10 May 2015 - all the ends of the earth

As the Father loves me, so I also love you.

This is such a great love, Jesus. Help us to know and appreciate it!

In this is love:
not that we have loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.

This love should not be something which we receive passively. It should not leave us unchanged.

Beloved, let us love one another,
because love is of God;
everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.

Jesus, you are the one who is truly begotten by the Father and knows him. You receive all that you are from him and pour all that you are out in love for him.

This is the source of your own joy. It is a joy you want to share with us. And so you tell us, "Remain in my love." You show us how to be in right relationship with Love. This is your own relationship to the Father. When we share this relationship we also share your joy.

But again, this relationship is not passive. It receives all and it does not hesitate to pour everything out for another.

No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

You long to see this love and joy shared with all peoples. You go to great lengths to share it. You even work signs and wonders through us to share it.

While Peter was still speaking these things,
the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word.
The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter
were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit
should have been poured out on the Gentiles also,
for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God.

Imagine, preaching so anointed that your Holy Spirit cannot help but burst forth from the lips of those who hear it. Yet Peter is not meant to be unique in this. Your Holy Spirit responds in these first Gentiles when you call them friends. But you want to call everyone friend, not just those Gentiles. You are sent into the world so that the whole world might have life through you. You want all the ends of the earth to know the joy of living in your love, to know your salvation, and to call you friend.

All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.