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GROWTH IN FAITH, LOVE AND PEACE

SCRIPTURE READING
ACT 4:32-35
1 JOHN 1:1-2:2
JOHN 20:19-31

REFLECTION
“Growth in faith, love and peace” is the theme for our reflection. Growth is the process of developing or increasing. Faith “is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1). Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. The Hebrew word we translate as peace is “shalom.” The way “shalom” is used does not mean to feel calm nor the absence of conflict. Instead shalom or peace is the result of right relationships with God, one another, and with creation. The concept of peace is wholeness in all of life or the totality of one’s well-being even in times of turbulence. Growth in faith, love and peace must be the desire of every believer. We shall reflect on the following facts
1. To grow in faith, we must believe in the risen Lord.
2. To grow in love, we must experience the forgiveness of Christ and be in fellowship with other believers.
3. To grow in peace, we must experience the presence of Jesus Christ in our lives.

Firstly beloved in the Lord, to grow in faith, we must believe in the resurrected Christ. We are servants of the risen Lord therefore Jesus said to doubting Thomas “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” ²⁸ Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹ Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:27-29) Dear friend, to grow in faith, we must have confidence and assurance that Jesus our resurrected or risen Lord is with us, for He has assured us that “…surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) How is Jesus Christ with us to the end of the age? He is with us through the presence of the Holy Spirit when He said ““If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (John 14:15-18). It is important to note that without faith we cannot neither grow nor experience the glory of God in our lives, It is for this reason the writer of Hebrews admonished us, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6) Dear friend, let us move from being a doubting Thomas to a believing Thomas so that we can grow and produce fruits of faith.

Secondly, to grow in love, we must first experience the love of Jesus Christ through the forgiveness of sins, regeneration or transformation. We are greatly encouraged in 1 John that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. ¹ My dear children, I write this.. to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. ² He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 1:9 – 2:2). When we have experienced the love of Christ through His salvation we must grow in sharing this love among the fellowship of believers as seen in the Early Church in Act 4:32-35. It is reported by Luke that “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. (Acts 4:32) We grow in unconditional or Agape love after we have encountered the love of Jesus Christ. This love is manifested in our willingness to share and fellowship with other believers without any form of discrimination or socio-economic barrier. Growing in love means we are ready to abide by Jesus’ commandment when He said ““A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35). We fail to grow in love if we become self-centered and refuse to give generously to our brothers and sisters who need the basic necessities of life. The Church is the fellowship of believers sharing and growing in the love of Christ. It is for this reason Paul reminds the Philippian Christians, “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Philippians 2:1-4) For a church to grow effectively there must be love and sharing in the fellowship of believers. Again to grow in love as believers, Jesus said “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit —fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. ¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other.” (John 15:13-17)

Thirdly, to grow in peace, we must experience the presence of Jesus in our lives. On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.” (John 20:19-20) After the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the disciples lived in fear of persecution by the Jewish leaders but when Jesus appeared to them after His resurrection, they were filled with joy. Beloved in the Lord the peace of Lord Jesus Christ takes away our fears and sorrow and fills our hearts with joy even in challenging and turbulent situations. Jesus greatly assures that “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27). Dear friend in Christ, regardless of the challenging situation you find yourself in today, we are emboldened to have faith in Jesus for His peace brings us comfort and joy. No condition is permanent, “weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. (Psalms 30:5) May our sorrow, disappointments and hardship give way to joy even as we experience the peace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

In summary, we have reflected on the theme “Growth in faith, love and peace”. We have learnt that to grow in faith, we must believe in the risen Lord. To grow in love, we must experience the forgiveness of Christ and be in fellowship with other believers and last but not least, to grow in peace, we must experience the presence of Jesus Christ in our lives. May the Holy Spirit empower us to grow in Faith, Love and Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.