A letter from Anthony...
“One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment
in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your
neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and
the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’”
Matthew 22:35-40
In recent weeks Covid restrictions have once against begun to impact our
lives and the way that we are able to interact with others. In 2020, I led church services and preached
into a camera, often without anyone else in the room, but lately I’ve been leading
and preaching to a room full of people wearing masks.
The masks we are required to wear have their purpose according to the
medical experts, but they also inadvertently put up a shield between us and
those around us. In a congregation full
of people who are wearing masks, it’s hard to tell what anyone is thinking
because our facial expressions are hidden.
Those of us who have glasses also have to deal with a secondary shield
caused by our masks as our breath fogs up the lenses of our glasses, and this
constant fog often makes us feel awkward and uncomfortable when interacting
with others.
In the season we are in face masks are required, however they are a
barrier that we need to overcome when interacting with each other. But the barrier our masks create is only a
very small hurdle compared to the barrier sin creates both vertically and
horizontally.
As God’s creatures made in His image, we were created to be in
relationship both vertically with God and horizontally with others. This is why Jesus says in the verses above
that the requirement to love God and to love our neighbour are the two greatest
commandments.
But sadly, when sin entered God’s good creation a barrier formed between our relationships – both vertically and horizontally – making it impossible for us to truly and perfectly love God or our neighbour. And this barrier formed by sin would remain forever, if it wasn’t broken down by God sending His One and Only Son to pay the penalty for our guilt and shame, making it possible for our repentant hearts to be forgiven through faith in this great hope.
It is only possible to love both vertically and horizontally through the
cross of Jesus Christ. It is only
possible to truly love God once we have grasped His love shown to us through Christ’s
death on our behalf. And it is only
truly possible for us to love our neighbour unconditionally once we have
grasped our Saviour’s love for them.
Sadly, the barrier that face masks create might be around for some time,
so we will need to be creative and intentional in the way we connect with each
other and continue to build up each other in Christ. But we can praise the Lord that the barrier
between God and us has been broken down by Jesus’ death in our place! As those who have been shown this
extraordinary and undeserved mercy, may we make every effort to love both
vertically and horizontally and allow the love of Christ to shine through
us.
In Christ, Anthony
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