Pastor Jim Verkest, Mosinee UMC

I John 3:18 & 19

Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions.  It is by our actions that we know we are living in the truth…

        I grew up in a family that wasn’t very affectionate.  Dad never could bring himself to say I love you to his kids.  Mom was never much of a hugger or kisser.  In fact, most of the family was reserved.  You assumed there was love there, but you never saw it demonstrated much.

        My wife’s family was very different.  They were huggers and kissers.  When you visited, there was always touching to send a message of affection and care.  I must admit I was a little put off by all of this at first, because it was so strange to my way of being in relationship with family.  In time, I became comfortable with it, and today I love to greet people warmly and affectionately.  I love to get and give hugs.  Being “warm” has become part of who I am now as opposed to the “cool” withdrawn person I grew up to be.

        My early experience in church was not unlike my growing up.  Many people in church seemed cool and detached.  They were quick to say hello, but that was as far as it went.  The pastors I knew, with one exception, were distant, as well.  There certainly was talk about God’s love and grace, but there didn’t seem to be much love being expressed in the church.  I often wondered where the warmth was.  Where was the “joy” of our salvation?

        John certainly was the disciple of love.  In his first letter, John makes it clear that we need to do more than just say we love God and love one another; we need to demonstrate it by our actions.  Early in my walk of faith, I learned that love was the primary experience that God wanted us to experience with Him and others.  In Acts, we hear the statement, “See how they love,” in reference to the new Christian believers.  These new Christians took the basic Jewish understanding of hospitality to a new level and truly loved.  They demonstrated love in their worship and fellowship.  More importantly, they demonstrated love by reaching out with compassion to each other and the community around them.  As it says in Acts, “No one was left in need.”  Everything was shared by the believers out of love.

        The early Christian experience reflected the joy had by those who had come to faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.  God’s grace and forgiveness was evident in the mission of Jesus which was to free us all from sin.  Who, when freed from a life-robbing burden, would not feel joy, love, and peace?  As Christians, we have the assurance of eternal life with God in Heaven.  What greater love can be experienced than the love of God?  We are here to pass that on.

        If you are seeking the joy and love of the early Christian faith communities, come join us.  We truly begin each day with a song on our lips and a prayerful love in our hearts.