The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children Romans 8:16

Have you ever overheard a conversation between a couple of high school students? Not because you were intentionally listening, or eavesdropping or dare I say snooping, but because you simply were near them and it was impossible to ignore. I am blessed to have these opportunities more than many people because a large part of my focus in ministry is to high school students. This last week I had the privilege of joining Mile High Academy on their music tour out west to Salt Lake city Utah. We spent a few hours on the bus where I found myself listening to what at times felt like a foreign language. Words and phrases, occasionally the odd sound or exclamation that meant nothing to me but almost always was answered with a rehearsed response from seemingly random people. This grand orchestration of sound had very little meaning to me as an observer. The amazing thing is to their peers these young people were communicating at a very high level. It can feel daunting at times to talk to this generation because of our communication gap. It reminds me of how as Christians we too have created a barrier with our communication. It is often referred to as Christianese. But what if there was a universal language that all peoples would understand? Jesus was on to something when He said “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples…” Do you know what comes next? 

 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35

The quote of Jesus continues on to say that the world will know that we are his disciples, “if we love one another.” That’s kind of wild. Jesus is plainly saying that our identifying mark is nothing short of loving each other. Love is a powerful thing in the Bible. The Bible tells us that God’s motivation for saving the world and sending Jesus to die was because He loves us. So when Jesus is speaking to His followers He tells them that the language they need to speak is one of love.

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.  1 Peter 4:8

So what does it mean to love? Peter encourages the early church to “love deeply”. This expression makes me think that love is not something you can do lightly. Maybe you’ve heard the phrase, love is an action word. Simply put, love is something you feel that affects the world around you. Love without action is missing something. Thats why I firmly believe that when God was revealing Himself to Moses on top of a mountain He told Moses, “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you” Exodus 34:10. God knew that He could declare His character of steadfast love but that it would mean nothing He didn’t show the world what it meant. 

Let all that you do be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14 

So here it is, my plea to you. Just as Paul said to the church of Corinth, Let all that you do be done in love. That’s what Jesus wants us to do.  He wants us to live in love for one another and not just to feel it inside but to show it outside. Jesus famously called his followers a light on a hill, this light is so bright that it will shine to the whole world. Can you imagine with me a town filled with light and love? Can you pause for a moment and picture a place where you are greeted with warmth and belonging? To me that’s heaven. Jesus told us that the kingdom of heaven has come. He was speaking about a community of believers who embodied what it meant to live for God and He explained it simply as, loving one another. The Christian language of community doesn't have to be a series of ancient words, the action word of Love.