Give

Central Plains EFC

Welcome to Central Plains Evangelical Free Church

  • about us / contact us
  • current Sunday school and sermon series
  • Kids for Truth and Teens for Truth
  • Online Giving
  • our pastor
  • sermon audio
  • statement of faith
  • Weekly Bulletin
Welcome to Central Plains Evangelical Free Church

love the church

December 7, 2020 by Leigh Warmbrand

A story is told of a man who died and went to Heaven. He told Peter how grateful he was to be in such a glorious place, and he asked Peter to give him one glimpse into Hell so that he might appreciate his time in Heaven even more. Peter granted his request.

In Hell, he saw a long table extending as far as the eye could see, full of the most delicious foods, but everyone around the table was in anguish and pain, starving to death. The man asked for an explanation and Peter answered, “Everyone in Hell must take food from the table only with four-foot-long chopsticks. They are so long that no one can reach the food from the table to his mouth, and therefore each one is dying of starvation.”

When they returned to Heaven, the man saw an identical table, full of the same foods, but everyone around the table was happy and fat. Then he asked Peter, “What do these people eat with, forks and spoons, right?” Peter answered, “No, the same as Hell, only four-foot-long chopsticks.” Confused, the man asked, “Why are all the people in Hell in pain and starving to death while all those here in Heaven are well-fed and happy?” Peter replied: “In Heaven, we feed each other.”

We feed each other out of love. We are to love one another as John said in his first letter, chapter 3. It is not a “warm fuzzy” love or sensual, “hook-up” love. It is definitely not selfish, out of anger or hate. In fact, “Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” Instead, our love is sacrificial and costly. “By this we know love, that He laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. Let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” Spurgeon said, “True love delights in sacrifices. Love rejoices in self-denials. The more costly the sacrifice, the better is love pleased to make it.” We are to love one another, as He commanded. And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. How is your love for one another this season?

Take the opportunity this Advent season to think about your love for God and love for one another in Christ. How are you loving one another in deed and truth? How are you feeding others with four-foot-long chopsticks? Don’t give up on loving your brother or sister in Christ. John Flavel said, “Do not be too quick to bury the church before she is dead! Stay till Christ has tried his skill before you give it up for lost.”

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: church, love

Tags

Bible book review books Charlottesville China Christmas church Coronavirus creation death Easter eclipse evangelism faith forgiveness glory God gospel grace graduation Hindu homosexuality hope hurricane Jesus Jonah love Luke marriage mercy missions money Muslims praise prayer Proverbs Psalms racism salvation sermon audio Sudan suffering thanks weekly update worship

Archives

  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017

Copyright © 2023 Central Plains EFC.

Church WordPress Theme by themehall.com