"Love First" pt.3
I saw Satan fall like lightning. I saw darkness run for cover, but the miracle that I just can’t get over is my name is registered in heaven
This is our King
A king that took my death and gave me his life
Can we just celebrate Jesus today?
He lived a perfect life and died an undeserving death just for you because he loves you.
It’s a love story of God pursuing you in your darkest place
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 NKJV
It’s a story that brings life change to the hardest of hearts
A story of undeniable love, unchanging grace, and unwavering hope.
John 13 is where we’re going to be today as we look to see how this story should literally change our lives
God desires the love that he displayed for us on the cross to saturate our hearts so much that it impacts every facet of our lives
Because we are loved by God, we fall in love with him which causes us to love others
God wants us to receive his love, remain in his love, and release this love to the people around us.
““Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”” Matthew 22:36-40 ESV
It’s a place where we are filled with the love of God so much that it overflows into our lives
Isn’t that what the world needs more than anything else today?
In a world full of hate we need some love sweet love
Jesus spent the remaining moments he had with his disciples pouring this idea into them
Love was the legacy that Jesus was trying to leave
Love serves despite circumstances (vs. 1-5)
There’s a lot going on here for Jesus
He knows the pain and the betrayal that’s coming. He knows that he’s going to die and be back with his Father again. He knows that his father is going to forsake him as he takes on the sins of mankind
He knows that it’s the least of these’s job to wash people’s feet before sitting down to eat
He knows that his disciples are still consumed with pride
They don’t know exactly what’s going to happen, but Jesus is about to be removed from the picture
“A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.” Luke 22:24 ESV
He’s in the room of the same person that’s going to be the source of all the pain that is to come
He gets up and begins to wash the disciples feet
A heart that serves is driven by love
He takes on the role of a servant
The creator begins to stoop below his creation and wash their feet
Love exemplifies sacrifice even when you don’t want to
If serving others wasn’t beneath Jesus, then it shouldn’t be beneath you
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Galatians 5:13 ESV
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4 ESV
Surrendering to Jesus is surrendering to put others first
Love is originated in Jesus (vs. 6-11)
Peter freaks out
The Old Testament references this idea of spiritual cleansing often
There was a spiritual aspect of being washed in scripture, but the idea wasn’t to be repeatedly cleaned for justifications sake.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:27-28 ESV
Jesus reminds us that we are Spirit filled people living in a sin filled world
This is more geared towards sanctification
“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV
It’s where we find grace
Check it, as we take steps towards loving others, we are going to need God’s help to push back the bitterness of our lives
Judas is in the room
God wants life for the entire world which means love for the very people that betrayed him
“We love because he first loved us.”1 John 4:19 ESV
God and bitterness do not coexist
Hate is too heavy for you to carry
Love follows Jesus (vs. 12-17)
Jesus is sayers no it’s not about making declarations about it me. It’s about following me
Love is a choice not an emotion
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV
These are all verbs in the Greek which means they require us to take steps towards them and apply them to our lives
Love is a command not an option
“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. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”” John 13:34-35 ESV
In Mathew 22 he said love others as yourself, but the reality is some of us can’t stand ourselves and hurting people hurt people
If you find yourself being bitter towards someone can I ask you do you really understand the grace of Jesus?
“If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” 1 John 4:20 ESV
We’re Judas in this story
It’s as if we’ve forgotten
Love is not forced or fake it just does
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” John 15:13-14 ESV