02/05/2023 - A Love Like Yours , Don't Come Knocking Everyday (Love Month)

Grace Place Atlanta COGBF 4700 Mitchell Street Forest Park, GA 30297 Website: atlantacogbf.org Email: info@atlantacogbf.org Phone: (404) 241-6781 Wayne D. Mack, Pastor / Pastor Wayne D. Mack Sermon Notes Love Month February 5, 2023 A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday) Revelation 2: 1-7 New Living Translation (NLT) - The Message to the Church in Ephesus “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands: 2 “I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. 3 You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. 2 1 “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! 4 [NKJV = 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. 6 But this is in your favor: You hate the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I do. “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God. 7 Start Here . . . It’s the first Sunday in February which signals the official kickoff of Love Month here at Grace Place. Love Month is a time in which we make it our goal to be a little more intentional about celebrating the love among us as a church family, and the love Christ declared should be shed abroad in our hearts as His followers. In the way of preaching, I wanted to do my part to celebrate Love Month by again this year taking familiar love songs and correlating them with a deeper spiritual truth. It’s the same way Jesus made parables in the Gospels by taking a simple, natural story to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. 2 So, throughout the month of February, we’ll have a little fun as well as some insightful learning about the many ways Jesus loves us. Today’s love song is a very old one (probably not too familiar to most) but I selected it because it serves as a natural bridge from our 2023 theme: Reverential Responsive and the fact that Jesus is knocking at the door of every believer’s heart to the powerfully central message sung about in the song. The title of this morning’s love month love song is: "A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)"! It is a 1963 song issued as the B-side to Motown singing group Martha and the Vandellas' hit single, "Heat Wave". This song and its title are so in alignment with our Reverential Responsiveness theme [and Jesus knocking at the door] until I just couldn’t pass it up. The song, written and produced by Vandellas cohorts, Holland–Dozier– Holland, is a song where a woman praises her lover for loving her after she "broke (his) heart and made (him) blue" saying afterwards "instead of hurting back" telling her he loved her. The song, while not released as a single, is regarded as a sixties classic with notable others who sang it like: Ike & Tina Turner, and Cher. 3 The lyrics go like this: "A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)" I broke your heart and I made you blue Instead of hurting back you said, "I love you" That very day you won my heart And my love for you shall never part You have such an understanding way And I appreciate you need what I say [Refrain] 'Cause a love like yours don't come Knock, knock, knock, knocking Knock, knocking everyday [Play it Uriah . . . ] As with all the songs we’ve looked at in the past, as well those we have planned for this series – all of them have two messages – a natural, secular message and a spiritual message. [By the way, let me thank those of you who submitted songs. I will do my best to get them on the turntable.] 4 Now, let’s look at both sides of “A Love Like Yours”. The operative word in the title is “YOURS” which begs of us to define YOURS or identify who is “YOURS”. There are two meanings. I’ll give you the first one now, and the second one down in the message. The first definition is from Webster. It’s nonspiritual. So, from the secular side, the YOURS in “A Love Like Yours” speaks to natural, human, romantic love. We’ve all experienced it; and if you haven’t – you one day will. If only in your dreams. What does it mean to romantically love someone? Here’s a common definition . . . Loving someone romantically usually involves a desire for a manyfaceted connection. You value their personality and want their friendship. You might lust after them a little (though you can experience romantic love without ever desiring a physical relationship). Examples of romantic love might include . . . a passionate love displayed through physical affection. These romantic behaviors include, but are not limited to, kissing, hugging, and holding hands. This love is a desire for another person's physical body. As anyone who's been in love knows -- love is, or can be, complicated and capable of producing strong emotions, from elation to heartbreak. When you enter the love game, you become a season ticket holder (or even a holder of lifetime passes) to unending rollercoaster rides. That’s because it’s certain that all romantic relationships go through ups and downs—from that initial, intoxicating "honeymoon" phase to a sense of disappointment, and, ideally, to a state of acceptance, sweet-spot compatibility, and a desire for permanence. 5 How many of you know that on the secular side, love RUNS . . . ? • It runs hot and cold • It runs wild sometimes • It runs deep, and at other times • It just runs out. In the Book of Song of Solomon 2:5, Solomon the great lover reminds us that love can run you sick. How many of you have ever experienced love sickness? Song of Solomon 2:5 says . . . Sustain me with cakes of raisins, Refresh me with apples, For I am lovesick. In other words, he is saying: Strengthen me with raisin cakes, refresh me with apples, for I am weak with love. All lovers know it can be challenging to move through the phases of love, but for many people who find true love, the reward is a healthy, long-term relationship. The singer, along with the multitude of people who have experienced what she’s singing about in "A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)" is astonished that her lover didn’t rightly 6 retaliate after she broke his heart. Instead, after making homeboy blue, rather than him hurting her back, he told her he loved her. That’s when she realized (probably with the help of her Mama and some wise friends) that "A Love Like “Bobby Joe’s” (fill in the blank) Don't Come Knocking Everyday)". Now, on the secular side, the message in this song is that “real true love” don’t happen every day. It’s rare that you find a love connection that is near perfect – a just right fit – despite the ups and downs of the relationship and life. But that’s where the spiritual reality of this ballad comes in. YES, it is true, "A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)". So, what does that tell us? It tells us that real love is precious and rare, exceptional and atypical – and they that find it are blessed beyond measure. On the secular side of this song so much is left to chance and fate. But be that as it may, the Lord has another message for us today – and that message is: "A Love Like HIS (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)". It won’t be found in all the familiar places. As a second definition of YOUR -- I’d like to shift the intent from secular to spiritual. Now, the YOUR becomes less nondescript and more direct, more focused, and more intentional. In other words, the YOUR is about someone whose love we can all depend on and relate to. It’s not hit or miss. It doesn’t run hot or cold and it doesn’t make you BLUE or lovesick. It is always constant. 7 In fact the Word of God tells us that A Love Like Jesus’ is: • The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Jeremiah 31:3 • Ever Bending, but Unbreakable – Peter’s Three Denials • Every-Ready – The Woman at the Well • Ever Increasing – The Woman Wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair because she was grateful for His for her beyond measure. God’s love is for every day, but it’s not an everyday ordinary love. It’s rare, unique, and awesomely amazing. A love like our Savior Jesus Christ’s doesn’t come knocking every day. It’s not to be taken lightly or for granted. It can’t be treated like the love encounters that run in and out of lives. We must cherish and honor Christ for the love He has made available to us. As we are reminded in Revelation 3:20 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice [My Knock] and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. That KNOCK is not an everyday, run of the mill knock. But it is a divine, captivating knock that begs me and your attention to experience a love that has a power beyond broken hearts, loneliness, hopelessness, despair, brokenness, broken heartedness, disappointment, betrayal, adultery – even all the other best secular things in life. 8 The Ephesian Church is a royal example of a rare love like Jesus’ that Don't Come Knocking Everyday!" In their self-assuredness, this group of Saints got cocky and began to treat the Love of Christ like an everyday love. They quickly found out that His love was anything but a disposable, natural love. But a supernatural love. Not like Peanut’s love for Sandra, or Wilhamenna and Willie. Whereas the artist of this song found it hard to believe that her lover would forgive her after breaking his heart, Jesus is telling us – think it not strange when He readily comes and finds us and knocks on our door (even taps on our windowpane) to reclaim us in His love. More . . . . A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday) "A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)" I broke your heart and I made you blue Instead of hurting back you said, "I love you" That very day you won my heart And my love for you shall never part You have such an understanding way And I appreciate you need what I say [Refrain] 9 'Cause a love like yours don't come Knock, knock, knock, knocking Knock, knocking everyday [Verse 2] Although I treated you bad from the start Without question you gave me your heart No, a love like yours Don't come knock, knock, knock, knocking Knock, knocking everyday [Bridge] It's the little things you do That mean so much so very, very much Consideration, I never knew that is until I met you Believe me [Verse 3] You made my life complete and I know our love With all of my might you can believe Gonna hold on tight 'Cause a love like yours Don't come knock, knock, knock, knocking 10 Knock, knocking everyday No, a love like yours Don't come knock, knock, knock, knocking Knock, knocking everyday [Verse 4] Although I treated you bad from the start Without question you gave me your heart No, a love like yours Don't come knock, knock Knock, knocking Knock, knocking everyday The Four Types of Love: Some Are Healthy, Some Are Not Eros: erotic, passionate love. Philia: love of friends and equals. Storge: love of parents for children. Agape: love of mankind. Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) Song by Aretha Franklin Overview Lyrics 11 Listen Other recordings Videos Lyrics Though you don't call anymore I sit and wait in vain I guess I'll rap on your door (your door) Tap on your windowpane (tap on your windowpane) I want to tell you, baby Changes I've been going through Missing you, listen you 'Til you come back to me, that's what I'm gonna do Why did you have to decide You had to set me free? I'm going to swallow my pride (my pride) I'm gonna beg you to please Baby, please see me (baby won't you see me?) I'm going to walk by myself Just to prove that my love is true All for you baby 'Til you come back to me, that's what I'm gonna do Living for you, my dear Is like living in a world of constant fear 12 Hear my plea (hear my plea) I've got to make you see (got to make you see) That our love is dying (our love is dying) Although your phone you ignore Somehow I must, somehow I must, how I must explain I'm going to rap on your door (your door) Tap on your windowpane (tap on your windowpane) I'm going to camp by your steps Until I get through to you I've got to change your view, baby 'Til you come back to me, that's what I'm gonna do 'Til you come back to me, that's what I'm gonna do 'Til you come back to me, that's what I'm gonna do I'm going to rap on your door (tap on) Tap on your windowpane Open out baby, I'm gonna rap on your door (tap on) Tap on your, tap on your (tap on) Tap on your, tap on your windowpane (tap on your windowpane) I'm going to rap on your door (rap on it) Tap on your windowpane Open out baby 13