A couple had been married for fifty years. “Things have really changed,” she said. “You used to sit so close to me.” “Well I can remedy that,” he said moving close to her on the couch. “And you used to hold me tight,” she said. “How’s that,” he said as he gave her a big hug. “ Do you remember you used to nuzzle my neck and nibble my ear lobes?” He jumped to his feet and left the room. “Where are you going?” “I’ll be right back,” he said, “I’ve got to go get my teeth!” Oh my. Last week we talked about reaching out, today we are looking at God’s love.
Say Mission statement, tell story and pray.
Transcend is defined as to go beyond the limits of; overstep; to be superior; surpass; excel.
I. God’s love transcends the problems of our life. (1)
“Then they came to the other side of the sea…” What had they just been through? A storm! Not just any storm, but a great storm that almost sunk every boat that was with them! Yet Jesus loved this man enough to go through that kind of storm. Jesus loves us enough to go through storms to get to us as well. He will endure the ferocious storms of anger; God, I can’t believe that you allowed that to happen. Why! Of misunderstandings; God, why do you allow bad things to happen to good people? Of disappointment; God, that really hurt. How do I know this? Because He loves you so much that He endured the worst storm that man could create. The cross!
Would you agree that Jeremiah went through storms? He was mocked and ridiculed publicly. He was thrown into prison for preaching God’s word. At this time Israel was under captivity. God tells Jeremiah this in chapter 31:3, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Folks, the good news is this, that Jesus is willing to go through the storms of life to reach you. He willingly extends His nail-scarred hands to you.
There was another storm. The disciples thought that they would perish. At the final moment they saw Jesus walking on the water. At first they thought it was ghost. Then Jesus identified Himself. Peter then says, “Lord if that is you, bid me to come to You.” Jesus says, “come”. Peter walks on the water. Then he notices the storm, the wind and the waves. And Peter sinks. After he cries out, there is Jesus extending His hand out to Peter. We find Jesus in the midst of many storms, always extending His hand out!
Have you found yourself in any storms lately? I can promise you that when you call to Him, He is no farther than the length of His arm, and His arm is reaching out to you!
Knowing how much that Jesus loves us, what storm are we willing to go through to reflect His love to our community?
II. God’s love transcends the prevention of the law. (2-3)
“And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs;”
It wasn’t lawful to hang around anyone that was unclean, little on anyone who had an unclean spirit. The graves were definitely unclean! So this man had a double dose of unclean! However, we find Jesus hanging around. This isn’t the only time Jesus hung out with the unclean. How about the lepers? Those with a skin disease so bad that it was deadly to them, and to anyone around them! Yet Jesus willingly walked among them, touched and healed them. I believe that He healed them spiritually as well. Do you know of any hurting, ugly people? Maybe you feel ugly today, like a leper. Do you believe that Jesus can heal you?
Not only did Jesus hang out with lepers, but He also hung out with anyone who would let Him. Like the local drug dealers. Matthew and Zacheaus were tax collectors. They were despised because they took advantage of people. Somewhat like our drug dealers of the day.
Why? Because Jesus transcends the law. Do you remember when the disciples ate grain from the fields on the Sabbath? The Pharisees saw it and accused them of being unlawful. Jesus tells them a biblical story of David, and says these dramatic words, 6“Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. 7“But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8“For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mt. 12) Is the law good enough to save you? No, Romans tells us that the law cannot save!
We are not made righteous by the law. We needed something else. So God sent His Son, who fulfilled the law and transcends it and in the process is calling us to a greater righteousness! We call it GRACE! Therefore, no matter where you are in life, no matter how down and out, no matter what label you have acquired, God’s love transcends it! He still loves you anyway! Christian, are you willing to love others in the same way?
III. God’s love transcends the power of the legion. (4-5)
“4because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. 5And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.”
What we don’t realize is that this man was in pain. He was being driven crazy by pain and suffering. The “normal” people of his day tried to make sense of it all and to rescue him they decided to chain him to a rock. However, chains couldn’t hold him, “neither could anyone tame him”. No one could talk to him, or teach him. So they decided the best thing to do was to get him as far away from town as possible. After all, the town wasn’t safe when he was present, right? What was really wrong with this man? He had a life filled with pain. Notice that he was “crying out and cutting himself”. Do you know of anyone with so much internal pain that they do outward harm to themselves and others? How they act makes you feel real uncomfortable. You would like to see them locked up or taken far away. That is similar to what we have here.
Incidents like this can cause confusion. People question God’s love. Love doesn’t punish! To many people, Christians included, believe that God is going to punish us when we mess up. He is not a God setting on the edge of His throne seat watching every little move and waiting for us to make a mistake so the He can slap us. He is the God sitting on the edge of His seat waiting, anticipating for us to seek His forgiveness! As soon as we seek Him, He expresses His love! Let me give you an illustration. There was a preacher who liked knives. He collected them. As his son grew up, his son obtained the same likes. The dad began training the son on how to handle knives. He said, “Never play with a knife unless I am around.” The son agreed. The father left the room. In a few minutes the father heard the cry of the son. He ran back into the room. His son had cut his finger with a pocketknife. The dad immediately dressed the wound, and then the father took the child and explained, “See why I need to be around when you play with the knives?” He taught the son, he didn’t punish the son by cutting him with the knife! Love doesn’t punish. It disciplines yes. It teaches yes. But it doesn’t inflict wounds! Some of us picture God in this scenario as the father. But in our eyes, God takes the knife and cuts us to show us why we shouldn’t play with knives! Doesn’t that just sound ridiculous? God informs us, teaches, and allows us to choose to believe Him or not believe Him. Our decision reflects our belief. When we choose not to believe then there will be consequences!
I want you to know I still believe that God is in the miracle business. He is still saving souls! He is still rescuing lives! Just as He rescued this soul from the power of the legion, He is rescuing souls today! Why do I believe this, because He is love. And His love transcends any evil!
IV. God’s love transcends the past legacy. (15)
15Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.
Doesn’t that leave a bad taste in your mouth? He had a past. He had a terrible reputation! At this point though what were they afraid of? He was sitting! He was clothed in his right mind! Shouldn’t they be rejoicing? Excited? We are a people of comfort. We get comfortable with odd things. These people had gotten comfortable with the way he acted. It was ok! He was just being himself. He didn’t know any better. But when he changes, for the better I might add, then they become afraid. Makes total sense!?
Isn’t that a picture of humanity? Did you experience the same when you became a Christian? Did people feel uncomfortable around you after you became a Christian? Do you treat others that way? Well, he says that he is a Christian, but I will believe it when I see it. Folks, we really do need to come to grips with grace. For it is only when we reflect God’s grace that others see the grace of God in us!
Dr. Diane Komp of Harvard Medical School tells the story of one of her Down’s Syndrome patients with whom she was eating, at a restaurant. The restaurant had music and a little dance floor. Her friend loved to dance,
but Komp had had a hard day and didn’t feel up to it. But then the young man found a partner, another Downs’s person named Grace. And they danced, and danced, and the young man was so pleased and excited afterwards. He said to Dr. Komp, she’s amazing Grace, she could dance all night. And that is grace my friends, it dances all day, all night, and forever.
Grace is real, it lasts forever! God’s love transcends anyone’s past legacy. No matter how bad they were!
V. God’s love transcends the parameters of logic. (18-19) 18And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. 19However, Jesus did not permit him, .
Had this person been freed? Had this person been healed? Transformed? Yes! Yes! Notice what he wanted to do. He wanted to go with Jesus. Does that sound normal? Isn’t that logical? Wouldn’t Jesus welcome such an individual? After all wasn’t it Jesus who said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Isn’t that exactly what this man is doing? So why would Jesus tell the man no? Why would Jesus say, “Go home”? Why? Because this man is a picture of the modern day church! We believe that Jesus is in heaven. And He is. But Jesus has also located Himself here on earth. It is hard for our finite minds to take in, to understand. But just realize that Jesus is walking among us now. He is omnipotent (all powerful), and omnipresent (every where). He has chosen to dwell in the Christian heart, and He has chosen to walk this earth and dwell where the lost sheep are also!
Therefore He transcends our logic by asking us to go where He wants us. We must remember “8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55
This individual wanted to go where Jesus went. Jesus told him to go back from where you came and tell them what God has done. That is not where this man wanted to go, nor did it make sense to him, but he obeyed Christ. Church, that is what He is telling us. Don’t try to over spiritualize where I am. For I am in your midst NOW! Go back to where you were chained down, to where you were cutting yourself, to where people were afraid of you, to where you met Me and were equipped and transformed by My love and made into a new person. Then tell others about how compassionate I have been on you!
Today what we must understand is love is not an emotion that describes God. Love is not something that God gives. Love is God! Where there is love, there is God! Where God is, there is love! The two are inseparable!
God’s love that transcends is the same love that transforms!
He loved us not because we were lovable, but because He is love. C.S. Lewis
Today, would you like to experience God’s love? You can by saying yes to Jesus. You do that by admitting you are a sinner, believing that Jesus is Lord who died and is risen which paid the price for your sins, and confessing Him as you savior. If you are willing, would you come down this isle and let me pray for you and tell you more?
Maybe today you are a Christian, but you have felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit reminding you of God’s love. You would like to repent and be revived, would you too come.
Maybe you have sensed God’s presence and would like to pray that His love would be seen in your life and the life of our church. Would you come and pray?
