> The fall message: Be filled with the Spirit of God because what you’re filled with will spill out onto others
The passage below is taken from the Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith document as published online at MennoniteBrethren.ca under the heading: “Demonstrating True Faith”
“Disciples treat others with compassion and gentleness and reject violence as a response to injustice. Disciples speak honestly to build others up and reject dishonest, vulgar, and careless talk; they seek to avoid lawsuits to resolve personal grievances, especially with other believers.”
What should people encounter when they come to a church, school, or home filled with people who are disciples of Jesus? I’m not sure what they should encounter, but I can confirm what they will encounter assuming the first part of the statement is true and accurate; that they are in fact disciples of Jesus Christ. They will encounter compassion and gentleness combined with honesty that builds the listener up. By definition, a disciple of Jesus is filled with His Holy Spirit which results in a certain type of product spilling out of them: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. A person who isn’t led by the Spirit of God is instead led by human and earthly desires which produce something that is a complete contrast to the fruit of God’s Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26).
Here’s the thing, if you walk into a church, school, or home that claims to be filled with disciples of Jesus and you aren’t met with compassion, gentleness, and honesty that builds you up, then you haven’t encountered disciples of Jesus Christ, but rather those who claim to be. Wait, we can’t judge others, right? Correct. Judges determine guilt or innocence and will sentence the guilty party to a punishment that is fitting of the crime. Only God is fit to judge us and He will one day (1 Peter 1:17), but we can definitely identify a tree from its fruit (Matthew 12:33).
Here’s some of the historical fruit of the Mennonite church: Mennonites have been known and respected around the world for their response to people in need. They are know for arriving quickly and helping. There is a humility to the way Mennonites have worked and served their churches, their communities, and the world. It’s amazing!!!!! In my time living and working among my Mennonite Christ-following sisters and brothers in Abbotsford, I can tell you that the words that personify who they are and what they stand for include the following: Humility, Hard work, Helping others, Welcoming others in, and Peaceful Living. I have learned so many life-changing, positive things by growing up in the Mennonite Church in Abbotsford.
There is something very special about a group of people that know Who they are, What they are about, and Why they exist. The David Epps, Jake Janzens, Henry Veers, Olga Willms, Jesse Falks, and Velma Sawatzkys (among so many wonderful others) of my growing up years personified these attributes.
Here is my prayer for our school community: May we model what it means to be authentic disciples of Jesus. As a result, may we produce God-fearing young people from all backgrounds who have come to understand the Hope that is in Jesus, been filled with God’s Holy Spirit, and are now ready to spread Compassion, Gentleness, and Truth in such a way that it encourages and builds up those who hear.
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