ed.2.am.4

We quickly move to even more pragmatic lessons. Last week we tackled obedience. However, obedience to what? Some subjective mist that we pray to as we look for signs? Man, I hope not.
The Word of God, The Bible, provides such clear instruction, it makes Faith not even seem like faith at all. It's like having faith in the computer screen you're looking at. We don't really apply the term when it's moved to an objective state. If you're seriously considering your screen's existence right now, you either have a serious psychological disorder, there's a chemical creating a psychological aberattion or you are in college.
The faith hall of fame in Hebrews 11 may just as likely contain all our names. The faith's similar. In fact, ours is an equal blessing. We read about what really happened to Moses, to David. They lived it. So, does our faith come just from the reading? It clearly does not in my case. My faith is in a God who made a new creation of pre-40 James. Self-centered? Perhaps. Initially. However in the "working out" of the faith that began as a mustard seed, a dormant one at that, Christ now gives me a mountain-moving ability when I abide in him and him in me. Abide, love through obedience to his Word. So now, I have empirical evidence of the value of the word as it's described in II Timothy 3:16 (by the way Todd Wagner's "most" series list had this as the most important verse in the Bible). The universality of it puts me and you in the same potential place as our heros in Hebrews 11 and it makes God's "what, how and why" to Joshua in 1:8 applicable to us as well.

ed.2.am.3

So, we show our love for Christ through obedience? This idea may be new to folks. I kind of hope it is. It was a cornerstone in the demystification of Christ in my life. I think it signaled my movement from Christian to Christ-follower. Christian study was just another version of my interest in philosophy in general. However, the sink-your-teeth-into-it pragmatism of true Christianity removes the veil and subjective head games of philosophy and brings it to life; moves the action from the head to the feet and hands.
John 21 Is an amazing chapter in the ways Christ revealed himself to his disciples after his resurrection. In it, Christ performs a miracle to show the disciples that where they are fruitless fishing without Him, with Him their nets overflow. He also three times offsets Peter's thrice denial of him on the day of crucifixion. But this is just eye candy compared to Christ telling Peter how to show love. Do something. Feed my lambs, feed my sheep.
Earlier in John 14, Philip, Judas (not Iscariot), and Thomas all pose questions to Jesus, that have a similar pragmatic message. Do you love me? Obey. Although our memory verse is John 14:21 check out the whole Chapter. I must have been choosing to keep Christ in this mystical state so I could do what I wanted. It seems pretty clear obedience is the key to showing our love. How ya doin?