Increase in Love

Intro

Pastor of the Village Chapel

Two-time COVID survivor

Really bad week

Last Aug 15th I had to tell our church that the deal to buy the building we wanted purchase had fell through

This left us semi-homeless since we had sold our building

On Monday morning I woke up with tightness in my left calf, nothing new. Often happened when stressed but I couldn’t rub it out

On Tuesday, my admin guy told me there was no offices to lease. I would work out of my backpack for seven months. Not a fan of remote working

On Wednesday I got a call that our long time bookkeeper had died suddenly. I had talked to her on Monday and she told me she was going home with an upset stomach

On Thursday I woke up with my calf still killing me so I went to the doctor. He took one look at it, pushed on my shin and told me go straight to the emergency room, I think you have blood clots

ER doctor confirmed it and asked me 3 different times if I was vaccinated

Thankfully nothing happened on Friday but on Saturday my daughter gave me COVID for my 52nd birthday

For the next three weeks I was bedridden with a brief stint in the hospital

During that time while I was running a 105 fever and feeling like a complete failure God spoke to me

He asked me a simple question: “Am I enough for you?”

It was clearly rhetorical

From that point God started to speak to me

He led me to Matthew 24:10-13

Matthew 24:10–13 ESV

And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

The one who endures to the end will be saved

In that process many will fall away, be led astray, and their love will grow cold

I understood what Gideon felt like

COVID comes and everyone not interested in church disappears and poof 40% of church is gone

God says there is still too many so I will send Gavin Newsome to stir dissension and those who hate each other will move to other states

Poof another 30% is gone

Strengthen those that remain

These are the ones I want to use to reach your community

Are you sure Lord?

I want you to battle this love growing cold by increasing in love

But, Lord everyone is afraid to gather

Trust me

We decided to do a church service at a families house that had acreage

We made it a self-contained picnic

People came out in droves

We started monthly equipping dinners and people came out in droves

We started d-groups and sign ups exceeded expectations

If we are going to endure till the end we need to increase in love

But this is not Coombya, can’t everyone get along, kind of love

This kind of love has a depth and strength the World can’t mimic or overcome

Let me walk you through some scripture

John 3:16 ESV

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

For God so loved the World

This kind of love changes lives

It shines the light into darkness, speaks truth to sin, and strengthens those who accept it

1 John 4:19 ESV

We love because he first loved us.

This love doesn’t come naturally

Romans 5:5 ESV

and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

The Spirit is the one who pours the love into us

Love others out of the overflow

John 13:35 ESV

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”