Selected from The Worship Center 4 and 5 (continued)
Number 4, it’s a different kind of love. Jesus said, “a new commandment I give you.” Jesus said He had a new commandment, which is to love each other, and then He gave a definition of what He meant. Why’d he have to do that? Because we all think we’re pretty loving, and some people take the loving in directions that the Lord was definitely not talking about, and using it to demand things from other people, and do some pretty messed up things.
So, He said, “I want you to love people as I have loved you.” I need to remind myself how Jesus loved me. He loved me even though I didn't deserve it. He loved me even though I could do nothing for him in return. He loves me even though I paid nothing and he paid it all. He loves me enough to give me chance after chance, time after time.
Jesus defines this love because he wants us to know this isn’t the ordinary kind of love we think about. He didn’t say to love people with our definitions of love, but with His definitions of love. We have it like, if you love me, you’ll let me have my way. If you love me, then you’ll agree with me and all my opinions. If you love me, you’ll give me all your money and your credit cards, too.
So, Jesus is making sure we don't love according to our definition, but according to His definition.
Number 5, it takes the Holy Spirit. This love isn’t just something that zaps us and suddenly we have it all together. He fills us with His love and then it begins to work in and through us. We become a work in progress. We’re going to be learning and we’re going to be growing, and He’s going to be manifesting himself in us until the day we leave this earth to go on to Heaven.
It takes the Holy Spirit to love like Jesus. Why? Because it’s not in our nature to love like that. When we love like that, it changes our priorities, it changes our schedule. It changes our friendships and other relationships. It makes our lives different as we begin to love others the way Jesus loves us.
This is SO key! You can be religious and not walking in this kind of love. In fact, some people, the longer they’ve been hanging around the churches, the more critical they are, the harder to get along with they are, the more prickly and petty they are. I mean, you can’t be fellowshipping with Jesus and end up getting meaner and nastier!
That’s because Jesus changes and transforms our lives as we walk with Him. It’s not just about going to church services. We have to have that personal and daily relationship with Jesus, as we read His word. As we spend time in prayer. As we worship Him. As we walk with him in our day-to-day lives.
Too many people have had their eternity changed but they haven’t got their mentality changed. They’re still acting out of their carnal old mindset, instead of letting the Lord transform them by the renewing of their minds. They still are critical or other people. Still bigoted and still bitter, and still grouchy. We don’t want to be people who trusts God for salvation but don’t trust him for transformation. I don't want to miss a move of God because I haven't developed in my love for what God is doing and who He is reaching. I don’t want to miss it when Jesus reaching out to people that we don't get along with and we disagree with. And, I pray that you’re not missing a move of God because you don’t want God to change your mind, or your attitude or your prejudices.
I don’t want my attitudes to be an issue between me and Jesus, between me and the work He is wanting to do. With all the means we have today to reach people, to help people, to understand people, I wonder, how much more does our God have to do to get us to let Him work in our whole lives, in our whole hearts. I want to be one who says, “Lord, you want me to love these people, I’ll do it. If you want me to reach some people over there, then I’ll do that. I’ll love them the way you loved me.