Living the way we're designed I
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God’s love - the true source
God’s love - the true source
“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
Mission of church & vision of church
Q: What behaviour should I show that displays I am loving?
Could do all of these and still not love.
When I 1st became a C I read that I should love ppl. So I thought about all the loving behaviours I could do and did them. But I was still completely selfish on the inside. Still looking out for me. If only Jesus had said the greatest command was a list of behaviours I could get on that. But he raised the bar very high. Love is the ultimate standard.
Love is an overflow of the heart. An attitude of the spirit. A motive where I am genuinely concerned for the welfare of others. But its all too easy to do the right behaviours but not from the motive of love. Its v easy I find, esp when tired, to default to being polite and doing things out of duty rather than love.
What does loving others look like?
We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?
We are to love like Jesus loved us. Sacrificially. Putting others needs ahead of our own. To give seeking nothing back in return. All the time. Impossible! We need help!
Q: HOW CAN WE LOVE OTHERS & LOVE GOD WHEN ITS HARD ENOUGH JUST SURVIVING THE DAY?
1 John 4:7 (NLT)
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.
(1) a child of God. Because we are God children we take after his nature it is in our NC nature now to love. It’s the way we are now wired, to look outward rather than me focussed. It is our true purpose.
(2) “Knows” - experientially/ present tense. And so as we live experiencing God’s love/ having rev of his love from moment to moment we are charged, empowered for the incredible task of looking beyond ourselves and to loving others. Its as we slow down, thank Him for His love and open our hearts to His love, giving Jesus full access to pour Himself in that we become more aware of his love.
God’s love is our true source. Its Gods love that fuels our love for Him & for others. Our love for God is very much tied with our love for others. But it is worth pausing on how resting in Gods love enhances our devotional life:
Ps63verse3 ==”Because Your love is better than life, My lips shall praise You. I will lift up my hands in Your name”=== worship/ praise/ prayer
Romans 12:1–2 (NIV) - hearing God far better
John 14:15 (CSB) “If you love me, you will keep my commands.
Obedience to His will. In a loving r you desire to do that what your friend does. My obedience to God is cos I love Him...
Q: Which disciple was the only one who did not abandon Jesus at the cross. The beloved disciple. Why? Cos he knew he was loved! Knowing you are loved by Jesus will develop in us a resilience and commitment to God to walk thru all circumstances thrown against us.
J. Prince story?????? - 2nd preach
AND HOW DOES KNOWING/ EXPERIENCING GOD’S LOVE FUEL OUR LOVE FOR OTHERS?
It brings a perspective shift where we see ppl the way he does, that every person is an image bearer of God with huge worth. Love comes from God and as we spend time with Him we find an infinite supply of the purest love flowing thru our hearts.
In SoM Jesus instructed us to love our enemies. A key to this is found in praying for them. That’s right pray for them. Pray? I can’t stand them. But it is as we pray for others we experience a perspective shift in our lives. As the love of God touches our hearts for those around us we stop seeing the faults in others and start believing the best in them instead. Whoever you are finding it difficult to love right now - pray for them. And watch the situation change.
This is incredibly vital within marriage. Our human love is limited and there are times when we will find it harder to love our spouses than others. So pray for them. But! Don’t pray for for spouse to change. Don’t pray “God will you PLEASE stop them chewing their cereal so loudly” Pray for them to be blessed, r with God enriched. And as we do it changes us far more. It taps us into God’s limitless divine love and that’s what our marriages need. I’m married to a near perfect wife - so I’m told - but there have been a fair few times when my own human love is not enough for me to put Angie’s needs in front of my own. But as I’ve prayed for her I notice a huge change in myself as God’s love flows thru me.
The same is equally true if you are single. There will always be friends that press our buttons, bosses that act unfairly. We are called to grow in love. Ppl that are hard to love cause us to grow in Gods love.
What does God’s love look like?
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.
Gospel.....Cross
-Forgiveness, freedom from sin, death, guilt. Plus
-Propitiation of the cross. This means that the wrath of God is turned away by the work of the cross. God is not angry with us. All that's left is to enjoy our r with him as his beloved children.
God’s love is pro-active, He initiates connection and He desires it always. God is love. He is the source & origin of all love. All true love derives from Him. His love is unconditional, ever present, always reaching out, always by our side, never fails us, never gives up on us, always pouring out His love toward us, even right now. He’s always smiling at us, we are his precious, cherished, priceless children. He takes huge pleasure in us- not because of anything we do but simply cos we are His children. His love is unfailing/ kind/ good & faithful. He is always protecting us/ guiding us/ refreshing us. God is love in Himself. His desire is to reveal more of His love to our hearts always. We never know fully how much we are loved. Our hearts can always grow in rev of His love.
His love produces life in us. This is crucial. The Greek for life is exuberance, energy, vitality. As we spend time receiving God’s love we grow in energy. We grow in compassion. We grow in power to look beyond ourselves/ our own needs and look outward rather than inward.
STORY: On my busiest days I need to draw on God’s love & life the most.
HOW DO WE RECEIVE GOD’S LOVE?
Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
we are never separated ever from God’s love. ever. but to exp his love practically we are to
Time aside
believe Jesus loves you - thank him for the gift of his love that is ever present that you
allow him in
HOW? Thank you Lord that You truly love me and there is nothing between You and me right now nor ever will be. I let You love me. I allow You full access I surrender my heart to You.
The fuel for mission
As we love others we show them that they are of incredible value, of incredible worth. God is love & so people will come into contact with God himself as we love out of the divine love inside of us. As we love others we impart to people an experience of God. We bring Gods Kingdom to this world. We advance The kingdom of God. we are called to bring his Love into a world that is broken and hurting. This love softens hearts to God and brings healing. It is a crucial part of mission.
GOSPEL
God desires to have a close, eternal, loving r with every single person on the planet. He is passionate about filling us constantly with His love. About revealing more of His love to us. He desired that loving r with us so much that He came to this planet and died instead of us that we may have our sins forgiven. Wiped clean. And he was raised to life to make us right with God. To give us peace with God. It is by placing our faith in Jesus that we are made right with God. And so, today is a day to make an extremely important decision.
In a moment I am going to pray and you may find yourself in one of the following three categories. Can I have every head bowed please.
1. You don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. You have never had a r with Him and would like to make the decision to follow Him today. To receive forgiveness and begin a r with Him.
2. You used to walk with Jesus but of late other things have got in the way and you would like to re-connect with Him today.
3. You’re not sure of your salvation. You’re not sure that at the end of your life you will be with Jesus and you desire the certainty that Jesus offers.
If you relate to any of those 3 then please pray along with me now, repeating these words out of your own heart.
Lord Jesus, I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I ask You to forgive me for all my wrongdoing, and receive me as Your child. I commit my life to You now. Amen
With every head still bowed could I ask you to raise your hand if you prayed that prayer?
Pause
Anybody else?
PAUSE – pray for these ppl to receive God’s peace and presence
Thank you Lord for you all incredible love that you have showed us. Pour out your presence. thank you that for everyone today who raised their hands have entered into a most wonderful relationship with you and can be assured of their salvation.
MIN- go thru how steps again
HOW? Thank you Lord that You truly love me and there is nothing between You and me right now nor ever will be. I let You love me. I allow You full access I surrender my heart to You.
Mark 10:13–16 (NIV)
People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness;
I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.