John 13:22-25 MSG
The disciples looked around at one another, wondering who on earth he was talking about. One of the disciples, the one Jesus loved dearly, was reclining against him, his head on his shoulder. Peter motioned to him to ask who Jesus might be talking about. So, being the closest, he said, “Master, who?”
While this passage does not refer specifically as to the one whom Jesus Loved. John is the one in reference here, similarly six passage's total in the New Testament refer to John being, the one whom Jesus Loved.
No where in the scripture does Jesus, reprimand John for feeling this way or for writing about it.
John 21:20-24 MSG
20-21 Turning his head, Peter noticed the disciple Jesus loved following right behind. When Peter noticed him, he asked Jesus, “Master, what’s going to happen to him?”
22-23 Jesus said, “If I want him to live until I come again, what’s that to you? You—follow me.” That is how the rumor got out among the brothers that this disciple wouldn’t die. But that is not what Jesus said. He simply said, “If I want him to live until I come again, what’s that to you?”
24 This is the same disciple who was eyewitness to all these things and wrote them down. And we all know that his eyewitness account is reliable and accurate.
I think what was going on here was a little bit of good old fashion jealousy. Peter was wondering what was gonna happen to him. Jesus was quick to respond, “If I want him to live until I come again, what’s that to you?”
In essence Jesus was saying, you see the kind a relationship with John I have Peter… You can have the same one! There's no need to be jealous, I am willing to have the same kind of relationship with whosoever comes, believes and acknowledges I am who I say I am!
I want you to think about something for a moment. Is The way that John referred to himself, the way you refer to yourself in the relationship you have with Jesus? Are you the one whom Jesus loves?
The intimacy John referred to, is exactly the same level of intimacy Jesus wants to have with you, in your relationship you have with Him. His Love, is a Love big enough to do exactly that, if you are willing to acknowledge and accept such an extravagant love!
Eph. 3:20 NKJ
20. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
*If you have a physical, emotional, financial need,
Whether your need, is a carry over from yesterday, or one that your not even aware of in the future, He has already provided abundantly for all your needs to be met!
There is nothing new under the sun you could come up with, that would surprise Jesus as far as a need, in your life.
Because He has already been there, conquered and been victorious over, your every need imaginable!
Praise the Lord, Great God Almighty!!
God has seen it all, your past and your future, and even though at times things might not seem to be going like they should sometimes Its just a trick of the enemy, your future has never looked more promising, and Jesus has never been more in Love with you than He is right now!
Far to many Christians aren't aware, they themselves are actually the ONE....Whom Jesus Loves!
With God, through the relationship you have and acknowledge with His Amazing Son Jesus....involved in the details in the details of your life, it doesn’t really matter how things may look anyways in the natural,
because your always going to come out on the best end of whatever it is, because you are loved and you are the one whom they love!
There is nothing God is not willing to help you with and I mean absolutely nothing, God Loves to help His Children! The Word says helping His children brings Him pleasure.
The more you understand His love, grace and mercy, the more comfortable you feel leaving the outcome in your daily life, up to Him.
You know you are Loved, sooooo whatever happens, your safe in what happens and its all good! Amen?
The full extension of Gods grace and mercy, is only truly and fully experienced, by having a real and intimate relationship with God, through His Son Jesus,
One thing that is hard to figure, is why more people don’t realize the intimacy of the relationship God has made available and want their best friend to be,
the one who made them, loves them and knows them better than anyone!
I mean think about it, God knows the number of hair on your head. God is all knowing, He even knows your genetic makeup, He knows every cell in your body, He knows everything about you!
I don't know about you, but Most people like friends who are actually interested in them, and I can say with confidence...there is no one more interested in you than God!
He loves us, because He loves His Son and the more you love His Son Jesus,
the more you understand just how much He loves you and then you begin to develop,
a better understanding, of how much He loves helping you!!
There are so many things He wants to do for all of us,
Things that if we actually knew even 1% of them, they would be astronomical and incomprehensible to understand, remember were talking about the creator of the universe,
TBS. "you have not because you ask not" and I believe that's true!
And I also believe lack of boldness, understanding and the realization
of who we are In our relationship....and how much our Lover, wants to pour out His Love for us
If we can come with a cup of expectation believing, He stands ready to deliver a river of blessing prepared to answer our need.
Illus. Song by Darlene Zchech
Jesus, lover of my soul
Jesus, I will never let You go
You've taken me from the miry clay
You've set my feet upon the rock
And now I know
I love you (I love you)
I need you (I need you)
Though my world may fall (though my world may fall)
I'll never let You go
You realize from the lyrics of this song, the writer is saying I'm the one whom Jesus Loves!
We are the ones whom Jesus Loves...
Far to many aren't used to hearing themselves saying...
I am the one whom Jesus Loves!
Jesus, stands ready, willing and able to respond to our every need extravagantly!
The only thing He is waiting for, is for us to call out in faith and ask Him to respond!
It makes you wonder, why so many people try to go through life without Him, facing one thing after another on their own? But they do...
Ps. 68:19 NKJ.
19. Blessed be the Lord,
Who daily loads us with benefits,
The God of our salvation! Selah
One box on a truck is not a load, several thousand boxes on a truck, is a load!
Really? Several thousand?
God spoke the words and created the universe in the world in which we live! How much more is he willing to do, for the ones He created the universe for?
No matter how many times you may limit God and try to put him in a box, God is not in and never going to be in a box! The only place that God is in a box is in our minds.
His desire to love and bless us never changes, only our desire and willingness to accept His amazing love for us does!
Blessed be the Lord,
Who daily loads us with benefits,
He doesn’t just throw His children a bone now and then, that’s just not His way!
The Lord is my shepherd, and long as God is my shepherd "psalms 23" declares" I shall never want!
Well what about...no, no, no, stop right there! Never want overrules every rebuttal, every time an objection raises itself!
Both the accuser and the world would have you believe the opposite, with absolutely no proof or documentation to back such an outlandish claim!
History has recorded, but more importantly God's own Word repeatedly Declares, He is always a generous God of more than enough!
Ps. 103:1-5 NKJ.
1. Bless the LORD, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2. Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
3. Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
4. Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies,
5. Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagles
As we read this, we can tell that David was excited from personal experience, just like John knew, he knew he was one who was Loved!
We should be just as excited, if not more so, because we have something he never had, We have the promise of Jesus and we also have the comforter, the Holy Spirit!
These amazing truths about the immense and extravagant love God has for whosoever is willing to listen and believe, need to be exposed to the world,
Illus Roger Whipp
Love is one of the most powerful emotions we have. The actress Joan Crawford once said “Love is a fire but whether it warms your heart or burns your house down, you can never tell!” Love can motivate, give pleasure, hurt even destroy. It can make us do bold, even stupid things. During the 17th century, Oliver Cromwell, sentenced a soldier to be shot for his crimes. The execution was to take place at the ringing of the evening curfew bell. However, the bell did not sound. The soldier’s fiancé had climbed into the belfry and clung to the great clapper of the bell to prevent it from striking. When she was summoned by Cromwell to account for her actions, she wept as she showed him her bruised and bleeding hands. Cromwell’s heart was touched and he said, "Your lover shall live because of your sacrifice. Curfew shall not ring tonight!" As Christians, portrayed in the bible as brides of Christ, who is the Bridegroom, we too have a lover who gives us life because of his sacrifice.
Jesus, has done His part, He willingly sacrificed His life so we could live and experience His abundant life and continues to fulfill His Fathers Promises on a daily basis.
Ours is to share what He has, and is willing to do not only for us… But for every man woman and child, who is willing to accept and believe....He not only can, but wants to!
John 3:16-17 NKJ
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Maybe you're ready to take the first step in a relationship with Jesus and make Him the Lord and Savior of your life. Or maybe you already know Him as your Lord and Savior and you're ready to take the next step of relationship with Him.
Whatever step of relationship you are at, Jesus wants you to know that you are the one He loves. He has always loved you and will never stop loving you, He is the Lover of your soul!
Amen?
Let's pray
