Category: PASSION Reflections

Love Like Jesus

On By BrianIn PASSION ReflectionsLeave a comment

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
– John 13:34-35

These verses call us to love like Jesus.

Notice it is a command.  It is not a suggestion for when we feel like it.  We must love one another.  Churches must be places of love for each other.

And it is a new command primarily because it has a new pattern.  We are to love like Jesus.  Go through the entire Old Testament, look at saint after saint, and you will not find a perfect example of love.  But in Jesus, we have that perfect example.  Love like Jesus.

How did Jesus love?  In the context, we could say at least three things.

First, Jesus loved by serving.  At the beginning of John 13, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet.  Here was a real need, for their feet were dirty and smelly from walking the dusty roads. 

Love like Jesus.  Serve each other by meeting real needs.  That service might be dirty and messy.  It might be hard.  It might be unpleasant.  Love like Jesus.  What opportunities to serve do you see in your church family?  How might God call you to serve?  In what ways are you already serving?  Love like Jesus – by serving.

Second, Jesus loved by speaking.  You look through John 13-17, and in most of these verses Jesus is speaking. He is going away, and Jesus knows the disciples need instruction.  They need encouragement.  They need prayer.  And so Jesus lovingly speaks words of instruction, words of encouragement, and words of prayer. 

Love like Jesus.  Speak words of instruction – to spur on another Christian to follow Jesus.  Speak words of encouragement – to strengthen another Christian when life is tough.  Speak words of prayer on each other’s behalf – for strength in trial, for growth, for healing, for safety, for victory over temptation.  What words of instruction, encouragement, or prayer do you need to speak?  Love like Jesus – by speaking.

Finally, Jesus loved by sacrificing.  Immediately after that Last Supper, Jesus is arrested, falsely accused, flogged, ridiculed, and hung on cross.  Why does he endure all of this?  Jesus had already told the disciples: Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).  Love motivated His sacrifice.  Jesus lovingly sacrificed his life for us, to pay punishment for our sins. He sacrificed Himself so that we might be forgiven. 

Love like Jesus.  Be ready to sacrifice for each other.  How might God call you to sacrifice for your church family?  Maybe your time or some money.  Maybe you will have to sacrifice your comfort or convenience, even sleep.  Love like Jesus – by sacrificing.

And this is how the world will know that we are His disciples – as we obey this command and love like Jesus.  When the world looks at the church, they should see a place of love, a people of love.  A people who genuinely care about each other.  A people who lovingly serve and speak and sacrifice.  This is who Jesus calls us to be.  This is what we are to be known for. 

Love like Jesus

Our Prevailing Purpose

On By BrianIn PASSION ReflectionsLeave a comment

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. 
– I John 2:1a (ESV)

John is the patriarch of the church, the last remaining apostle.  He writes to the church with the affection of a father for his little children, and he has a purpose in his writing – that we may not sin.

Is that your purpose?  To not sin? 

Is that your goal?  Your desire?  Your ambition?  To not sin?  To stop sinning?

Our world, of course, has other goals: to be comfortable, to be healthy, to be happy.  And comfort, health, and happiness are wonderful blessings.  I like those things too, but they are not our purpose, our goal.

Our purpose here is that we would not sin.

Is that your purpose? 

When you are uncomfortable, is your prevailing purpose to pursue comfort, or to not sin in your discomfort?

When you are unhealthy, is your prevailing purpose to get healthy, or to not sin in your unhealthiness?

When you are unhappy, is your prevailing purpose to get happy, or to not sin in your unhappiness?

Our trials and struggles are not an excuse for sin, but rather opportunities to overcome temptation and not sin.

Is that your goal in whatever you face today? 

Is that your prevailing purpose? 

Blog Reboot

On By BrianIn PASSION ReflectionsLeave a comment

For many years this blog has been called Three Passions with the tagline: Because of Christ’s PASSION for us, we will live with a PASSION for God and comPASSION for people. And this remains an important theme for me. But there are other important themes that I have been focusing on too – idolatry, Sabbath, rest, identity, culture, wonder, family worship, small town church ministry, and more. And so this blog is getting a fresh look with a fresh tagline: For the Christian, For the Small Church.

For the Christian
I hope this blog will encourage Christians in their walk with the Lord. Through regular reflections, quotes, songs, studies, recommended resources, and collections of posts from others (Saturday Strands), I hope this blog will spur you to follow Christ.

For the Small Church
I have been a small-town pastor for over 20 years, and so I am also writing this blog to encourage small town pastors and churches in their important ministries. I want to share ministry ideas, songs, studies, resources, and posts from others that have been helpful to me, that I pray might also be helpful to other small-town church ministries too. Larger churches might find much that is helpful too, but I am writing with the small-town church in mind because that is what I know.

For a while I considered writing two blogs – one for Christians and one for small town churches, but the reality is that there would be too much overlap. For example, I hope that my Sermon Songs would both encourage individual Christians and provide a possible closing song for small town churches. The Bible Journey studies could be used by an individual Christian on their own or in a group, as well in a small-town church Sunday School or group.

So welcome to the new blog. I hope that you will be encouraged, and that God would be glorified.

Passion Week: Resurrection Sunday

On By BrianIn Holidays, PASSION Reflections

Read: Mark 16:1-7.
“And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” – Mark 16:6-7 (ESV)

Reflection: Ponder this amazing announcement that Jesus is risen. Who can you go and tell? One day you too will see Him!

Sing:
“Christ the Lord is ris­en to­day,” Al­le­lu­ia!
Sons of men and an­gels say, Al­le­lu­ia!
Raise your joys and tri­umphs high, Al­le­lu­ia!
Sing ye heav’ns, and earth re­ply, Al­le­lu­ia!
(Christ the Lord Is Risen Today, Written by Charles Wesley)

Passion Week: Saturday

On By BrianIn Holidays, PASSION Reflections

Read: Mark 15:42-47.
And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone  against the entrance of the tomb. – Mark 15:46 (ESV)

Reflection: For the disciples, it seemed all hope was lost. How would your life be different if Jesus had stayed in the tomb?

Sing:
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me
To tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
(American Folk Hymn)

Passion Week: Good Friday

On By BrianIn Holidays, PASSION Reflections1 Comment

Read: Mark 15:24-37.
So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” – Mark 15:31-32 (ESV)

Reflection: To save us, He must not save Himself.  He had to stay on the cross so that we might know His grace.

Sing:
To Christ, who won for sinners grace
By bitter grief and anguish sore,
Be praise from all the ransomed race
Forever and forevermore.
(When I Survey, Written by Isaac Watts)

Passion Week: Thursday

On By BrianIn Holidays, PASSION Reflections

Read: Mark 14:32-42.
And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” – Mark 14:35-36 (ESV)

Reflection: Jesus trusted and submitted to the Father’s will for Him – even to the cross.  How do you need to trust and submit to the Father’s will for your life today?   

Sing:
Were the whole realm of na­ture mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
(When I Survey, Written by Isaac Watts)

Passion Week: Wednesday

On By BrianIn Holidays, PASSION Reflections

Read: Mark 10:32-34.
“See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.” – Mark 10:33-34 (ESV)

Reflection: Ponder what Jesus endured for you. Rest in His love.  Offer Him your thanks.

Sing:
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
(When I Survey, Written by Isaac Watts)

Passion Week: Tuesday

On By BrianIn Holidays, PASSION Reflections1 Comment

Read: Mark 9:30-35.
But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” – Mark 9:34-35 (ESV)

Reflection: Jesus chose to humbly serve us by going to the cross.  How have you been seeking to be the greatest?  How can you serve today?

Sing:
When I survey the won­drous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
(When I Survey, Written by Isaac Watts)

Passion Week: Monday

On By BrianIn Holidays, PASSION Reflections

Read: Mark 8:31-34.
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them,“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. – Mark 8:34 (ESV)

Reflection: Jesus denied Himself and took up the cross to save you.  How do you need to deny yourself to follow Him today?

Sing:
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
(When I Survey, Written by Isaac Watts)