Animals can do some pretty amazing things.
For example, what happened one day in the state of Maryland.
Believe it or not, this is a true story.
The Atlantic Ocean converts into many rivers and streams that paint the state of Maryland much like a leaf of a palm tree that extends in many different directions.
Canadian geese and swans live in this area and at Autumn, thousands of them come when there is food in abundance.
The coastline, the rivers, the lakes-everywhere there are geese and swans. There even seems to be an indifference, even a rivalry between these two birds.
Once or twice a year, it snows in this region and the narrowest point of the river Tread Avon, freezes over.
One woman-Theresa-who lived in this area, woke up one morning to have breakfast near the big window where she had a perfect view of the river.
All of a sudden, she saw something incredible on the other side of the river where it was frozen: a Canadian goose, with its wings tightly shut and sitting there very still…its feet were frozen to the ice!
Then she saw, up in the sky, a line of beautiful swan flying graciously and with complete freedom.
While she was observing, the leader of those swan made a right turn; instead of a line of swan they now formed a circle.
Finally, the entire circle of swan descended and landed on the ice where the goose was. Theresa stood up in awe with one hand covering her mouth.
The swan surrounded the goose frozen to the ice. Theresa feared that with those powerful beaks, they would pick to death what was left of the poor goose’s life (I’ve read that swans jealously maintain large territories. Maybe they didn’t like the fact that there was a goose). This goose was cooked!
But instead of killing the goose, their long necks would stretch up and come down, stretch up and come down…they were picking at the ice, much like a fisherman picks at the ice to make a small hole in order to fish!
For quite a while, they kept this up. Theresa couldn’t believe her eyes.
After a while, the goose was not surrounded by the frozen river, but by a small circle around its webbed feet!
The swan ascended following its leader and flew in circles above the goose, as if they were waiting to see the results of their labors.
The goose lifted its head. It pulled its body. It was free, standing on the ice. And the swan all this time observing from above.
Then, as if to say, "I can’t fly!," four swan descended and landed around the goose. With their powerful beaks, they began to scrape the goose’s wings from top to bottom! They lifted its wings and its body to scrape and scratch the ice that was glued to its feathers.
Gradually, as if he was trying out its strength, the goose extended its wings and folded them, repeating this movement.
Finally, when the goose could extend its wings as far as they could go, the four swan flew back up to the rest of the swan that were still flying in circles above.
Theresa, overcome with emotion and with tears in her eyes, saw the goose finally fly up with incredible speed and joy, to catch up with the rest of the swan in the sky, the last in line like a little boy following a group of older kids.1
Can animals teach us how to live?
…..SWANS..IN…THE…C-H-U-R-C-H! (say with slow emphasis).
¿How should we treat each other?
(slowly with emphasis): Swans. Swans.
In the church, we can show the world the most powerful evidence that we really are Jesus’ disciples.
What evidence?
Those swan just showed us.
The Bible says,
"Love one another with brotherly love." (Rom. 12:10)
"Put on love which is the perfect bond." (Col. 3:14)
"If I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." (1 Cor. 13:2)
Open your Bibles with me to our Scripture reading in John 13:34, 35:
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.
Notice very carefully what Jesus is saying in verse 35: EVERYONE will know…that is to say, every person observing the church; members inside the church, and individuals outside the church.
EVERYONE will know that we are His disciples if…
l We obey the ten commandments-
l We keep the Sabbath-
l We have all the prophetic dates of Daniel and Revelation correct-.
Is that what the text says?
What is it that we need in the church so that our testimony will have impact and force and that everyone will know that we are Christ’s disciples?
L-O-V-E.
WORDS AND ACTS OF LOVE. That’s what gives an impressive impact.
Illustration
Thirteen years ago, when I was in Montemorelos, Mexico, I went to the state of Veracruz to conduct a mini evangelistic campaign.
A very kind and humble Adventist family housed me for two weeks in the town of Tantoyuca.
What impressed me and made an impact on me was the following:
They only had two bedrooms and a kitchen. The house had a dirt floor and there was no electricity or running water. But they were extremely hygienic people.
The father and mother gave me their bed to sleep in while they slept on the dirt floor in the kitchen.
They fed me the best food possible.
They always showered outside in a designated area with cold water but they insisted on heating the water for me.
Their children wrote me very kind notes of friendship.
They treated me with love-simple, innocent and sincere love.
What an impression they left upon me!
The most powerful witness in favor of Christianity is LOVE.
Open your Bibles to Matthew 11.
You remember the story. John the Baptist was jailed by Herod.
From his cell, John heard about all the wonderful things that Jesus was doing. But he wanted to be sure that Jesus was the Messiah so he had a very interesting question. Verses 2 y 3 say that,
"He sent his disciples to ask him, ’Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"
We’ll return to this question in a moment. First, I’d like to share with you what I see has been happening in the last 10 years or so in our society.
Without a doubt, people are searching for spiritual answers to their problems. The interest in spiritual things has increased enormously.
Articles keep on coming out in mainstream news magazines such as Newsweek, Time, Life and U.S. News & World Report touching upon spritual themes. I brought a small sampling with me. <
Books on angels abound everywhere like never before.
People are searching for spiritual answers.
Many people are returning to God or want to know about him (sometimes they look in the wrong places-everywhere except the Bible) in spite of the reality that crime and immorality are increasing.
Especially since the terrorist attacks on New York on September 11, there is a general unrest. Just yesterday I was watching the channel 9 news and the report said that churces are becoming full again.
I think, because of the rise of wickedness and violence, people are wanting some kind of peace of mind in this crazy world.
The worse the world gets, the greater the spiritual needs will be. It’s much like living here in Los Angeles
The worse the smog is, the more urgent the need for fresh, pure oxygen!
How many people desire-in the midst of corruption and prejudice in our world-to see a people that demonstrate sincere and genuine LOVE! The pure and fresh oxygen of love! Matthew 24:12 says,
"And because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold."
Not zeal; not doctrines; not our mission, but LOVE will grow cold!
Can we demonstrate in tangible ways to the world-in the midst of hatred and indifference-the love of Jesus? Of course we can.
Because Jesus has the power to turn us into….SWANS.
Now let’s return to John the Baptist’s question: "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" (Mat. 11:3)
Allow me to express John’s question in another way, in light of what I just shared about people searching for answeres and peace in their lives:
"Are you the true church or should we expect another?"
This is the question that modern John’s are asking.
Have you ever been asked this? I have.
What do we say?
Traditionally we answer with the same predictable "proofs" that we are God’s remnant:
"We keep all the commandments of God and we faithfully keep the seventh day as the true Sabbath."
"We have the gift of prophecy as predicted in Revelation 12:17 and 19:10."
"We believe in the imminent visible return of Jesus Christ and not a secret rapture."
"We believe that man is mortal and that the Bible doesn’t teach an immortal spirit without a body that keeps on living."
"We believe that there is an investigative judgment that began since 1844."
(can share other doctrines)
Doctrines. They are what define us as a church. Without them, we’d have chaos. We need the sure foundation upon which to build the church. There would be confusion and disorder without them.
And thanks to God for the marvelous light of His word that He has given us! Without doctrinal light, we’d be in total darkness.
So then, we are God’s people because of our doctrines, right?
But what about love? Can we answer the modern John’s who are asking "are you the true church" with these answers?:
"In our church, we truly love each other with a real and brotherly love."
"We don’t kill each other with cruel words, gossip, or criticism; we always seek to lift up and edify each other with LOVING words and actions." (Ephesians 4:29).
Our conviction is that God, by His grace, has blessed us with present truth.
Can we say-with the same conviction-that we truly love one another with the same love that Jesus loved us with?
What did Jesus say in John 13:34?:
"As I have loved you, so you should love one another."
Romans 5:5 says:
"God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom he has given us."
As a church, we cannot survive without studying and practicing Biblical truths. The Bible says,
"The truth shall set you free" (John 8:32)
But there’s another aspect of the truth: Love. Because LOVE is the truth!
SWANS IN THE CHURCH!
A church member once shared his testimony:: "I was tired of hearing about love in the church. All the churches talk about love and we shouldn’t be the same as them."
Then he shared how he came to the Seventh-day Adventist Church:
"I went to a church. They were preaching on the love of God. So I went to another church and they too were preaching on the love of God. I went to another church and the same thing."
"Finally I went to the Adventists. They were NOT preaching about God’s love. So, I joined them."2
I have a question.
When was the last time you saw a Christian with all the right doctrines in place but at the same time this person showed discord, hate, jealousy, criticism or envy en his/her words and life?
Did he or she make a good impression?
Is it possible that I can have all the right teachings-but at the same time be far from God and be destitute of His love?
"If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move moutains, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing." (1 Cor. 13:2, 3).
"Many will say to me on that day, ’Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ’I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" (Mat. 7:22, 23)
The other side of the truth. If we understand and interpret the Bible correctly, and if we have Jesus’ love at the same time, we have everything!
I’ve never seen a Christian with the right doctrines but at the same time being a sour and unkind person (lemon suckers) that has convinced me that Jesus is living in that heart.
But I have seen Christians whom, not yet having the light of the true Sabbath or the true condition of the dead, have shown love and kindness. I believe that they DO have Jesus in their hearts.
Ellen White says something very intriguing and may even ruffle some "proper" people up a bit:
"Those who have had great privileges and opportunities, and who have failed to improve their physical, mental, and moral powers, but who have lived to please themselves and have refused to bear their responsibility, are in greater danger and in greater condemnation before God than those who are in error upon doctrinal points, yet who seek to live to do good to others. Do not censure others; do not condemn them."3
Did you get that? Those who are in doctrinal error (by ignorance) but live unselfish lives will receive God’s favor more that those who have present truth but who are indifferent towards others!
There’s no such thing as an unloving Christian. That’s an oxymoron. It is impossible for a person to be a Christian and not know Christ’s love and be loving as He is.
"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." (1 Jn. 4:8)
"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God loves in us and his love is made complete in us." (1 Jn. 4:11, 12)
"If anyone says, ’I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen." (1 Jn. 4:20)
"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death." (1 Jn. 3:14)
"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." (1 Jn. 3:18)
We should continue believing our solid, Biblical doctrines. But doctrinal purity is not enough; it will not save us if we live in indifference, selfishness and lacking in love towards others. This was the problem of the Pharisees, Saducees and ’loveless- sees" of the New Testament.
Biblical-based doctrines, founded and rooted in Jesus should DEFINE our church.
But the love of Jesus in us should EXPRESS those doctrines.
CONCLUSION
I’d like to share a modern parable with you to close.
It was a dark and stormy night.
You could hear the thunder in the distance. Bats flapped their wings in the darkness of the night.
There the castle stood. The wolves were howling; the trees were swaying in the wind as it whistled.
And inside the castle, a faint light shown…from a laboratory.
This was the laboratory of the one and only, the maddest
scientist of them all…the laboratory of the infamous Dr. Emil Van-Gelical!
A rat ran across the granite floor as a daunting figure appeared in the light. It was Dr. Van Gelical himself with his white laboratory coat stained with the evidence of his notorious experiements.
His eyes were glowing with mad delight as he gazed upon the table in the middle of the room, covered with a white sheet.
Under the sheet lay a human-like form.
Suddenly, Dr. Evan Gelical shouted:
"Igor, come quickly! We have much to do!"
Irregular footsteps were heard coming down from the stairs.
In a moment appeared Igor, a hunchback with tattered clothes and a candelabrum in one hand and a big cardboard box in the other.
"Yes master…here is everything you ordered. All is ready!"
"Very good. Bring all the materials to the table Igor. Now we begin….the experiment!
Thunder was heard in the distance while Igor dragged the box towards the table.
"Tonight I will conduct the greatest experiment of my career. Tonight shall be my greatest triumph ever!"
Doctor Evan Gelical raised his fist towards the sky:
"I shall achieve what no man has achieved before. Tonight I create spiritual life! This shall be my greatest hour for I shall create….Christianstein!"
More thunder and lightning.
"They say that I am mad Igor. But Christianstein shall be the greatest specimen of spiritual life the world has ever seen! He shall everything Igor, EVERYTHING!"
"The moment has arrived. Igor, y gloves!."
"Yes master."
"Give me the voice of a great evangelist Igor!"
"Yes master" and he handed him a jar from the box.
"The courage of Stephen!" Igor produced a disty vial.
"The patience of Job!" the doctor commanded and he was rewarded with an ancient-looking flask.
"Now the hypodermic and the serums I distilled!"
Igor’s hands trembled as he presented a long, steel syringe and bottles filled with different colored fluids.
"Double dosis of daily prayer and Bible reading,"
murmured Dr. Evan Gelical while he withdrew liquid from one of the bottles and injected it into the lifeless figure’s arm.
"Then faithful church attendance…generous giving…temperance…volunteer work…ability to resist temptation…witnessing…"
The doctor paused for a moment, then filled the syringe with fluid from the final container.
"And last-but not least-a triple injection of …orthodoxy!
The mad doctor consulted his list once more.
"Examine the box Igor. Have we forgoteen anything?"
"Oh no master…Everything must be in place!"
"Excellent! This is the moment the world has waited for. This is the moment for….Christianstein!"
The doctor dashed to the nearest wall where an electical control panel waited.
"A million volts of lightning will bring my creation to life. Now stand back Igor while I throw the power switch…and prepare to meet the perfect Christian…CHRISTIANSTEIN!"
Doctor Emil Van Gelical threw the massive switch as an avalanche of thunder shook the castle.
The figure began to tremble.
"Doctor! shouted Igor…it’s….moving!
"Yes, yes, my creation lives!
That thing called "CHRISTIANSTEIN" sat up slowly. Then, stiffly, it climbed from the table and stood to its full height.
"Oh, my creation…..Speak to me, speak to me!"
The figure looked down at the doctor and frowned. Finally it began to speak in a low and hostile growl:
"If I speak in the language of angels but have not love…"
"LOVE?" asked the doctor, examining in perplexity his list once again.
Slowly the creature lifted his hands towards the doctor who was still consulting his list.
"If I have the gift of prophecy and can understand all mysteries and all knowledge and if I have faith that can move mountains and have not love…."
"LOVE?" Igor, what is he talking about?"
"I, I don’t know master! answered Igor as he hid himself under the table.
"If I give all my possessions to the poor and give my body to the flames to be burned and have not love…" Suddenly the figure, growling, picked up the doctor by his coat off of his feet…."I gain nothing!"
"Nothing?" said the doctor.
"¡Aaarrggghhh!" the creature bellowed throwing the doctor to the ground and reaching for his throat.
"Igor you fool! I knew that we forgot something! And such a small thing!" while the doctor fled for his life with the creature CHRISTIANSTIEN in hot pursuit.
A few minutes passed before Igor finally had enough courage to come out from under the table. Finally, looking this way and that, he whispered:
"I, I think….we have created a monster!"4
(End of parable)
It’s our decision: we can act like the swans in our opening story: supporting, accepting and LOVING each other because Jesus first loved us and He commands us to love one another sincerely and truthfully. In this way, and in ONLY this way, acting like those swans, the whole world will know that we belong to Him as John 13:34, 35 describe.
Or….
We can profess to be Christians, do all the "right religious rites" and have all the doctrines in the right place…….but at the same time be completely devoid of love, never having accepted the "injection" of heaven and, well…be like monsters just like Christianstein. Monsters won’t go to heaven and they’re no earthly good.
May Jesus, our Lord of Love, help us-not to be monsters-but transform us into SWANS.
END NOTES
1. "Birds: Their life, Their Ways, Their World" (Pleasantville, New York: The Readers Digest Association, Inc., 1979), p. 209.
2. Adult Sabbath School Quarterly, 2nd quarter, 1997, lesson 7 (Sabbath).
3. "Testimonies to the Church", Vol. 9, p. 243.
4. John Duckworth, "Joan ’n’ The Whale" (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell, 1987), pp. 15-20. I condensed the story.
