December 4, 2011 How Do You Love God? (IV)
12.4.11
How do you love God?
Romans 12:9-21: 25 or so commands
grab bag of maxims
“Love must be sincere.”
1. stop pretending to love people
love should not be a show or play acting
a performance
Fake versions of Christian love (imitations)
politeness, niceness
making conversation
holding in what you really think
saying you love someone
saying something nice about someone
feeling soft spot for someone
volunteerism
common problem in churches that everyone is very nice and welcoming but no one wants to be intimate and share real life
love someone through their real problems
a man asked who his friends are
and he mentions men he hasn’t seen in 20 years
Shonda spoke at the women’s retreat about baring your burdens in order to bear one another’s burdens
don’t let the retreat be a flash in the pan
most of us only have friends in our own culture, the church calls us to make friends across cultural barriers
Christians outside this one little church who are part of THE ONE church
“Hate what is evil.”
2. Stop being easy on yourself and excusing yourself.
very strong word: despise, loathe, abhor
God does not overlook or ignore evil
he hates it and we should as well
hate what is evil in you, evil you do
take it to God, turn from it
don’t hate yourself
too many people hate themselves
so much of the counseling I have done has gone nowhere because the person does not hate the evil in himself, evil he has done
*hate what is evil in others, not hate the person in your heart, not take a superior position, not gossip to others, rage,
not pick on the things you don’t like or agree with– confront in love/forgiveness
“Cling to what is good.”
3. Give God honeymoon focus.
strong word used for clinging to your wife or husband in intimacy
people are focused on their husband or wife on the honeymoon, narrow focus
are you as devoted to God as you were to your wife on your honeymoon?
after a few years some switch that honeymoon focus to their children, or exercise, or job, or beauty, or sports, or art.
“In brotherly and sisterly love, have tender family affection for one another.”
4. Don’t show up for an event, but live daily like a family.
this is about family relationships inside the church
showing up for the worship service is not living as a family
the worship service is about being ministered to by Christ in the scripture, sermon, singing and the supper
family life takes place the rest of the week
join a small group that already exists
or start a small group (home or anywhere)
like house churches, mini-churches
small groups are do-it-yourself, grass roots
not managed by the elders/pastors
this is YOUR ministry
the way you participate in a small group is by loving the other people in the group
(don’t work for me— missing the point)
some of you have an aversion to small groups. I think it is a cultural thing.
didn’t grow up with it, uncomfortable
but could it be for some of you an attempt to avoid family life? I think so.
you will not be in a small group. fine.
you still must love like family people in this church during the week, find some way to do so, informally and daily
3 ways you are member of a church
gather for sacrament/sermon,
under care of leader, live like family with your brothers and sisters
what if all my Christian friends are from other churches?
let me propose something radical: start a small group with people from different churches and invite some from this church
“Honor one another above yourselves.”
5. Defeat each other at showing the honor.
Beat everyone else at the game of showing honor. Win the victory of showing the most honor. Honor him before he honors you.
Treat even the least visible, least noticed in the family as the father or mother. Honor your father and mother.
Rather than achieve honor for self, show honor to others.
Not fake showy honor, but honor in your heart.
You are not the guest of honor here this morning… you should seek him or her out and show honor.
We honor people we revere. People who have done something.
But we should honor people for what they are: created in God’s image and temples of the Holy Spirit. We honor God by honoring them.
*At the Supper Jesus is offering you this kind of life.
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