May – The Triple Crown Month
May has three winners in it, Mother’s Day, Graduation, and Memorial Day, all having to do with love. Three days when we honor the mothers who have loved us, the students we have loved who have worked to complete the educational requirements for a diploma, and military personnel who have expressed their love for their country to give the ultimate sacrifice.
It is also appropriate that Pentecost, the birthday of the Christian church, is also celebrated this month. Jesus had told His disciples in John 13:34, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.” But Jesus knew that this would not come natural for us because of the sin that is within and controls us.
Many take pride in quoting the Old Testament to justify the revenge they are seeking, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” One person even said to me with enthusiasm, “I’m not looking to get even, I want to get ahead!” But they forget to complete the quote, “But vengeance is mine says the Lord.”
Just before Jesus ascended back to heaven, he told His disciples, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses.” They obeyed and when “they were all together in one place,” “all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
What was the new tongue? It was the language of bold love. They were the same people who had wanted to call down fire on those who would not receive them or hid when Jesus was crucified. But now they were boldly proclaiming God’s love expressed in Jesus and concluded by saying, “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
And how may we know? Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” May, the Triple Crown Month. What a great time to show God’s presence in our lives by expressing love.
Happy loving all month long!!!
Pastor David
