The Gospel Love Train

INTRODUCTION

OPENING STORY: TIME I COOKED, LAID IT OUT…TOLD KORIE I LOVE YOU FIRST, AND HER RESPONSE. SHE WAS SPOT ON, TO LOVE IS A SERIOUS THING.

CREATING THE NEED:

FYODOR DOSTOEVSKY’S, THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV, A POWERFUL SCENE UNFOLDS BETWEEN FATHER ZOSIMA- THE ELDER WHO LIVES IN A MONASTERY AND SERVES AS A MENTOR TO ALYOSHA, A LADY WHO APPROACHES HIM FOR COUNSEL. SHE’S BEWILDERED AND FEARS SHE’S UNABLE TO ACTIVELY LOVE OTHERS, BECAUSE HER MOTIVES ARE WRONG. HE RESPONDS BY SAYING HE’S SORRY HE CAN’T REALLY GIVE HER ANY COMFORTING WORDS, BECAUSE ACTIVE LOVE IS A HARSH AND FEARFUL THING. THEN HE GOES ONTO SAY, “…ACTIVE LOVE IS LABOR AND PERSEVERANCE, AND FOR SOME PEOPLE, PERHAPS, A WHOLE SCIENCE”. POINT- TO REALLY LOVE SOMEONE IS HARD, BUT NOTWITHSTANDING, TO BE A CHRISTIAN IS THE CALL TO LOVE.

EXAMPLES OF THE CALL TO LOVE: JESUS’ WORDS IN . JESUS TAUGHT WE ARE CALLED TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS, WHICH IS EVERYONE WE MEET, AND TO SHOW THIS HE TELLS THE STORY OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN (DON’T GO INTO DETAILS HERE, THAT’S FOR LATER). THE BIBLE TEACHES WE ARE TO LOVE OUR LOVED ONE’S- HUSBANDS ARE TO LOVE THEIR WIVES AS CHRIST LOVES THE CHURCH. WE ARE TO LOVE OUR ENEMIES (AND NO OUR SPOUSE IS NOT OUR ENEMY). WE ARE TO LOVE OUR FRIENDS- A FRIEND LOVES AT ALL TIMES. YOU JUST CAN’T GET AWAY FROM IT- TO BE A CHRISTIAN IS TO GO IN THE WAY OF LOVE. . LOVE IS THE FIRST ATTRIBUTE OF THE FRUIT OF THE HS, AND THE GREATEST OF ALL NT VIRTUES ACCORDING TO . BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO REALLY LOVE? WHAT DOES LOVE REALLY LOOK LIKE?

THE VERY WORD LOVE IS LIKE AN OLD CAR WITH TOO MUCH MILEAGE- IT HAS LOST ITS GRAMMATICAL EQUITY. WE SAY WE LOVE ICE CREAM. WE LOVE THE RAIDERS. WE LOVE THE FORTY-NINERS. BUT WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN TO LOVE? WE LOVE CLOTHES, AND BURGERS, AND KALE SALADS (IF THAT’S POSSIBLE). BUT WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN TO LOVE. RUN A SEARCH ON LOVE SONGS AND YOU’LL COME UP WITH TITLES LIKE: LOVE TRAIN, LOVE CHILD AND WHITNEY HOUSTON’S I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU. BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOVE? I LOVE THE ARTISTS WHO HAVE SANG SONGS SIMPLY WITH THE WORD LOVE. THEY RANGE FROM NAT KING COLE TO KENDRICK LAMAR. BUT WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN TO LOVE.

THIS IS VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR US. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOVE A FRIEND? WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN WE SAY TO OUR SPOUSE WE LOVE THEM? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO TELL OUR CHILDREN WE LOVE YOU? AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CHRISTIAN AND WALK IN LOVE? I CAN’T THINK OF A MORE IMPORTANT SERMON I CAN SHARE WITH YOU THAN THIS ONE.

PAUL, UNLIKE ANY OTHER PASSAGE IN THE BIBLE, EXPLAINS TO US IN VIVID DETAIL, WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO LOVE SOMEONE. IN ESSENCE HE’S GOING TO SHOW US THAT LOVE DOES: 1. THE INCONVENIENT. 2. IT CONTRIBUTES NOT CONSUMES. 3. IT BOASTS IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST.

LOVE DOES THE INCONVENIENT-

EXPLANATION: PAUL MAKES THREE ASSUMPTIONS IN THE OPENING VERSES OF OUR TEXT: 1. THE CHURCH IS NOT A STERILE ENVIRONMENT, BUT ASSUMES SIN- ‘CAUGHT IN ANY TRANSGRESSION’. AIRPLANE ILLUSTRATION OF A MAN AND A WOMAN BEHIND US, AND HE SNEEZED AND SHE YELLS YOU’RE GOING TO MAKE ME SICK, AND DEMANDS TO GET MOVED. TK AND HEALTH MASK HE WEARS ON SOUTHWEST SO NO ONE WILL SIT NEXT TO HIM. NO ONE DOES. WE DON’T LIKE TO BE AROUND SICK OR NEEDY PEOPLE. WELL, THAT’S NOT THE CHURCH. THE PERSON YOU’RE SITTING NEXT TO NOW MAY NOT WEAR A MASK BUT THEY ARE SICK IN SOME WAYS, AND SO ARE YOU! WELCOME TO THE CHURCH! 2. THE CHURCH SHOULD BE KNOWN NOT FOR PERFECT PEOPLE, BUT FOR RESTORING IMPERFECT PEOPLE. WE SHOULD BE KNOWN FOR RESTORATION. ILLUSTRATION OF SPILLING HOT SAUCE ON CARPET, AND WE CALLED A MAN TO COME CLEAN IT WHOSE MARKETING SAID NO STAIN TOO DEEP. WELL THAT’S THE CHURCH, BECAUSE THE BLOOD OF CHRIST CLEANSES EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING. IT REACHES TO THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN…NO STAIN TOO DEEP. 3. RELATIONAL CLOSENESS. THIS TEXT ASSUMES THAT THE BROKEN STAY AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO GET MENDED BY THOSE WHO ARE SPIRITUAL. VERSE 2- THE COMMAND TO BEAR ONE ANOTHER’S BURDENS ASSUMES I’M CLOSE ENOUGH TO BEAR THEIR BURDENS, TO CARRY THEM. TK QUOTE.

POINT: WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS HAS TO DO WITH LOVE? LOVE DOES THE INCONVENIENT. TO LOVE MEANS I’M WILLING TO INCONVENIENCE MYSELF. THE ONLY WAY YOU KNOW YOU’RE REALLY ON BOARD IS TO INCONVENIENCE YOURSELF. WHEN I SAY I LOVE YOU I AM SAYING I’M WILLING TO BE INCONVENIENCED BY YOU.

GOOD SAMARITAN ILLUSTRATION

BUT THIS CUTS AGAINST THE GRAIN AND FLIES IN THE FACE OF OUR CULTURE OF CONVENIENCE. WE HAVE BEEN HARD WIRED BY THE WORLD TO LIVE IN CONVENIENCE. ILLUSTRATION: WHEN Q WAS A LITTLE BOY AND PAUSED HIS SHOW ON DVR WHILE EATING OREOS, SHUSHING US. SPEAKING OF DVR- GOING HOME TO WATCH TIGER, AND BAY HILL AND NCAA WHILE SITTING ON MY LAZY BOY. SOME OF YOU HAVE ALEXA AND SHE CAN LITERALLY TURN THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF AND ORDER THINGS FOR YOU. WE LIVE IN A CULTURE OF CONVENIENCE AND IT HAS IMPACTED YOU MORE THAN YOU KNOW. I GET UPSET WHEN I DON’T GET THE UPGRADE. CONVENIENCE.

ON CALL ILLUSTRATION: TO BE A DOCTOR MEANS I GO THROUGH PERIODS WHERE I’M WIDE OPEN TO BE INCONVENIENCED…I’M ON CALL. BROKEN BONES AREN’T SCHEDULED. TO BE A CHRISTIAN MEANS I’M ON CALL. PEOPLE’S SIN ISN’T SCHEDULED.

ILLUSTRATION: WHEN Q WAS A LITTLE BOY AND PAUSED HIS SHOW ON DVR WHILE EATING OREOS, SHUSHING US. SPEAKING OF DVR- GOING HOME TO WATCH TIGER, AND BAY HILL AND NCAA WHILE SITTING ON MY LAZY BOY. SOME OF YOU HAVE ALEXA AND SHE CAN LITERALLY TURN THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF AND ORDER THINGS FOR YOU. WE LIVE IN A CULTURE OF CONVENIENCE AND IT HAS IMPACTED YOU MORE THAN YOU KNOW. I GET UPSET WHEN I DON’T GET THE UPGRADE. CONVENIENCE.

ON CALL ILLUSTRATION: TO BE A DOCTOR MEANS I GO THROUGH PERIODS WHERE I’M WIDE OPEN TO BE INCONVENIENCED…I’M ON CALL. BROKEN BONES AREN’T SCHEDULED. TO BE A CHRISTIAN MEANS I’M ON CALL. PEOPLE’S SIN ISN’T SCHEDULED.

CHURCH HISTORY ILLUSTRATIONS: BUT THE BIBLE AND CHURCH HISTORY OFFER A DIFFERENT WAY: “LOVE DOES NOT INSIST ON ITS OWN WAY”- . JESUS A LIFE OF INCONVENIENCE. MUCH OF MINISTRY WAS THAT OF INTERRUPTIONS. TOUCHED LEPERS. HOW CHRISTIANS WHEN THEY HAD A POOR PERSON IN THE CHURCH WHO HAD NO MONEY TO EAT WOULD FAST, AND GIVE THEIR FOOD TO THEM. MARTIN LUTHER, WHEN PLAGUE HIT, HE WENT TO CARE FOR THE SICK, COUNTING HIS LIFE AS NOTHING. INCONVENIENCE. THIS IS ONE OF THE ASTOUNDING PILLARS OF SCRIPTURE AND A PROFOUND PRINCIPLE OF LIFE: THE WAY TO LASTING HAPPINESS IS TO ALLOW MYSELF TO BE TEMPORARILY UNHAPPY. MOMENTARY INCONVENIENCE IS THE PATHWAY TO LONG TERM HAPPINESS.

LOVE DOESN’T CONSUME-

EXPLANATION: PAUL SHOWS US ANOTHER THING LOVE DOES, OR IN THIS CASE DOESN’T- LOVE DOESN’T CONSUME, INSTEAD, LOVE CONTRIBUTES. THIS IS SEEN IN THE GREEK WORD FOR LOVE- AGAPE. SEVERAL GREEK WORDS, ONE IS EROS, ERTOIC. LUST. IT TAKES. AGAPE IS THE BOOKEND OPPOSITE. IT IS A SACRIFICIAL KIND OF LOVE THAT SEEKS THE BEST IN THE OBJECT LOVED. EROS TAKES, AGAPE GIVES. EROS CONSUMES. AGAPE CONTRIBUTES. BIBLICAL EXAMPLES- GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD- ,THAT HE GAVE. JESUS LOVES YOU AND I THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY LIFE. HUSBANDS ARE TO LOVE THEIR WIVES, SACRIFICING FOR THEM. DO YOU SEE THE SACRIFICIAL NATURE. CONNECT TO TEXT: LOVE SHARES GOOD THINGS WITH THE ONE TAUGHT. EXPLAIN THIS…VERSE 10. LOVE DOES GOOD TO OTHERS. WHEN I SAY I LOVE YOU I’M SAYING I’M NOT HERE TO TAKE FROM YOU, TO CONSUME, BUT TO CONTRIBUTE TO YOU.

A CONSUMER CULTURE: THESE WORDS CUT AGAINST THE GRAIN OF OUR CONSUMER CULTURE. IT JUST COLORS EVERYTHING AROUND US. WE ARE HARD WIRED TO BE CONSUMERS, TO BE PERPETUAL TAKERS. AND YET FOR ALL OUR CONSUMPTION WE ARE NOT HAPPY. COUNTERINTUITIVE RIGHT? KIDS AND SUICIDE IN PALO ALTO. MO MONEY MO PROBLEMS.

GANDHI ILLUSTRATION: CAME FROM WEALTHY FAMILY, BUT A TRIP AROUND THE WORLD IN HIS YOUNG ADULT DAYS CHANGED HIS LIFE. GOT TO SOUTH AFRICA. DRESSED IN HIS NATIVE HOMESPUN CLOTH. STOPPED READING THE NEWSPAPER BECAUSE IT ADDED NONESSENTIALS. SPENT A DAY A WEEK NOT TALKING. FIDDLED FOR 35 YEARS WITH HIS DIET. GAVE HIS LIFE TO CONTRIBUTING TO THE LEAST OF THESE AND STANDING FOR FREEDOM. FASTED. WHEN HE DIED HE HAD LESS THAN 10 POSSESSIONS TO HIS NAME, AND YET FROM A WORLDLY PERSPECTIVE NEVER MET SOMEONE MORE FULFILLED. POINT: GOD IS FOR OUR JOY! AND THE WAY TO JOY IS NOT CONSUMPTION BUT SIMPLICITY AND CONTRIBUTION.

IT’S IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THIS THAT PAUL SAYS DO GOOD. SHARE WHAT YOU HAVE WITH OTHERS. THESE WORDS ECHO JESUS’ IN WANT YOU TO CLOSE YOUR EYES AND IMAGINE WHEN YOU WERE MOST FULFILLED…WASN’T WHEN YOU DROVE YOUR CAR OFF A LOT. FOR ME IT WAS MOVING TO MEMPHIS TO START A CHURCH NOT KNOWING IF THE CHURCH WOULD MAKE IT, BUT LAYING IT DOWN. PURGING OUR 3500 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE TO MOVE INTO A 900 SQUARE FOOT APARTMENT IN NYC. COMING HERE TO ALCF TO POUR OUR LIVES OUT.

WHY SHOULD YOU CONTRIBUTE? LAW OF SOWING AND REAPING IN VERSE 7. ABSOLUTE PRINCIPLE OF LIFE- ASK THE FARMER. YOU WILL SOW WHAT YOU REAP. IF YOU SOW CONSUMPTION YOU WILL REAP CORRUPTION. BUT IF YOU SOW CONTRIBUTION FOR ETERNAL THINGS YOU WILL REAP ETERNAL THINGS. DON’T LIVE FOR DESIGNER SHOES, AND HOMES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. LIVE FOR WHAT ETERNALLY MATTERS. SOW ETERNAL SEED. AND DON’T GROW WEARY, YOU WILL REAP IF YOU FAINT NOT.

CHARLES SPURGEON CONVERSION STORY: EMPHASIZE THE SERVICE OF THE DEACON WHO SHOWED UP TO PREACH TO A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE IN THE SNOW. SOWED ETERNAL SEED. APPLICATION- ODESSA CONLEY, NORMAN JOHNSON. YOU WILL NEVER KNOW THEIR NAMES, BUT THEY SHOWED UP IN CHILDREN’S MINISTRY. LOCAL CHURCH OPPPORTUNITIES TO CONTRIBUTE AND NOT CONSUME LIKE SK...

LOVE BOASTS IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST-

EXPLANATION: OF COURSE THERE’S NO CLEARER EXAMPLE OF LOVE BEING INCONVENIENCED AND NOT CONSUMING THAN THE CROSS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. HE LEFT THE COMFORTS OF HEAVEN, TOOK ON FLESH TO DIE FOR WE SINNERS. IT JUST DOESN’T GET ANY CLEARER THAN THIS THAN THE CROSS. PAUL NOW CONCLUDES BY TALKING ABOUT THIS CROSS. VERSE 11- LARGE LETTERS POINTS TO BAD EYESIGHT AND REALLY IMPORTANT…VERSE 12 MAKES MENTION OF THE CROSS…THEN VERSE 14. PAUL SEES THE CROSS AS THE LINE OF DEMARCATION IN WHICH THE WORLD DIED TO HIM, AND HE TO THE WORLD. TO PAUL THE CROSS WAS NOT JUST HIS HELP, IT WAS HIS HOLLER- HIS BOAST, BECAUSE IT WAS HIS EVERYTHING- THE CROSS COMPLETELY CHANGED HOW HE VIEWED LIFE. IN CONTEXT PAUL IS SAYING IF YOU ARE NOT LOVING IN A WAY THAT’S INCONVENIENCING YOU OR IF YOU ARE CONSUMING YOU DO NOT GET THE CROSS.

JUNE TEENTH ILLUSTRATION: ON JUNE 19TH, 1865 UNION SOLDIERS ROLLED INTO GALVESTON TEXAS TO ANNOUNCE THE FREEDOM OF AA’S. THEY READ GENERAL ORDERS NUMBER 3…READ IT. EVERY YEAR FROM THAT POINT ON BLACK FOLK CELEBRATE AND BOAST IN THEIR EMANCIPATION AND EQUALITY. PAUL IS SAYING IN OUR TEXT THAT WHEN YOU GOT SAVED THAT WAS YOUR JUNE TEENTH. BOAST IN THE CROSS…VERSE 18…IT’S ALL GRACE