We Have Been Given a New Commandment: Love One Another

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.

Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.

—John 13:34

Our church word for the holy Thursday evening of Holy Week, "Maundy," comes from the Latin, "Maundatum," which means "mandate" or "commandment." There is a verse from John 13:34 that reads "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another." Jesus showed His love for us by being willing to take that love all the way to the cross.

This service tonight begins our observance of the church’s most special holy nights and days: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter. These days remind us every year that God’s love is so profound and great that God made a sacrifice for us. Such love! There’s no other love in all the universe like God’s love for God’s creation and God’s people!

To observe these days, I invite you to sacrifice, to pray and to worship and praise.

The sacrifice may be a meal you skip and donate the proceeds to the local food pantry or another cause that helps the hungry. Or it may be an act of service to someone you know who is in need. The prayer may be to spend a half-hour at church from noon on Good Friday to noon on Holy Saturday, or to find another time and place to thank God for all your blessings and ask God to bless those less fortunate than we are. The worship and praise will be tonight, Thursday, at 7 PM and Easter at either 7 or 10 AM.

Pause to remember why this is one of the holiest and most profound and beautiful nights of the entire year.

I’ll see you in church or in other places where we do ministry together!

Paul

REFLECTIONS ON INSTALLATION SUNDAY: God Is Our Champion, We Are God’s Leaders

^“But David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword and spear and javelin;
but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand,…”

—1 Samuel 17:45,46a

God was active in our lives on Sunday afternoon, April 3, here at First Christian in Trenton.

Danny Stewart, Mid-America Regional Minister, preached his sermon, based upon 1 Samuel 17:1-52 – a unique perspective and a fresh look at a familiar story: the tale of young David defeating the Philistine giant, Goliath. He titled his message, “Who Is the Champion?” He took us from a traditional understanding that God's chosen king-in-waiting, David, was the "hero" to a different viewpoint: that David was a leader but not the hero. "God called forth a leader to show them that their champion is already present with them and has never left them alone," Stewart proclaimed. "Their champion is God."

Referring to me, the man on the "hot seat" that Sunday afternoon waiting to be installed, he went on: "We are here to celebrate that God has appointed a leader to face his own particular Goliath in our midst and to show the community of faith that who you are and what you have inside you is more than enough..." to face the challenges of our present age of transition, uncertainty and danger.

Having so many "witnesses" to this event, including ministers from Trenton and Bethany, Plattsburgh and Carrollton, and also our honored guests, the Mayor of Trenton, Cathie Smith, the CEO of Wright Memorial Hospital, Karen Cole and the new President of the Chamber of Commerce, Debbie Carman, caused me to see myself as others appear to see me, as a leader who is called to draw people into partnerships, building unity through new alliances among different aspects of the community. Too often, churches are pushed to the side as lacking relevance to the work of renewal and transition that is taking place in a community. On that Sunday, the vision God showed us is of a united community of business, civic and spiritual leaders developing a common vision and plans for the good of all. The congregation of First Christian Church has much to offer to that conversation, in years of experience and in the quality of their faithfulness.

I look forward to continuing this conversation with you at the church or in other places where we share ministry together!

Paul