What's Love Got to do with it? John 3:16

1.Treat people with God’s love.

As the story goes a young man is released from prison and returns home to stay with his sister who has been an inspiration, leading him to give his life to Christ, unfortunately his first Sunday home his sister was not able to attend church services with him because of her work schedule. The church is near their home so he felt secure in going it alone. He arrived early and took a seat, shortly thereafter an usher approached him and asked that he move because he was sitting in someone’s seat. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about us church folk have our own special seat. He politely got up to move and tried to introduce himself but the usher was gone, not even a hello. He set through the sermon and when it was time to leave nobody bothered to greet him or thank him for being a part of the worship service. He wondered to himself where is the Christian love my sister spoke of. He left feeling dejected and confused. Well as fate would have it in between the church and home there sat a bar. As he passed trying to sort out what just happend, he was met by a gentleman who greeted him with a smile and invited him inside. He accepted the invitation and once inside he asked where should he sit. The waitress told him to sit wherever there was a seat available. The guy was nervous he felt guilty so when the waitress brought over the first drink he spilt the drink and immediately began to apologize. The waitress pulled out her towel and wiped up the spill and told him there is no need to apologize, she would replace the spilt drink with no extra charge. When it was time for this gentleman to leave they told him how much they enjoyed his company and please come again. When he got home his sister greeted him and asked how his day went. He began by telling her how they treated him at the church, how they moved him to the back of the church, no one spoke to him going in or coming out. He shared with her he had a very different idea on what the church experience would be like. He then told her how they treated him at the corner bar, how they welcomed him and took care of him while he was there, even invited him to come back. He told his sister of course I accepted, I felt the love. What’s love got to do with it? During these trying times, when chaos has left us numb, dealing with a pandemic, dealing with a country where Democrats and Republicans hate each other so much, the truth can’t be deciphered even though it it is right there in our face. Not to mention the trials we face with the relationships of our family and friends. So much going on. How are you treating your neighbors. Can I help you this morning God’s word say’s in Matthew 5:43-45 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. I ask the question are we going above and beyond to treat our neighbor with love. Who is our neighbor:

Any person having an association with another person. Break it down that’s each and every person we meet. Color, gender, ethnic group, social status, none of that matters I know it’s hard to love those who seem unlovable but God said it so that seals it. Remember we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Isn’t that what the Bible says. Are we the Good Samaritan or are we the type that walk on by. I want to be clear here, God is saying to us follow Him and He will direct our path, He will make our rough edges smooth. He will make our enemies our footstool. Act with righteousness, deal with justice and treat folks with the love of Jesus. What’s love got to do with it.

2. Consider Other’s Feelings

On this Valentine Sunday . Show the love of Christ by considering other’s feelings. Today is a day when a lot of flowers are given, gifts exchanged with significant others, special meals shared but are we truly considering the feelings of other’s. Come on church after all the superficial gala is over are we in the highways and the byways seeing about our brothers and sisters. You don’t have to make a lot of noise to consider other’s feelings. There are countless persons living lives of quiet heroism. They are so much a part of our lives that we may look and not see. Men and women who care for children while earning a living and maintaining a loving home are quiet heroes considering the feeling of other’s. Some are not celebrating with a love one today because of death, seperation or divorce, they are pushed to the edge about to lose their head because the marriage broke up, a husband or wife died unexpectedly and now they are left to mange with great courage to put their lives back together, take charge while also considering other’s. Yet the love of Christ is exemplified in their walk, in their talk and how they make you feel.

I’m reminded of a story I heard on the news the other night about a principal who worked a second job at Wal Mart so he could give his earnings back to the students at his school. What an example for the community and especially those students that see his commitment to them. That’s considering the feelings of others. To do such a heroic work you must sacrifice self!

Can you imagine working countless hours caring for countless people that you know are selfish and unforgiving, you look for rest but they want more of what you have to give while giving nothing in return. Hello frontline workers, and first responders. Well you will find in Matthew 14th chapter a story about Jesus feeding the 5,000. As the scripture tells us he was looking for a solitary place, but the crowds followed Him and He had compassion. It takes compassion to consider the feelings of others. Jesus took this opportunity to minister to the crowd but as evening approached they realized they had a problem. There was no food. Of course you know the story how he took the five loaves of bread and two fish and fed five thousand. Right there in verse 20 it says “They all ate and were satisfied...” Jesus was concerned about there feelings. What about you, when folks see you coming are they glad you are a part of their life or do their thoughts immediately go towards wishing you were gone. Today as we celebrate another occasion of black history, the founding of the AME Church our great Zion let’s sacrifice as our forefathers did considering other’s feelings above our own. Glory be to God.

3.Jesus Is Love

1st John 4:7-8

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

The new testament scripture is filled with people who were healed: the woman with the issue of blood and the blind man who cried out but was rebuked by the diciples. We read about people whose lives were restored to creative purposes. Mary Magdalene was one. And we know of those whose abilities grew beyond the boundaries of their lives: Zacchaeus, who gave four times what he unlawfully took from others, and the disciples themselves who, when they turned to Jesus after the resurrection, exceeded anything they felt they could have ever done. God is not a respector of person. Has God ever done anything for you. Has He ever healed your body, if he has that’s love, has he ever brought you out of a bad situation in a relationship, if He has that’s love, has he ever gave you a financial blessing you were not expecting, if He has that’s love, has he brought a wayward child back home, if He has that’s love. If He has done anything for you need to give him thanks, you need to give Him the highest praise (Hallelujah)!!! Why can’t we treat people right, why can’t we consider the feelings of others, because when we do that’s what love WHAT LOVE HAS TO DO WITH IT. JESUS IS LOVE!!!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

He didn’t have to do but He did. He sent His son down to this cold, sinful world. He did it for you and He did it for me. Why did He do it. It says it right there, because He so loved us. What’s love Got to do with it.

Jesus came down from his thrown, to be born of a virgin, walk the earth for 33 years and then face a horrible death on the cross, won’t love do it. He was placed in a borrowed tomb, I’m so glad this morning that I got some good news. Because He loved us so much, because you were on His mind from the beginning of time, because He knew about your struggles . He got UP!!! and now He sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty.

When I look back over my life and realize what He brought me through I want to serve Him I want to treat people right, I want to consider the feelings of other’s. Church family are ya with me. I know Jesus is Love. Oh how I love Jesus, because he first loved me, because He first loved me . Tha’s what love has to do with it