I Love You -- Anyway

1. I’m Fine

I’m afraid that we tend to be like the fellow in the old story who showed up for a court hearing concerning an accident in which he had been involved. His arm was in a cast, there were bandages all over him, & the exposed parts of his body were clearly bruised, scratched & cut. He was a real mess.

Looking rather surprised, the judge asked about his injuries. He replied, "Judge, I’m in a terrible condition. I have cuts & stitches all over me, & I’m feeling awful."

The judge said, "I don’t understand this. The accident report filed by the Officer says that at the time of the accident you told him you were just fine."

"Well Judge," the man replied, "let me explain. I was driving my pickup & pulling a trailer. In the back of the pickup was my old dog Shep, & my mule was in the trailer. All of a sudden an 18 wheeler sideswiped me, knocking me off the road."

"My pickup & trailer rolled over & over, & we ended up at the bottom of a big embankment. The next thing I remember, a police officer was picking his way through the wreckage. I saw him stop & examine my mule, then he pulled out his pistol & shot the mule between the eyes."

"Next, he got to where Shep was lying, & after examining him, he shot old Shep, too. Then he walked over to me & asked, "How are you?" And I said, "I’m doing fine."

2. So, how are you doing? – Our tendency is to say, “Fine,” even though the world is falling apart.

3. [If your phone rang at 3 AM and you found out there was an emergency with your family three states away; and you had to get there immediately; then you find out your car needs repair – who would you call?

a. Some have a group of friends they could lean on in a situation like this

b. Many of us do not have a Group in times of need

c. Part of the issue is the time factor – come home from work; close the draw bridge; cocoon;

d. Then when there is an issue we have a struggle because we don’t know where to turn

4. The Solution – John 13.31-38

5. Concern for others

I. Jesus Displayed Concern for Others

A. His Concern for the Father

1. Glory to Father – DBR

2. Do his will – John 4.34

B. His Concern for the Disciples

1. He called; led; and taught them

2. Washing feet – even of Peter and Judas

3. Love is an action word, not an emotion – can practice love for someone without “liking” them

A comic strip showed a young man was declaring his undying love for his girlfriend: "I love you with all my heart," he said, "I love you more than life itself; my love would move mountains and change the course of mighty rivers for you," he says fervently.

To all this, in the second frame, his girlfriend replies, "Can you come over Saturday and help me clean the junk out of my garage?"

In the final frame the guy looks up and says, "I hate people who take advantage."

4. Lay down life -- 12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. John 15.12-14

a. Peter said he would – but didn’t (at first) – John 13.36-38

b. Yeshua (Jesus) said he would – and he did

II. Jesus Desires Our Concern for Others (John 13.34-35)

There was once a Christian celebration on the west coast of Africa, when converted natives brought of their meager possessions to show their devotion to Christ, a young girl only recently saved from paganism brought a silver coin worth about eighty-five cents, and handed this to the missionary as her gift to the Savior. The good man was astounded at the size of the offering, and hesitated to accept it, supposing it must have been obtained dishonestly; but when he delicately asked for an explanation of this lavish gift, the convert told him that she had gone to a neighboring planter and bound herself out to him as a slave for the rest of her life for this coin.

Thus, she brought the whole monetary equivalent of her life and placed it as a single gift at the feet of her Lord. In essence, by serving another, she served God.

A. The Exhibition of Discipleship – “One Anothering”

1. First and Second Commands

2. One Another Commands: