Love on Display

I recently had a few conversations with people about why on social media most people pass by or do not interact with posts about God and faith.

And I was surprised by the answers.

One answer was they were afraid of what people might think. Another was religion is a private thing to people and so they keep to themselves about it.

I started thinking and praying about this. I believe the world needs to know about the great love of Christ, that we all need encouragement as we walk out our faith, and it's our job to work with God in this process.

One day I saw a post that said, "Jesus died for you in public...so don't only live for him in private."

That hit home. There are those who hear the Word of God and receive it but sensing that it is unpopular to publicly announce they are Christians, they refuse to proclaim Christ publicly.

They might be considered closet Christians.

I remember that Jesus never promised that everyone would like us if we became His followers.

In fact, He said we shouldn’t be surprised if some people disagree with us and even reject us.

Jesus warned, “‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also” (John 15:20).

If I am a follower of Jesus Christ, shouldn’t this be obvious to the world?

We are told in Romans 12:2: “And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Am I being transformed because of the sacrifice Jesus paid on the cross for me?

Are you?

Or are we blending in with unbelievers so there is no distinction between us?

Jesus tells believers that we are the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world.”

We are not to lose our flavor, nor hide our light.

He tells us, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew5:16).

In essence we become a walking testimony for Christ by our loving actions.

But are we up for this calling?

Have some of us become closet Christians, losing our flavor, and hiding our light?

It seems the answers I got to my question are both based on fearing how others perceive us.

Maybe we feel we need to assimilate to what the cultural norm is lest we risk being alienated in social, political or professional circles.

Please remember the chains of LOVE are much stronger than the chains of fear.

Jesus talked about the Pharisees “loving the approval of men rather than the approval of God” (John 12:42-43).

Do we care more about what other people think about us rather than our Holy Father—the one who literally can give us life or death?

Jesus assured us that as followers we will experience persecution for His sake, and will be hated by all because of His name. (Mark 13:13)

That’s sure enough to make you lock yourself in that closet, huh?

But there is a reward for all of this: the Kingdom of Heaven!

For three-and-a-half years Jesus Christ displayed God’s love in living color.

• He would perform His first miracle just because someone ran out of wine.

• He would continually fight against those who twisted His Word concerning the Sabbath rest in an attempt to show how “godly” they were.

• He would heal people, relieve suffering, and call back to life those who had died.

• He would teach through parables.

• He would tell them of things to come.

• He would make disciples.

• And he did this all out of love for people, even though many rejected him, persecuted him, spread lies about him, and eventually even killed him.

Do we display God's love for us and the world in living color?

Or are we hiding our faith for whatever reason?

I want you to think with me for a moment about weddings.

This is one of the events in our lives that we proclaim to the world in living color about our love.

We want everyone to know how in love we are and promise this lifetime commitment we are making to this person because of our love.

In fact, all eyes are on us as we declare our vows for everyone to hear.

It is very public, and probably the least private event of our lives.

We are not ashamed or afraid to let the whole world know, in fact we invite them to celebrate with us.

We spend months and months in preparation for the event because we want everything to be just right.

We send out invitations to everyone with an rsvp... because we want to know if they will attend or not.

And when the day comes, we are both nervous and joyous.

LET ME REMIND YOU:

There is a bride groom waiting for us and he is preparing a marriage supper for His bride. And he is coming soon for her!

I don't want anyone to be left out of this great celebration.

Friends, this is why I actively share the unending love of Christ with as many as I can.

Whether it be in person, blogging, videos, social media posts, speaking engagements, bible studies, hosting retreats, or any other way the Lord opens the door for the invitation to be presented.

Besides weddings: There are many other events in our lives that we share publicly,

because we want everyone to know and celebrate with us.

They are a very big deal to us, so we want to share them with all.

To name just a few:

• Certain birthdays... like 1 and 50 (there is something about mid-century that seems important)

• Graduations from education/learning (we display our diplomas for all to see)

• Awards you might get (we horse people like to display our trophies and ribbons for all to see)

• Certain anniversaries... especially 25 and 50

• Becoming a parent (reveal parties and showers)

• Grand-children (who doesn't have pics of them on your phone to show everyone)

• Retirement Parties

• Even our funeral is usually a public event.

So why not share publicly the most important decision you will ever make in your life?

To share the love message of the gospel, to encourage others in their faith, to pray for them, is the greatest gift you will ever give anyone.

There is no greater calling than to serve Christ and His family.

Dear reader, Jesus loved us so much that He lay down His life for us.

The difference between other heroes and Jesus was that Jesus intentionally and willingly allowed His enemies to kill Him so that we would be saved.

Jesus had enough power to make Himself impossible to be arrested, tried, tortured, and crucified.

Yet He did nothing to help Himself.

Rather, He remained silent to His defense and looked on for the enemies to do whatever they wanted to do, knowing that He was dying to save mankind.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13).

Looking forward to the joy set before Him, the wedding feast of the Lamb, there would be no Bride to cherish throughout eternity if He were to pass on this cup.

And His love for those the Father had given Him (those who would be His Bride) would not allow Him to do anything but die for her (us).

How can we do anything less than live for Christ in full color and invite the world to this marriage celebration?

Paul said "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philipians1:21)

For many Christians, they know this verse by heart, but they don’t know it by practice.

Like myself as a young Christian, Christ is not their life.

Life is school, family, career, some hobby or entertainment.

One author said, “Life is what we are alive to.” It is what really gets us excited.

For some, their passions lie outside of their relationship with Christ.

For me my passion for many years was horses.

But now, even that pales in comparison to living for Christ.

What does it really mean to live for Christ?

Jesus said the reason he came to the earth was so that we might have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10).

He came so we could truly be alive to God—that he would be our passion and joy.

Paul had found this life, and he constantly proclaimed it.

Paul saw himself as no longer alive—he left his past life behind, and now Christ was his life and Christ alone.

In Galatians 2:20 he said, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Is Christ your life? Is he your daily passion? Is he your hope for the future?

What is your life? What is it that you’re really living for?

While Christ was on the earth, he discipled others.

To really live for him means to do the same.

Consider what Paul said to Timothy: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2).

In this verse we see four generations of Christians:

Paul teaching Timothy, Timothy teaching other men, and other men teaching others.

That is what it means to live for Christ.

It means to be a disciple that disciples others, so one day they can do the same.

Let you love for Christ be greater than your fear.

You don’t have to go around like a town crier with bell in hand shouting “Hear ye, hear ye—I am a Christian!” But why not let others know you are not ashamed to be a Christ follower by being a “light in the world?”

I encourage you to take opportunities to talk about your faith.

Read your Bible and share with others what the cross means to you.

Live your life in such a manner that others will see a higher standard in you.

Let your light shine in such a way that they will wonder what you have that they don’t.

Love and forgive others as Christ loves and forgives you.

It is the joy that comes from knowing you are saved

and that the God of the universe loves you that motivates you to share!

Be different, Christian, for you have been called for a higher purpose.

As I close, I ask you a simple question:

Are you willing to be available to others?

• to live with them,

• to encourage them,

• to share life experiences with them,

• to help them spiritually progress.

Are you ready to take your love for Christ publicly?

That is what “to live is Christ” means.

Like Christ, Paul spent his life discipling others and helping them progress in the faith.

Not only should we take from Paul’s example our need to disciple others but also to be discipled.

Someone said we all should have both a Paul and a Timothy in our lives.

We need someone who is pouring into us, and we need others to pour into.

Who is your Paul? Who is your Timothy?

In order to really live for Christ, we must focus on discipleship.

Christ discipled others and so must we, as we follow him.

Here are Jesus last words to the disciples before he ascended to heaven.

Matthew 28: 18 Then Jesus came to them and said,

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Are you ready to come out of the closet and follow this great commission?