is your name "anyone?" Then you ARE Someone!

Christianity is the spirit of Jesus Christ at work in the world. ~ Anonymous

Back in the days before God sent His only Son, before even the Ten Commandments were issued, Man disagreed on how to worship, let alone who to worship. They made graven images, they argued among themselves, they pretty much worshipped who they thought was the "chosen one." Years after the Ark of the Covenant was made, once again, people strayed. God, realizing how confused this motley crew of humans were, decided to come down Himself, in the form of  "one of us," hoping that by recognizing Him as one of our own, people would finally "get it."

They didn't. They were waiting for a Messiah, someone who would arrive on a chariot, someone who would step into a position of honor and instruct them, much as the scribes and Pharisees were doing already.

Instead, a child was born among them- an impoverished one at that. Despite the words of the prophets, the last one being John the Baptist, heralding His arrival, people still chose to not believe. So it was that when Jesus began performing His miracles, speaking words of wisdom, doing little acts of Love along the way, that very few understood His message. The rest demanded that this "charlatan" be crucified...the worst punishment anyone would have to endure, in order to be rid of Him. Messiah? JESUS? No way! they chimed. 

Because of the few who listened however, despite the punishments they received while proclaiming His message, Christianity was born. Like a tiny ember, it burned into a huge flame that has persisted to this day.

But Christianity has taken a real beating. For 1500 years, it withstood the tests of time, until, once again, people began to doubt and discuss, and bit by bit, it was ripped apart, minute details were then turned into yet another "religion," theologians disputing yet again who was "right" and how the Bible needed to be interpreted. Thus Catholics, (the word means "universal," in that it has the same message worldwide) Lutherans, Methodists and so on are all interpreting the Word of God, each with the idea that they are the "true faith."

Now let's back up two thousand years: the whole point of Jesus coming to us was to show that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Anyone who believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life! 

ANYONE!  

A-N-Y-O-N-E.  

Yet....once again, we have division... in my own tiny town of five thousand, there are eight Lutheran churches alone...each one just a bit different from the last. 

We are all serving the same God, are we not? So why is there that sense of "I know more than you do?" Why can't we all just get along? I am sure God is asking the same thing. 

Jesus had one message for all of us. When asked how must we get into heaven, He replied, "Do you follow the ten commandments? Yes? Then I bring you another. Love God....Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself!"

Wow...that's it? Even his  followers were stunned. They were so used to the Pharisees of the day picking apart every nuance of the Word...and yet right there WAS the Word telling them to just "love each other, even as I have loved you!" Amazing!

Keep in mind, these were simple people: farmers, peasants, fishermen. They had no real skills, other than survival, so He couldn't make it any more complicated than it was, and yet...how simple!

So here is the message for today: it doesn't matter what "church" you belong to....love one another even as Jesus loves you. Oh wait...are you not "white"? Then Love one another! Are you from a "foreign country? Love one another! Are you gay? Then love one another! Are you disabled? Love one another! Are you an addict...an alcoholic.... homeless? Are you anything other than what someone thinks you "ought to be?" Then love one another!

See how simple it is? Why do we have to make Life so complicated?

Shout it from the rooftops....LOVE ONE ANOTHER! Oh Joy! Can you feel it? Can you feel the love come down? Now go and share that with ALL you meet! Lift up the weak, care for the depressed, show that joy to everyone...oh please...show that Joy to all you meet! Smile for no good reason other than today God has given you LIFE!

Praise be God, praise be His Holy Name! Praise Him in the sun, the stars and the heavens...and most importantly, praise him to all you meet. Just by being YOU...NOT because you are Baptist...or Lutheran...or Catholic...or Muslim...but just by being a CHILD OF GOD.

Oh how sweet it is!