If they haven’t got it by now, more talking probably won’t convince them. I picture Jesus heaving a deep sigh as he says,

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you..."

That’s it, really. All his work, the wondrous adventure of miracles and healing, worship and teaching...it all comes down to this.

Love one another.

Forget the talking, forget the arguing, forget the philosophizing and the theologizing, forget it all and just love one another.

I suspect if we truly took such an admonition to heart, there could be no containing the church. It would grow like wildfire and no building, no doctrine, no creed, no denomination could contain it.

"This is what it has all been about," Jesus is sighing. "It is all I ask."

Sadly, of course, it is often the very last thing we have in mind to do. We have other agendas, other priorities. Some of them even sound and seem surprisingly holy.

"Yes. Nice sentiment, Jesus, and I am sure we’ll get around to it but first we have a church to build and by-laws to write. We need to get our youth program off the ground and our Sunday School squared away. We had better set up the soup kitchen and buy our new hymnals and then, if we have some extra time, we’ll consider your interesting proposal, Lord.

"But first..."