If You Love Me ...

​Last year our focus was upon putting our houses in order as we embraced the scripture taken from Joshua 24:15 “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  This year we are individualizing our focus, by choosing to explore the commands of Jesus.  Our good friend, and New Zealand missionary Elijah Peters took it on as a personal project to identify the commands of Jesus.  In considering John 14:15 where Jesus asked “If you love me, keep my commands,”  Elijah determined if there were commands Jesus is expecting us to keep, then we need to know what those are.  So Elijah worked through the gospels, carefully notating every command given by Jesus.  He then combined those which repeated themselves, and when the dust settled, he determined there were 25 distinct commands given by Jesus, which we as his followers are expected to adhere to.  It is these commands which will provide the foundation for our sermons in 2020.
 
My prayer is, as we examine these commands, we will incorporate them into our lives, and allow them to grow us in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Therefore, I am excited and convinced 2020 is going to be a year of transition for the Port Huron Church of Christ.  It is going to be a year of personal growth, as well as growth through impacting others with the message of the gospel.  Actually, it has already begun as Tom Kennedy decided Sunday afternoon to open his heart and allow Jesus to be his Lord and Savior. Long after everyone had gone home following potluck, Tom was baptized into the family of God.  Unfortunately, Tom has relocated to Colombia this week, but the great news is that he has relocated as a child of God.  God is working on hearts, letting us know this is going to be a great year, so  let us do all we can to demonstrate OUR love for Jesus, as we embrace his commands in 2020.
 
Blessings.
Lamar