Looking For Spiritual Loopholes?

LOOKING FOR A LOOPHOLE…?

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

Text: Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

What would it take to make me happy? What if every dream and wish I had came true? What if I had everything I wanted and I lost my family? I lost my eternal hope? Is there some kind of loophole that would be worth eternity in hell? TRADE NOTHING FOR ALL?

THERE IS A BIG QUESTION WE NEED TO HONESTLY EVALUATE… WHO CARES?

Who cares for that child that parents scream and fight all day? Who cares for the bad boy at school? Who cares for the teenager in a struggle? Who cares for the drunk? Who cares for that police person? Who cares for WIDOWS and ORPHANS? WHO CARES…

Psalm 142:4 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.

The world is looking for someone to understand and care. We talk about all the people that don’t seem to care about us. The question is does anyone care? No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me.

LET US CONSIDER 3 WORDS? PRICE, VALUE AND WORTH. DOES MY VALUE SYSTEM CHANGE AS I GET OLDER? WHAT WOULD YOUR VALUE SYSTEM BE IF YOU HAD ONE WEEK TO LIVE… 98 HOURS? HOW WOULD YOU TALK IF YOU HAD 24 HOURS, 1440 MINUTES LEFT TO LIVE?

Why do I feel this way? We do not see things the way they are… We see things the way we are…

WHAT WILL I CLING TO? WHO CARES? WHAT DO I CARE ABOUT? WHAT IS THE MOST VALUABLE THING THAT I OWN? WHAT WOULD YOU TRADE?

Adam and Eve traded for fruit? Cain traded Abel for a cheap offering? Achan traded gold, silver and fancy clothes? Judas traded for 30 pieces of silver? LOT’S WIFE TRADED FOR A LOOK BACK… What are you trading?

WHAT LOOPHOLE DO WE SEARCH TO FIND?

Luke 10:29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

*LOOPHOLE: way to evade, escape obligation, a way to avoid, a small narrow window in a castle used to shoot at enemies, ambiguity or inadequacy in rules, way of escape, omission, technicality that allows legal bypass.

*JUSTIFY… To prove you are right or reasonable, declare righteousness, to show a good reason, to be worthy, valid.

GODLY JUSTIFICATION: God moves a willing person from the state of sin to the state of grace, mercy.

JUSTIFIED BY FAITH: God removes the condemnation, guilt and penalty of sin.

*VINDICATE… to clear someone of blame or suspicion, to show or prove right, to be free from blame, to free from allegation.

*VALUE… importance, worth, usefulness, what is important, estimate, consider benefits.

WE TEND TO LOVE OUR OWN KIND… OFTEN WE SEARCH FOR A WAY TO EXCUSE OUR BEHAVIOR, A LOOPHOLE--- LET US SEARCH FOR A DEFINITION OF NEIGHBOR? Jesus’ answer made the lawyer nervous. He was anxious and began making excuses "But who is my neighbor?" THIS SIGNALS THIS LAWYER PROBABLY WAS SELECTIVE AND LOVED PEOPLE LIKE HIM… NOT OTHERS. WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?

We find God has TWO LAWS THAT HINGE TOGETHER… 1. LOVE GOD… 2. LOVE OTHERS.

NEIGHBOR’S DEFINITION IS MORE THAN THE PERSON LIVING NEXT DOOR… NOW GO AND DO LIKEWISE… JESUS’ PERSPECTIVE WAS CLEAR… ANYONE THAT HELPS ANOTHER IN NEED --- THE ONE THAT SHOWS MERCY IS A NEIGHBOR…

Luke 10:36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Is the religious leader a neighbor? Is the Levite a neighbor? Is the enemy the neighbor? Now be honest which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked? The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” DO THE SAME MY FRIEND…

THE LOVE OF GOD… THE LOVE OF OTHERS IS TO SERVE, SHARE JOY, FAITHFULNESS AND HELP THOSE IN NEED… Love others as Christ loves you. ARE YOU A GOOD SAMARITAN? Are you the one that shows mercy to the hurt and injured…

Love neighbor as self… AS used HERE IS AN IMPERATIVE WORD, be generous, kind, compassionate starts at home… We must do things to edify and build up others.

ACCIDENTLY, COINCIDENCE OR ON PURPOSE?

There were two precious brothers. They loved each other. Their parents owned a huge farm. The brothers worked in harmony alongside their mom and dad for years. Suddenly and unexpectedly the father and mother died. One brother went to a lawyer about the division of the land. The other brother hired another lawyer and the farm was tied up in court several years. The brothers never talked for years. They attended the same church. One sat on the left. The other sat on the right. The brothers could not stand the sight of the other. Both felt cheated in the land division. They would not even wave at each other when they passed. There was a river that divided the property.