Putting Agape teachings into action

This is my 50th posting to this agape blog. So it’s kind of a milestone for me. I don’t need to pause to summarize those postings because I already did that for the 2-year anniversary posting on Jan. 11.

What I want to do is pick up loose ends of what I think I may have missed or just not talked about.

First -- in my last posting I looked at the ‘agape’ passages from the Gospel According to John, to study how agape served as the basis underlying all the teachings there, but I left one loose end.

When I got to the ‘Last Supper’ section, I didn’t mention the emphasis on the ultimate sacrifice that a person living by agape must be willing to make. I decided to hold off my comments about that to this new posting.

The emphasis started when Peter wanted to show that he understood the importance of that new commandment (the agape commandment). He gave it the ultimate sacrificial meaning when he said, “I will lay down my life for you.” But Jesus answers by showing Peter that he won’t fully understand the sacrificial meaning behind agape until he is able to fully put it into action. Jesus says, “before the cock crows you will have denied me three times.” (13:34-38)

And we remember, of course, the sacrificial comment that Jesus made later when he talked about agape becoming so active among a group of friends, such that they must be willing to lay down their life for a friend. The meaning, of course, shows the sacrificial aspect of agape -- that people living by the power of agape must let agape lead them to give their all.  And Jesus gave his life as the great example.

Secondly -- the full meaning (of Jesus calling them to a future of remaining in his agape) came when he commanded them to live by agape so that they would become increasingly more aware of God’s power with them.

To my understanding, the most important point that summarizes all of the teaching Jesus gave about agape was increased awareness of God’s power in our lives and in our relationships.

That’s why I interpret the main mission of Jesus as teaching about agape and trying to bring God’s agape into people’s lives in such a way that began to change the world. Then the sad fact that the Book of Acts illustrates is the difficulty people have putting the power of agape into action. Even the closest followers of Jesus did not quickly learn how to live by agape. But slowly, and haltingly, they did learn.

And so the long history of Christianity shows that not only was it not easy, but also that a lot of sacrifice happened. Not very many people learned the importance of living by the power of agape. At least the written record was left for us to read, but even at that, we miss the important point if we end up mistranslating ‘agape’ into words that don’t convey the full spiritual power that can come into our lives.