Out-of-this-World Love

1John 4:9-11  In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.  In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 

I’ll never forget my son’s two-year-old birthday party. My wife, Andrea was frantically preparing to host a basketball-themed extravaganza where the crowning jewel would be cupcakes decorated to resemble basketballs. As the clock was counting down to the arrival of our two-year-old guests, Andrea came into my study where I was frantically preparing to meet a project deadline.

Culinary art has never been high on my list of skills or desires. I’m ashamed to say that my response was less than godly. In fact, it was selfish. I had crushed my wife but I felt justified as I hid behind a false view of masculinity.

A few minutes later God’s Spirit spoke to my heart about my unwillingness to serve my wife. It was as if God said, “If you really loved your wife, you would get in that kitchen and decorate those cupcakes!”  So, I dropped my left my project and entered the kitchen.

After skillfully decorating a few cupcakes complete with the “Spalding” logo, Andrea asked me “Why are you decorating the cupcakes?” I answered, “Because I love you!” She later told me that my cake decorating was one of the most meaningful acts of love I had ever demonstrated.

Why did it mean so much to her? Not because of my Paula Dean imitation! But because of my imitation of Jesus! When I left my world of project deadlines and entered her world of birthday deadlines she felt incredibly loved. That is how God loves you! Jesus loved you so much that he was willing to leave his world and enter yours…to take you to His!

It’s not until you understand how much perfection Jesus left and how much pain Jesus entered by coming into this world that you will realize how much he loves you.  No matter what you’ve done, you have access to the perfection of Heaven and can leave your sin-polluted world if you will only respond to the love of Jesus with faith and repentance.

Jesus came a long way to love you. The godliest example of love is when you leave your world to enter into someone else’s world so you can take them to your world.

Today someone you know really needs you to leave your world and enter his or hers. So, how far will you go to love them?

The Life That Gets God's Approval

I recently preached a message on the Beattitudes from Matthew 5:1-12 entittled "The Life that Gets God's Approval." Here are the key points...

What does it means to be blessed?

• Blessed is your greatest need.
• Blessed means so much more than happy.
• Blessed means approved.
• Blessed is something Christians ARE, not something Christians DO.
• Blessed is God’s active, intentional transfer of His favor and grace on every Christian that reorients his values and attitudes.

Poor in Spirit

A deep sense of spiritual poverty.

Mourn

Anguish of soul in response the depth of sin.

It is not so much the depth of sin that you commit, as much as the depth of your response to your sin that determines the outcome of your life.

Meek

Refusing to fight God when He uses conviction of sin or circumstances of life to reveal your need.

Hunger & thirst for righteousness

Satisfying God-given desires with God-approved means.

Merciful

Treating those caught in sin with the same compassion God has shown me.

Pure in heart

Undivided passion produced by a cleansed past.

Peacemakers

Those who mediate conflict for the purpose of reconciliation.

Persecuted

Being so secure in the approval of God you are willing to endure the disapproval of others with gladness.

All It Takes is All You Have

Matthew 4:18-22  While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed him.  And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

What does it take to follow Jesus? It is called discipleship. Discipleship is the decisive pursuit of Jesus that produces increasing likeness to Him by believing what He said and living like He lived.

1) Discipleship begins when you decide to respond to Jesus call with obedience. You are not a disciple if you are just an admirer of Jesus from a distance. You are not a disciple if you used to follow Jesus. You are not a disciple if you are not seeking to know what he said or learn how he lived.

2) Disciples are called to a radical, growing relationship with Jesus. Disciples are called to die to self in order that you may live. Disciples are called to give so you can keep. It is a call to put others first and yourself last. Disciples will be required to speak up when others remain quiet. Disciples are prompted to move in directions with no known destinations.

3) Disciples are required to leave old dependencies, loyalties, and paradigms. Money, power, and pleasure all take on very different meanings. The first disciples left their nets. Where would their income come from now? They left their boats. What would keep them from sinking now? They left their father. Who would love and instruct them now. Disciples know the answer to all three questions is “Jesus.”

4) Disciples will be met with the most severe opposition and sincere calls to compromise. You will be misunderstood, isolated, and belittled. You will be called a legalist, bigot, and hate monger.

5) Disciples follow Jesus together. Look around. If you are not surrounded by other disciples, YOU ARE NOT A DISCIPLE. Who are your closest friends? Are they following Jesus? If not, you need new friends. A disciple seeks out and listens to others who have walked with Jesus longer he has. Disciples pursue relationships with others to teach them the disciplines of following Jesus in practical ways like Bible Study, prayer, marriage, parenting, money and time management, preaching and teaching.
What does it take to follow Jesus? All it takes is all you have.

Are you a disciple? Are you a disciple maker? What is Jesus calling you to do? Have you done it? What is your excuse?

Storm Stories

Matthew 7:24-27  "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." 

The heavy winds and rain we were driving through did not deter my wife and I from enjoying one of our best conversations in weeks. It was the distinctive tone that pierced the music playing on the radio that redirected my attention. Just as I leaned in to hear the storm warning, Andrea reached for the volume control, silenced the competition, and continued her sentence.

Although I value my wife’s words, I immediately turned the volume up louder than her. “I need to hear if we are in danger.’ She responded, “Oh, I thought it was a test of the Emergency Broadcasting System.” Unfortunately, her familiarity with the tone actually resulted in her ignoring the warning.
We escaped without harm but many people are putting themselves in grave danger because they are ignoring the storm warning Jesus gave at the conclusion of his Sermon on the Mount. Jesus is clear that storms are coming for everyone. Your roof will be pounded with rain. Your floor will be flooded with rivers. The walls will be pressed with wind. Storms will come in the form of relational conflict, sickness, and suffering.

Both men Jesus identified actually heard His words but only the wise man did anything about them. The only difference between the life that stands and the life that falls is whether the words of Jesus are obeyed. Obedience is the only wise response to the foundational teachings of Jesus. His words are not just to be appreciated, studies, memorized, and preached. They are to be obeyed.
The number of people who sit in church each week, read the bible, and even teach it who don’t actually obey is staggering. Your familiarity with the words of Jesus can actually cause you to be deceived into thinking you are obeying them.

Have you heard what Jesus taught about loving your neighbor, forgiving your enemy, investing your treasure in eternal things, seeking God in prayer, or repenting of self-righteousness? Then you must do something about it. The wisest thing you can do is obey. Otherwise your fall will be great. The stake couldn’t be higher.

Don’t silence the storm warning. Obey!