Remember To LOVE

Big Idea: When we remember the call to love, we are changed by God’s love, and we live out that love to others.

INTRO: It’s Not About The Nail Video

all right all right all right....who can relate?!?!? I’m sure the men-half of the room are thinking, “Yup!”, while the women-half of the room are thinking, “Uhhh huhhh”!

Sure, we can relate. Because it happens all the time! Jayme and I were having a similar conversation recently, sans nail, of course, where Jayme was upset about something , and we needed to talk. So I’m like, ok… we sit down, she tells me what’s going on, and as she is explaining the issue I am internally processing the most effective, time efficient, the least energy-exerting solution to solve the problem. And the minute J was done explaining the issue, I roll out the plan to fix the issue, and get us back to life as normal. As I’m rolling out the plan, all of a sudden I look over, and Jayme has become physically emotional, tears running down her face. and then I commit the sin of all husband/wife communication sins.....I asked, “why are you crying?”....”Is it me, something I said, do you not like the plan???” Because as guys, that is what we do. When there is a problem, we want to FIX IT!!!! and what do women want???? They want us to SIT WITH IT. In that moment, the way to FIX was to SIT.

I’m in the remedial program when it comes to this reality.....I might have to start a group, called MIA: Male Insensitivity Anonymous....

Now, I don’t want to throw all guys under the bus by having everyone thinking that guys lack the ability to be loving. Fixing, service, providing and protecting is HOW men are WIRED to love. Similarly, I don’t want to give the impression that women are too emotional, or can’t solve problems. Sitting, listening and empathizing are a valid ways to create a safe place to process problems. It’s how women are wired to love. And we need both.

But is it possible, that the way we are wired to love, the way we think we should love others, might not be the best way people NEED to be loved? What if there is a deeper meaning to loving your neighbor as yourself? In one sense it is a universal concept; treat people the way you want to be treated. What if loving people the way we want to love people (or are wired for) is not enough? What if we need to rethink how we are loving others for the sake of truly loving them the way that God calls us to love others?

Our text this morning comes from the book of Matthew, 22:34-40. Read together:

The New International Version Chapter 22

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ i 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ j 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Contextual Background

For the Pharisees (religious leaders), this was not an endearing moment with Jesus. They were not coming to Jesus for spiritual guidance, or help, they were trying to trap him into giving an erroneous answer to a question regarding the law.

There were 613 religious laws for Israel. The rabbis of that time would often spend hours together, debating & pontificating this kind of questions. You could liken it to a speech & debate club for the religious elite. But in this instance, they wanted Jesus to answer on the spot. The stakes were high: if Jesus got the question wrong, he would have been accused of nullifying the law with his answer.

The Pharisees picked out an expert in the law, a lawyer, to ask the question, of all the 613 religious laws, which one is the greatest. They picked their TOM HARRISON

And without missing a beat, Jesus answers in the most succinct, but most comprehensive way: Love God, Love others. Jesus synthesized all 613 laws down to these two statements. Every law hung on loving God, loving others.

Shema

The first part of Jesus’ answer comes straight from what is called The Shema (as in, ask “she ma”). The Shema, found in Deuteronomy 6:49 says this:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

The Shema was the central statement of Jewish belief. It was recited 2x’s a day. It was taught to their children. It was something that Israel thought about, and reflected on regularly. It was posted on the door frames of their houses & gates. The Shema pointed to the concept of being all-consumed with God. To love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength meant full devotion, full commitment, full obedience and full surrender. It meant, God first, above all else. The Shema was one of the tangible ways that Israel remembered God daily.

The second part of Jesus’ answer comes from another part of the Old Testament, called The Levitical Law. The Levitical Law was given by God to Moses, to established Israel as a Holy Nation after God delivered them out of Egypt in the Exodus. The Levitical Law was a high call of separation of uncleanness and sin, and to live wholesome, God-honoring lives. Jesus references Leviticus 19:18 in his response to the Pharisees:

Leviticus 19:18 NIV

“ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

Loving your neighbor in the Old Testament was certainly a high calling. The essence of loving your neighbor was to treat them well. It emphasized not dealing with others falsely, harmful or in a negative way. It had a moral and ethical connotation to it. More than that, it was understood as something insular, relating to Israel. A neighbor was related by the bond of nationality, countryman or compatriot. In other words, loving your neighbor focused on those of like kind. Sure, you would treat an alien or foreigner you might come in contact with, but the focus was to love fellow Israelites well.

I would suspect you and I mostly live by this code of love for our neighbor. But what Jesus taught about loving our neighbor was much, much bigger than what we are naturally able to comprehend. Let’s unpack a bit more what Jesus said:

First, let’s look at the word LOVE. The word Jesus used for love in his response to the Pharisees was the greek word “AGAPE”. Say it with me: Agape. Sounds like some kind of fish you order at a fancy restaurant. What can I get for you? “I’ll have the Agape”

Agape love is self-denying, loving-kindness. Agape love does not end at moral, ethical, OR romantic niceties. Agape love goes much further. Agape love is sacrificial love. Agape love suffers inconvenience, discomfort, even death for the benefit of another, without expecting anything in return.

We don’t have to look any farther for an example of Agape love than the agape love that God gives each of us. God loves each of us in this way. He wants to know us, to redeem us, to give us life and to reveal His purpose to us. These are not just empty words or desires fof an old legend or mythic god, this agape love for you and me was proven and displayed in the sacrifice of a son, on a blood stained cross, Jesus’ life for our life. John 3:16 says, For God so agape-loved the world, that he gave (sacrificed, suffered inconvenience & discomfort) his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. When we come to an understanding of God’s agape love, it is transformational. We receive God’s love through Jesus, through the Holy Spirit. We are given a new beginning, a fresh start, a new lease on life. It it so powerful, that the things we once counted as the things we loved; money, success, independence, is transformed into a deep desire, a hunger to be loved by God, and to love Him. We learn to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We surrender our life in love and service to God. That’s what agape love does.

Agape love goes even further....agape love is extended to our neighbor. Agape love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus first taught about agape love at the inauguration of his earthly ministry at the Sermon on the Mount. One of the first things he taught was Agape Love. Jesus said in Matthew 5, you have heard it said, love your neighbor, and hate your enemy. But I tell you, agape love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others?”

Again, just as Jesus revolutionized the concept of love, he revolutionized the concept of neighbor. What was once a moral or ethical boundary of neighbor is now boundless to opportunity and capacity for mutual help. Neighbor is now expanded to strangers (people we don’t know), enemies (those we would prefer to punish), and not of our kind (those who we don’t necessarily relate well to, or like, or prefer to not associate with). In other words, we agape love everyone the way God agape loved us.

Today marks the 21st anniversary of the September 11 attacks. We don’t have look any further for an example of loving our neighbor as ourself the way Jesus defined it than the brave men and women who risked everything to help others that day. In a day of tragic mayhem designed to destroy and kill as many people as possible, thousands of first responders sacrificed everything (their life, family, health and well-being) to go into the war zone to help, serve and rescue as many people as possible. People from other precincts, cities, states and countries came to the rescue of those who were not even known to them. Regardless of their kin, color, background or resume, strangers became family that needed to be rescued. That’s what agape loving our neighbor looks like. We honor and remember those who not only served that day, but who help us remember the call to love one another.

Now, we may never find ourselves in a rescue-situation like 9/11 (I pray for that), but there is need for agape love to people all around us: in our church, in our families, in our schools, in our towns, to the guy who cut us off on the ride to church this morning, to that annoying person in line in front of you in the check-outline at the store who is slowing you down, to the people who have hurt us, who have betrayed us, to the people we don’t have time for because we are too busy, to the people who will disrupt our day/agenda or plans.

Here is the Big Idea for this morning: When we remember the call to love, we are changed by God’s love, and we live out that love to others. This love we are talking about is so powerful that it is capable of transforming death to life, it can turn enemies into family, strangers into friendships. To love is to know the heart of God for people. You may be the only example of agape love to someone who needs it. Don’t miss that opportunity out of fear, anger, apathy, personal agendas, or other self-serving desires.

How do we live out the concept of loving our neighbors? Let’s look at 3 things to remember:

Remember the COMMAND to Love

Loving our neighbor is not an optional assignment. We don’t choose to accept or decline whether we love our neighbor. It’s very likely the opportunity to love someone will come at the most inopportune time. When those opportunities comes, drop everything, and engage.

In his book, Love Does, Bob Goff tells a story of when he was a teenager decided to quit high school and move to Yosemite to become a rock-climber.

Randy: Young Life leader. “I’m with you, Bob.” Planned to get Bob settled and find his own way home.

3 day trip, came up short. decided to go home.

When they got to Randy’s house to drop him off, he quickly learned of the sacrifice Randy had made.

“But the kind of love that God created and demonstrated is a costly one because it involves sacrifice and presence.” - Bob Goff

Book has sold over 1 million copies. God used Randy to love Bob in such a powerful way to change one life. And the outcome was so powerful that it changed the course of Bob’s life from becoming a mountain climber to becoming a writer. Through Bob’s writing, the lesson of sacrifice and presence that Randy showed Bob has become a model for millions of people. Our response to the command to love has the power to change the course of someone’s life for eternity. What might have happened if Randy just waved goodbye to Bob that day he showed up at his house? “Good luck, Bob. I would have come with you if it was 2-3 months from now”....it just doesn’t have the same impact, does it? That’s agape love.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

Remember the command to love

Remember People are to be LOVED, not projects to be FIXED

One of the biggest hurdles we need to get over is the idea that love is a formula: We often think if I love someone (do something for them) then people will receive it, change their ways, and will come to know Jesus. A + B = C. Deep down inside we want the Bob and Randy story (hero). And when that doesn’t happen, if people don’t change on our timetable, we abandon them. Perhaps we think, “they are not worth my time and energy if there is no return on my time investment”.

Remember, the video we just watched? it’s not about the nail! Sometimes we just have to sit with people. Is it possible that when we turn people into projects that we are trying to fill a need in our own life, rather than love people? Maybe time constraints, competing priorities, or our ideal of love that falls short of agape love. Our intent may be all well and good, but maybe those who need help may need something different for the time being? Ex: helping during 9/11?

Be patient. We may think we know exactly what they need to change the direction of their life, but maybe people need to sit, process and rest first. In God’s economy, Loving people does not operate on our time-table, it operates in God’s time-table. Love them, sit with them. Take time with them. Remember Randy…be present, no matter how long it takes.

Story of Small Group this week.

When we go out to serve today. Don’t just shift into task mode!

Remember how we love is a REFLECTION of Jesus and the church

History of The Big Event

Vision: People being forever changed by God’s love, and daily changing the South Shore and beyond for Jesus.

What we saw every day as a Big Event. (NR’s Big event is just meant to prime the pump)?

What if we are thinking too small. Instead of The Big Event, maybe we should have The Bigger Event, and where all the churches link up for one day with more churches loving and serving more people??? What if NR is being positioned to lead the way?

Politics aside, what does the concept of Agape Love for our neighbor mean for the immigration problem that obviously our leaders are choosing not to deal with.

When we remember the call to love, we are changed by God’s love, and we live out that love to others. People will know it, see it and feel it. We may be the only expression of God’s love someone may ever experience. Let’s do that well.

Conclusion

7 Billion opportunities each day to love your neighbor as yourself:

There is no excuse: we have been called

There is plenty of opportunity: just begin your day, and see what opportunities arise

There is a purpose: We love because God first loved us.