DRAFTING BEHIND JESUS
Matthew 22:36-40
John 1
INTRODUCTION: Drafting is a term used in a variety of sport requiring some sort of motion. In layman’s terms it is the positioning of oneself, behind another moving individual or object for the purpose of rest and avoiding the resistance and friction in our atmosphere. Drafting allows you to spend less energy, because the person in front of you is “pushing through” the air ahead of you, creating a sort of “pocket” of “dead space”.
When a car, or bike rider, or even a runner drafts behind someone else they not only avoid the resistance, but keep their energy high, and are assisted in finishing the race. The person in the front is doing the hard work. As Christians, we need to draft behind Jesus! Drafting only works when you mimic the moves of the person in front. Once you stop duplicating their actions, you will begin to face the resistance you had hoped to avoid.
As believers, drafting behind Jesus means learning to do the things Jesus does. Being SALT means that we affect our world. Nobody EVER affected the world more than Jesus!
Over the last few weeks we have learned:
Our PRESENT, ASSUMED, DEFINITE, LIMITED, and POSITIVE condition is SALT!
It is possible to lose both our SAVOR and SALTINESS, and therefore become DETRIMENTAL to the body of Christ!
Not only can we do better, we MUST do better!
The importance of maintaining as our first priority our love for God.
Each of us has a responsibility to use our gifts and talents in the church, and that using our gifts is the process the church uses to move through the problems it faces.
In our text this morning Jesus has been asked to comment on the Law, specifically, HE has been asked to determine the most important aspects of the Law. The question was meant as a trap, the answer Jesus provided was a rich and full of insight. Nobody says it better than Jesus
I DRAFTING BEHIND JESUS IS LOVING GOD – Focusing my energy, passion, and desire towards God
A “Loving the Lord your/thy God”
1 We need to love God as our very own.
2 Intense kind of love. – Notice all the “all”s
3 It is a love that is a matter of the will, not some sort of requirement.
a We cannot legislate love for God
b Love is not our attendance, or giving, or service. These are EXPRESSIONS of our love, but they are NOT our love!
4 Love for God is unconditional
a No ifs – Love held hostage – I’ll love you if you …
b No ands – Love of mutual agreement – I’ll love you and you will love me…
c No buts – Love of uncertainty – I’ll love you but don’t do this…
WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL WE DO NOT LOVE GOD BASED ON WHAT HE DID, WILL DO, OR DID NOT DO, BUT ON WHO HE IS!
B “with all my heart”
a My heart is the source of my devotion
b My heart allows me to devote myself to either good or evil.
Matthew 6:21
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 12:34-35
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.
LOVING GOD WITH MY HEART MEANS WHAT COMES OUT OF MY LIFE IS THE RESULT OF MY LOVE FOR GOD!
Genuine love for God produces “good” things
False love for God produces “evil” things
2 “with all my soul”
a The soul is where my consciousness is
b What makes me me
c In other words I am to love God as part of my being
d Part of what makes me me is to be my love for God
e When others think of my, they should think of my love for God.
3 “with all my mind”
a We reason with our minds
b We understand with our minds
c We think with our minds
d When we love God with our minds, he is part of our thoughts.
e Love for God is a natural part of our lives, like walking.
Philip. 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
Col. 3:10
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
II DRAFTING BEHIND JESUS IS REVEALED IN LOVING OTHERS
A God is primarily interested in my love for others, not doing religious things.
B Jesus wants us to make loving our neighbors the very first thing we do after loving God!
FOLLOW THE PROGRESSION:
§ God is by nature love -- 1 John 4:8, Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
§ God, by nature expresses his love -- Romans 5:8, But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
§ Jesus marks the believer as one who loves God, and loves others -- John 13:34-35, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
THE RESULT OF GODLY LOVE IS EXPRESSED TOWARDS OTHERS!
C My love for God should be evidenced in my love towards others!
a Towards the BELIEVER
1) Love is not about my likes and dislikes, but about their likes and dislikes.
2) Love is not about my ability and preference in worship, but their ability and preference in worship
LET ME GIVE AN EXAMPLE
§ MUSIC – Maybe I do not like this type of music, or that type of music for worship – BUT somebody right beside me does! Loving them means I am happy for them that they have the repetition of 11 words 7 times a worshipful experience. Or on the other hand, just because you think the Hymns are old and dry does not mean that the person worshipping right next you is not have a real experience with God. Love focuses on the needs of my brother, not me!
b Towards the UNBELIEVER
1) The gospel is not a burden – it is the reason Jesus died
2) My testimony is not just for my fellow believer, but for the unbeliever as well.
3) If God can treat the unbeliever with care and concern, why can’t we?
4) If I love my neighbor as myself, then I want the very best for him – is there anything better than the gospel?
BEING SALT MEANS THINKING AND DOING THE WAY JESUS DID!
Now perhaps you are sitting here right now, and you do not love God the way you ought to – you need to get that settled. How do you know?
How have you reacted to the worship of a brother or sister in Christ?
How did you react to an opportunity to share the very best with another person?
If our attitudes and actions are not outward based, focused on others, we probably do not love God the way we ought to, and have much to think about
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