Our scripture this morning is 1 John 2:7-11.
Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining. If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is still living in darkness. Anyone who loves a fellow believer is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.
John warns that we can fool ourselves by being dishonest, but only our genuine love for God and others will lead to salvation. He reminds us this is not a new commandment but “an old one you have had from the very beginning” (v. 7). Without love for God and our brothers and sisters, we are living in darkness.
However, because of God’s love for all His children, Jesus came to save us and “the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining” (v. 8). He is the one true light and He calls us to be part of sharing this blessing with the world. Loving one another means being willing to go where our gifts are needed, giving back to God by caring for each other.
We will encounter opposition as we share the Gospel, but we go in His strength to overcome evil with good. The world will offer a thousand reasons why this will never work, but Jesus offers us the truth. He loved us so much He was willing to die for us, we can offer Him nothing less in return.
Gracious God, in Your mercy Jesus came to save us. We don’t deserve this blessing but You came to redeem us just the same. Send us in Your name to carry the Good News everywhere. Amen.