"Orthopraxy. . . is demonstrated in relationship to God, his word, and people who are made in his image. Becoming an expert in doctrine does not make one a disciple. On the contrary, Jesus taught that the clearest evidence that we are truly disciples is when we 'love one another' as he has loved us … Continue reading Quote of Note #177: True Christian Discipleship
Tag: love
Pastor Note #134/Bible Note #55: Love of Jesus, Love of Neighbor
“Almighty God, you have taught us through your Son that love is the fulfilling of the law. Grant that we may love you with our whole heart and our neighbor as ourselves; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.[1] Luke 10:25-37 (NIV)25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he … Continue reading Pastor Note #134/Bible Note #55: Love of Jesus, Love of Neighbor
Prayer Note #64: Anger and the Fruit of God’s Spirit
God, my Father, as I look around me,as I see the newsand read my social media feed,anger wells up in me.I am offended by what I see.This world is not as it should be.In my anger, I want to lash out.In my offense, I want to call downfire from heaven.Then, I find in your wordthat … Continue reading Prayer Note #64: Anger and the Fruit of God’s Spirit
Pastor Note #132: Anger and Following Jesus
In my youth, which took place in those dark days before the existence of computers and apps on mobile devices, it was very difficult to say definitively how often, if at all, a given phrase appears in the Bible. These days, of course, it is a matter of a few moments of thumb typing, and … Continue reading Pastor Note #132: Anger and Following Jesus
Quote of Note #167: Knowing God
"Under the image of the Trinity, we discover that we do not know God by defining him but by being loved by him and loving in return. The consequences of this are personally revelatory: another does not know me, nor do I know another, by defining or explaining, by categorizing or by psychologizing, but only … Continue reading Quote of Note #167: Knowing God
Quote of Note #166: Defining Marker of Christian Identity
"[H]ow we love one another is not just a matter of justice; it is a matter of evangelism. Scripture says that if we love one another well, people will identify us as Jesus' disciples, and through identifying and experiencing God's love in and through us, many will come to know God themselves. Therefore, how we … Continue reading Quote of Note #166: Defining Marker of Christian Identity
Quote of Note #165: “Love Your Enemies”
"Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction. So when Jesus says, … Continue reading Quote of Note #165: “Love Your Enemies”
Quote of Note #164: Self-sacrificial Love
"God does not force us to do anything, including love our neighbor. Therefore, love is a choice, not a given. Love is an inconvenient choice, one that costs us time, resources, and at times our safety. God's love empowered by the Spirit, compels us to be countercultural, bearing witness to who and whose we are … Continue reading Quote of Note #164: Self-sacrificial Love
Pastor Note #131: A Pastoral Response to Someone Struggling in these Divisive Times
Feeling connected and part of a community of believers has become increasingly hard for me, too, over the last several years. So, I can understand how you feel. There is a kind of spiritual homelessness that has set in for many of us. We can feel such a desire to isolate and retreat from community … Continue reading Pastor Note #131: A Pastoral Response to Someone Struggling in these Divisive Times
Pastor Note #125: A Maundy Thursday Devotional
Introduction:Today, the Thursday before Easter is traditionally called Maundy Thursday. This is pretty much the only context in which the word “maundy” is used in English. So, what does the word mean? Well, it comes from the Latin word “mandatum” which means “command.” This Thursday is called Maundy Thursday because we are meant to remember … Continue reading Pastor Note #125: A Maundy Thursday Devotional
Gary Chorpenning's Notebooks 