Behave vs Belove

Connection:

I’m not sure if you have a heavy foot or a leisurely mind while you drive but, in my life experience I feel these two perspectives enter our lives in different seasons. In my current season of driving I like to stick closer to the speed limits. There was one morning in College when I was close to running late for the class. All that ran through my mind was the words of my grade 6 teacher who explained the math of speeding. She had told us that the difference in time spent driving doesn’t fluctuate much unless to are driving at a very large speed. To me this sounded good often kept me from speeding in moments I was behind. This one morning I felt my car “spidey senses” tingling. So, I kept pretty close to the posted speed limit. So, I merged onto the Anthony Hendai Northeast which was my connection to 97 street. It was feeling like I was doing well time wise and I might be right on time to head into to class. Then it happened, I passed under an overpass where a cop was waiting to catch any speeders. I looked in my rearview mirror and his lights turned on. I was horrified, I quickly looked at my speedometer and it said 104. I was thinking in my head, I must have put on the breaks or something subconsciously while going under the overpass. So I turned to the side of the road and then another car pulled over too. I was thinking man this cop is good, he got two people at once. So, I went for my glove box to fish out my registration, then waited. It seemed like forever but, then the cop finally got out of the car and headed to the car pulled over behind. I was thinking as he got close to their vehicle I hope he starts with me I got to get to class. He stopped at their window for a second told them something and then headed to mine. Great I guess, he is coming to me first, I thought. As he got close to my window I nerviously rolled it down. I’ll never forget what happened next. He leaned down and said, I wasn’t pulling you over. And turned and headed back to the first car. As much as this was a relief, I still felt kind of embarrassed. I had it in my mind that I was in trouble before checking the facts.

We can often walk through life trying to live in the camp of behavior management. While living in this system, we often see God as the punishing one rather than full of grace. Our minds can start to checklist our behavior over others. Then, the score card begins. Unfortunately this is neither useful nor healthy, as we are living out our Christian walk. We start to see other people as more broken then us or even worse, unfixable. This isn’t the picture that Christ gave us when he died on the cross. Not to mention the perspective of ourselves. When we start to lose sight of God’s grace for others, we may even stop seeing God’s grace for us. You see when this happens you are trying to behave rather than be-loved. If we try to live behaved lives we are going to find our faults and have nothing but consequences in front of us. Why say all this, because Jesus came to free us from the bondage that sin placed in our lives. The Holy Spirit was placed in our lives to help us walk away from this life of bondage and we need to understand and embrace this (romans 8:4). My challenge today is to help us to walk away from behavior management and see relational development.

Read John 21:15-19, john 10:11-18

Second reading: Joshua 1:6-9

This interaction between Peter and Jesus comes with a history. Jesus was taken from his disciples the nights before this by the religious leaders and crucified. The disciples all scattered but, Peter stayed close to Jesus through the people’s judgement. And during this time we are told that Peter denies knowing Jesus three times while this is going on.

Point #1: Knowing you are loved NOT making love happen

Explanation:

Jesus stopped to talk to Peter, this conversation has be debated by scholars for years because of the interchange of the two words used for love. But, today I want to look at this from another perspective. Jesus was helping Peter, to work through the contempt in his heart. Jesus has Peter state three times that he loves him. This interchange would help Peter to see that his heart was for Jesus and not against Him. This grieving conversation would challenge Peter to identify that he truly loved Jesus.

Illustration:

Doing your Work for recognition VS doing work out of your love

Application: (Stop trying to be loved and Accept that you are loved)

Our bad choices can leave us questioning our devotion to God. One outlet for us is to compare ourselves to others, which if their circumstances are bad can bring us misguided comfort. But, if we seek our relationship with God He will seek reconciliation with us. (Romans 8:34) Jesus, sought to lead Peter’s heart to his mission, so that he would not stubble on his fault. Jesus wanted Peter to not just say that he loved Him but, know that he loved Him.

Point #2: Knowing love turns into being love

Explanation:

Three times Jesus invites Peter into his ministry. Two of these times he speaks of feeding and one time we hear of tending. One thing I would like to point out is the action he is calling Peter into, talks about these sheep being “his”. And secondly we hear of what type of care he is asked to give. Peter is asked to feed and tend the sheep. He was going to lead the disciples, but not as the man before the death of Jesus. He would need this tough questionnaire to build up the rock that Peter would be for the church.

Illustration:

When you looking after someone else’s stuff (house, dog, cats, fish). The idea is to give our best to the care of these possessions. How much more was God placing people under Peter’s care.

Application:

Is there something in our lives that is stopping our focus on the one that we serve? We need to see our love for Christ and know that in this loving relationship we will be able to help others. Peter was being given the opportunity to lead the first Christians into this new territory in their lives. Has God been seeking out your response to your love. It’s time for us to walk in the love of a God that has left nothing undone for us to reconcile with him. Then, show his love to the people that God puts in your life.

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Conclusion:

Timing belt (something is always left)

Have you been behaving or have you been loving? If you have been behaving without walking in the love and Grace that God has placed in your life, it’s time to remember who Christ did has done on the cross for you. If you have been through hard times and feel like God is looking for you to come back to him, do it. Come back, don’t be ashamed, he wants you to walk in the fullness of His grace. Finally, if you just want to dive head over heels into his plans for your life and live with the contagious love of God, seek here. God wants to use us to show this city what love can do for their lives. How do I know this? After Jesus left his disciples he told them to wait, and after they sought Him the Holy Spirit came with power to change their world. I believe God still looks to change our world.