God’s Love Languages: Pt 1
Thesis: God has a love language just like we all have love languages. Dr. Chapman’s famous book “Love Languages” says we have 5 which are: Words of affirmation, touch, gifts, acts of service and quality time.
Illustration/comparison: In 1992, this book was published and it took off like wildfire. To date, it has sold more than 10 million copies, has been translated into 50 different languages, and earned a spot on Amazon’s top 100 best seller’s list of all time. That book is “The 5 Love Languages”, by Dr. Gary Chapman. A counselor and pastor, Dr. Chapman describes five ways through which people receive love — words of affirmation, touch, gifts, acts of service and quality time.
It’s a powerful book to improve your relationships rooted in love (God’s love)!
The Disser’s testimony about this book and how it changed their marriage! (See video 10 min)
Just like it’s vital we learn the One’s we love – love language we also need to learn and do the same for Jesus and God the Father!
God’s love language the way you really express your love to God is first and foremost expressed by Jesus when He said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments!”
Introduction:
I have been stressing with you that love is not an emotion but in God’s definition an action – it’s a verb – love shows people they are in love with another by what they say and do! Listen to the words about how we are to love God, and love Him. Jesus taught us God’s Language in other words the best way to show God/Jesus how much you love them!
Scripture: John 14: 15-31:
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15“If you love me, you will obey what I command.
16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—
17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”
22Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”
23Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
24He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
25“All this I have spoken while still with you.
26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
28“You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
29I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.
30I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me,
31but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me. “Come now; let us leave.
The following is taken and adapted from https://disciplefirst.com/gods-love-language-2/?v=7516fd43adaa
“Did you know that God also has a love language? There is one primary way He receives love from you, one way that touches His heart. On the night before His death, Jesus gathered with His men in an upper room. His heart was heavy because they would never meet like this again. In that darkened room, with shadows dancing on the ceiling, Jesus spoke about His love language. He said” …
• “If you love me, you will keep my commandments,” (John 14.15 ESV).
• “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them is who loves me,” (John14.21 ESV).
• “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word,” (John 14.23 ESV).
Did you hear it – How to love God? – God’s love personified tells us how to touch God’s Heart with an act of love? Three times Jesus said, “If you love me, you will do what I’m commanding (instructing.teaching) you to do.” By the way remember these are the last words Jesus says to his disciples – it’s in my view His most important talk to His followers!
I want you to notice what He did not say. He did not say:
• “If you love me, you will worship me.”
• “If you love me, you will observe religious holidays.”
• “If you love me you will give financially.”
Are these things good? Yes. Does God receive these things as good? Yes. But if you do all of these things but not the primary thing, then it doesn’t matter to Him. Does it? Just like we have to do one of the 5 love languages to touch some else’s heart we have to do the same for God. We need to speak and do act of Love that speak God’s love language!
What shows Jesus/God the Father/ that you truly love Him? — What touches the heart of God more than anything else? — It’s when you do what He has commanded or instructed you to do! The act of obedience is an action of love, and one proves the other! When you follow His commands, teachings and instructions found in God’s Word you pour out actions of love onto God! These acts of love impact God’s heart because you are pouring out love on Him.
The problem of loving God today: Jesus is saying in our text, “What’s wrong with the picture is a heart issue. you don’t really love me if you don’t obey me.” Over 28 times in the Gospels, Jesus commands His followers to listen to Him and do what He says. “Listen carefully.” “Hear my words.” “Do what I say.” “Obey my commands.” “Act on what I say.” The truth is obedience is a big deal to Jesus, but it’s seen as optional today in the Christian world.
Question: Do you want to pour acts of love out on God who has poured out His love on you first? Then we need to obey His Word, do and listen to His words! We need to love God so we can live within the Kingdom of Heaven even while on this loveless earth.
I. If you love Jesus – God’s love personified – then obey His Word (This is God’s love language – Acts of service):
a. Jesus declared, “Obey what I command!” if you do this you really love me and God the Father! If you don’t do this you don’t really love me or God. Let me say it another way – If you love God you follow His Word if not and you claim to be a Christian then, “You are a faker” – “You are not a genuine Christian”
i. What does Jesus’ command? Obey my Word – do what it says!
1. Jesus told us of two great commandments (summarizing the Big 10): “'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.”
a. We have heard this text read or quoted many times – maybe you even memorized it - but the big question is are we doing it? Obeying it? Following through on it! Putting it into action – daily?
i. Jesus said those who love me will obey my commands – this reference does go back to the 10 Commandments by the way!
2. Loving God is expressed through action – it’s not just a feeling or emotion.
a. How do you love God you obey His commands: This is why God gave the Big 10 to Moses – The big 10 are Love actions and speak God’s love language:
i. I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before me. You shall not make to thyself any graven thing; nor the likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth. You shall not adore them nor serve them.
1. How would you spouse feel if you told her I love and worship these other women – so I give and spend time with them but oh by the way “I love you too!”
ii. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
1. If you love someone you protect and respect their name – if you really love someone do you say their name as a curse word? Hit your finger with a hammer and say, “Kathy!” “Kathy!”
a. I think not – how would she appreciate you using her name like this?
iii. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.
1. How would your spouse like it if you keep missing date day – or date night – you get married make a commitment to spend each Sunday morning together but everything supersedes this date day? How would that make your spouse or loved one feel? How long do you think the relationship could sustain this lack of commitment!
iv. Honor your father and your mother.
1. Love honors others – God say love me by loving your parents – who I gave you – disrespect them – you disrespect me – Can I give you a hint see how another person treats their parents and guess what that’s how they will treat you over time!
v. You shall not kill.
1. How many have killed their spouses over another person or disrespecting others lives. Says a lot of how this person treats others!
vi. You shall not commit adultery.
1. Pretty plain this is what destroys most relationships and families by the way!
vii. You shall not steal.
1. Love treats other peoples stuff with respect.
viii. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
1. Love tells the truth – a relationship with truth will not last!
ix. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
1. No stealing away another person spouse – it’s not an act of love. Or dreaming of dropping your spouse for them.
x. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
1. No being envious of others things – love does not do this.
b. Today’s church world is filled with a belief system that does not think you have to obey God’s Word or follow His commands – but because of God’s love for you he is okay with this (You can cheat on Him and He will always forgive you!)
i. Years ago, I read a book by Kyle Idleman. The book was titled “Not a Fan!”
1. Kyle wrote the book after having an encounter with the Holy Spirit as he was in his sanctuary praying about the upcoming Easter services and for God to use his message -He says he was really praying because over 30,000 people were expected to come to services over Easter week – He says he went to the sanctuary and prayed but he was coming up with very little for the Easter message:
a. He prayed to the Lord again, “This sermon needs to be good. There are some people who only come to church on Christmas and Easter (we call them “Creasters”). I want to make sure they all come back. What could I say to get their attention? How can I make my message more appealing? Is there something creative I could do that would be a big hit and get people talking? Still (he heard) nothing.”
i. The sanctuary was silent – so, he reached for a Bible in the pew where He was sitting and opened it – it opened to John 6:
1. Jesus has been preaching his heart out to the crowd! The crowd was cheering Him on, and it gets toward the end of the day and Jesus notices they are hungry. Jesus then decides they need to be feed the hungry people, so he does the feeding of the 5,000 miracle.
a. Great mass miracle story!
b. Kyle states what he observes that day in the sanctuary reading John 6 which he never noticed before – What happened the day after the miracle of the feeding of the people:
i. “After dinner the crowd decides to camp out for the night so they can be with Jesus the next day. These are some big-time fans of Jesus. The next morning when the crowd wakes up and they’re hungry again, they look around for Jesus, aka their meal ticket, but he’s nowhere to be found. These fans are hoping for an encore performance. Eventually they realize that Jesus and his disciples have crossed over to the other side of the lake. By the time they catch up to Jesus they’re starving. They’ve missed their chance to order breakfast and they are ready to find out what’s on the lunch menu. But Jesus has decided to shut down the “all you can eat” buffet. He’s not handing out any more free samples. In verse 26 Jesus says to the crowd: I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Jesus knows that these people are not going to all the trouble and sacrifice because they are following him, but because they want some free food. Was it Jesus they wanted, or were they only interested in what he could do for them? In verse 35 Jesus offers himself, but the question is, Would that be enough?” For most people it was not!
1. Idleman, Kyle; Idleman, Kyle. Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus. Zondervan. Kindle Edition.”
2. The Holy Spirit is now speaking to Kyle who was asking for the Lord to help him impress the crowd and have them buy into Jesus with his amazing sermon.
a. His reading of John 6 hits him hard and he becomes convicted by the Holy Spirit in his church.
i. The Holy Spirit illuminates to him this reality about Jesus and what He wants from His followers:
1. He states, “As I sat in the sanctuary surrounded by thousands of empty seats, here’s what became clear to me: it wasn’t the size of the crowd Jesus cared about; it was their level of commitment. I put the Bible back in the chair in front of me. I cried. God, I am sorry.”
a. Idleman, Kyle; Idleman, Kyle. Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus. Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
c. Kyle asks in his book the big questions which all of us need to answer for ourselves: “Are you a follower of Jesus?” or “Are you just a fan of Jesus?”
i. As I was sitting in prayer meeting Wednesday night reading this story, “I had to ask my self how well do I love Jesus? Do I really love Jesus and God the Father which speaks their love language?” Is my love for God expressed with actions of love everyday – is my love only found in my words but no action to back it up – is it what God wants or what Jesus desires? Have I deceived myself into thinking I love Jesus but only wants what He can give me?
1. As I sat in the seat meditating, praying this rushed through my heart, mind and spirit:
a. “How many people are genuine followers at CHC or in school? Of those who are calling themselves Christian’s. How many really follow Jesus and Abba today? How many express their love to Jesus through acts of love to God?
2. I prayed more, people’s faces flashed across my mind and then the following flooded my heart and mind:
a. “I felt the Lord say to me that He looks over the church/school and “He sees the heart of each confessing Christian! He knows who the followers are and those who are just fans of Him! He is not blind He knows!
b. As I sat prayed and pondered more these f words came to mind and these words described those who had a fan based relationship with Jesus:”
i. Some in the Body of Christ are fans and they can fall into one of these categories under fan!
1. Some are fakes!
2. Some are frauds!
3. Some are freaks!
4. Some are foolish!
5. Some are flatlined!
6. Some are fainthearted!
7. Some are fearful!
8. Some are flippant!
9. Some are flustered!
10. Some are fleshly!
11. Some are forgetful!
c. But He also revealed to me how He looks over the church and sees those in the Body of Christ who are His followers:
i. Some are followers he sees fall into these categories under a follower of Jesus!
1. Some are fervent!
2. Some are fishermen!
3. Some are fired up!
4. Some are fierce!
5. Some are frontliners!
6. Some are fabulous!
7. Some are freshly filled!
8. Some are faithful!
9. Some are focused!
3. Kyle coins the phrase that hits him that morning - it’s the two question smack between the eyes, “Are you a fan or follower of Jesus?” (The questions to Kyle and Mike?)
a. He notes there is big difference in the two positions by the way! Each position has a measure of commitment – or maybe I could insert a degree to which they love Jesus!
i. The scale of measurement spectrum we could use is:
1. 1 = Fan and 10 = Follower!
a. Where would you rate yourself in how much you really love Jesus and Abba Father?
b. Do you really love God with your whole heart mind and soul?
c. No, you have to look at your heart and your actions toward the Lord today! You have to answer this question for yourself!
4. Kyle defines the two degrees of commitment – remember I am adding the word love in to this equation so I can make my point on Loving God Well!
a. “Here is the most basic definition of fan in the dictionary: “An enthusiastic admirer” It’s the guy who goes to the football game with no shirt and a painted chest. He sits in the stands and cheers for his team. He’s got a signed jersey hanging on his wall at home and multiple bumper stickers on the back of his car. But he’s never in the game. He never breaks a sweat or takes a hard hit in the open field. He knows all about the players and can rattle off their latest stats, but he doesn’t know the players. He yells and cheers, but nothing is really required of him. There is no sacrifice he has to make. And the truth is, as excited as he seems, if the team he’s cheering for starts to let him down and has a few off seasons, his passion will wane pretty quickly. After several losing seasons you can expect him to jump off the fan wagon and begin cheering for some other team. He is an enthusiastic admirer.” Idleman, Kyle; Idleman, Kyle. Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
i. Kyle gives this warning to the Body of Christ – the Church, “The biggest threat to the church today is fans who call themselves Christians but aren’t actually interested in following Christ. They want to be close enough to Jesus to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires anything from them.”
1. Idleman, Kyle; Idleman, Kyle. Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus. Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
b. So let’s get to the point of love again today “Are you the follower of Jesus who loves God with acts of love?”
i. Kyle notes: I am not asking the following: Do you go to church? Are your parents or grandparents Christians? Did you raise your hand at the end of a sermon one time? Did you repeat a prayer after a preacher? Did you walk forward during a twelve-minute version of “Just As I Am”? Do you own three or more Bibles? Have you ever appeared in a church directory? Did you grow up going to VBS and/or church camp? Is your ringtone a worship song? When you pray are you able to utilize five or more synonyms for God? I can keep going. Seriously, I can. Have you ever worn “witness wear”? Is the KJV the only real version of the Bible? Have you ever kissed dating good-bye? Under “religious views” does your Facebook page say “Christ follower”? Did you dog Harry Potter and rave about Lord of the Rings? Did you get a purpose driven life in 40 days or less? Do you say “Bless their heart” before speaking badly about someone? Do you understand phrases like “traveling mercies” and “sword drill”?
ii. He continues pressing the love question: “Here’s my point: many of us are quick to say, “Yes, I’m a follower of Jesus,” but I’m not sure we really understand what we are saying. To quote Inigo Montoya, “I do not think that means what you think it means.”
iii. He shoots the warning to the church people today: “One of the most sobering passages of Scripture tells of a day when many who consider themselves to be followers of Jesus will be stunned to find out that he (Jesus) doesn’t even recognize them. In the Gospel of Matthew chapter 7 - Jesus tells of a day where everyone who has ever lived will stand before God. On that day many who call themselves Christians and identify themselves as followers will stand confidently in front of Jesus only to hear him say, “I never knew you. Away from me.” If you’ve just assumed you are a follower of Jesus, I pray that this book would either confirm that confidence or it would convict you to reevaluate your relationship with Jesus and reaffirm your commitment to follow him.”
1. Idleman, Kyle; Idleman, Kyle. Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
T.S. – Do you want to touch the heart of Jesus with your acts of love then obey His commands. When you do this you get a promise from Jesus that His Father will send you the Holy Spirit to be your Counselor and your Spirit of Truth – He will be there 24-7! In other word’s you will never be alone!
II. If you love Jesus by following His teachings and directive’s then God will send you the Holy Spirit – The Counselor.
a. How many would like to have your own paid in full personal professional counselor? Yes, paid for by someone who loves you so much He sacrificed His life so you could have this fully paid advisor and encourager – Yes, this counselor will be with you 24 – 7 for the rest of your life!
i. The person who is in love with you paid the bill – Yes, he paid for him/her to be with us no matter where we are or what we are going through.
1. Would this not be a great gift of love for each of us?
2. What monetary value would you place on this service of encouragement and empowerment?
ii. But - this perk comes with one requirement – You must follow the directives and teachings of the One who loves you and has given you this Counselor:
1. In other words, you have to believe in His words and teachings.
2. In other words, you have to welcome the counselor into your home.
3. In other words, you have to know His commands – His do’s and don’ts of how to live a life filled with joy and blessings!
4. In other words, you have to have a relationship with the One providing the perk to you.
a. Relationships – Yes, we were all created to be in relationship with others;
i. A relationship with the Lord (God)
ii. A relationship with others.
b. Relationships – require commitment!
i. It requires your time
ii. It requires your money
iii. It requires your love
iv. It requires sacrifice
v. It requires your attention
vi. It requires your focus
iii. This Counselor also called the Spirit of Truth will guide you, help you, empower you, direct you with wisdom, bestow on you gifts to live the abundant life.
1. This Counselor/Spirit of Truth is yours if you speak the love language of God!
a. Obedience to His commands (pours love out on God which makes his heart flutter with joy).
b. Obedience – following His teaching on what is true and what is false makes God smile and say, “That’s my boy!”
c. Obedience goes deep into what is really in your heart – every relationship we have in life comes with rules by the way:
i. Let’s take marriage for example:
1. Rule #1 - No cheating
2. No lying to each other
3. No deception with each other
4. No taking advantage of the other
5. Must have a Commitment to be true to the relationship
iv. This Counselor/Spirit of Truth will reveal to you what is true and what is false in your life.
1. It will expose deceptions and lies that will cross your path and will whisper in your ear.
2. It will keep you from harm and traps by an enemy who wants to destroy your life and relationships.
3. This counselor with not only advise you but actually empower you to defeat an enemy who wants to destroy you.
4. This Counselor comes with a heart of love committing to follow the One who loves us enough to die for us!
b. Important point Jesus is making – Follow me – Obey my word and I will send you this amazing Counselor and Spirit of Truth.
i. But notice – the blessing of this Spirit is rooted in obedience to the Word of Jesus – Who is God’s Love personified.
T.S. – The promise from Jesus is if you love Him by following His teachings and words then God the Father will send you His Holy Spirit to be with you and guide you but to keep your relationship strong with the Lord! But this will require commitment on our part to spend time with Jesus – quality time – dates with Jesus – it will require the DTR talks and so much more.
III. If you love Jesus – Love personified - you will spend quality time with Jesus and Abba Father and have the D.T.R. talk!
a. If you don’t spend time with someone there is no relationship – if you don’t go on dates, or communicate with each other there is no relationship. Don’t deceive yourself!
i. Les Parrots book “The Love List”
1. The things to do to take your relationship to the next level:
a. The Love List:
i. Once a Day . . . ·Take Time to Touch (If Only for a Minute) Find Something That Makes You Both Laugh
ii. Once a Week…Do Something Active That Lifts Your Spirits ·Boost Your Partner’s Self-Esteem
iii. Once a Month…Rid Yourselves of Harmful Residue. Fire Up Passion in the Bedroom
iv. Once a Year… Review Your Top-Ten Highlights, Chart Your Course for the Coming Year.
ii. The same is true with your relationship with Jesus and Abba Father.
iii. No time together means no relationship – How can you say you love someone but never talk to them, spend time together or connect with each other.
1. Please tell me how you think this is how to develop and maintain a relationship?
b. Kyle notes that all relationships must have a Time for the D.T.R. moment between the two parties:
i. “So where do you start in determining if you really are a follower of Jesus? How do you decide if this is even something you would want to consider? Let’s begin by having a D.T.R. talk with Jesus. Some of you will recognize what the letters D.T.R. stand for. If you’re not sure, let me give you a hint. For a young man involved in a romantic relationship, these letters are often enough to strike fear into his heart. He likely dreads the D.T.R. talk. In fact, many young men will postpone, run away from, and put off the D.T.R. for as long as possible. I have even known a few guys who have terminated the relationship when they sensed that the D.T.R. talk was imminent. Now do you want to guess what DTR stands for? Define the Relationship. This is the official talk that takes place at some point in a romantic relationship to determine the level of commitment. You want to see where things stand and find out if what you have is real.
1. Idleman, Kyle; Idleman, Kyle. Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus. Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
c. The Gospels record many examples of people having the D.T.R. talk with Jesus/God the Father. In each encounter the person finds themselves in a position where the question has to be answered: “How do you define this relationship? Where is this relationship going?”
i. Examples of some who Jesus had the DTR talk with:
1. Example of Peter
2. Example of Nicodemus
3. Example of Paul
4. Example of David
d. Important comparison to note: In the Bible the comparison of Jesus is He is the Bridegroom of the Bride of Christ which includes all who are faithful followers of Jesus are the Bride.
i. I found a few verses which speak of this relationship between Jesus/God and His followers – His faithful committed ones:
1. John 3:29: “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.”
2. Matthew 9:15: And Jesus said to them, “The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”
3. Revelation 22:17: The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.”
4. 2 Corinthians 11:2: “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.”
5. Revelation 19:7: “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”
6. Ephesians 5:25-27: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.
7. Revelation 21:2: And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
a. It’s obvious that God the father also has a DTR moment with those who are in a relationship with His Son Jesus.
b. Illustration: The D.T.R. application to date our daughters:
i. See example on power point!
ii. I think about my daughters and how we wanted the DTR talk right off the beginning!
iii. I did not want my daughters dating and even marrying someone who was not committed to the relationship!
1. Who were in it for a fling or conquest!
e. Jesus – God’s Love personified wants to be in a relationship with those who are faithful committed followers not just fair weather fans!
i. Kyle notes, “Fans often confuse their admiration for devotion. They mistake their knowledge of Jesus for intimacy with Jesus. Fans assume their good intentions make up for their apathetic faith.” Idleman, Kyle; Idleman, Kyle. Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
1. He adds, “Fans are happy to follow Jesus as long as that doesn’t require any significant changes or have negative implications. Here is the reality that Nicodemus is about ready to have impressed on him: There is no way to follow Jesus without him interfering with your life. Following Jesus will cost you something. Following Jesus always costs something. For Nicodemus it would cost him a powerful position.”
a. Idleman, Kyle; Idleman, Kyle. Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
2. He presses the point home: “Most of us don’t mind Jesus making some minor change in our lives but Jesus wants to turn our lives upside down. Fans don’t mind him doing a little touch-up work, but Jesus wants complete renovation. Fans come to Jesus thinking tune-up, but Jesus is thinking overhaul. Fans think a little makeup is fine, but Jesus is thinking makeover. Fans think a little decorating is required, but Jesus wants a complete remodel. Fans want Jesus to inspire inspire them, but Jesus wants to interfere with their lives.”
a. Idleman, Kyle; Idleman, Kyle. Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
f. Some people believe in Jesus (they are just fans) but they make no commitment to follow Him faithfully.
i. They say they are tight with Jesus, but they never talk, hang out, associate with Him, they do no concerts together or listen to His Word.
1. Some who say they are in a relationship with Jesus are embarrassed by Him and what He stands for!
a. Kyle states, “If you read through the four Gospels that tell of Christ’s life, you’ll find that Jesus says “Believe in me” about five times. But care to guess how many times Jesus said “Follow me”? About twenty times.”
i. Idleman, Kyle; Idleman, Kyle. Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
b. Kyle presses how this relationship with Jesus works: “Following Jesus isn’t something you can do at night where no one notices. It’s a twenty-four-hour-a-day commitment that will interfere with your life. That’s not the small print—that’s a guarantee.”
i. Idleman, Kyle; Idleman, Kyle. Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
c. He presses us further: “When Jesus defines the relationship - he wants with us - he makes it clear that being a fan who believes without making any real commitment to follow isn’t an option.”
i. Idleman, Kyle; Idleman, Kyle. Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
Conclusion:
Question: What do we need to know from this message?
Answer: God has a love language we can express to him! The love language action - it’s called obedience to His commands and teachings. God the Father and Jesus will have a DTR conversation with you about the relationship you are in with them – what will your response be?
Question: Why do we need to know this truth?
Answer: Many are deceived today – they call themselves Christian’s, but Jesus does not even know who they are because there is no relationship between Him and them. These people may be fans, but they are not faithful followers!
Scripture: Jesus said Matthew 7:21-23: 21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5: 7-10: 7We live by faith, not by sight. 8We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
Question: What do we need to do?
Answer: We must be honest about where our relationship with Jesus is! We must decide if we are going to pour love out on God by following and obeying His commands or not! We have to be committed to His teachings if we love Him. We have to be focused on living by His truth and reject the world’s view of love and truth.
Question: Why do we need to do this?
Answer: If we want to experience Love personified and have the blessing of the Holy Spirit in our lives, then we need to be committed as a faithful follower of Jesus! We need to be fervent – fired up that we are in a marriage relationship with Jesus and God the Father!
Communion: It’s time for the DTR talk today between you and Jesus – Communion is a DTR moment!
When you come to participate in Communion it’s time to have that DTR talk with Jesus – I have a video with a song by Cody Barnes – called “Nothing Else” the song is about pouring out our love and commitment to Jesus – because of His love for us! The song says: “I just want you Jesus – nothing else – I just want you Jesus!” I pray this is your DTR moment with Jesus and you pour out to Jesus and Abba Father the love language that impacts God’s heart!
