A Plan of Action Part 2

Renewed Thinking  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Romans 12:9–16 NKJV
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
Introduction:
The first part of this series dealt with “the goal” of renewed thinking. Jesus was reading from Isaiah 61 in the synagogue. and in Luke 14 we find Him listing the things He came to fulfill.
Preach the gospel to the poor.
Heal the broken hearted
Proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind.
To set at liberty those who are oppressed.
The second part dealt with “the remedy” of renewed thinking. The apostle Paul directs us in Romans 12:1-2:
Not be conformed to the world.
Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
And, In part 1 of “A Plan of Action”, why saw that humility is necessary for the transformation of our thinking that brings the gospel to life.
We wear it as a garment!
So, we now come to the second part of “A Plan of Action”.

Our Love Must be True.

“Let love be without hypocrisy”.
Or “Let love be genuine”.
I was having coffee with a young man Friday who is in the process of getting ready to revive a church here in Massachusetts. There’s much preparatory work to be done in such an endeavor, and so he was picking my brain for wisdom. ; )
In our conversation we discussed what true love looks like in ministry, and what I said was something he already was convinced of -
That we cannot love people conditionally for an opportunity to preach Christ, and then if it doesn’t work leave them.
No, we must seek to love people for who they are, and because we love them, look for opportunities to witness to them. But, we are demonstrating true unconditional love!

I. The Old Testament saints only heard of God’s love.

Isaiah 63:8–9 NKJV
8 For He said, “Surely they are My people, Children who will not lie.” So He became their Savior. 9 In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the Angel of His Presence saved them; In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; And He bore them and carried them All the days of old.
Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV
17 The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
So, let us ask the question -
What does true love look like?

II. Jesus is the embodiment of God’s love.

John 13:1 NKJV
1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
“He loved them to the end”
True love is reflected in the face of Jesus!
Everywhere we see Jesus in the Bible we see what true love looks like.
And what we find, is that...

A. It is demonstrated.

John 3:16 NKJV
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 13:34 NKJV
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
John 15:9 NKJV
9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.

B. It is eternal.

Romans 8:35 (NKJV)
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

C. It is our example.

Ephesians 5:2 NKJV
2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

D. It is our bond.

Colossians 2:2 NKJV
2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,
Conclusion:
A Plan of Action calls for Humility, and the manifestation of true love, that is, the love of Christ!
How can we realistically bring the gospel into the world if we do not do it the way Jesus did?

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