There are many different ideas in our culture about the meaning of love. Love comes to have real meaning in John’s Gospel. We read in John 13:34, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.”
This is one of the most important teachings in the entire New Testament. Jesus said love for God and love for neighbor are our most important duties. Jesus had taught his disciples to love their enemies. He had told them to love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. He had told them to love their neighbors as themselves. However, this is the first time Jesus has given them this command to love one another. In fact, you will not find the command to love one another in the Old Testament. You will find commands to love your neighbor as yourself. You will find a command to love those who are aliens (Deuteronomy 10:19). But the command, “Love one another,” is not recorded in the Bible until we come to John 13:34. So, it truly is a “new” commandment.
Jesus calls his disciples back to the basics, because if we cannot love one another within the community of faith, then we certainly cannot love God, our neighbors, foreigners, and our enemies as we should. We are to act as if we genuinely love one another. The commandment to love one another is for the Body of Christ. The church is to be an example to the rest of the world of what love is. The world will know we are Christians if we love one another. So, how are we doing?
It is my prayer that we will make love our standard of living, that we will base our love on our personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and that we will be witnesses for God’s love by the way in which we love our brothers and sisters in the faith.
Sunday Worship
Pastor Glen will continue the sermon series, Ephesians: Our Identity and Purpose! His sermon this Sunday is “A Wedding Sermon,” based upon Ephesians 3:17b-19. Please read this text in preparation for worship . . . and, as I have shared, you can certainly read the whole letter!!
Adult Sunday school
Our Adult Sunday school class will meet this Sunday immediately after worship in the large Sunday school room. Please join Janet Coiner and others for a wonderful time around God’s Word!! We will study Matthew 24: Jesus Predicts the Future: Be Ready!! Please bring your Bible!!
Tithes and Offerings
An offering box is available when you enter or exit the sanctuary. Additionally, online giving opportunities are available on the website.
Amazon Smile
Support Hope Community Church by choosing us as your Amazon Smile charity. Simply login to Amazon. In the upper left corner, Click Amazon Smile. If you are supporting a charity already, you will see that name. Click the dropdown arrow. Click “Change Charity”. Search for “Hope Community Church Waynesboro”. Click and select.
Saturate Augusta Prayer Meeting
ALL are invited to a prayer meeting next Thursday night, May 19th at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will occur at our church facility! This is an opportunity to intercede together for our county!
Mission Corner
You can visit our website and go to the Outreach Page.
April Financial Report
Revenues: Monthly: $19,550.46 YTD: $72,943.99
Expenses: Monthly: $13,046.93 YTD: $60,216.20
Prayer Meeting
Our Weekly Prayer meeting is held at our church facility each Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. We invite you to join with us as we seek the Lord’s face!
May Birthdays
Sherry Holder (5/20); Paul Childers (5/22); Larry Roberts (5/25)