“And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us” (1 John 3:23).

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

It is fitting to reflect on what love means on this Valentine’s Day.

“And this is his command…” Whatever else follows, this is not a suggestion or a good idea but a command. This is what we are called to do if we are followers of Jesus Christ.

“And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ…”

We are to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ. What does it mean to believe in his name? First, names meant more than what it does today. Names often reflected the character of the person. There are two names given to the Son: Jesus and Christ.

• Jesus – the name literally means Savior or one who saves
• Christ – the anointed one. Our Savior is one who was born in order to die for the sins of the world.

The first thing we are called to do is to believe that Jesus is the Savior of sinners. We turn to Jesus to save us from the punishment of sin, and that is exactly what Jesus did for us on the cross and by descending into hell. Jesus bore the brunt of God’s wrath against sinners. And Jesus rose again from the dead so that all who believe in him will be raised with him.

The second thing we are called to is “to love one another as he commanded us.” The Greek word for love here is agape, or unconditional love. Love is not a feeling, it is not an emotion. It’s not talking about having warm fuzzies for someone. This is a choice. Agape, unconditional love, has to do with a willful decision for the other.

We are to love one another by choosing to believe the best of others and by willing the best for others.

Have a great Valentine’s Day. Celebrate love. Celebrate the willful and deliberate decision to do what is best for others.

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles…They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:42-47).

I love this passage. I have always wondered what it would be like to live out this passage…

• The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved…What Christian doesn’t want to see this? What an amazing picture. Could you imagine if that were taking place today?

Is such a revival possible today? Was this only a thing of the past? Was this only something from the early church days to never be experienced again?

We may never find out until we too devote ourselves to the apostles’ teaching (the Bible), to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and prayer.

It’s my take that we are doing pretty well on the first three items – devoted to God’s word, to fellowship, and to the sacrament of communion. The place where I think we are the weakest is communal prayer. Praying like ministry and renewal depended on God and God alone. 

The revival that took place in the Book of Acts was the result of the Holy Spirit. Only God’s Holy Spirit can convict us of our sins and turn us to repentance. That’s the reason why prayer is essential to revival and renewal. Revival and renewal are things we cannot generate or create. Revival and renewal only take place as the Holy Spirit of God moves. And that’s the reason why we pray. We are asking God to do that which we cannot.

Would you commit to praying for renewal and revival? Would you devote yourselves to prayer? No renewal or revival has ever occurred without being accompanied by prayer.

I am inviting you to pray. Not just individually. I trust that you are praying. I am challenging you to devote yourselves to prayer on Wednesday evenings with your pastors. The worm of the ministry of Jesus Christ is a work that will only happen through the movement of the Holy Spirit.

Will you join me in devoting yourselves to prayer for God to move upon the Little Church and Lakewoodgrace in Lakewood and beyond?

Join me in prayer, asking God to do what only God can do on Wednesday evenings at 6:30pm in the office or by zoom.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves” (Philippians 2:3).

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit…”

Why? Because our standing as sons and daughters of God has nothing to do with us; it has everything to do with God. If we are Christians it is because God saved us through Jesus Christ. If we are Christians it is because God’s Holy Spirit has convicted us of our sins and helped us to repent and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. It’s all God’s doing. It’s all God’s grace.

We are told by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Because salvation is all God’s doing, it would be silly for us to take credit for being Christian. That’s just embarrassing. We didn’t do anything to earn it. God did it all.

That’s why, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.”

“Rather,” we are told, “in humility value others above yourselves.” Because of all that God has done for us, in humility value others above yourselves. The word “value” there means literally to “count,” “think,” “consider.” Because of all that God has done for sinners through Jesus Christ, we who have been redeemed are to value, count, think of, consider others above ourselves.

Why? Because the primary difference between those who have been saved and those who have yet to be saved is forgiveness. We are forgiven. Those who have yet to be saved are yet to be forgiven because they have not repented. We are no better than anyone else. As a preacher once said, “Evangelism is just one beggar telling another beggar to find bread.”

That’s what we’re doing when we tell others about Jesus. We are telling others how to find forgiveness.

So, “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”