Introduction: Most people identify with another individual or a larger group of people. And when we do identify with them, we often demonstrate outwardly that we follow them. For example: I am going to show several items and you can identify what group the person who has that item follows:

· Lion's club yellow vest.
· Randolph letter jacket.
· Packer's jersey.
· Cross.

When we use certain items, we show whom we follow.

This is also true with religions. You can tell whether a person is Amish, Buddhist, Catholic, Lutheran by either what they wear, what rituals they perform, or both. Jesus himself told his disciples on Maundy Thursday that they would do something by which all men would know that they were his disciples. What he said about them is still true for Christians today. There is to be a distinguishing feature common to all Christians by which people can readily and correctly assume that we follow Jesus.

What is that feature?

Is it spiritual gifts? The ability to speak in tongues, perform miracles, withstand poisonous snake bites which the early apostles could do? Is it the ability to given generously, serve, administer, show mercy, or do any of the other things that St. Paul lists in 1 Corinthians 12 and in Romans 12? 

To some extent that is true. The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit comes to those who are Christians (in fact, he brings them to faith) and then he showers them with gifts. Not everyone receives the same gifts or the same degree of gifts but every member of Jesus' body has received at least one gift to be used for the good of all so that by working together we can achieve God's purpose. So one way people will know we follow Jesus is by the fact that we have received spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit.

But that is not what Jesus said would be the distinguishing mark of being a disciple. And in this section from 1 Corinthians, St. Paul emphasizes that even more important than having a gift and using that gift is the way in which we use it.

The distinguishing mark of a follower of Jesus is love. John 13:34
34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Jesus later in his discourse tells us how we will demonstrate that love by obeying his teaching in John 14:23ff.

23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

St. Paul also tells us how important love is when he tells us that if we don't show love in the use of our spiritual gifts, our efforts are worthless. 1 Corinthians 13:1ff.

1 If I speak in the tongues_ of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

The Importance of Love for the Christian

1. By Love all Will Know we Follow Jesus.
2. With Love we are to use our Spiritual Gifts.

This chapter is a part of St. Paul's teaching on spiritual gifts. A spiritual gift is an ability that God gives to us that we are to use to serve the church. It may be the gift of music, of patience, of perseverence, of wisdom, of knowledge, of serving, etc. 

But just having a spiritual gift and using it is not the mark of a follower of Jesus. It is the way in which we use that gift and interact with each other. In our relationships with one another we are to demonstrate Christian love in all that we do whether it be the husband/ wife; boyfriend/girlfriend; parent/child, sibling; coworker; friend; neighbor; fellow member, etc. 

So that there might be no mistake on what is meant by this love, St. Paul explains it in what has become known as the chapter of love: 
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.

We see the perfect example of this in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. We see his compassion for the sick, the harassed and helpless, his slow to understand disciples, even his enemies when he prayed for them while dying on the cross. We see the height of that love in his death. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). John tells us that we are to model that love by laying down our lives for others and then explains what that means: 1 John 3:16ff. 

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth

Specific Sin: But is that what others always see in our lives? I recall a stormy afternoon about seven years ago when I was trying to tape something for Vacation Bible school. The kids were being noisy and I was running behind and I just blew up at them in a fit of rage. I caught myself on video tape and I couldn't believe what I saw. I copied over that tape as quickly as possible so that no one else would see my lack of love. (But God did see it.)

Although St. Paul tells us what true Christian love is like, all too often we are just the opposite. By our sinful nature we are impatient, cruel, envious, boastful, proud, rude, self-seeking, easily angered, recorders of wrongs, delighting in evil, lacking trust, hopeless, and feel like giving up. We sin against God and man, we are caught in our lovelessness. As a result, those on the outside (or fellow Christians) see us and taunt us. You call yourself a Christian and that is the way you live? You are just a hypocrite! The devil jeers at us and accuses us of not loving Jesus. We are either overwhelmed with guilt or we excuse our sinfulness, (or we try to hide it the way I taped over that video tape.)

It is then especially that we need to return to the love of God. Even though God knows we are sinners who sin, he so loved us that he sent Jesus. Jesus in love laid down his life for us. The Holy Spirit came to us and brought us to faith and gave us spiritual gifts. 

God urges us to confess our sins of lovelessness to him. He promises that he forgives us and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. He forgives our sins and fills our hearts with love so that we can turn from sin and show love in the future.

By God's grace, we can and then do love. In spite of our sins, God motivates us to demonstrate the love that St. Paul describes. We can see wonderful examples all around us of the type of love that does mark the Christian.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.


When we live in this way, then people can tell we are Christians. When I was in Spokane, WA, I spend a lot of time visiting and revisiting people who did not belong to or even necessarily attend a church. Although I could not see into their hearts (no one but God can), I would often see by their words and actions that maybe they weren't good church goers, but they were followers of Jesus by the love they showed. On the other hand, I have had "faithful" church members who did not show love and one has to wonder whether they are followers of Jesus or just followers of tradition.

What does God want us to do to show that we are Christians? It is important to gather together with fellow Christians to hear God's word, to grow in the faith, to encourage one another, and to use our gifts together to carry out God's purpose of bringing the Gospel to all nations. It is important to use the gift that has been given to you for the good of all. But God doesn't just want us to go through the motions out of a sense of duty or of guilt. He wants us to be so filled with his love that his love permeates everything we do. 

Use the gifts the Holy Spirit has given to you. Use them with the love that St. Paul describes here in our text. Then you will give glory to God and all men will know that you follow Jesus. Amen.