We need each other
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:12)
As believers we should be made aware of the mysterious substitution that has happened between Jesus and us. He has exchanged places with us, giving to us his righteousness in exchange for our sin. The ramifications are powerful. Every encounter we have with a brother is an encounter with Jesus. This has staggering implications.
Every brother, every sister is a rendezvous of wonderful significance. When we serve them, we are really serving the Lord Himself. I guess it can also be a sobering experience if we should mistreat or neglect them. What we say and what we do has consequences.
There is no escaping the Gospel logic that our personal contact with each other carries an eternal weight. Immaturity and pride keep us from seeing the delicate connections that believers have with each other, and perhaps suggesting a new basis for our relationships is a bit much to hope for.
Without a complete mind renewal we will continue to see others as rivals or people to control. We use the HS gifts to ascend rather than serve. The disciples had to make their adjustments. They were told that they were to lay it all down and wash each others feet.
We must begin to realize that when we touch someone, when we speak to a friend, we are doing that to the Lord. Every believer is someone who will be covered in glory someday. We are to live out this wonderful mystery of Jesus living in our brother. He is that close!
Posted on February 12, 2010 by Pastor Bryan Lowe