Led By Love

Recap

Last week we started our series of message for the new year.

Theme - “Unhindered” - not restrained or held back.

Our verse is found in the story of Lazarus, which we looked over last week

John 11:44 NKJV

And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

We said last week, that Jesus is the Way, The Truth and The Life.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

If this is the Lord whom we claim to follow and serve - then we should be a church or a people who exhibit the same.

In the account of Lazarus, it is important to Jesus that the people who are standing around become a part of the process of Lazarus coming back to life

They are told to remove the stone - that which separates the dead from the living

They are told to loose him and let him go

2 things that every believer is called to do in our daily lives with the people who we share life with.

The problem is that many times, we are tied up ourselves.

So we can offer no aide to the situation that is at hand in peoples lives around us.

And that was our prayer time at the end of last weeks service - God free us up in our lives to free others.

I want to take that one step further this morning.

Jesus is Everything that We need in Every situation

-

John 11:25 NKJV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Who did he say this to? Mary and Martha - two sisters lost int he despair of losing their brother in death

What did they want to know? When they would see him again - they knew it would take place in the resurrection

Jesus says, I am that resurrection. I am who you need for this situation and I’m here to make it happen now. (God’s timing)

Another example - (again from last week) - -

John 14:6 NKJV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Who did he say this to? Thomas - his disciple who was in the despair of losing his companion and teacher as he left this earth.

What did Thomas want to know? Where he was going and how he would be with him someday.

Jesus says, - I am the way, and the truth and the life - There is no other way to where I am going. but because you know me, you will be there.

(THESE ARE THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE)

Jesus empowered his church and left them so that they could do the work that He had come to do.

The Church should live, love and legislate The Way.

How many know if we really believe that Jesus is THE WAY - And what Jesus was saying was that He was the ONLY Way. - If we believe that than there is a deeper meaning to this meeting today than why most people just go to church.

Is that Right?

Now some of this might come from our series last year, but it’s still important enough to say again.

Our Lord expects things from His people.

When Jesus was leaving this earth to be lifted up to the father, he gave us the Holy Spirit. For What???

To empower us to live the way that he had taught us to live

And to do what he had called us to do. - enact or legislate the mandates of heaven.

And I want to tell you today that for the most part, the church in America is doing a very poor job today.

And so first off, there is an importance today, because this is where we come to hear the Word of God which teaches us His Way.

Turn with me over to

Hebrews 10:19 NKJV

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,

Hebrews 10:19–25 NKJV

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Hebrews - Paul drawing contrast between the priest hood of the religious system and the priesthood of Jesus Christ.

And over 70 times says - His is a greater priesthood

Now he reminds us of how Jesus through his death on the cross tore the veil of the temple in two - we now have access to the throne room of god - and we can come into that throne room boldy.

He says - If we have that way made available to us - let’s make sure that we use it.

Let us live in a way that proves the way - that is a clean and pure heart because that’s what the blood of Jesus did.

Let us hold fast the confession of our faith - speaking out what we believe and living it. Or I would say in reverse order

Let us consider one another - stirring up love and good works

How do we do that? by making sure that we get together on a very consistant basis.

We go to church

We eat together

We pray together

We worship together

We play together

We just seek every opportunity to get together with one another

What does this do? It builds us up in our faith

Listen at my job, I’m not always going to feel like living the way Jesus taught me to live

There isn’t always encouragement at my job to do the right thing

There aren’t many people there to remind me not to act a certain way and probably more are encouraging me not to.

But then I come to church on Sunday - and I hear a word that speaks to my heart and though sometimes it may hurt, it always provokes me to good things.

I go to mens’ group on Monday and I laugh and enjoy the times of throwing darts with men who don’t tear me down, but are building me up

And then I go to Wednesday night group - and again I’m hearing the word and again, I’m with God’s people

And so on and so on

Something is takes place in these moments with God’s people.

This is where we learn to live in the way

And this is where we learn to love the way.

We fall in love with Jesus

We fall in love with what did and taught

And we learn how to love those around us in that love.

Jesus goes to Simon the Pharisees house for dinner

A woman comes in and continuous wipes his feet with oil and her tears and hair

Simon says, if he only knew who this was and what she did - she is a sinner

Jesus teaches a lesson from this

Luke 7:44 NKJV

Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.

Luke 7:44–47 NKJV

Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

When we fall in love with Jesus - I mean really see him for who he is and what He has done fall in love with him

We learn to love ourselves and we learn to love others

The Bible tells us that love covers a multitude of sins.

When that Agape love is in our hearts then we get to legislate the way.

Let me tell you the problem that we have now. We have a ton of people who say they are following Christ, legislating the ways of Christ and turning this world away from him.

I believe that it’s the same problem that we have in Washington. We have a bunch of legislators in our government that have forgotten why they are really there. The system doesn’t mean anything to them anymore. They are getting fat paychecks and fat paybacks, but they’ve lost focus of why they do what they do.

We have Christians who are trying to legislate the laws of the kingdom without the love of the kingdom in thier hearts - that’s a dangerous combination.

Church family, I want to be a group of people that are different

Yes we are called to speak tough things, and stand up for a tough way, but we are called to do so with the love of the kingdom in our lives.

Jesus seasoned everything that he did.

Every tough word, every tough direction with a compassion for the person he was dealing with. And it made a difference.

I want you to know that will work for us as well.

PRAY - Our times together - God would use them for great things in our lives

Our love for Jesus and others

Our ability to lead from that love and in that love.