Over the Weekend Misa shared with us three stories found in Matt 8 and 9. Jesus heals a man with leprosy, then forgives a paralyzed man followed by the embrace of a tax collector. Then Misa challenged us by asking us ‘What do these three stories have in common?’ the answer is quite simple: Jesus loved them. And by loving them, Jesus revealed to them the love of God (John 14:9).
The Gospels tell us about countless people who had this same encounter with Jesus. In the same two chapters we read about a worried centurion, two demon possessed men, an ill woman, a concerned father, a blind man, and a mute man. All of them, for some reason or another, would have experienced some sort of reproach for their position or ailment. But when they encountered Jesus, He responded to them with compassion.
All those who encountered Jesus were changed because in their short exchange Jesus revealed to them the love of God. The miracle was not the only takeaway from the encounter, there was also the sound knowledge that God cared and loved them.
If God is love, then is he not made manifest in every act of love? In every act of mercy? In every act of grace? In every embrace? The answer is yes. And I know because that has been my experience. It has been through the love given to me that I have learned to love myself, others, and most importantly God. On this week’s episode of the MGC Podcast (click here to listen) Misa says, “It was through the love of my Christian community that I saw the love of God”. Loving others reveals the God of love.
The Bible tells us that as the world’s history comes to a close “the love of most will grow cold” (Matt 24:12). And I get it, people are stubborn, annoying, difficult, awkward, selfish, arrogant, unpleasant, selfish, ignorant, and on and on… but that is why our focus remains on Christ, and not the world. Because when we look to Christ we do not see a God struggling to embrace sinners or negotiating his generosity. Rather, we see a God who loves all people despite their imperfections. Love grows cold when we stop looking at the redeemer and look at the redeemed.
Now is the time to rebel against all our natural impulses to judge, and be close-minded. If we allow our love to grow cold, we remove our witness from the world. For just as the love of Jesus revealed God to those he encountered, so does our love reveal God to those we encounter.
Let us love others, that we may make the love of God manifest in the world.
—Pastor Alex Portillo