Love your Neighbor

Synopsis : We don’t love our neighbor to convert them, we love them because we have been converted. by showing hospitality and generosity.

Story - the smile he mustve had.. the silence in the room waiting for his response. when the scribe agreed.. it hasnt been very many people agreeing with what he had to say. When asked a question, its been very often that he gets a response that doesnt agree or even worse.. getting called a blasphemous sinner.. but this person agreed and he stated something that i know most of us would love to hear.. after jesus answered what the greatest commandment was he changed the whole dynamic of the room with a statement that would put our souls to rest. a statement that would single handily cure most of our anxieties and worries of this life.. probably one of the most important sentences of all the bible..

Me - i know for me it would.. i so desperately wish that jesus would say these words to me.. “you are not far from the kingdom of God “ it would give me that satisfaction of touching the hem of his robe.. getting a hug.. i often struggle if im going down the right path.. listening to God enough… asking myself the questions of if im doing enough for the kingdom.. and realizing over and over that it isnt about effort.. its about remembering our conversion.. its about psalm 100, entering his gates of thanksgiving and entering his courts with praise, its remembering who we once were and who we are now.. and then outpouring that into the people around me.. outpouring love.. hospitality and generosity..

We - we live in a culture that the word love is thrown around like crazy.. and we all need reminders.. and of course like it says in john 14.. i prAy that the holy spirit will come and remind us on everything jesus has taught.. and we are going to go on a journey through a couple passages.. but the synopsis.. is through the story of the scribe and jesus.. but lets understand the mission of today..

“We dont love our neighbor to convert them, we love our neighbor because we have been converted.”

God

Mark 12:28–34 (NIV)

28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

what is love?????

1 John 4:7–21 NIV

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

You might be asking how do we love our neighbor ?

you might be thinking, WHO is our neighbor?

everybody.

In response to the lawyer's second question and his attempt to redefine who qualifies as his neighbor, Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29–37). Jesus makes it clear in this parable that our neighbor is anyone around us, regardless of their ethnic, religious, or socio-economic status.

Hospitality ( again out of our converstion)

its the most used ministry tool that Jesus used in the gospel of Luke.. he was either attending, leaving or going to a meal..

MY MOM GROWING UP

generosity ( out of our conversion )

James 1:17 NIV

17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

if not time, money

if not money, then time

What if you are one of the people who dislike or even loathe your neighbor?

Matthew 5:43–48 NIV

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

10 minutes Spiritual Discipline - to memorize the greatest commandment.. here in mark 12

then to practice hospitality and generosity

We

so again.. we should not love our neighbor to convert them, but to love them because we are coverted. may we all be a church. that is reminded, with the power of the holy spirit, reminded of the greatest commandment.. we will be a church that Loves God and loves their neighbor.

Poem/Music

What is God calling me to do? As I sit by the window and wonder. What dose the bible say I should do? As I sit by the window watching woman dropp her briefcase. Jesus healed the sick and raise the dead I never did that! As I watch someone walk there dog outside the window. Jesus said i have come so you can have life more abundantly How do I live life more abundantly? Watching an old man pick up his bags! As I wonder about Jesus died for my sins! As a servant making my life clean! What do I do with that? As I watch a dog run away! What can I give Christ in faith? The greatest of us was a perfect servant! How do I loves others like Jesus? A neighbor knocks I open the door! ! He says: We need to help find the neighbor's Dog! Thank you God you answered my prayer