This is Holy Week - Tuesday - Invitation

This is Holy Week - Tuesday

Invitation

‘“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And [Jesus] said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and Prophets”’

Matthew 22.36-40

But do we keep them? How can we? Even in the most devout amongst us, there are dark corners of impurity that take a lifetime of prayer to replace with the love that should be there. It is only in the terms of the Gospel message, that Jesus died to defeat death that is sin and rose again in new life for all, that these commandments are fulfilled. These are not rules to be obeyed in our frailty, but an invitation to a new way of life where, in the strength of Christ, by degrees, sin is replaced by love.

I know that my Redeemer lives,
and ever prays for me;
a token of his love he gives,
a pledge of liberty.

He wills that I should holy be;
what can withstand his will?
The counsel of his grace in me
he surely shall fulfil.

Jesus, I hang upon your word;
I steadfastly believe
you will return and claim me, Lord,
and to yourself receive.

When God is mine, and I am his,
of paradise possessed,
I taste unutterable bliss
and everlasting rest.

Charles Wesley (1707-88)

The Methodist Church provides worship and devotional resources at www.methodist.org.uk