LOVE THAT ABOUNDS

Our best days are not behind us.

· There’s lots to celebrate about what’s already been!

o 1 year ago today I was on a beach in Mexico – that was a GOOD day!

o International Women’s Day – thank you to the women!

o Super Mario Day – thank you Nintendo

o Dr. Bonnie hinting at some future loosening of restrictions around religious gatherings…

We’ve had some great days, but our best days are ahead.

· Not just because International Pie Day is a big deal to me!

· Not just because in the coming weeks we celebrate the BIGGEST celebration of our Christian faith: Easter!

Our best days are ahead because we’re on mission to know Jesus better together!

o In the spirit there’s a shift, an acceleration, and a fresh wind in our sails.

o The winter season is over, and we are in motion!

· Our focus: knowing Jesus better together.

I am absolutely convinced that our apprenticeship to Jesus and our relationships with each other are interconnected.

· You can’t experience the fullness of one without the other.

· Jesus is challenging us to take a step forward knowing him and knowing each other.

This past week many of you didn’t allow the smokescreen of COVID and the limitations around virtual gatherings restrain you, but you stepped into conversation, connection and community in an intentional way.

· Launch of our Life Groups where a record number of you participated and bought in!

o Introduce and Interview Jim Dell:

§ Tell us a bit about yourself and how long you’ve been part of City Life?

§ The Life Group you’re facilitating launched this week. Tell us what your focus is and a takeaway from the group.

§ Why is being part of a group important to you?

Friends, as we enter a new week, I want to challenge you with a scripture that was part of my Life Group’s study this week.

Listen to the love Paul expresses here:

Philippians 1:6–9 (ESV)

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

· What God has started let him continue!

o For them THEN and for us NOW.

· The goal isn’t completion, but progression. Completion happens in the life to come!

o Church, let’s keep our focus on knowing Jesus better together!

It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart,

· listen to the close, parental language here, feel his genuine love and care for these people, HIS people.

· Why? He sat with these people, taught these people, encouraged them, prayed and worshipped with them, baptized them, cried with them, and helped establish them as a strong and unified church.

· He showed up when there was nothing, and pioneered the first church on the continent of Europe.

o Us in Vancouver – we feel the same way – we hold you in our hearts.

For you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

· We’re in this together, there is unity, strength, and faith here.

o You’re carrying my challenges as I’m carrying yours

o You’re standing firm with me as I make Jesus known and I am standing firm with you as you make Jesus known.

For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

· His ability to love these people is fueled by his experience with “affection of Christ Jesus.”

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more,

· Here Paul is encouraging this church to allow love to abound.

· Abound = more than enough, in excess, an abundance.

Our love for each other needs some abounding! It needs to grow!

About Love That Abounds:

1. There’s No Opt-Out Clause.

John 13:34 (ESV)

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

· Jesus framed this as a “new commandment” – those are strong words!

· If there aren’t people you’re connected to, determined to walk with through fire and flood, you’re not practicing your faith the way Jesus intended.

1 John 3:16 (ESV)

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

· If there aren’t people you’re connected to, determined to walk with through fire and flood, start by reflecting on whether you’re experiencing Jesus unconditional love for you.

BREAKOUT HUBS: What are some practical ways you can grow in your expression of love for others in this community?

2. It Doesn’t Originate From You.

1 John 4:19 (The Message)

19 We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.

· When we’ve experienced his love, we can easily reflect that to others.

· When we’re walking in his greace, we can easily extend that to others.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 (ESV)

3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.

3. It’s Not Surreal or Conceptual.

1 Thessalonians 3:12 (ESV)

12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all

How do we express love to each other?

· Love isn’t some subjective emotion people stumble into unexpectedly.

· Love is action.

· Love is time.

· Love is intentionality.

· Show me your faith BY your good works.

We take the risk.

Stay with your church, especially with your closest siblings in the family of God. Live in a thick web interdependent relationships. Quietly defy the individualism that is wreaking havoc across the West. Surrender your autonomy to love. Place yourself in the constraint of community, for it is there we are set free. Give up your preferences for the sake of others. Enroll in the school of agape. When you fail a course, throw yourself upon God’s mercy. Come back to the table, eat the bread, drink the wine, injest the forgiving love of God. Repent. Repent again. And again. Risk vulnerability. We will get hurt, and we will hurt in return; that’s part of facing grace. Our greatest wounds come from relationships, but so does our deepest healing. The risk is worth it.” – John Mark Comer

CONCLUSION

As we conclude today, I want to ask you an honest question: If your love for Jesus was to be measured by your love, care, thoughts and actions toward your church family this week, would there be adequate evidence for others to see

· Celebrate each of you that are facilitating groups, making space for us to know Jesus better together.

· Not only are we growing in our discipleship OF Jesus, but in our love FOR each other.

o Pray for groups…love would grow…

o Pray for forgiveness – come back to the table…

o Re-commit to you and re-commit to each other.

§ Give us courage to live beyond our solitude.