In the second reading God says: Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. (Revelation 22:14)
In the New Covenant, God has given his Church two commandments. The Bible says: And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another (1 John 3:23)
I believe, the theme of this Sunday is Faith in Jesus and Love for one another. Jesus said: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)
It is important to realize that we cannot love others if we do not understand the love of God for us. That is why the first commandment is faith in Jesus Christ. A person must put his faith in Christ and in His Love for him first before he tries to love others. Your relationship with God directly affects your relationship with others. When Christians say that they are finding it difficult to Love, the best advice I can give them is to first take the time to understand the Love of God.
In the Gospel reading Jesus prays: “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. (John 17:20-21)
Jesus desires that His Church not be divided but One. The world will know that we are the disciples of Jesus only if we love one another. (John 13:35) One of the biggest attacks of Satan against the Church is how he has divided us into Denominations. A man of God once said that Christians are so busy fighting among themselves that they have no time to fight the Devil.
Let us pray this Sunday that God will give us a fresh Revelation of His Love for us in the coming weeks, unite us with other Christians and give us grace to Love others. (Ephesians 3:14-21) Let us pray to God that He will lead us to teachers who will teach us about the Love of God.
Finally it is important for all of us to understand that every person regardless of denomination who puts their faith in Jesus Christ and receives the New Birth (John 3:1-16) belongs to the Kingdom of God. We might not always agree with our brothers from other Denominations but we should be united in love because we have the same head (Jesus Christ) and belong to the same Kingdom.
The Good News is that all who put their faith in Jesus Christ like Stephen regardless of denomination will be welcomed by Jesus who is seated at the right hand of the Father and spend eternity with Him when they die. (Acts 7:55-60)
Some Christian Quotes about Unity:
What binds us together is not common education, common race, common income levels, common politics, common nationality, common accents, common jobs, or anything else of that sort. Christians come together because they have all been loved by Jesus himself. They are a band of natural enemies who love one another for Jesus' sake. | Author: D.A. Carson
The union of believers is grounded in the mystical union of Christ and His Church. The Bible speaks of a two-way transaction that occurs when a person is regenerated. Every converted person becomes "in Christ" at the same time Christ enters into the believer. If I am in Christ and you are in Christ, and if He is in us, then we experience a profound unity in Christ. | Author: R.C. Sproul
Every born-again believer is a member of that body and lives the common life of every other member by the one thing which unites them and makes them "relatives and brothers," even the blood of Christ. | Author: M.R. DeHaan
God cares nothing about our manmade divisions and groups and is not interested in our self-righteous, hair-splitting, and religious, man-made formulas and organizations. He wants you to recognize the UNITY of the body of Christ. | Author: M.R. DeHaan
The unity of Christendom is not a luxury, but a necessity. The World will go limping until Christ's prayer that all may be one is answered. We must have unity, not at all costs, but at all risks. A unified Church is the only offering we dare present to the coming Christ, for in it alone will He find room to dwell. | Author: Charles H. Brent
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