A Word from Todd…
“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more,
with knowledge and all discernment…” Philippians 1:9-10a (ESV)
Having just studied through 1 John together, none of us should be strangers to the emphasis of love in the Christian life. Love is the first and foremost of all Christian characteristics (Gal 5:22 “the fruit of the Spirit is love…”). Love is the foremost of all the commandments given by Jesus (John 13:34 “a new commandment I give to you that you love one another”). Love is the most convincing testimony to the world that we are truly followers of Jesus Christ (John 13:35 “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another”). So it’s no surprise when we read in this passage that Paul prays for an overflowing love in the lives of his friends in Philippi. As we begin 2009, this is my prayer for our fellowship corporately and for myself personally!
We often say “love is blind”, and from a certain point of view this is true. Love helps us transcend differences and divisions. But from another point of view Christian love requires an accurate perception or knowledge of God, people and situations. John Stott writes,
“Knowledge is indispensable to Christian life & service… knowledge is given us to be used, to lead us to higher worship, greater faith, deeper holiness, better service.”
First, Stott points out that knowledge leads us to “higher worship.” We cannot worship a God we do not know! Conversely, the more and the better you know God… the more you love Him & the better you worship Him!
Stott also proposes that knowledge promotes “greater faith.” In Romans 10:17 we read, “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”
Next, Stott states that knowledge is a requirement for “deeper holiness.” Recently, I met a gentleman in the supermarket who told me that he came to our church as a broken man – reeling from a failed marriage, bitter & suicidal! He came from a church where he held a position of service but admitted “my heart was far from God! After sitting in services at Crossroads and the hearing of God’s Word week after week he claims that his mind has been changed and his heart completely healed. He now desires for his marriage to be restored but recognizes it was his failure as a husband that led to its demise. He knows he is without excuse yet at the same time a recipient of great mercy & grace! The Word of God does indeed lead to deeper holiness.
Lastly, Stott contends that knowledgeable love results in “better service.” How many times have you seen a need but didn’t quite know how to meet it? You see, it’s one thing to recognize need and another thing to know what should be done in response to it. Love provides the motivation to help; discernment is the ability to see what the real need is. Love means we have compassion; discernment means we see the situation clearly and realistically. Basically discernment answers two questions: 1) What is right? And 2) What is best? Just think of how many lives have been devastated by failing to ask “what is the right thing to do” and “what is the best way to do it?” If we want to love and serve others well, we need to regularly ask ourselves these same questions.
May 2009 be a year where we experience the abounding love of God, and in turn abound in it ourselves.
Todd
