Would I Die for You?

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.. -1 Peter 3:18

I had a conversation with Russ last night. Like many folks, we both comment on some of the same "Messianic" blogs but unlike most of us, we live within a short drive of each other. I won't attempt to condense the two-and-a-half hour conversation we had, but something he said about himself stuck with me this morning and it needs to be repeated (I didn't specifically ask Russ if I could blog this, so I hope he doesn't mind).

Russ has been a believer in Yeshua/Jesus for about 40 years. Early in his walk of faith, he was a part of a Christian community preaching to folks on the streets of Los Angeles and inviting anyone they encountered to their worship services. During one service, Russ was asked to deliver "the message", which he'd never done before. Like most people in such a circumstance, he was scared to death, but as he stood in front of the crowd with the band playing behind him, he says that the Spirit of God came upon him. During that time, it didn't seem to be Russ speaking to everyone but something and someone more...much more.

After the message was over and people were beginning to depart, the Spirit was still with Russ and something very interesting happened. He saw people differently, especially some of the people in the community he wasn't getting along with. One person who he was really having "issues" with was there and suddenly, Russ saw him as he believes God sees him. In that moment, Russ felt a special kind of love for the fellow and knew he would do anything for him...anything at all. He'd die for him (regardless of your feelings and opinions on Spiritual experiences, please keep reading...the point will become abundantly clear momentarily).

After my talk with Russ, I went home, spent some time talking with my wife and then went to bed. I didn't have much of a chance to digest the conversation I'd had with Russ and this morning, like many other people, I got up, got ready, and the drove to work.

During the commute, I was thinking about the people around me, thinking about the traffic, and considering the relative driving skills of the folks in my immediate vicinity (and not always kindly). I abruptly remembered the conversation I had with Russ and thought about how God sees these people. I asked myself, if I could see the other drivers the way God sees them, would I die for them? I said to myself, Yeshua already did. He died for them. He died for us all. He rose for us all. He lives for us all. He sees us as the Father sees us. Why don't we see each other the same way?

As I read the comments on this blog, my congregation's blog, and on the various "Messianic" blogs I visit, and notice the nature and tone of the comments we make at each other, I wonder, if it came down to it, would we die for each other? Is it possible to put our differences aside and see each other the way God sees us? Is it possible for us to put our differences aside and love each other the way God loves us?

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. -John 3:16

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. 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. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other. -John 15:9-17

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends and This is my command: Love each other are at the core of what this is all supposed to be about. I can't see how any person, in any of the collection of fractured pieces of the faith communities we claim as our own, can argue against these statements and their intent. I don't believe this is a commandment that only applies to Jews. I don't believe this is a commandment that only applies to Gentiles. This is one of those directives from the Messiah that applies to everyone and he lived the commandment by dying for us. If we don't live out the commandment too by loving each other, Jew and Gentile alike, then what do our high sounding words, our protestations and arguments, and our faith really mean?

This conversation will continue and my journey of faith will continue as chronicled in this blog. No doubt we will keep on bouncing ideas back and forth occasionally stepping on each other's toes. The next time you start feeling a little annoyed with someone's comments (including mine) or feel like you have to start defending yourself or your group, remember that Messiah died, not just for the righteous and not just for the Jews, but for everyone. Paul put it this way:

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! -Romans 5:9-10

I started this blog so I could personally re-examine my faith and "get back to basics". This is as basic as it gets. If we can't agree on this, then who are we really?