John 15:9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.

In 1974 Minnie Riperton, pinned one of the greatest love songs known to man.  The lyrics start so simple and to the point, “Lovin’ you is easy cause you’re beautiful.”  I believe that she just may have taken those lyrics from Solomon; because in the 4^th chapter of Song of Solomon (or Song of Songs), God speaks to us these words: “vs 7 You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.”  Regardless of the origin of those words the power remains clear; Loving You is easy because You are beautiful.  My question for us today is two-fold:  What if loving me is not easy?  What if I’m not Beautiful?  Then can I not be loved? So Let’s Dive In…. 

I’m on my computer a great deal of the day and while working at home during this quarantine it becomes most of the day.  I’m not sure if you’re like me, every time I open a new browser on Microsoft Edge, it sends me to a news page that rifles thru the day’s top stories.  This is meant to be informative but is often more distracting than anything.  It allows me to stay up on current events but can also take you down in the weeds of useless data.  Like a couple of days ago when on the news feed a story popped up about a very well-known actress, acknowledging that she’s had an affair while her and her enormously famous husband were separated while trying to work on their marriage.  My inquiring mind wanted to know what happened and, in the video, attached to the article the actress said something that resonated and caused me to question Minnie Riperton’s 1974 declaration.  She said that she “could not find happiness outside of herself.”  Which she later stated that she wanted to feel good and thought it could get it from that relationship. 

This paralleled with a recent conversation with my wife; where she reminded me about how in rejecting your help, you reject yourself.  Which is why I have conjectured that John, Minnie and Jada were on to something, Love is easy when you abide in the Lord’s Love and first learn to love yourself.  There are three quick things I believe that we must all understand if we are going to be able to love ourselves and others the way Jesus shared in John chapter 15.  We must:

1. RESEARCH: Just How Much God Loves Jesus (As the Father loved Me).  Research is the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.  Therefore, we’d need develop a strategy on how we will determine God’s love for His Son.  If we walk thru each book of the bible, we can see powerful ways in which God demonstrates His love for Jesus.  We can see in Genesis thru the story of Abraham and his son Isaac, or Jacob and his Son’s Joseph & Benjamin witnessing their deep and passionate love for their sons.  Or we could go to Exodus and see how God navigated the life of Moses (a type or symbol of Christ’s Leadership of the Church) to spare his life under tremendous attacks including rescuing him and all of the Israel from imminent death.  Or how Leviticus meticulously detailed the designs and construction of the tabernacle, which provided a conduit for God to have a meeting place for the people He created to praise Him.  That location was the physical representation of the position Jesus would one day to bring God to His people.  This could go on and on; book by book; nearly chapter by chapter; of the Great Love God demonstrates toward Jesus (Love, Leadership & Location).  Do your research, and you will know for sure that God has a great Love for Jesus.   
    
2. RECEIVE: The Love Christ Has Us (I also have loved you).  Every Christmas many of us ensure that we exchange gifts with our loved ones, friends and colleagues.  During the gift exchange you give a present to someone and you hope that they appreciate it.  You see we are so excited about the gift we never for once think about whether or not the person is going to receive that gift.  Of course, they are going to receive this gift, I gave it to them.  Funny enough Jesus Loves us the same what God Loves Him.  However, just because Jesus loves us, doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone will receive it.   I know that so many times, I look at how much Jesus loves me, and I just don’t feel worthy of His love.  How can someone so perfect, love someone so imperfect.  The fact is, if I give my wife a gift, regardless of how wonderful it is, if she does not receive it, she could never enjoy it, be blessed by it, or receive the benefits from it.  Likewise, if we do not receive Jesus’ love; we cannot be filled (Eph 3); have our fear cast out (1 John 4); sins covered (1 Peter 4); nor would we know how to love anyone else (John 13).  Unless we receive Jesus “gift” of Love we cannot access any of the benefits.  It is the benefits of Love that become our key to loving other people.    
   
3. REMAIN: In the Love of God (abide in My love).  Now once we’ve done our research and received the precious love God has for us, it is imperative that we Remain in that Love.  I truly believe that definitions almost always hammer home the understanding of a word or concept.  The word remain is defined as “continuing to possess a particular quality or fulfill a particular role.”  We need to possess (own, take, have) the Love of Jesus and the benefits (that come with that love) in order to have the ability to love ourselves.  If we cannot love ourselves, we lack the tools to properly love others.  In same video reference earlier, Jada talks about how she did not have the capacity to lover her husband until she dealt with herself. 
   One of the areas I find difficult is when stress robs me of my joy and I’m feeling low; then I bring my misery with me wherever I go.  If I don’t receive Jesus’s Love and get filled with His fullness (Eph 3) I will make all around me just as miserable.  Or when I fall short by sinning, rather than spiraling downward because I failed, I must be reminded of His love, which has already COVERED all of my sin (1 John 4).  Or when I’m afraid things are not going to work out; I have to received Jesus’ “Perfect Love.”  The only way I can love someone else is to Love Me like, Jesus loves me, which is how God loves HIM. 

The truth is simple when I do the research to see how beautiful God’s love is for Jesus, I am then able to receive that same love.  Once I receive love, I have the benefits that make it possible for me to say “Lovin’ Me is easy cause His Love is beautiful.  La la la la la la la… do do do do do.”  Ms. Minnie would be very proud to know that her song remains universally loved and can also serve as a love learning tool for understanding God’s Perfect Love for Me.

Mark 6:34 And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things. 

There is a phrase in this text that has always intrigued me, it says that Jesus “was moved with compassion for them.”  He was moved with compassion, because he saw a group of people that needed something; they need to be reached.  What is even more intriguing to me is all that lead up to His moment of compassion.  Jesus had been teaching in multiple synagogues, the Jews were being schooled on the repentance of sin and belief in God.  Yet while Jesus was powerfully teaching all over, the very people from his hometown rejected His gift because they knew Him as a child.  Also, His cousin, John the Baptist was being beheaded by King Herod; an unjust and unlawful murder of an innocent man.  Jesus was preaching, healing and serving till exhaustion; he was being rejected by many including those closest to Him; and His family and closest connections were being unfairly prosecuted.  This would discourage most people; but not Jesus. 

Can I be honest with you; with the world on stay at home orders; regular people dying across the nation at record numbers by an invisible disease lingering around; a socially corrupt system exposing it’s inherent racism and generational abuse for many people who look like me; jobs being loss and many businesses feeling the impacts; while powerful people in charge of fixing the problems are worried more about elections than the people they should be serving; or even regular everyday people becoming more concerned about being pampered than keeping vulnerable people safe; during this time my heart has become harden towards many people. 

Even while much of this chaos going on in the world today has not negatively impacted me significantly; we’ve been extremely favored during this time, yet I’m lacking compassion for some people and need to know how to change that.  How is it that Jesus can find compassion, when personally being exhausted, rejected and prosecuted?  Here He is found having compassion on this group of people; merely because “they were like sheep not having a shepherd.”  Well it is because He saw the people and not his problems.  I truly believe if more of us could take this perspective in our own lives; we’d be much better people.  Jesus saw that the need of this large group of people (we would find out was more than 15,000 people; 5000 men not including women and children); required His immediate attention.  That need drowned out any of His personal issues at the time.  He saw that these people needed guidance, knowledge and sustenance.  Therefore, Jesus made a decision that he would do three things:  Teach, Organize and Feed the people.

1. He Taught the People: “So He began to teach them many things.”  I was recently talking to one of my best friends about what it takes to teach something effectively.  He’s a professional that has become a subject matter expert in the area of training and shared that there are three steps which can be taken to ensure that the material is effectively taught. 
   People must be taught something new (something they don’t already know) or something familiar in a new way (a new perspective of an old topic); they must be give a choice in what they are being taught (there has to be a point of choice); and finally it must benefit them or have a good result.  Jesus obviously is the one who came up with this method, prior to it being taught at our major universities.  This was after all His M.O.  Jesus came onto the scene teaching repentance in a way that the Chief Priest and Synagogue Teachers had not be accustomed to hearing.  He used parables to help the people relate to and understand the truths of His teaching.  Jesus offered each person a choice, to believe and follow Him, the Son of God or remain in your sins and out of covenant with God.  The choice Jesus gave produced an abundant life.  A life of joy and eternal love, that was not all roses, but it provided a future and hope for those who chose it.  Jesus was indeed the perfect teacher, who’s compassion moved Him to ensure these lost people not only had the Truth but the opportunity to have a Father.  Jesus in His compassion for the people taught them “many things.”
   
2. He Organized the People: “Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass.  So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties.”  A few of Jesus’ strengths was bringing people together from all over and providing order to any situation.  After teaching many things to this multitude of people, who had come from all over to see Jesus.  There was no structure or pattern taken to get to Him.  The people got in where they fit in.  Now, the teaching was done, and it was the compassion of Jesus to bring some structure to the chaos that this moment had left.  Between the COVID pandemic, the numerous amazing demonstrations across the world for social change and the push to get people back to work; the word chaos does not really do justice to the confusion that is hitting America during this time. 
   However just as God gave wisdom to the disciples to “make them all sit down in groups on the green grass.  So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties,” He has also provided direction to many significant leaders to provide organization that has helped the people needing service today.  Churches and humanitarian groups across the world have banned together in money and manpower to get much needed resources (food, toiletries, testing, mask, gloves, money, whatever was need) to the people most impacted by COVID 19.  As people stepped up wanting to peacefully protest the police killings and overall social injustice, organizations like Black Lives Matter, Empact, Campaign Zero, Color of Change and many others jumped into action and organized march locations, times and protocols from all over country.  Even our Government attempted to organize locations for small business owners to apply for essential loans and funding to keep their business afloat during an unprecedented time for the economy.   Jesus in His compassion for the people, helped to organize them “in ranks,” so that they could effectively receive the assistance they needed.
   
3. He Feed the People: “And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all.”  While the disciples realized the overwhelming task of trying to provide help to so many people; they saw the only answer as sending them away.  Not Jesus, His compassion for people is such that He must step in.  Especially when it means doing something miraculous.  In this text, Jesus knew how He would help but just as He helped to get people organized, He desired to use other people to feed this multitude.  One young boy had five loaves and the two fish, Jesus used that to feed over 15,000; when He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves.  Jesus will always feed us, whether it was nutritional, spiritual or emotional; And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).  Today, God is using the compassionate hearts of many to serve and feed millions of people without money to get something to eat; front line workers who don’t have the time to get something to eat and many people that because of death or loss now find themselves unable to even have the desire to eat.  This text demonstrates our Lord’s heart for us in that He has great compassion for us; because He knows that we all help navigating through our lives.  And in a transformative time, like the one we all find ourselves living in today.  Jesus shows us how to receive teaching, while also being able to teach others, help them organize so that they can receive the help that they need. 

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

Abba,
I want to wish you a great Fathers Day!!  You are a Good Good Father; and I honor you today.  Thank you for adopting me thru your Spirit.  I give you my heart and thank you for receiving both it and me….despite me.

I love you,
Mark

Genesis 11:4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” 5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. 7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.

We are in a time of chaos and division across this country.  There is a constant political battle between Democrats and Republicans.  Most people are finally fed up with the Policing taking place in the Black Community; yet the Police Union and many that support the Police tactics are in stark contrast.  The country cannot decide whether to wear a mask to protect each other from the coronavirus.  All of that is just what has been reaching critical mass in the last few weeks. All of these issues are centuries old, but unresolved.  The fact is, a house divided will always fall; Jesus told his disciples, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.”  This is exactly what America is witnessing on a daily basis and just as Jesus told them today, we are in need of His wisdom successfully come out of this.

Last week I talked about how the church has been divided by racial tension for centuries and why we should be one, because we all are the same.  This week we take a look back at just how powerful the church COULD (should) be if it had one language and one speech.  Wow, how powerful would the church be if we could be all be on one accord.  Let’s see what Genesis has to tell us about this:

1. God Sees When We’re ONE: “And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language” God clearly saw that the people were one and I cannot help but remember scripture on this topic.  Jesus ask His Father to make us ONE just as God and Jesus are ONE (John 17:21).  God is constantly looking for those who are on ONE accord with Jesus (2 Chronicles 16:9).  God is patient; and He’s waiting on us, the church to manifest Jesus’ prayer for us to be one.
   The problem is, like in America now we find it difficult to be one mostly because of Pride and Ego.  Even the people who were on the same page, were more worried about making a name for themselves than they were about seeing God. “Come, let us build ourselves a city, 1and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”  This is the same problem that we see with politicians, cops, protesters, mask wearers and those who don’t, even as noble as their perspectives might be.  Sometime their “Name” or ideas become more important than doing the right thing.  We need to be more like what Paul taught in Philippians 2:1 when he said “Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”
2. When We’re ONE We Can’t Be Stopped: “this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them” Nothing can be withheld; nor can any weapon formed against us prosper (Isaiah 54:17).  Like these people, when the disciples got together on one accord, they’ve experienced the greatest power known to man (Acts 2:1-4).  Because the people were on one accord and could do whatever they set their minds to do, and they began seeking a name for themselves, God needed to mix things up.  “Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.”  The Lord came down from Heaven because the people would have succeeded in building a city and a tower all the way to heaven; because even though man makes plans, the Lord directs his steps (Proverbs 16:9).  The bond of man is strong but when man is in lockstep with God, it’s a relationship that cannot be broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).  We need to realize that if we ever come together as a church, ethnicity, or human race, we would be unstoppable.  I dream of the day when we will be one with Christ, maybe just maybe it can be before we’re with him in paradise.  What steps will you take to see that manifest???

Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Man became a living being when God gave him breath.  Our country has been seeing utter chaos over the past few months because of an all-out attack on man’s ability to breath.  As a close family friend pointed out recently, COVID 19 which is a disease that attacks the respiratory system; where the lungs can become inflamed, making it tough for you to breathe.  While nearly two weeks ago a Police officer in Minnesota decided to take away the breath of George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for over 9 mins.  Isn’t it interesting that the very thing that God gave man to live, these two enemies have successfully attacked and taken breath away, causing death.  Well it shouldn’t be, because Jesus told us that “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy (John 10:10).”

To breathe, by definition is to take air into the lungs and then expel it.  So, taking in air; then blowing it out.  This is exactly what Jesus told us to do when He told the disciples “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men (Matt 4:19);” to take air in; spiritually breathing in what Jesus taught us about living as a Christian.  Then He said “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations;” to blow it out; give to others what it is we learned from Christ.  This is the process of discipleship, that Jesus created with the original 12 and what the church was supposed to come.  I intentionally said supposed to, because I believe that much of the chaos, we are living thru now is exposing that the church is not where Jesus desired for us to be in this discipleship process.

The systematic racism that we are seeing uncovered around the impact of COVID 19, incidents of blatant racism leading up to the murder of George Floyd; has finally been seen for what it is and we cannot remain silent.  Although we are seeing a series of peaceful protest and some ugly violent scenes of rioting and looting; the ugliest scenes may have come from within the kingdom of God, the Church.  Sunday mornings prior to the pandemic season was the most segregated time all over the world.  Due to this separation of people and ethnicity; the people of God are living completely different lives from one another.

The evangelical church is often being manipulated into become more and more political all the time, and many people believe that the Evangelical Church is now its own political party.  The problem with all of this happening is that the church is not at all UNIFIED.  When the Church is not UNIFIED it cannot accomplish all that God has desired for it (US) to do.  Matt 12:25 Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.  Our nation is being brought to desolation, because the kingdom is divided against itself.  We must find a way to hear each other; Proverbs 1:5 tells us A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel.  But we also have to listen to Jesus; in Genesis God was talking to himself (God, Jesus & Holy Spirit) when He said “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.”  God made the church and we need to remember how He made us:

1. We’re All from The Same Dirt: And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground. Dirt is dirt and since we are all of dirt, none of us deserve to be followers of Christ.  God formed us from the dirt because we were a mess and we were all far from perfect.  But we must go back and realize that all of that dirt was the very same.  We should all learn to treat each other the same because God did not form us from different materials but from the dust of the ground.  God did not discriminate during formation nor does He want the Church to do so now.
2. We Breathe the Same Air: breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. God breathed His Spirit into all of us, not just some of us.  We all have been given the breath of life, so that He would be able to live, move and love His children freely all around the world.  We are all fueled by the same Spirit; “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit (1 Cor 12:4).”  If we are all from the same dirt and breath the same air why are we living such different lives.
3. We Once Were Dead but Now We’re Alive: and man became a living being. It was not until God breathed into man, that he came alive.  Which means that prior to His breath, the man God formed was not alive, or dead.  Until we met Jesus and accepted His love for us, we were dead in our sins.  That was the same position for all of us.  Not one person currently a believer of Jesus in the Church was formed by God alive.  We each have the same experience after meeting God for ourselves, we had to believe in Jesus.  While the way we were saved was not the same, the process of salvation was.  We once were lost, then Jesus found us.  So, it is clear that everything about our Christian lives is the same, we all in the Church have more in common that we think.  Let’s work with what we know then develop by listening and learning from each other, all those things that we don’t know.  We’re all living now, let us live in Christ together

To the church; since Jesus died and was raised from the dead; we are all in the same gang.  I used the word gang on purpose; because the word gang is defined as “an organized group of criminals.”  Jesus was persecuted because He and His disciples were deemed by the High Priest and Romans to be criminals.  We aligned with that criminal, because He loved us better than any person ever could.  We’re in this together but we must learn how to listen to each other, appreciate our different perspectives and honor our courage to love those who are nothing like ourselves.  Will You Try Today?  Don’t worry Jesus is ready to help us.

John 5:7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” 8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 

What is a Victim’s Mentality?  It is an acquired personality trait in which a person tends to recognize or consider themselves as a victim of the negative actions of others, and to behave as if this were the case in the face of contrary evidence of such circumstances.  Here we have a familiar bible story that shows Jesus healing a man in the book of John.  I truly believe that Jesus healed this man then so that He can continue to heal the mentality of many men and women today.

Now it is interesting that of all of the weeks that I would be tackling this topic it would be a week where three young business owners had the police called on them for working out in the gym they have membership; a bird watcher who had the police called on him for asking a lady to put a leash on her dog in a city park; and George Floyd who was killed in broad daylight by 4 cops (3 of which kneeled on his body to pin him down, even though he did not fight back; and 1 cop put his knee on Floyd’s neck until the man died).  In each case the victim was black, and it continues to highlight the extraordinary list of injustices and unfair treatment that so many people, specifically black people, have experienced.  Why is this interesting, especially with regard to this verse?

The man who was highlighted in this verse with Jesus was an invalid; a person made weak or disabled by illness or injury.  This man had been an invalid for some time, One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years (John 5:5).  38 years of his life had been spent with a disability; an inability to live a normal life.  In this case the inability to walk into the pool, where numerous people would go to get healed.  There are groups of people that have been made weak or disabled by systematic oppression within legal government processes and procedures.  Injustices like this produces a group of people that become victims to the systems.  However, some of these victims live life with an invalid or victim mentality because of wrongdoing by others or have otherwise suffered misfortune through no fault of their own.  Many are left feeling helpless and even unable to overcome the above-mentioned obstacles; yet it does not have to be that way.  Jesus stepped in to change the mentality of the invalid and I believe the mentality of many people today, who feel that they have become nothing more than victims.

1. We Have Help: the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. The disabled man lived life feeling that he had no one to help him.  He needed somebody to fight for him but there was no one.  This man felt that his uphill battle was being fought alone, and like many people, when the hill you must climb seems improbable, the easiest was to attack it is NOT to.  This disabled man felt like so many underrepresented people feel today; like their fair shot in life is an unscalable mountain.  Unfortunately, the people who feel like this invalid did, think they only have two options to quit or fight.  The problem most run into is that the first option is the easiest and the second one, if not executed effectively can be extremely dangerous.  Many people across this country right now are protesting another senseless police killing of an unarmed black man.  What began as an effective fight, protesting the actions of 4, has turned into the dangerous rioting.  Which is what happens when the anger and frustration of injustice boils over.  Yet in this text, the disabled man rather than fighting, chose to quit, as he laid daily at this Bethesda pool.  It was believed to be a healing pool, where a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed in order to be healed.For 38 years he was helpless but on this sabbath day, his help would arrive.  Jesus came to Jerusalem and was given information about this man and was moved.  Jesus then raised a question to the disabled man that would forever change his life.  When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”  Jesus was the help that the invalid needed and Jesus is also the help we need.  Whenever we feel helpless; our help can be found if we look up (Psalm 121:1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills– From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord).  The invalid was lying near the pool and when he LOOKED UP, there he saw Jesus, the help he longed for.  Jesus asked him, a question that every victim must answer if they want to truly break free (Do you want to get well?).  Are you a victim?  Do you want to get well?   Jesus is here to help.
2. We Have Healing: While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me. It was believed that if the water of the pool was stirred (agitate, disturb or disrupt), then physical healing would take place.  So much so that many people needing healing would basically camp out around that pool waiting for it to be agitated.  The disabled man would soon find out that his healing would require a disruption to life as he’s known it.  Like many, this invalid placed his hope, faith and future in this healing pool or in the “things” of this world, rather than placing our trust and hope in Jesus.  Jesus showed up for this man, without him asking or seeking Jesus.  The text says that Jesus sought out the disabled man, Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time.  Can I tell you that Jesus sees you, your situation and your future; He knows your condition and not only does He know it…but He knew it…over 2000 years ago when He took numerous lashes from the Cat-O-Nine Tails which ripped His skin apart.  He knew you and yet still “by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53).  Because Jesus was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, we are made completely healthy and whole.  Jesus is our healing, just as He was the disabled man’s healing; because He took upon Himself all our weaknesses, frailties and diseases.  Whatever it is we need, Jesus’ strips confirm for us that we have Healing.

We Have a Hero: 8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.  Like any great movie, the rise and success of the Hero is instrumental to the storyline.  In the best stories, the Hero of the story is a surprise to all watching.  The story of the healing at the Bethesda pool is no different; the Hero of this story is a surprise.  The Hero in your story will also be a surprise.  Jesus came to one of the Jewish festivals, as he normally did.  He saw this man and had compassion on him, asked the man what he wanted and then declared to this disabled man, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”  Jesus has said this same thing to me before, Get up!  Just like this man, I was not in the position that Jesus desired for me (Jeremiah 29:11…I know the thoughts that I think toward you…).  Jesus does not want us disabled, despondent or disappointed; His desire is for us to live His abundant life.  Jesus told the man to Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.  Here is where the Hero of the story stepped in.  I know what you’re saying, how dare you say anyone, but Jesus is the Hero.  And of course, Jesus is greater than any Superhero we’ve seen in any movie.  But I beseech you, ask Jesus yourself “who is the Hero of this story.”  The invalid with the victim mentality, who believed nobody would ever help him, stepped into the Hero role.  He heard Jesus; then acted.  Jesus did not touch his body; grab his hand and pick him up; spit in the dirt and rub it on his eyes or anything like that.  Jesus simply spoke.  Then the dysfunctional man got up from his disability; the bible says At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.  Jesus spoke healing but the man had to have the Faith to believe and have the Courage to act on that belief.  Jesus’ stripes healed us over 2000 years ago and we’ve been told of our healing for a long time, but like this invalid, we have to Believe God, then with Courage act on His Word!  When we do this; we become the Hero or our story just as Jesus planned.

1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Week 4; the final week of Love’s Quiet Storm series.  We’re looking back at the infamous Love chapter that Paul so eloquently shared with the church.  The focus for today is vs 13 and for that we are hitting up a “Legendary” voice Mr. Stevie Wonder.  Stevie reminds us what we all need; Especially TODAY.  This song will be the launch point to help us relate to Paul’s lessons from 1 Corinthians chapter 13.

I believe Stevie’s 1976 statement about the need for love could not be more relevant TODAY.  The last 10 years has exposed the inner belly of hate that exists all over the world but specifically right here in the United States. (Hate’s goin’ round, breaking many hearts, stop it please, before it’s gone too far) Whether the exposure has come from the dominance of social media and seemingly everyone’s voice is able to be heard by everyone else.  Or it could be that social media which was created to bring everyone together has worked the opposite; isolating people and allowing actual interaction to no longer take place.

Stevie Wonder wrote this song in 1976.  So, I looked back at some of the top stories of 1975 &1976 to see if there was as much conflict then as now.  Inflation & unemployment was at its highest (the US was in recession); the US had just ended it actions in the Vietnam War (US actions in this global war was disapproved by a majority of the country); doctors were on strike, siting poor working conditions; and 1976 was an election year.  I would say ohh how similar!!!

While I know that Stevie is not a preacher, he certainly sent a message to the church and the world when he penned the lyrics “The force of evil plans to make you its possession, and it will if we let it  Destroy ev-er-y-body (John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy)…We all must take precautionary measures, if love and peace you treasure (Phil 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus).”

The truth is clear, especially hear at home; the US claims to mostly be a Christian Country, yet we act nothing like Christ with most of our actions.  We’ve allowed ourselves to be infiltrated by so much hate and anger that even our “Acts of Christian Love” have become incredibly distorted and politicized.  After Paul shared so much about what Love really is, he finished the chapter with verse 13; And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.  The word abide in the dictionary means accept or act in accordance with; to bear patiently or endure without yielding.  While the bible defines abide as dwelling with, lodging or continuing in. So here Paul is telling every believer to allow faith, hope & love to be accepted, endure and continue dwelling in our lives.  In other words, our lives need to be filled with faith, hope & love; so much so that when others see us, they see, feel and desire faith, hope & love.  That sentiment is the same thing Stevie is requesting when he says, “Love’s in need of love today, Don’t delay, Send yours in right away!”
Are you, like me, wondering how do we abide in faith, hope & love?  Well let’s see what the Bible has to say:

1. We Must Be Rooted in Faith: And now abide FAITH, hope, love; Paul made sure that he explained exactly what Faith was while also providing tangible examples of what it looks like: Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  The remainder of Chapter 11 of Hebrews would become known as the Faith Hall of Fame, filled with Heroes of the bible who demonstrated great faith.  They believed God for the impossible; and in each case, they were rewarded for their faith in God.  God desires that we’d all believe!!  He wants the very best for our lives so that when we need Him most, we have the faith to believe He will do it.  This requires that our faith be rooted; Eph 3:17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love.  What I love about Paul is that he is extremely consistent in his teaching.  In both 1 Corinthians, Hebrews and here in Ephesians faith, hope & love are all linked together.  We see how important each is to the other.  In order to truly appreciate faith, we must understand just how much Christ loves  We let faith abide in us, when we abide in Christ: John 15:9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”
2. We Must Dare to Have Hope: And now abide faith, HOPE, love. Webster’s defines hope as “to cherish a desire with anticipation: to want something to happen or be true.” I will lean on Pastor Joseph Prince’s definition: a confident expectation of Good; God’s Goodness happening in our lives. The prophet Jeremiah reminds us that we can be confident of the plans God has for each of us; Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. God’s plan for us is that we have hope.  Peter goes even a little further to show us how to have the right mindset for hope, and where our hope should be anchored: 1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.  Our minds should be attentive/prepared and fully sober, so that we can be focused on hope, because the devil would have us be fearful and that our minds filled with everything that is anti-God (everything but God).  Also, our hope should be anchored so that it will not be all over the place (putting our hope in money, health, possession, jobs, education, parents, etc); our anchor must be Jesus Christ and His favor on our lives.  Dare to believe God is worthy of our hope.  If you don’t believe me now; check it out for yourself (1 Peter 5:10; 1 Thes 1:3; Colossians 1:27; Eph 1:18; Gal 6:8; Heb 10:23).
3. We Must Learn How to Love, Again! And now abide faith, hope, LOVE, these three; but the greatest of these is LOVE.  Stevie Wonder is an extraordinary music writer, he may have been an even better at titling songs.  Love’s In Need Of Love Today; and it could not be more pertinent today.  God so loved the world; and this world needs love.  1 John ‪4:16 God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.  How can God who is love, need love??  He needs the people whom He loves so much and has placed in this world, to touch a hurting people, to help them learn how to love again.  The problem however, is that we (the called people) are in just as much pain/hurt as the rest of the world.  1 John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.  The truth is, the church is experiencing pain/hurt and are at times unable to love themselves let alone God’s people.

   We have to remember, that in order to love we have to first receive love.  1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.  God loved us first so that we by receiving His love would be able to love Him by loving others (His people).  God has loved us all for a time such as the one we find ourselves in; we must seek Him for help, healing and guidance so that we can be His love for this hurting World.  Prov 8: 17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me…35 For whoever finds me finds life And obtains favor from the Lord.

   Paul’s very last words were this: these three; but the greatest of these is LOVE.  COVID 19 has highlighted the many different people that need God’s Love.  His love can be received from God’s people (Prov 17:17 A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity); and who are those people needing Love: The millions of people that have contracted this deadly virus need to be loved back to health.  Or the family members of the 95,000 plus people who’ve lost their lives; who need to be loved thru their grief.  Or The medical workers and first responders who were treating (loving on) these very people; and in their loving efforts contracted the very virus they were fighting.  Or the many workers and entrepreneurs who were experiencing prosperity in their lives only to see everything shut down; now everything they had seems to be completely lost and even worse no clue as to whether they will ever be able to experience that life again.  Or the parent who had worked diligently and tirelessly to build a great career, becoming an expert in their field and to put their family in a place where they could attend the best schools and live in the best neighborhoods; only to now be forced to become a homeschooling teacher of students that they really barely know any more.  Or the “Essential Workers” who till this point have been just about invisible to the world, because their wages are so minimal that they can barely afford to go to the now essential job that they are going to; going without the proper safety PPE because as “Essential” as they are being called; most of the world cares more about what services they provide than whether they will be able to live beyond the very danger they are being exposed to daily.  Or the people that are being told they cannot go about their regular everyday lives because their community leadership has determined that the immediate response to danger requires that everyone shall remain in their homes, for the benefit of everyone’s safety; yet to the detriment of their desires and freedoms.  Or the governmental leadership that have been put in a place that exploits their weaknesses rather than their ability to lead during chaos; and rather than admit some areas of shortcomings and seek the help of experts to make the best decisions, but choose to side with political allies to do damage control even at the peril of tens of thousands of people. Or the people don’t find themselves in any of these positions, they just know that they are hurt, and in pain and don’t know what their new normal will look like an are just anxious and afraid.

   I know even reading the above descriptions of those needing to be loved, can spark some very specific opinions and feelings and maybe even a question as to whether some of these people do indeed need love.  I remind you of what Jesus said at the sermon on the mount, Matt 5:44-45 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  We don’t decide who receives love, God does, and the church has fallen away from what God says to do what individuals think.  The church has found ways to function in the service of God, yet without the His love.  1 Corinth 13: 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.  Without the Love of God in it we profit nothing for the Kingdom nor the people for who it was intended.  “Love’s in need of love today, Don’t delay, Send yours in right away.”  Will you send your love today?  Can you now abide faith, hope, LOVE, while remembering that the greatest of these is LOVE. 

1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

Week 3 of Love’s Quiet Storm series.  We’re looking back at the infamous Love chapter that Paul so eloquently shared with the church.  Today our focus is vs 12 and we’re going to glean from the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.  Using one of his greatest hits that will hopefully help us relate to Paul’s lessons from 1 Corinthians chapter 13.

A Mirror is a reflective surface, typically made of glass coated with a metal amalgam, that reflects a clear image.  The mirror then is very much like man; a reflective surface that reflects a clear image.  The key to the mirror is the image that is being reflected.  Man was created to reflect the image of God; but too often we only reflect the image of broken men.  Broken by life experiences, past hurts and personal failures.  When we’re broken, we view through a dirty lens and often believe that others see us through that exact same lens.  So, let’s look at our mirror; and use Michael Jackson’s hit song to help us to deal with the Man in the Mirror.

1. Time to Clean Your Mirror: For now we see in a mirror, dimly; my bathroom mirror is large and when we first moved into our house, just walking into the bathroom was remarkable.  Between the light from outside and the lights from the overhead the entire room was just illuminated and looking into that pristine mirror made it seem like there were two people in there.  However, over time between the daily use, steamy showers, messy shaves, and tooth brushing a film began building up on that mirror.  That film would slowly distort what was such a precious view.  Paul in the text used these words We see in a mirror, dimly, which I thought was genius.  You see the word dimly means faint or weak and is used to express one’s disapproval.
   The film building up on my mirror doesn’t block the view or even change it to something different but the film and spots make it so I cannot see myself as clearly as I should; I look just a little off.  You cannot quite put your finger on it but you know that something is just not right.  This begins to happen now every time you look in the mirror; you don’t feel like yourself.  Something negative begins to take over and permeate my thoughts of me and you begin to disapprove of what you see from that mirror.  Paul would elaborate on this thought some chapters later:
   2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.  The unveiling of a face happens when the covering has been revealed; like when the groom reveals the bride for the first time.  Or in my case when the film filled mirror has been cleaned.  With a clean mirror, we can again see the real person; the negativity begins to fade and that light that was so prevalent when I first walking into that bathroom is now shinning bright once more.  Get out the Windex; it’s time to clean you mirror.
2. Take Another Look in the Mirror: but then face to face. Looking again into that mirror will require courage.  Now that the mirror is clean; you clearly see your reflection.  It’s very difficult to lie to somebody when you’re standing face to face.  Over the phone or via text a lie seems to flow a little easier; but staring at another person, eye to eye; nose to nose; lies are tough to form.  Yet so often, we look at ourselves face to face in the mirror and lie or even worse we see someone struggling and in trouble but do nothing to help them.  James 1:23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.  Therefore, it is essential that we get the courage necessary to look again into the newly cleaned mirror.
   The thought of looking at someone face to face today is not only extremely challenging, but in this social media age, its highly unlikely.  The term face to face describes an interaction that takes place in person, as opposed to texting, emailing or using other online medias.  Today we barely talk to each other with more than surface chatter let alone have real intimate conversation.  How much more difficult is it for us to be real with ourselves.  It is time to get face to face with ourselves, but this time see clearly what we already know about us.  Romans 7:15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do; acknowledging the truth is the first step to true deliverance and it can only happen when we are willing to get face to face.  Michael understood that, which is why he said, “I’m starting with the man in the mirror, I’m asking him to change his ways. And no message could have been any clearer, If you want to make the world a better place. Take a look at yourself, and then make a change.”  Are you ready to make a change??
3. Who’s Looking at You in the Mirror? Now I know in part, but then I shall know. Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror not recognizing the person you are looking at?  I’ve been there many a day; but what I’ve found since walking with Christ is that who we’re looking at is not as important as who’s looking back at us.  What?  See, we don’t recognize the man in the mirror because we are only a part of the full story; but that dude in the mirror is the man that God created (Gen 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness) and his story is completed in eternity.  Whether we can believe it or not we are still created in God’s image.  We know this TRUTH, but we don’t always feel like the image of God.  We can know what we know but still see only what we want.  Ask anyone in a relationship, who ignored the early Red Flags and is now remembering all the reasons they should have walked away from that person long ago.
   God’s image is looking back at us in that mirror, but in order for us to truly see it we have to 1) believe Jesus is God’s Son who died for your sins (John 3:16); 2) Believe that you are the righteousness of God thru Christ (1 Corinthians 5:21). God’s TRUTH overrides our thoughts, feelings and opinions; and His TRUTH looking back at us in the mirror, whether we want it to or not.  We are currently only part of God’s story; He has bigger plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11).  Plans for us to walk in the Righteousness He died for and the Abundant Life that He has promised us.  Stop worrying about the embarrassment of looking into the mirror and not seeing yourself but remember who God created to look back at you.  You’re still that person Christ gave His all for, you’re still destined for greatness and you’re still in right standing with God.  Change you’re mirror focus, Yeah! Make that change!
4. Now, Who Do You See in the Mirror? I shall know just as I also am known. Michael gave us another great nugget when he said, “I’ve been a victim of a selfish kind of love, it’s time that I realize.”  We’ve all been victims of that selfish kind of love, but what need realize is that Jesus’s love for us was the most unselfish love we could ever know.  Which is why when we accepted Christ as our savior; God can no longer see’s us, our failures, short comings or sin.  He ONLY sees Jesus, His loving Son because we’re in the Jesus.
   When we look in the mirror now, we need to see us the same way God does. With that newly cleaned mirror; “And no message could have been any clearer, If you want to make the world a better place, Take a look at yourself and then make that Change!  The change we must make is looking at ourselves in the mirror but no longer seeing our sin, but only seeing Jesus, His Unselfish LOVE, His Redemption and His Resurrection.
   When we look in the mirror and see Jesus; the devil cannot distract us or trick us with his lies and tricks.  We will see in ourselves the promises of God, the victory of Jesus and miracles we’ve become.  Most importantly; I also am known; when we see Jesus as we look into the mirror, we then realize that we are fully known and loved by God.

Knowing that we are loved can be the difference between victory and defeat.  Knowing that the Love of God is on our side and that despite Him knowing everything about us He has plans for us in abundance; we can be confident in Him and in who we see now see in that mirror.