Our Role as Christians

If you wanted to sum up the directions Jesus offered us as Christians into a few short points, I think you could note the greatest commandment and the great commission.

In Matthew 22:37-40, "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 neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Then, after dying on the cross for us and rising on the third day, Jesus concluded his time on Earth with a message about how we were to demonstrate those commandments in reaching the world. In Matthew 28:16-20 it says, "Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Now, the Bible is more complex than that. There are plenty of instructions about how to carry ourselves, what faith means, and how God works in our lives. But if you wanted the Cliff's notes version of Jesus' message to us, I think you could point to the Greatest Commandment and the Great Commission. The problem we have is in the way people choose to apply those messages.

I couldn't help but think of that this week as a Florida church thought it was a good idea to burn a Qu'ran. I believe the Qu'ran is just a book, but of course Muslims see it as a symbol of their faith. I tried to imagine what I would feel to find a group of people burning the Bible, trying to expunge it's message and those that believe in the power of its words from the world. I'm sure I would be saddened and angry.

That is what we're seeing now. Muslims have reacted violently to this assault on their faith. Not only are men and women losing their lives, violence and anger are dominating the discussion of this issue. It's hard to imagine how those involved in these protests are being reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

But that's the point of our time on this Earth isn't it? We're supposed to be spreading the Gospel and reaching the lost with the good news of Jesus Christ. That's what the Great Commission is all about. The problem is, that message is marred by the acts done in the name of Jesus Christ.

Think about what we know of his Earthly ministry. He didn't burn books, he didn't lead violent protests, he let his actions and deeds model his core beliefs. We do the same. Those people that burned the Qu'ran in Florida demonstrated their core beliefs are anger, fear, and ignorance. No matter what their stated purpose was, actions speak louder than words.

Jesus told us to love God with our heart, soul, and mind; and to love our neighbor as ourself. Love is not conveyed through fire and ashes. The fearful man tries to destroy that which contradicts his beliefs. If you truly embrace and serve the God of the universe, you know He is bigger than the words of man. You don't need to burn the Qu'ran, you need to counter it with the truth.

But no one can hear that message over the din of angry protests.