Calvin Synod Herald, 2006 (107. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2006-07-01 / 7-8. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HERALD 11 In many ways, these have been very good years for our congregation. Members working together, being involved, shouldering each others burdens. And this attitude of Brotherly Love in the Congregation is reflected in the fact that quite a number of non-members continue to feel very comfortable joining us for our sausage-making projects, feeling the friendship and warmth we experience here. In many aspects these have been wonderful years in the life of our church. As we reflect, we realize that the challenge we faced in 1999 was a blessing from God. It helped to renew our congregation. One of the wonderful things about our congregation is that there are quite a few members who take personal responsibility to go “above and beyond” their responsibility in the church. This is the secret to every good church fellowship. The Lord blesses those who share his blessings with others, and we have experienced that repeatedly. In 2001 we welcomed some of the members of the First Hungarian Evangelical and Reformed Church of Indiana Harbor, who were faced with having to close their own church. They have become active in our congregation and an important part of our fellowship. Their experience is a lesson to us in the situation we are currently facing, having to give up our sanctuary. But they showed that as much as we love and grow attached to the House of Worship our ancestors bequeathed to us, the building is not the “church,” the fellowship of Jesus Christ is the Church to which we belong. This past year we were informed that our land would be used for commercial development. We had no choice. As we have to leave our sanctuary of 87 years, we are filled with emotion. But it is the same emotion that our Slovak members dealt with in 1927 when they left their own separate house of worship and joined with us in a Reformed fellowship, and it is the same emotion our Indiana Harbor members had to deal with when they came and joined with us just five short years ago. We have been welcomed by our Christian friends at Plymouth Congregational Church. Rev. Facklam and the Lay leadership have been gracious and accommodating in a way only found in Christian fellowships. They have been very warm and open in allowing us to share their facility, and we look forward to a wonderful relationship of friendship, cooperation and service to our Lord. We are very grateful for their invitation. Because we all hold the Church dear to our hearts, the Church of Christ continues to share the Gospel that Jesus first brought to the world. We are privileged to continue His work in this community as long as he gives us life and breath. As His people, this congregation will continue to seek the guidance of the Lord, looking for opportunities of service in whatever way the congregation is called. I am grateful for the privilege of working with the members of the Whiting Congregation, for having been allowed to serve in this congregation by our Lord. Rt. Rev. Koloman Karl Ludwig, pastor Identifying Christians By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:35) I. Love Is God’s Accreditation Standard for the Church A. God directs His people to love Him. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shaft love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shaft teach them diligently unto thy children, and shaft talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-7) B. Jesus expanded the focus to fellow believers as well. “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (John 13:34) C. Jesus illustrated the expanded doctrine by His own example. “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” (John 15:12 D. The example Jesus left was self-sacrificial love. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) E. Here is the self-authenticating credential which all people can see and acknowledge. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:35) II. Jesus Defined Love A. Jesus defined love as doing what He directed. “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.” (1 John 3:23) B. The practice of love is a constantly renewing and selfauthenticating matter. “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.” (John 14:21-24) C. Getting love right is a life and death matter both now and for eternity. “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not
