thank you notes to people working to build up the church

Once a month take a visitor or newcomer to lunch

Volunteer to work in the nursery

Teach a Sunday school class for mentally impaired children

Forgive others

Systematically pray for the parish members

Share ministry opportunities

The list of possibilities is absolutely endless.

Faithfully in Jesus Christ,
Greg +