“[Jesus] answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27)
In Luke chapter 10, Jesus beautifully summarizes commandments of God in the Old Testament found in Deuteronomy 6 and Leviticus 19. In modern expression, we refer to this as the “Great Commandment,” which in actuality is a summary of all of God’s commands. The Great Commandment has two parts to it – Love God and Love Neighbor. This “vertical” and “horizontal” love comprises the foundational action and attitude of the Christian, and thus it is fitting that a vertical and horizontal line intersect to make a cross. The Cross is a great visual for loving God and loving neighbor.
Serve” is an expression of mature faith as we turn our focus off of ourselves and onto God and our neighbor. Jesus himself said that He did not come to be served, but to serve (Matt. 20:28). When we ask the question, “How can I serve the Lord?” He responds to us, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matt 25:40). At Redeemer we serve the Lord by serving our neighbor – both inside our congregation and out in the community. We seek to serve them both in physical and spiritual needs.
May this New Year be an opportunity for us to follow the Lord’s command to love God and neighbor, through worship, growth and service!
Worshipping, Growing and Serving Christ with you,
Pastor Augie.