The Great Commission, part 3

Part 3 – “Baptizing and Teaching”
Matthew 28:18-20

Introduction

            This is the final message in our series on the Great Commission.  The Great Commission is not an option; it is a command given by Jesus to his disciples.  In the beginning, it was to the original disciples, but the command was not just to the twelve.  The Great Commission is for everyone who calls themselves “disciples”—anyone who has decided to follow Jesus.  If you have decided to follow Jesus, you are a disciple and this Great Commission is for you.

            Jesus said, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.  Therefore…”  In other words, we had better pay attention and heed his command because it has the authority of the Son of God, the Lord of all Heaven and Earth, behind it.  The Great Commission is a command that transcends all other missions we have in life.  It is the Christian’s ultimate objective.  John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, said it this way: “You have one business on earth—to save souls.”

So let’s look at the Great Commission as it was passed on to us in the Gospel of Matthew 28:18-20. 

Matthew 28:18-20

¹⁸ Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 

Review

            Christ’s followers are to spread out into the whole world and live the Great Commission wherever we are.  We go to our homes, our neighborhoods, our schools, our work, and even to faraway places to spread the Good News about Christ wherever we are, every way we can, in whatever we do.  A disciple is someone who makes Jesus the first priority of their life—even leaving everything else behind if necessary—learning Jesus’ ways and living them every day as they seek to make new disciples.  Today, we will consider how Jesus said we are to make disciples.  He said, baptize them and teach them all of his commands. 

Baptize

            Baptism is the initiation rite for new disciples.  It is the beginning.  Jesus welcomes anyone to be his disciple, but anyone who wants to be his disciple must make a conscious decision to follow him.  They must recognize that Jesus is the Son of God, that he has the power to forgive their sins and save them.  They must choose to trust Jesus to save them, accept him as their Lord, and become his disciple.

            Churches have a surprising number of people in them who have never made this decision.  Jesus has always had a lot of people gathering around him who were curious, attracted by his ideas, or who admired the way he lived (maybe that describes you).  Crowds of people followed Jesus around the countryside during his earthly ministry, but he had only 12 disciples in the beginning who made a conscious decision to be completely committed to Christ.

            I want as many people as possible to come hear the Good News about Jesus.  Everyone is welcome to come and listen.  But just because a person comes to church doesn’t mean they are a disciple (AKA a Christian).  Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car!  A person starts their life as a disciple when they decide to put Jesus first.  And the usual way for us to acknowledge that decision is baptism.  Through baptism, we recognize a person is adopted into the family of God and God grants grace to help that person to live and grow as a child of God. 

            Some might say, “I don’t ever recall making a decision.  I know that Jesus is my Lord today.  I know he is first in my life and that I would do anything for him, but I don’t remember when I first made a decision.  I grew up in the church and sort of came to it gradually.”  That may be true and you might not ever remember the moment you made a decision, but you obviously have decided.  There’s nothing wrong with that.  The key here is that you have decided to be Jesus’ disciple (remembering the moment is not that important).  Unfortunately, there are many in the church who have not decided.  They may even think they are Christians because they go to church, but they aren’t because they have not decided to leave everything else and follow Jesus.

            Some might say, “Well I was baptized as a baby and I don’t even remember it.  Am I still a Christian?”  We baptize babies as a decision of the parents to raise a child from the very beginning of their life as Christians with the hopes that one day they will make their own decision to follow Jesus.  It is a chance for parents to seek God’s grace for themselves and the child that they will do everything possible to make a true disciple of their child.  It is the act of parents who are faithful disciples, but the child must eventually decide for themselves.  The baptism is not complete until a child grows up and decides for themselves to be a Christian (most often around the age of 12 when a child in confirmed in the confirmation ceremony).

If we are going to make disciples, we need to invite people to make a decision to follow Jesus.  Now that doesn’t mean you have to walk up to everyone you meet and immediately bombard them with some evangelistic sales pitch.  Sometimes you have to be patient.  Sometimes you have to get to know people and build a real relationship with them.  Sometimes you have to pray for people for a while so that God will give you the opportunity to make a disciple.  But at some point if we’re going to make disciples, we have to challenge people to choose who will be their Lord.

I would like to challenge all of you today to decide who is your Lord.  Have you ever decided?  (I don’t mean do you remember the day you decided, but do you know today who is your Lord?  In other words, do you put Jesus first in your life—above your work, your family, your ambitions, your money, etc.?)  If you have never decided who is your Lord, I implore you to decided today.  Just because you've been coming to church for a while, doesn’t mean you are a Christian.  Choose today if Jesus will be the Lord of your life. 

 

Teaching

            The decision to be a disciple of Jesus is the beginning, but it doesn’t stop there.  Next, we must teach people all of Jesus’ commands.  Gavin will graduate from high school this year.  Over the last year, Gavin has been considering which college he would like to go to after high school.  He finally decided on studying computer network engineering at Georgia Tech. 

            Now suppose Gavin gets accepted into Georgia Tech’s computer networks engineering program.  Will that automatically make him a computer network engineer?  Of course not.  In order to become an engineer, Gavin will have to study for at least 4 years and pass all his courses and earn his degree.

            A person who decides to be a Christian has made a wise choice, but it is only the beginning.  Now they must learn Jesus’ teachings.  This is what the disciples did.  As they followed Jesus, he taught them his ways—how to pray and fast, how to live, things to avoid, how to minister, how to love people, etc.  He spent three years coaching them.  And it was more than book knowledge or just listening to a sermon.  It was  “on-the-job” training.  In other words, he gave them opportunities to actually minister—to heal the sick, to preach and teach, to show mercy to the needy.

            This aspect of discipleship is so important.  Think about it: how do you teach a child how to throw and catch a football?  You could explain it to them—describe all the elements of proper catching and throwing—and you probably will, but that’s not enough.  They have to practice; they actually have to spend time throwing and catching to learn.  The same is true of Christian disciples.  It’s not enough to come to church and listen to a sermon.  We actually have to practice our faith.  We have to pray.  We have to practice self-sacrifice.  We have to love others.  We have to serve.  We have to trust God to help us do things that are beyond our ability.  We have to be a witness.  We have to make disciples.

            Discipleship is an ongoing, contextual education experience.  We learn by doing.  And just because you’ve been a Christian for 30, 40, or 50 years, doesn’t mean you’re done.  You still have more to learn.  The Apostle John outlived all the other original 12 Disciples.  He lived to see all the other’s martyred for their faith.  John is the only one who died of old age.  Yet John never retired from being a disciple; he never said, “I have finally learned it all.”  So even if you are a Christian who is 70, 80, or even 90 years old, you are still a disciple who is learning while doing the work of Christ.

 

Conclusion

            Jesus concludes the Great Commission with a promise. He said, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  As we decide whether or not to be Christ’s disciple, as we encourage others to be disciples, as we practice our faith, as we teach others Jesus’ commands, Jesus is with us.  Isn’t it good to know Jesus is with us?

            As we close, I invite you to:

·       Spend a moment in prayer and identify someone you could mentor for the next 2 or 3 years the way Jesus mentored the disciples—teaching them, encouraging them, coaching them in the faith, giving them opportunities to serve.

·       And if you’ve never made a choice to follow Jesus, I invite you to make a decision today.  Will you go where Jesus asks you to go?  Will you love who Jesus asks you to love?  Will you follow him?

The Great Commission, Part 2

Part 2 – “Make Disciples”
Copyright September 30, 2015 by Chris Mullis
Matthew 28:18-20

Introduction

            This is the second message in a series on the Great Commission.  We use the term commission in a number of ways in our world.  Harold Brooker is a county commissioner—someone we have entrusted and given authority to make decisions for the benefit of Whitfield County.  In the military, a soldier may be commissioned as an officer.  When they receive their promotion to a higher rank (or commission), they are given greater authority; but with greater authority also comes greater responsibility.  We might also commission a ship, signifying that construction is complete and the ship is ready for active service.  Then, when the ship is no longer needed, it is decommissioned.  We might say of ships or persons that are unable to serve, “they are out of commission.”  I hope God never has to say of me as a Christian, "He's out of commission."

            The Great Commission is the greatest authority and most important responsibility Jesus gave his disciples.  Originally it was for his first Disciples, but it is also for everyone after them who believes and follows Jesus.  If you are a Christian, the Great Commission is for you.  It gives you great authority on earth; but with great authority also comes great responsibility.

So let’s look at the Great Commission as it was passed on to us in the Gospel of Matthew 28:18-20. 

Matthew 28:18-20

¹⁸ Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 

            Last time, we looked at the first imperative of the Great Commission—to go.  Christ’s followers are to spread out into the world and live the Great Commission wherever we are.  We go to our homes, our neighborhoods, our schools, our work, and even to faraway places to spread the Good News about Christ wherever we are, every way we can, in whatever we do.  Today, I want to pay special attention to the second imperative of the Great Commission—make disciples. 

What is a Disciple?

            Making disciples is the heart of the Great Commission.  It is the main point.  But what is a disciple?  A disciple is more than a follower or a fan.  Mathetes (the Greek word for disciples) means not only someone who learns, but also someone who becomes attached to one’s teacher and becomes his follower in what he teaches and the way he lives. 

Let’s consider the disciple Matthew as an illustration of discipleship.  Matthew was a tax collector.  Although tax collecting was a profession people scorned (both then and now), it was a lucrative business.  Yet Jesus said to Matthew, ““Follow me and be my disciple.” So Matthew got up and followed him.”  (Matthew 9:9)  

Matthew dropped everything, left his tax collecting booth, his business, and followed Jesus.  For three years Matthew walked alongside Jesus, lived as he lived, ate what he ate, and learned what Jesus taught.  As Matthew’s knowledge grew, Jesus began sending him and the other disciples out to do the things Jesus did.  In Matthew 10:1, we read Jesus gave his disciples the authority to cast out evil spirits and heal every kind of disease (i.e. he commissioned them).  Then in Matthew 10:8, it says Jesus sent the disciples out to “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. [He said] Give as freely as you have received!”  In other words, these are the things I have done for you, know you do them freely for others.

It’s one thing for Jesus—the Son of God—to heal the sick, raise the dead, and caste out demons, but his disciples did this too?  Yes!  You see, the disciples did more than just learn Jesus’ teachings.  They put them into practice and began to embody who he was.  At first they struggled.  They stumbled.  They failed at times; but by the time Jesus ascended into heaven at the end of his earthly ministry, the disciples were ready to take over Jesus’ disciple making mission.

We too, if we are disciples, are called to follow Jesus.  We make him the greatest priority of our life.  We commit to learn his ways and live them.  It doesn’t mean we are perfect or that we don’t make mistakes.  Just like the 12 disciples, we will make many mistakes.  Mistakes are how we learn.  Disciples learn by trying.  And gradually they get better.

So the question is:  Are you a disciple?  A fan admires Jesus.  A follower follows him around to see what he will do next.  But a disciple walks with Jesus, learns from Jesus, and does what Jesus teaches.  A disciple is commissioned to make other disciples.   

Stewardship

Since we are concluding our stewardship campaign today, I will use the subject of money to make my point.  Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)  What we do with our money is a pretty good indication of our priorities. 

A disciple gives up everything to follow Jesus.  If you haven’t given up everything for Jesus, you aren’t really a disciple.  Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Do I really have to give up everything?  Really?  What about my children?  What about my job?  What about…” 

There is a story about a rich young man who wanted to be a disciple and Jesus told him to give away all his possession.  The man went away sad, because he had many possessions and wasn't willing to give them up.  We won’t get into all the ramifications of what Jesus said to that young man today.  Let me just say this, Jesus is a gracious master.  Most of the time, he’s not gonna make you literally give up your children or family or give away all your possessions as long as you recognize they are no longer yours, but his anyway.  If Jesus is the Lord of your life, all you have and all you are is his and you acknowledge this when you commit to be a disciple of Christ.

And you can keep your money too.  But what does it say if you aren’t even willing to give 10% of your income in obedience to God’s word?  Have you really given it all up for Christ if you aren’t even willing to give 10%? Are you really a disciple then?

I’ve been thinking a lot about this during our stewardship campaign at Pleasant Grove.  And I’ve been particularly thinking about our younger folks here at Pleasant Grove.  I remember what it was like to be a young adult, newly wed at the age of 20 years old.  Kelly and I were becoming more active in the church. We were growing as disciples.  We felt led to start tithing and we really struggled with it. 

You have to understand, we had no money.  With both of us working, we were earning less than $400 a week.  And we were both paying our own way through college without any assistance from our parents.  (We used to have a jar where we would save our spare change at the end of the day.  And when it accumulated enough, we would treat ourselves to eating at McDonald’s.  McDonalds y’all!  I used to dream about the day I could eat at McDonald’s anytime I wanted without worrying if I would be able to pay the light bill at the end of the month.)

And it was in the midst of living that impoverished lifestyle that Jesus challenged us to start tithing.  So we were thinking, “How in the world are we going to start giving 10% of our already meager income to the church?”  It just didn’t make any sense, but that is when we started the spiritual practice of tithing and we have been tithers ever since. 

The decision to tithe 10% of your income is a challenge—regardless of how young or old, rich or poor you are.  However, it is a spiritual practice that will change your life as a disciple of Christ. 

Conclusion

            Holy Communion reminds us how Jesus gave everything for us.  The bread is His body, the wine His blood.  Jesus gave everything for you.  Are you willing to give everything to be His disciple?  Think about that question as you whenever you receive the bread and the wine.  Are you willing to give everything to be Jesus’ disciple?

The Truth About Tithing...

The Truth As Far As I Can Tell…

Luke 11:42 - “What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. 

Jesus talked about money a lot.  He talked about money more than He did Heaven and Hell combined.  11 out of 39 of Jesus’ parables talk about money.  1 out of every 7 verses in the Gospel of Luke refer to money.  Apparently, Jesus knew money was a very important aspect of our spiritual lives.  The way we manage our money is a symptom of our spiritual health.

In Luke 11:42, Jesus scolds the Pharisees for ignoring justice and the love of God, but he affirms their practice of tithing.  Jesus recognized the Biblical standard of giving.  A person should give a tithe, which is 10% of their income (see Gen. 28:22; Lev. 27:30, 32). 

Today, 9 out of 10 people that go to church do not tithe.  Some people say they tithe (meaning they give money to the church), but they don’t really give 10% of their income.  The median household income in America is a little over $50,000 a year.  So in order to tithe, the average person would need to give about $5,000 a year to the church (or about $100 per week).  Most people do not; therefore, they do not tithe.  They give an offering, but not a tithe.

Some argue that they don’t have to give money because they give their time instead.  That’s twisting what the Bible says, but I’ll play along to make a point.  If you want to give 10% of your time, you would need to volunteer at the church for 16 hours and 48 minutes each week.  If you’d like to do that, I can put you to work! 

            There are other arguments people make to excuse not giving as much as the Bible instructs, but all this misses a bigger point.  Jesus doesn’t want what you have.  Jesus wants you!  Jesus doesn’t want just 10% of your income or your time.  Jesus wants your whole heart.  And if you surrender your heart to Him, you will surrender everything else.  You will stop asking questions like, “How much time, money, obedience, do I have to give?”  You will have an attitude that honors justice and the love of God.  You will ask, “How much can I give?  How much can I honestly justify keeping for myself?”  For where your heart is, there your treasure will be also. (Mt. 6:21)

            People who join as members of Pleasant Grove UMC make a promise to support the church with their prayers, their presence, their gifts, their service, and their witnesses.  It is not one or the other.  It’s all of the above.  Think how much good the church could do if every Christian started tithing?  Think of the wonderful children and youth programs we would have.  Think of the amazing music and worship services we could provide.  Think of how many needy people we could serve and how many lives we could change.  Think of the difference we could make if we all simply stepped up and gave a full tithe.

Here’s the thing though.  It wouldn’t just help the church.  It would help you.  Our selfish attitudes (about sin, money, gratitude, giving, etc.) only change through practice.  Giving a tithe is like spiritual push ups.  It builds your faith muscles.  Why don’t you start building yours today?  I’m no expert and certainly don’t claim to know everything, but I believe in God’s Word and I trust in His Grace.  And that’s the Truth as far as I can tell… 

God loves you and so do I!

The Great Commission - Part 1

Part 1 – “Go!”
Matthew 28:18-20

Introduction

            Everybody needs a purpose.  With no purpose, you have no direction and no motivation.  A person's health often declines drastically in the months just after they retire.  Researchers believe this is largely due to the retiree losing their since of purpose.  A study by the Harvard School of Public Health showed that recent retirees were 40% more likely to have a heart attack or stroke than those who were still working.[i]

Perhaps this is because while people are working, they have a stronger identity and more driving them.  When people retire, they often feel adrift, become depressed or inactive.  It is not that retirement is unhealthy, it’s just that retirees need to find a new purpose to give them direction and motivation.

            We all need a purpose.  The Good News is God gives us a noble purpose that transcends our jobs, our age, our gender, and everything else about us.  Our purpose, our mission, is called the Great Commission.  Today we begin a new sermon series on the Great Commission.   It was given directly by Jesus after he rose from the grave, just before he ascended to Heaven to sit on his throne at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.  Let’s look at the Great Commission as it was passed on to us in the Gospel of Matthew 28:18-20. 

Matthew 28:18-20

¹⁸ Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Context

            The Great Commission is not an option; it is a command given to Jesus' disciples.  In the beginning, it was to the 12 original disciples (minus Judas who betrayed Jesus and committed suicide).  But the command was not just to the twelve, it is to all who call themselves “disciples”—anyone who has decided to follow Jesus.  If you have decided to follow Jesus, you are a disciple and this Great Commission is for you.

            Jesus said, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.  Therefore…”  In other words, we had better pay attention and heed his command because it has the authority of the Son of God, the Lord of all Heaven and Earth, behind it.  The Great Commission is a command that transcends all other missions we have in life.  It is the Christian’s ultimate objective.  When God gives an order, it transcends all commands given by those of lesser authority.  John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, said it this way: “You have one business on earth—to save souls.”

            That doesn’t mean we drop all our other responsibilities in order to carry out this one Great Commission.  The Great Commission can be carried out—actually it should be carried out—as we go about all our other duties.  The Great Commission ought to permeate everything we do.  Let’s look a little closer at what the Great Commission says by breaking it into parts.  We will look at the first part today.  It is simple.  Just one word.  “Go!” 

Lost in Translation

Some things are easily lost in translation.  The Chevy Nova was one of the top selling cars for General Motors in the 1960s and 70s.  I used to catch a ride to high school with my best friend in his brother’s 1974 Chevy Nova SS.  It was a fast, fun car to ride in.  But legend has it, the Nova did not sell well in Spanish speaking countries because “No Va” in Spanish means “No Go!”  Who wants to buy a car that “won’t go”?

            We have a similar problem when we read the Great Commission in English.  The first word we read is “go.”  It could lead us to think the main point of the Great Commission is to go,  but that’s not it at all.  The issue is the Gospel of Matthew was originally written in Greek.  The Greek language does not phrase sentences the same way we do in English. 

            A literal translation of the Great Commission from Greek to English would say something like:  “Make disciples when you go…”  In other words, the main point is to make disciples.  It is assumed that you will go.  And when you go, wherever you go, and in whatever you do, you should seek to make disciples.

            The Great Commission should permeate every action of your life.  You should make disciples when you go home to your family.  You should make disciples when you go to work to make a living.  You should make disciples when you go next door to your neighbor’s house.  You should make disciples when you travel to a faraway land you’ve never been to before.  You should make disciples when you become a parent and start raising kids.  You should make disciples if you decide to remain single or not have any kids.  You should make disciples next Sunday when you go to work on a project for Be the Church.  You should make disciples whenever and wherever you go and whatever you do.  It is the main point—the Great Commission.  But I like the word go.  It reminds us to be active.  We’ve got to step on the gas and get busy. 

Listen to what James 2:14 says, “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?”

            Sometimes we in the church get so caught up in being “spiritual” (studying our Bibles, praying, etc) that we forget to go and make disciples.  We become so spiritually-minded that we are of no earthly good.

            In thinking about James 2:14, listen to what our music minister, David Crawford, wrote this week.  He said:

“I believe there is a similarity between faith and prayer in this instance.  Prayer is important, and is a power given to us that enables us to ask for things we do not have the ability to achieve on our own with the resources God has given us.  But there are times when action other than prayer is necessary to show God’s love, and do His will.  Sometimes it is being God’s hands and feet that may be the answer to the prayer of those unable to help themselves.  Yes, you should pray, but don’t forget to do.  Faith without works….prayer without deeds….we should all strive to Refuse to have one without the other.” 

Closing

            Are you willing to obey the Great Commission from Jesus Christ?  Are you willing to make disciples whenever and wherever you go in whatever you do?  Will you refuse to “sit around and wait for someone else to do what God has called [you] to do [yourself]”?[ii]  I hope so.  Because what the world desperately needs is Christians who are willing to go make disciples of all nations.

---

[i] http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/is-retirement-good-for-health-or-bad-for-it-201212105625

[ii] Josh Wilson – Song, “I Refuse”

The Greatest Commandment

Matthew 22:34-40

Introduction

The Ten Commandments are the overarching, guiding principles God gave us to live a godly life and live in peace and harmony with others.  They also show us how we fall short and desperately need God’s grace and forgiveness.  In addition to the ten general commandments, there were 613 laws in the Old Testament that Jews were to follow.  (If you’re interested, you can read a list of them at  http://www.jewfaq.org/613.htm.  How would you like to try and memorize 613 laws instead of just ten commandments?)

As you can imagine, people wanted to know what the most important commandment was.  You might want to know too.  Well, someone asked Jesus about the greatest commandment and he gave a simple answer.  Let’s look at his answer. 

Matthew 22:34-40

³⁴ But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. ³⁵ One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

³⁷ Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” 

In addition to the 613 laws of the Old Testament, were the admonishments of all the Old Testament prophets and the teachings of countless rabbis.  Jesus said all the laws and the prophets are based on these two simple commandments—“Love God and love you neighbor.”  And really, if you follow these rules, you will fulfill every law and commandment listed in the Bible.  

St. Augustine, one of the early leaders of the church, once said: “Love, and do what you will.”[i]  The point is that if you love, you will do only good—to God and to others.  If you truly love God, you would not do anything to disrespect God, injure God, or harm your relationship with Him.  If you love people, again you will do only good for them.  Augustine said a bad person can do all sorts of things we associate with good—they can prophecy, they can go to church, they can take communion, they can even be called “Christians”—but, he says: “…to have love and be a bad person is impossible. Love is the unique gift, the fountain that is yours alone. The Spirit of God exhorts you to drink from it, and in so doing to drink from himself.” [i]

Love God with All…

Jesus said, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind…”  In other words:  Love God with all everything you’ve got.  Most of us want to pick and choose what we devote to the Lord.  “I will come to church on Sunday—I will give God my time—but don’t ask me to do a service project in the community.”  Can you imagine what good could be done in our communities if Christians would rise up and truly Love God with all their community service?

Or we say, “I will pray for the church and for people, but don’t ask me to give 10% of my income to the church.”  Do you realize how much good goes undone throughout our nation because churches are in a financial stranglehold?  The tithe is not brought into the house of God and all our anemic churches can do is weakly limp around making the best of too little funding. I look at our own church and dream of the amazing things we could do in this community if every member of our church truly gave a tithe.  But instead, I look at the financial reports and realize that 9 out of 10 people sitting in this congregation each Sunday is cheating the church by not giving a proper tithe.

Or we say, “I will give God my money, but don’t ask me to witness—I don’t feel comfortable telling others what Jesus has done in my life.” 

Jesus didn’t say, love the Lord your God with one thing and not the other.  No, he said love the Lord your God with ALL—with everything in all areas of your life.  I’m so glad Jesus didn’t love us the way we love him.  Jesus gave us everything.  It was his complete, unconditional, sacrificial love that redeemed us on the cross.  And it calls for our complete, unconditional, sacrificial love for God in return.

            There are two more points I want to make this morning and then we will celebrate Holy Communion.  First of all… 

You can’t love God without loving your neighbor…

            1 John 4:20 says, “If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?”  God did not send Jesus to the world for just a few select people.  God love the whole world and sent Jesus to save the whole world—everyone.  And if God loves everyone, we—for the sake of our love for God—ought to love whomever He loves.  Do you love God?  Good.  This is how you show love for God:  by loving your neighbor.  (And your neighbor is not just the people who live in your neighborhood.  Your neighbor is every human being on the planet, because God love them all—including people who don’t speak your language, people who do bad things, people who live on the other side of the planet, people who practice a different religion.)  If you love God, then love your neighbor.  You can’t love God without loving your neighbor, and… 

You Can’t Love your neighbor without loving God…

            Have you ever tried loving people?  It’s exhausting!  People are rude.  They’re ungrateful.  They take advantage of you.  They disappoint you.  They’ll attack you.  They’ll “love” you when you have something they want and forget about you when you don’t.  And even the kindest, most patient, generous people in the world will soon burn themselves completely out trying to love people unconditionally the way God loves us.  And here’s why:  You can’t do it.  You only have a finite amount of love in you.  You’re cup only has so much love in it and once you pour it all out, you won’t have any more to give.

            That’s why you can’t love your neighbor without loving God.  You see, you need an eternal source of love.  When you Love God, you are plugged in to the well of Living Water that never runs dry.  It’s a love that can die on the cross on Friday and rise from the grave on Sunday.  Any human who wants to love people unconditionally has to be plugged into the God who is the eternal source of unconditional love.  You have to be filled with God’s love before you can love others properly.  And you’ve got to keep filling up or you won’t have any love worth sharing with your neighbors. 

Be Filled With His Love

            So today, I invite you to come to the well.  Jesus is here.  He wants to fill you with his love so you can go pour yourself out.  He wants you to love God with all that you have and all that you are so you can go love the world the way He does—the way He loves you.  And if you will live this great commandment—to love God and love your neighbor—you will fulfill everything written in the Scriptures.  But you can’t do it without God’s help.  So let us pray for God to fill us with His love as we share this Blessed Sacrament.

"Father, God in Heaven, come fill us with Your love this day.  Forgive us for the ways we have been selfish and even the ways we have tried to love others with our own inadequate means.  Help us instead to love You with all that we have and all that we are so that we can love our neighbors as we love ourselves.  I ask this in the name of Your precious son, Jesus.  Amen."

 

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[i] Augustine’s Love Sermon - https://www.christianhistoryinstitute.org/study/module/augustine/