Love
Authentic Christianity - #4 of 7
Jerry Watts
John 13:34-35
* For the last several week we have been visiting, from the Bible, what it means to be an Authentic Christian. There are two reasons I have felt led to do this: 1) This world needs to see an Authentic Christian and be influenced by him and, 2) God expects EVERY believer to be authentic.
* To remind you of the qualities of an authentic Christian, let’s review by saying that an Authentic Christian answers the call of “FOLLOW ME” given by Jesus.
* The Authentic Christian life is also a life of ongoing REPENTANCE. Because we are such sinful creatures, a one-time repentance is not enough. The blood of Jesus cleanses our sin ‘IF’ we confess and repent. This keeps us clean before God.
* Last week from the scriptures, the third quality was a penetrating message that the Authentic Christian life is indeed a life of MISSION. Jesus saved every one of us to be on mission for Him. This mission is one of death & life & of heaven & hell. Jesus said, “As the Father sent me, so send I you.” This mission is not once a week for the spiritually elite, but it the drive for the spiritually alive.
* Today and next week, we will consider the only two marks which the Bible says; “By this” the world will know you are mine. Turn to John 13 and let’s hear the words of our Lord Himself, in the upper room, and in the very shadow of the cross. (READ)
* The message today is very simple to hear, know, and even comprehend; but it is difficult to live. It is one thing to ‘say’ we love but it is another thing entirely, to actually demonstrate love or ‘do it.’ Look at the text and hear Jesus say;
1. We are commanded to love – It is a very sad thing to say, but these days we don’t seem to respond well to commands. As a boy at my Pappaw’s house, I would watch as he would plow the horse. His commands to the horse were ‘g’ & ‘haw’ (which for the uneducated mean ‘right’ and ‘left’.) Candidly, the first time I heard him use these words I had no idea what they meant, BUT THE HORSE DID.
* The attitude of the average person today is, “Don’t tell me what to do, I can decide on my own.” Modern day arrogance seems to be snuffing the life out of the Christians in America. Yet the divine command remains, ‘Love one another.” This ‘one another’ is only one of 50+ ‘one anothers in scripture. Candidly, the object of our love to ‘each other’ is but one of at least 4 target of our love as listed in God’s word. Jesus is clear, the greatest commandment is to Love the Lord God with all your heart, souls, mind, and strength. We express this love to Him, according to scripture, by doing what He says. But aren’t we the people who prefer to do what WE say, instead of what He says? Aren’t we the ones who prefer to put ‘our spin’ on His commands? Our love for God is demonstrated by our obedience.
* Without taking a breath Jesus follows “Love the Lord” with “Love your neighbors.” The Pharisees, like most religious types, wanted to know EXACTLY who Jesus was talking to, so they ask “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus counters with the story of the Good Samaritan! Ouch! A lowly Samaritan is being used to teach the religious?
* In our text, Jesus is commanding the 11 to “Love one another.” One other thought, before Jesus gave us any of these words, He said that you must ‘love your enemies.’
* Isn’t it interesting that the very thing Jesus implores His disciples to have as their very badge of salvation, fellowship, & followship is the very thing which the world doesn’t seem to see in us? Consider this; there is not one credible survey in which the lost world describes the redeemed of God as people of ‘love.’ They use many other terms to describe us (I.E. judgmental, out of touch, etc) but not ‘love.’ Does that not bother you? Make no mistake that we, in this place, seem to have a lot of love and even show love in ‘church’ ways.’ We can say with a little ‘pride’ that ‘we are a loving people’ and that ‘love abounds in this place.’ We’ve seen it this past two weeks in the expressions of love given to those who have suffered loss and this is great. But I submit that to love each other the way Jesus commands requires more than simply a meal at a tragic time. It speaks of our concern, our care, & our respect for each other. It speaks of more than affection for but a connection to each other.
* Jesus said, “A New Command” which speaks of a ‘different’ or a ‘fresh’ command. This is the very attribute which will set you apart. It is this truth which bring us to;
2. We are Challenged by this Love – Jesus said, “A New command I give you, that you love one another (here’s the challenge) as I have loved you.”
* So the question is, ‘how did Jesus love us?’ Let’s talk in terms we understand. He loved us enough to change His location, His status, probably His schedule, and certainly His convenience. In Heaven since before the foundations of the world, Jesus, the second person of the trinity, was in heaven receiving His due. The angels and other heavenly beings bowed in awe, raised their voice in song, and submitted to the majesty of the “God-head.” Jesus left the splendors of heaven, came to this earth born in poverty, and lived the life of an ordinary man. This demonstrates His love for you. God so loved the world (you) that He left no stone unturned to come to you. Jesus ultimately gave His life for you and showed us the meaning of this type of love found in His words (15:13) “No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends.” This is how Jesus loved us.
* He says, “Love one another as I have loved you.” Obviously, this is God’s love, the agape love. Last week I mentioned the 3 types of love which are so prevalent today. There is the “IF” love which says, “If you do what I like” “If you’ll be what I want” or “If you’ll say what I want you to say”, THEN I’ll love you. How much of this do we see today? Then there is the ‘BECAUSE OF’ love which says, “Because you’re physically attractive” “Because you have a lot of money” or “Because you’re easy to persuade” then I’ll love you. These two are forms of self-love & a poor imitation of the real thing. Both ‘if’ and ‘because’ are conditional words & conditions change.
* God’s love is the ‘in-spite of’ type of love. In-Spite of what you do, I love you.
* This is the brand of Christianity which Jesus began, this is the type of Christianity which God honors, and this is the style of Christianity which is Authentic. This is the form of Christianity which the world needs and which can change the world. We are not just commanded to love but are challenged by the type of love we are to give-that is-loving like Jesus love. Wherever we find people, however we find them.
* Jesus’ type of love was not worked up or put on; it flowed out of His relationship to His Heavenly Father through His times of prayer & it flowed naturally & sincerely.
3. We are Confirmed by our Love (or we are convicted by the lack of it) – Jesus says, “By this”, “In this,” “In this way,” or “THIS WILL PROVE” to the world that you are mine. Think about it: this is what JESUS said makes us different from the world. We can pat ourselves on the back thinking we are doing well, but in point of fact, the world (these folks to whom we have been sent) does not see us in this light. Candidly, they see us through eyes that are looking for something different. Don’t tell them that you love your believing friends after you have sat in a beauty or barber shop and spoke evil or made fun of them. Don’t try to tell them that you love the person that you have burned in effigy. They know better. And since we’re talking about how we are such loving people: Don’t try to tell them about Jesus when they have just seen you dress down a sports official because someone got called out on strikes. (Everybody okay?) The truth is, an authentic Christian conducts himself differently than an authentic non-believer. There is a change.
* Here’s the question: Do we really and truly love like Jesus loved? Or is our love more like the worldly love which is defined by terms such as ‘if’ or ‘because?’
* We love people not because they are like us or because they like us – His love which flows through us means we give them love, which they may not deserve, because Jesus gave us His love which we most assuredly don’t deserve. (1 John 4:7-11, 20-21)
* “Okay, I get it,” you say. But what is this love, how can you define what it means ‘to love?’ 1 Corinthians 13 tells us. (13:4-8a). This text tells us what love is NOT! It does not envy, is not boastful, not conceited, does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not (easily) provoked, keeps not records of wrongs, and finds no joy in unrighteousness.
* The text also tells us what love does. This is how to live out love. It’s patient & kind. It rejoices (happy about) the truth, bears-believes-hopes-and endures all things. By the way, the next verses tell us that Spiritual Gifts are temporary, but love lasts forever. “You cannot live a life good enough to overcome the lack of love.” (Vs 1-3)
* An old Marine Corps buddy of mine, to my pleasant surprise, came to know Christ after he was discharged. I say surprise because he cursed loudly, fought hard, chased women, drank heavily, loved war and weapons, and hated chapel services.
* A number of months ago, I ran into this fellow, and after we'd talked awhile, he put his hand on my shoulder and said, "You know, Chuck, the only thing I still miss is that old fellowship I used to have with all the guys down at the tavern. I remember how we used to sit around and let our hair down. I can't find anything like that for Christians. I no longer have a place to admit my faults and talk about my battles--where somebody won't preach at me and frown and quote me a verse."
* It wasn't one month later that in my reading I came across this profound paragraph: "The neighborhood bar is possibly the best counterfeit that there is to the fellowship Christ wants to give his church. It's an imitation, dispensing liquor instead of grace, escape rather than reality--but it is a permissive, accepting, and inclusive fellowship. It is unshockable. You can tell people secrets, and they usually don't tell others or even want to. The bar flourishes not because most people are alcoholics, but because God has put into the human heart the desire to know and be known, to love and be loved, and so many seek a counterfeit at the price of a few beers. With all my heart," this writer concludes, "I believe that Christ wants his church to be unshockable, a fellowship where people can come in and say, 'I'm sunk, I'm beat, I've had it.' Alcoholics Anonymous has this quality--our churches too often miss it."
* One last thought about this: “Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got. Taking a break from all your worries sure would help a lot. Wouldn’t you like to get away? Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. And their always glad you came. You wanna to be where you can see our troubles are all the same. You wanna to go where everybody knows your name?” The sad truth about this song is that the TV shows was set in a bar & not in a church.
* I’m told that in the bar, people don’t talk about you but accept you.
4. We are Converted by HIS Love – To be converted is to have a life-altering experience with God through Jesus. Watch how this works: God loved the world (you) so much that He GAVE His only Son. God demonstrated His love for you in that while you were in sin, unlovable, and without hope, God sent His to die in your place. God’s love reached to you. Have you or will you receive His love?
* It is only when you receive His gift of love that you can share His gift of Love.
* For the believer, does your life exude Christ’s love? Can others see it?
