The Power of Love

A message from Rick Mosher, Senior Minister

February, with Valentine’s Day being right in the middle of it, turns a lot of people’s thinking to love. Now, with Valentine’s Day it’s usually romantic love or family love or maybe friendship love. However since during this month we are disposed to think about love, I want to share with you about the power of Christian love.

In John 13.34-35 Jesus tells His disciples, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Since that time, the dynamic power of Christian love has been unleashed upon the world. We, who are His disciples here in the 21st Century, continue to follow Jesus’ “new commandment”. The world continues to be changed by it.

In the book of II Corinthians there is a great passage. It’s a section in the eighth chapter. There the tremendous outpouring of love on the part of the Gentile Christians in Macedonia and Achaia is referred to. They sent a generous offering by the hands of the apostle Paul and met the needs of the poverty-stricken Jewish Christians back in the area around Jerusalem. One commentator pointed out that this act of love helped break down walls of division that existed between Jewish and Gentile Christians in the First Century. These early Christians truly had “hearts that care”. It reminds me of our mission statement here at the church, “We have Good News to share and hearts that care!”

A few years ago, when the tsunami did such terrible damage in some of the Pacific nations Christians responded in remarkable fashion. We learned of many instances in which Christian love expressed through medical, food, housing, and other assistance broke down barriers and allowed Christians access for evangelism with people groups who had been closed to the gospel previously. Many have become saved as a result.

Then there was the earthquake in Haiti around this time some years back. There was a great Christian outreach to that nation. Some of it continued for a number of years. Christian groups, motivated by Christian love, have provided and are still providing some of the most effective aid that nation has received. No doubt that country will be changed for the better as a result of the outpouring of Christian love.

This past fall we packed meals for I.D.E.S. to take to starving people overseas. We also support I.D.E.S. in their outreach to disaster zones here in the U.S. We have, in recent months given both for the hurricane victims in the southeastern U.S. and for the fire victims in California.

Our congregation has a number of loving outreaches to people in need throughout our community including our ongoing Food Pantry ministry, our annual Christmas Dinner, and our Spirit of Giving outreach. A member of our church coordinates a charitable coat rack at a business in town. We regularly explore some more options. We also provide Christmas baskets to people in need who already are in our church.

Folks, the point of all this is not to brag on ourselves or “toot our own horn”. I want you to both experience and share this powerful Christian love. We’d like all of you in our area, if you don’t yet have this love, to come share with us at Licking Christian Church and let us help you get to know Jesus so you can experience it.

Some of you need to, for the first time, get to know Jesus, God’s Son, who loved you so much He died for your sins and arose from the dead so you can have a new and fulfilling life in Him both here and for eternity. Let me encourage you to get a Bible and read the book of John. Learn of Jesus’ love for yourself.

Then if you are ready to turn from sin and begin a new life in Christ, the Bible teaches how you can do so. First of all, put your faith in Jesus. John 3.16: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Upon coming to faith, believing, you are called to acknowledge (confess) your faith in Jesus, repent from your sins (turn around and put Jesus in control of your life), and be baptized (immersed) into Christ. In Matthew 10.32, Jesus tells us: “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.” Again, in Acts 2.38 we read “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

At Licking Christian Church we exist to help you find salvation from sin and the promise eternal life, through Jesus Christ. If we can assist you in completing your obedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ or if you would like to study further about this matter, please contact us or come to our worship and study times.

Our baptistery is nearly always full and ready. You do not have to wait until Sunday to become saved. Feel free to contact us if you need to make Jesus Christ your Savior today!

If you are not from our community we would be glad to help you find a faithful congregation nearer you. Let us know if we can help.

CREDITS: Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.