Points from the Pastor's Pen

A new commandment I give you “love one another as I have loved you,” by this will all men know you are My disciples. John 13:34-35

        I find it fascinating that Jesus gave His followers a new commandment. Does this mean the Ten Commandments were not enough? There are some who choose to call John 13:34 “The eleventh commandment”.

        I believe the eleventh commandment lays the foundation for over 50 “one another” directives given to Christ-followers in the New Testament. These include accept one another, serve one another, submit to one another, encourage one another, don’t bite or devour one another, confess your sins to one another, pray for one another, and many others.

        So why in writing to Christ-followers does the New Testament use the word “one another” 100 times in 94 verses? The answer is simply this: Although following Jesus is personal, it was never designed to be private!

        Following Jesus is to be all about loving God and loving one another. The one another
directives teach us the following principles.

1) We can’t really follow Jesus all alone.
2) We need “one another” to encourage, comfort, strengthen, etc.
3) The church is to be the place where we live out the “one another” directives.
4) The church is not a building! The church is Christ-followers who live out the “one anothers” every day in all their relationships.
5) When we live out the “one anothers” Christ is present and life change happens.

        So I am encouraging you today and every day (including Sunday) choose to one another, another Christ follower. You need them and they need you.

Your Pastor and Friend,

Joel

P.S. In the month of July we will be “one anothering” on Wednesday nights in our local parks (see calendar).