Ian Leitch
February 6, 2001
10:30 am
Love, Love, Love
Message Summary
Ian Leitch, says John 13:34 provides the church with a number of reasons for loving a diverse community. Leitch reminded his audience that in today's relative generation: right is wrong, up is down, and so more than ever, the church has the opportunity to shine with 500-watt brilliance.
Leitch began by stating that the church must be a community for three reasons. Through these reasons, he explained how the church could more effectively minister to a world dying from the inside out. Leitch explained how the body of Christ, composed of different races, genders, ages, and gifts could accomplish the command of Christ to act as His disciples by loving one another.
Leitch noted that the church must be a community because of the commander and His command. The commander is Jesus, the teacher of disciples, head of the body of Christ, and the Lord of the church. This divine nature, magnified in His grace, gives the commander every right to dictate our actions. Leitch also proposed that the evidence of our love for Jesus is found in our obedience and this obedience is displayed, "not in Bible knowledge, theology, or the depth of our worship, but in our love for others." Furthermore, to achieve the work of God our love must be acted upon, not merely decided upon.
The church must be a community because of the example and it's expectation. Leitch explained that life is not a pursuit of achievement but of humbleness; a series of loving actions. He noted that, "Christianity is not about where we are going, but is about becoming what we should be. When we become what we should be, we will be going where we ought to be."
Leitch concluded that the church must be a community because of the recognition and its requirement. Love is known around the world and crosses borders of language, race, and national pride to touch people where they most need it. If we cannot love our own brothers, how can we love anyone else? Leitch left with the simply profound statement: "The world waits to see the nailprints in our hands—love, love, love."
Student Response
"Five frogs are sitting on a log. Three decide to jump off. How many are left on the log? Five." Deciding to love others in the community of Christ and acting upon this decision are worlds apart. The failure to act upon a good decision is as much a problem as doing nothing at all, and a problem that is seldom discussed in the Christian context. I appreciated Leitch's honesty about this lack of motivation; I often struggle with completing a decision, instead allowing myself a sense of righteousness in the decision alone. This, however, is nothing more than an empty justification, provided in order to continue a wrong attitude. How often have I made a good decision at a prayer meeting or in chapel, only to leave my decision in the auditorium? Jesus set the example of action—I must follow in decision and obedience.
—John-Joseph Johansson, Sophomore, Communications/Print Media major