HUMILITY OF LOVE

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

John 4:8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

John 3:16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

The Bible says, we must love one another.  Love our God with our heart and soul and love all others the way I love you.  This is the good news Jesus brought the world.  It is the New covenant to the whole world.

This is so big that Matthew 22:40 shows us When Jesus spoke to the disciples regarding the first and second greatest commands, he explained that "All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands" 

This sounds great.  This IS great news.  But…. there is one problem.

People are just…. Irritating sometimes.  I read an unattributed quote “I love mankind…. Its People I can’t stand.”  To me sounds about right.

Loving people is HARD, Yet this is what Jesus commands of us.  It’s the ONE JOB he gives us before he commits the ultimate act of love, by dying for us so that we might live again in the family of God.

As Christians, we read the word of God and we apply many of the principles Jesus teaches to our lives. We experience the wisdom of his parables and see how we can apply it to our lives.  This one though…Love EVERYBODY? 

When we demonstrate Christian love, it distinguishes believers from the rest of the world. Jesus tells us "By this [love] all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). 

But with this, every day I struggle, with this command to love everyone. I mean I have coworkers, I GO to the grocery store, I commute into Massachusetts  every day.  I have many challenges.  I find myself every day completely missing the mark on this command.

We are never going to be perfect this is absolute. But, I fear the day Jesus realizes that I haven’t loved “everyone” the way that he commanded.  That He will see me as the fraud that I am.  I go to church on Sunday and the I swear at driver on Monday.  I get annoyed by the person blocking my lane at Walmart on Wednesday. 

We are NOT alone in these feelings and I want to thank Brant Hansen and his TED Talk that brought something to my attention that I otherwise might have missed.

There is an example of love that Jesus shows us which is the blueprint for the love we are talking about here.

In the book of John chapter 13 we see the chapter end with Jesus speaking of the new covenant and predicts Peters Denial of him. Beginning in verse 31

31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. 

32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. 

33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. 

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 

35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” 

36 Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” 

37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 

38 Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

Peter was caught, the shoe drops, and Jesus calls him out for what he knows Peter will do.

But that is where the chapter ends.  When we return to chapter 14, it is THEN we see Jesus say:

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 

2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 

4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

And if it had not been pointed out to me, this odd placement of a chapter break, I might have missed it.

Jesus tells Peter, YES, you will deny me.  You Will fall and you will fail.  But

 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.  My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? “

My biggest fear is that God we see me for the fraud I am.

ME: “Jesus, I know I struggle to demonstrate Christian love.”

JESUS: I Know, I know you struggle, but dDo not let your hearts be troubled I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am

ME: Jesus I struggle with my vices and I try hard, but I Fall, and I fail.

JESUS: I Know, I know. But Do not let your hearts be troubled. I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

ME: Jesus I Get Jealous, I get Angry, I look at people and say I don’t Know if I can love you.

JESUS: I Know, I know. But Do not let your hearts be troubled. I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Yes, People suck,

Yes, we will fall, and we will fail.

But we Still LOVE THEM. 

Even if they annoy us, we love them,

or cut us off, we  love them,

or block the ice cream isle, We LOVE them

"By this [love] all people will know that you are My disciples  

ME: But God, I am trying, but I will never be perfect.

JESUS: I Know, I know you are not,  But my love IS.