God is love. And love is important to God.
If you might question that turn to the back of your Bible and look up the list of verses that use the word love. If you don't have that here is a picture of mine.
In case you cannot quite tell that list covers the whole page from where it starts and almost the entirety of the next page where it then changes to the word "loved." Now let's look at some other words. Judgement.
Here's correction.
Here's righteousness.
Now, I want to make this extremely clear. All of those words have a place and an importance. Correction is vital to healthy community living. God is righteous and we are called to strive for righteousness. And God is the ultimate Judge, who will bring justice in His Kingdom and we are expected to fight injustice today.
But here's the deal, those lists were very short in comparison to love. Leading me to believe that everything God does, and every example we are expected to follow, grows out of love for His children. God corrects His children because He loves them. God bring justice and judgement because it is ultimately what is best for His children. God is righteousness and perfection because in His perfect Kingdom there is no pain or rejection, and that is ultimately what is best for His children.
Jesus said that the two most important concepts to remember are to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. The Kingdom of God is summed up in love. (Matthew 22:36-40) Yes, there will be judgement and justice; yes, there will be correction along the way; yes, God is righteous and perfect and we cannot come to Him without forgiveness that was offered to us through Jesus.
But Jesus was sent to die because God SO LOVED the world. It's John 3:16. You know, that Bible verse that you are sure to have memorized if you went to Sunday school twice in your childhood. Let's look at it again.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."
-John 3:16
Now, let's look at that verse like we never heard of it before. God, the Creator of the universe who sees every imperfection and sin, loved us. He loved us so much that He sent His only son. His only one…
To die.
To die so that you can live forever. It's the gospel story, those of us who grew up in church have heard it over and over and over again. Do you realize how much love is wrapped up in the gospel story? Can you begin to comprehend that type of love? Can you try to wrap your mind around that?
Maybe it's time for the church to look at John 3:16 again. Maybe it's time for us all to go back to Sunday school. Are you loving like Jesus? Would you eat dinner with tax collectors and prostitutes? Would you hug a woman with HIV? Are you going out of your way to find "the least of these?" When was the last time you asked a homeless man what his story was?
Are you loving like Jesus?
My team was on property again this week. We worked on a garden and painted rocks. That's what love looked like for us this week.
Some of us had lice on Thursday. So we picked them out and put mayo in each other's hair and lice shampooed everyone. That's what love looked like for us this week.
We got to spend time with the boys this week. And pour love into Marisol and Genesis. That's what love looked like for us this week.
We went to the hospital to visit Marlin and her new healthy baby girl. That's what love looked like for us this week.
We moped out the building and dug canals and trenches when the rain flooded everything. We found dry places for people to sleep and moved tents and bags to higher places. That's what love looked like for us this week.
We cared for two cute but extremely loud and sleep-depriving puppies so that Tony did not have to. That's what love looked like for us this week.
We went to the hospital to visit Marlin and her new healthy baby girl. That's what love looked like for us this week.
We moped out the building and dug canals and trenches when the rain flooded everything. We found dry places for people to sleep and moved tents and bags to higher places. That's what love looked like for us this week.
We cared for two cute but extremely loud and sleep-depriving puppies so that Tony did not have to. That's what love looked like for us this week.
Loving God and loving people comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. It comes in various different forms. Love can be shown in big acts and small ones. But that does not change its importance. That doesn't change its meaning. That does not change this:
God is love and we are called to love. Not to love issues. Not to love political topics. Not to love the world.
Only this:
Love God. Love your neighbor. Until Jesus comes back we'll keep praying, "On earth as it is in heaven."
I see Pastor Joe’s teaching has rubbed off!