God's "Love On Top" - 02/27/2022

Grace Place Atlanta COGBF 4700 Mitchell Street Forest Park, GA 30297 Website: atlantacogbf.org Email: info@atlantacogbf.org Phone: (404) 241-6781 Wayne D. Mack, Pastor Pastor Wayne D. Mack Sermon Notes February 27, 2022 Love On Top, Jesus Style! Love on Top and Out of Reach Romans 8: 31-32 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? START Here: Time is waiting for no one. The month of February has come and will be gone the day after tomorrow. But there’s still time, always time, to show some LOVE. We’re just in time to celebrate one last Sunday of Love Month in February. Just to remind you, the month of February is traditionally celebrated as Love Month nationally, but every day in heaven and here at GP. As part of our Love Month commemoration, I have promised to celebrate this month from the virtual pulpit by taking a popular love song and relating it to a message of spiritual significance. So far, we have heard messages around themes of “The Greatest Love of All”; “Love Will Keep Us Together”; and “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” This morning, our love song of choice is one suggested by my son, Kyle. I asked him to give me a popular song from the playlist of young people from his era -- age – 25 or 26. To my surprise, and without much hesitation, he suggested: LOVE On TOP by Beyonce. So, today’s theme song is LOVE On TOP, hence the title of this morning’s message, Love On Top, Jesus Style. This is a message about how Jesus put us on the top of His love list – meaning He made saving us a top priority in making us His own through an insatiable, unmatched love. He made drawing us to Himself and saving us a top priority through His love. Before we bring the spiritual beat in relative to this song, here’s a little background. "Love On Top" is a song recorded, of course, by singer Beyoncé Knowles. The chart-topping song was inspired by her state of mind while playing Etta James in the 2008 musical biopic Cadillac Records. It’s considered a throw-back to 1980s music. She sings about a person whom she can always call, even after facing grief and hard work, finally earning their love and respect. Most intriguing and entertaining to me about the song are the number of modulations Beyonce tops out with – FIVE – (they are considered an acrobatic feat that gives her a strong claim to being the hardest-working artist in modern pop. Rumor had it that her dad was a pastor. That’s not true. Here’s a taste of the lyrics . . . Love on Top: Bring the beat in Honey honey I can see the stars all the way from here Can't you see the glow on the window pane I can feel the sun whenever you're near Every time you touch me, I just melt away Now everybody ask me why I'm smiling out from ear to ear (They say love hurts) But I know (it's gonna take the real work) Nothing's perfect but it's worth it After fighting through my tears and finally you put me first Baby it's you You're the one I love You're the one I need You're the only one I see Come on baby it's you You're the one that gives your all You're the one I can always call When I need to make everything stop Finally, you put my love on top Ooh come on baby You put my love on top top top top top You put my love on top Now, we can bring the real beat in . . . Though Beyonce sings about a person whom she can always call, today’s message calls upon us to remember the One who gave His all, in order to put [those who call upon His name] on top. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, put us on top by His great love which is beyond price or compare. It was He who put His love for us far atop everything to save us from ourselves, God’s wrath, and the dark deceptions of Satan. It was God who demonstrated His love toward us by placing our need for deliverance above and atop everything that was against us – even we ourselves. Romans 5: from the Amplified Bible reminds us that: 6 While we were still helpless [powerless to provide for our salvation], at the right time Christ died [as a substitute] for the ungodly. 7 Now it is an extraordinary thing for one to willingly give his life even for an upright man, though perhaps for a good man [one who is noble and selfless and worthy] someone might even dare to die. 8 But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. In other words, while we were still sinners, Christ, by His love, put us on top. Why did He do it? How did He do it? First, if we ask why He did it, we must look for the answer in the sovereign will of God Himself. There was no good in us to call forth such love. Now, How did He do it? He did it by making our lives more of a priority than His own personal interests. Romans 8:31-39 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Then, Romans 5: Verses 9-11 explains how God put His love for us on TOP: . . . From the Amplified Bible, listen to what it says: 9 Therefore, since we have now been justified [declared free of the guilt of sin] by His blood, [how much more certain is it that] we will be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more certain, having been reconciled, that we will be saved [from the consequences of sin] by His life [that is, we will be saved because Christ lives today]. 11 Not only that, but we also rejoice in God [rejoicing in His love and perfection] through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received and enjoy our reconciliation [with God]. This passage introduces a new set of conditions. It tells us we are no longer considered as guilty sinners but have been counted righteous by God because of the Savior’s blood, shed for us at Calvary. Since He went to such tremendous cost to justify us when we were sinners – will He not much more save us from wrath through Christ? If He already paid the greatest price to put us on top and bring us into His favor, is it likely that he would allow us to perish in the end? Not at all. His love for us remains unwavering because it is not based on how lovable we are, but on the constancy of His character; God’s supreme act of love came when we were at our worst, most undesirable state. He loved us when we didn’t or couldn’t love ourselves. He clearly made us tops by extending to us a love so unconditional. Do you see how deep God’s love runs for us, His children? When we were on the bottom, Christ’s love put us on top. Here’s what the bottom looks like according to Ephesians Chapter 2: Verse 1: Dead in trespasses and sins, V. 2 -- Walkers according to the course of this world, v. 2b – Ramblers according to the prince of the power of the air, v. 2c – Under the influence of the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience. v. 3 -- Pure lust operators - fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were v. 3 -- By nature children of wrath 11 -- Once lowdown Gentiles in the flesh 11 b – Uncircumcised v. without Christ, v. 12 -- Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. Here’s some more of what life on the bottom looks like – turn to 1 Cor. 6:9-11; (plus Titus 3:3-9; Gal. 5:19-21) 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11a. And such were some of you. What a rap sheet. But God didn’t leave us on the bottom; He provided us a path to the top through His Word. Here’s what it says: 11b. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. [4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),] Evidence and Examples of Love On Top: 1. Thief on the cross at Calvary – Luke 23 32 [On the day of Jesus’ crucifixion], There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. 39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged [cursed] Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us [too].” 40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes; this punishment is justice for our crimes, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” 43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” 2. Lost sheep . . . leave the 99 Luke 15: 4 NKJV … So Jesus spoke this parable to them, saying: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? That’s putting love for another on top! 3. Prodigal Son – Luke 15 11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. 13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal [uncontrolled, wasteful, and reckless] living. 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry. 4. Zacchaeus – you come down. Luke 19 NKJV 19 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. 7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.” 8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Finally, because Jesus put us on top with His love, we are now in position to put Him on top by the love with which He first love us. Here are three snapshots: 1. Woman wipes Jesus’ feet with hair – Luke 7:3636 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” 2. When I was Hungry, Naked Matt 25:33-46 NKJV 33 And the Son of Man will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ 3. The Good Samaritan . . . Put love on top - Luke 10: 30-37 30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ 36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” 37 And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” You’ll always win when you put the love of Christ on top Love On Top! Romans 8:31-39 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? He did this in demonstration of putting those on top whom He truly loves! His love has put us truly on Top. It is the place where nothing can separate us from the love of God. 37 Because it remains in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Love on Top, Jesus Style!