june 26, 2024

1 Peter 4:8-10

Notes from the Pastor's Desk #notesfromthepastorsdesk

📖1 Peter 4:8-10 (ESV)
8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:

📘Pastor's Note:
This morning, as I read this epistle from Peter instructing the Church, I'm reminded of the immense love that genuine Christians should have for one another. Peter says, "keep loving one another earnestly." The Greek word for "keep" comes with the understanding of "possession, to have, to own." It's something that, as born-again believers in Christ, we should possess and retain hold of. It's like a garment that we are to continually wear. Love is to be a Christian's clothing. Without it, we're just a bunch of clanging cymbals. And it is to be poured upon each other "earnestly," meaning "continuously, without ceasing, without interruption." This is to be not only our mindset but who we are if we are truly in the faith. If the Lord has made us a new creature in Christ, if our old self has passed away and we are walking in the Spirit, our love is a demonstration to everyone of the miracle that we have been saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus. When we assess our walk in Christ, do they (the world, the unsaved) recognize us by our love for one another? Or do they see slander, gossip, division, backbiting, discord, or ungodliness? The latter demonstrates to the world that we're no different from them and they ask, "Why do I need that? I already have that!" Can it at times be a challenge to show love, even to a brother or sister who has sinned against you? Sure. Are we commanded to love them anyway, even in our rebuke of wrongful actions? Absolutely. We are not called to love only when it's easy. We are called to love regardless, even towards our enemies. Anyone can love those who love them back. But the sacrificial love Jesus calls us to is a dying to self, an unconditional love, especially toward other believers. How do we do at this? Do people know you're a Christian based on your love for one another? Do you use your giftedness to serve one another? I pray they do.

🙏I'm praying for you always. ❤️

Pastor Jamie

Read the Chapter:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter%204&version=ESV​
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