Three Marks of a Christian in These and All Times

Dear Fellow Disciples:

There are three marks of the Christian: love, gratitude and anticipation. Jesus articulated the first attribute as a command: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another” (John 13.34-35, NRSV). Living into love is our lifelong discipline as Christ’s disciples. Love does not come naturally; often it does not come easily. But without love, we are just noisemakers. (1 Corinthians 13.1)

Gratitude, too, is antithetical to the world around us. We are witnessing active discontent from every side. It is ingratitude that feeds the distrust and jealousy dividing our communities. We are currently witnessing ingratitude seething into violence, counter-violence, destruction and death. Yet gratitude without love is passive; unloving contentment becomes complacency, and ignorance, injustice, poverty and disrespect tolerated.

Gratitude combined with love actively, passionately, tirelessly works to change conditions for others. Because we are grateful, we do not fear. Allowing others to flourish does not diminish the sufficiency of the grateful. Loving people become even more grateful when they see others thrive and achieve. They warn the disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak and are patient with all. (1 Thessalonians 5.14)

Which brings me to the third characteristic of the Christian: boundless anticipation. We are people who hope; we are expectant. Because we are grateful, we do not allow our anticipation to become impatience. Because we love, anticipation fuels our encouragement. Because we are Christ’s disciples, we believe; we know each day brings us closer to the full revelation of Christ’s peace. (John 14.27)

This musing started as a simple progress report. Since March 18, our congregation’s facilities have remained closed to public gatherings. I know many of you are looking with anticipation to the day we can again physically express our identity as a congregation. But I also know, because you love one another, you desire to do that safely and reasonably. And that because you are grateful people, you have found sufficiency in our current configuration. I wanted to let you know that our Session has appointed a task force to explore how and when we may ease into gathering. We do not yet know the timing, size and restrictions we will commend for Session’s review, but we have begun, and we will keep you informed.

Your thoughts, insights, ideas, recommendations, fears and hopes are welcome. Please email me at JKrogh@fpclg.org, and I will share your thoughts with the task force, comprised of Ruling Elders Dr. Sarah Sutton (infectious disease physician and moderator), Troy Kimberling, Allyson Metcalf, Tom Parkes, Kelli Teegen and myself. Our task is to test and weigh our gathering options through the lens of love, gratitude and anticipation.

I’ll end with the words the Apostle Paul uses to conclude his first letter to the church of Thessalonica:

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.

May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5.16-23)

In prayer for you, our country, our world, I remain,

With Love,
Jonathan Krogh
Your Pastor

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