by Philip Nation

Discipleship is a word that continues to be applied in a multitude of ways. To some, it is the process of growth for a believer. To others, it is how we bring someone to faith. The word is used to describe both blocks of time in church programming and the whole foundation of a church’s ministry. It is intensely personal and broadly congregational. However the word is used, there is a base understanding that it carries. Discipleship is the word that we associate with a person learning from, following, and obeying Jesus as Lord.

Gaining understanding, maturity, and any level of accomplishment for all disciplines require time. Our faith is no different. No matter how you think about it, discipleship takes time. But time is a precious commodity. In fact, oftentimes, it is my most valued commodity. We are rushed to accomplish more in less time and sacrifice any time for rest. Additionally, through digital means, we have instantaneous access to more information than we could ever consume. For the life of the church, in any given city, there are more hours of church ministry and programming than is possible to be involved in during any given week. All of this often adds up to a feeling of hurrying through discipleship.

My encouragement is to realize that growth takes time. Lots of time. Why? Because you are dealing with relationships. As I wrote in Transformational Discipleship, it is more than merely consuming information and modifying your behavior. It is relating day-by-day to Jesus and His church. To think about this more clearly, I put down these five principles to carry with us as we think about discipleship.

1. Slow learning.

The new show Intelligence features a soldier who has a chip implanted in his brain so that he can access the information grid of Internet, surveillance cameras, cell phones, and all the rest. He can access all information on the planet instantaneously. But that is not all there is to learning. Learning from Jesus takes time because it requires us to process what we learn and apply it to our lives.

2. Crockpot community.

In a recent gathering of church planters in Nashville, one of the guys used this phrase to describe how they establish relationships. It is a brilliant phrase and accurate. Discipleship is highly relational and we need to allow time for those relationships to form, develop, and bear fruit. We would be wise to stop randomly throwing people together into groups and, instead, allow for deep friendships to form over time.

3. Messy relationships.

Ministry, in all forms, is messy because people are involved. Being in a discipling relationship requires you to enter into the mess of another person’s life. It also requires you to allow others into the mess of your life. The truth inherent in that mode of living takes a great amount of time to form, develop, and sustain.

4. Authenticity.

It is a principle that is under the surface in the last two ideas but needs to be stated plainly. Sadly, though, the term authenticity has almost fallen to the place of a buzzword in our churches. You can be honest in the flash of a second, but to be authentically relating to other people takes time. The one being discipled and the one doing the discipling must prove to be trusting and trustworthy over the long haul. It must move beyond quips of self-deprecating humor to the honest conversations about the state of our souls.

5. Delayed gratification.

The great key for many of us in discipleship is the willingness to delay instant gratification while we and others are in the growth process. If maturing were easy, everyone would do it. But it is not and so many fall away from the journey. As a leader or a follower, we need to show patience as the Lord shows it continuously. As we delay our infantile need to gain complete satisfaction by our own efforts and the efforts of others, then we will better enjoy what God is currently doing among us.

About The Author:

Philip Nation is the adult ministry publishing director for LifeWay Christian Resources.

by Msgr. Charles Pope

Gospel: Luke 14:25-33

In today's Gospel Jesus defines four Demands of discipleship. We can look at them one by one.

I. The CONTEXT of the discipleship.

The text says that large crowds were following Jesus and so he turned to address them. Just about any time you find a mention of a large crowd fasten your seat belts and prepare for a hard teaching. Jesus didn't trust the big crowds who were often out for the goodies. They were looking for miracles, multiplied and free bread, physical healings and a fiery sermon. So upon sensing a large crowd the texts says, rather provocatively, that Jesus turned to address them. He then gives a series of "hard sayings" which seem almost designed to thin the ranks and to distinguish true disciples from the "lip service" crowd.

We will see in a moment what he says. But let's take a moment and examine other incidents where the gospels demonstrate Jesus' tendency to distrust big crowds:

•Mat 7:13 Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

•Matt 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

•Luke 6:26 Woe to you, when all men speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

There is also the tendency in the gospels for the mentioning of a large crowd to be followed by a "hard saying:"

•Matt 19: 1-6 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?" "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,' and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (cf also Mark 10)

•Luke 11:29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, "This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.

•Luke 14:26-27 (Today's Gospel) Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

•John 6: 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick….and He said to them, I am the living bread come down from heaven…..the crowds murmured.

So, the CONTEXT of discipleship is not usually with the crowd. Though many are called, indeed all are called, only few make the cut and become true disciples. There is a kind of remnant theology at work here, to be sure. But it is a common pattern that Jesus thins the ranks and distinguishes the many who are called from the few who are chosen.

This is a fact not only in the Scriptures but it also remains true that the Lord has often had to prune his Church. Even now we are seeing a large falling away, a kind of pruning as large numbers depart who are not able to take the "hard sayings" of Jesus and the Scriptures about sexuality, forgiveness, love of one's enemies, heroic charity and generosity, and so forth. The CONTEXT of discipleship is with the few, rather than the many.

This insight about the context not usually being the crowd is also important, because there are many today who have a mentality that argues that the Church should "get with the times," that the Church should listen to the people, and give them what they want, that the Church should reflect the views of the faithful. But this is not the job of the Church. The role of the Church is not to reflect the views of its members as if it were some political party. Rather, the role of the Church is to reflect the views of its Founder, Jesus Christ who handed on his teachings through the apostles and evangelists. More often than not, these teachings will not be in simple lockstep with what the crowd says, what is popular, or what is current.

The context of discipleship is often at odds with the great crowds and this we see, when Jesus turns on them. The first reading today reminds us: For the deliberations of mortals are timid, and unsure are our plans. For the corruptible body burdens the soul and the earthen shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns. And scarce do we guess the things on earth, and what is within our grasp we find with difficulty (Wisdom 9:13-16)

II. The CENTRALITY of the discipleship.

Jesus indicates that we can prefer or love no one more than him if we are going to be his disciples. This extends even to our family relationships: If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Now "hate" here does mean that we are to have contempt for others or nourish unrighteous anger toward them. What we are dealing with here is a Jewish idiom. The Hebrew language, for some reason, has very few comparative words such as: more, less, greater, fewer, and so forth. Hence in ancient Hebrew if one were to prefer vanilla ice cream to chocolate one would say, "I love vanilla but hate chocolate." But what "hate" means here in context is that I "prefer" vanilla, not that I literally hate chocolate.

So, what Jesus means is that we cannot prefer anyone or anything to Him. He's first, he's number one. Jesus says, I must have absolute priority over the closest human relationships in your life.

If there's anyone in your life that can talk you out of obeying God, forget ‘em! Anyone who keeps you away from God has too much power. Anyone who can keep you from your Christian walk has too much power. Anyone who can pull you into unrighteousness has too much power.

So if The boss instructs us to do something immoral – sorry boss. If the accountant or lawyers advise saving money by paying unjust wages or cutting necessary benefits – sorry boys. A boyfriend pressures his girl friend to have sex – sorry dear. Peers pressure to use drugs or abuse alcohol, skip school, or steal – sorry buddies. A spouse calls his or her mate away from teaching the children the ways of faith. – sorry honey. A child pressures a parent to that which is unwise or wrong. – sorry child of mine.

So, do you get it? No one is to have priority of Jesus Christ and what he teaches. The word "hate" here may not be literal but on second thought, if Jesus really does have priority in our life it may cause some to say, "You're so devoted to him, I think you hate me!"

We need to attend to this since too many of our human relationships cause us to sinfully compromise our walk with Jesus. Some people have too much power, a power that belongs to the Lord.

III. The CROSS of discipleship.

Jesus says, Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. So if we want to be a disciple we must be willing to carry the cross.

Now the cross comes in many forms, but in the end, to be a disciple does not mean we are in any way exempt from the troubles and trials of this world. Jesus indicates that we will be hated by the word (cf Jn 15:20), persecuted and sorely tempted by this world. But if we hold out, victory will be ours.

It is a simple rule: No cross, No crown. There are some who want to preach a prosperity gospel. There are others who demand a gospel stripped of its moral imperatives. Still others demand an updated faith that tickles their ears and affirms their aberrant behavior.

But Jesus points to the Cross, not to torture us, but because it is the only way to glory. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33). Now, for a little while you may have to suffer various trials…(1 Peter 1:6). And this wisdom is already evident, when we consider that even in this world, all of what we most value, Family, talents, career, achievements, all came at the cost of sacrifice. Sacrifices bring blessings. Jesus is not into pain for its own sake, but because sacrifice brings blessings.

IV. The COST of discipleship

And thus Jesus continues: Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.' Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. In the same way, anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.

Jesus asks us to count the cost of what he is teaching here. Discipleship is costly. Jesus gives the image of someone building a tower or of a king going to battle. But, truth be told, these examples are distant from us. So Jesus brings it home and says to us: anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.

The Greek word ἀποτάσσω (apotasso) translated here as "renounce" also means, "to say farewell." And the Lord is reminding us that heaven costs everything. Ultimately we must say farewell to everyone and everything we consider precious here in order to inherit heaven. This of course is not something that waits merely for death.

At one level, we give back everything to God as we go, little by little. We have all given back loved ones. Perhaps too we have given back youthful figures, strength, good health, and so forth. Ultimately we will give it all back.

But at another level the Lord is clear to say here that we must be willing to part with anything that hinders discipleship now, not later. The fact is that many things attach us to this world and make discipleship difficult. Are we willing to de-clutter our life, simplify and get more focused on being disciples? Or will we go on setting down roots here and amassing a worldly kingdom?

What's it going to be, the world or the Kingdom? Count the cost. See what it really means to be a disciple and what it cost, then decide. In the end, heaven costs everything. But you're going to lose it all anyway. It is a wise man who gives away what he cannot keep to gain what he could never buy.

What Jesus is looking for are disciples who, having counted the cost and realistically assessed it, are ready, nonetheless, to be his disciples. Tag-alongs, lip service Christians, fair weather folks, need not apply. So today Jesus is looking at a big crowd and teaches in a way that is meant to distinguish true disciples from the "lip service" disciples. We are asked to ponder in which category we most truthfully belong.

by Dave Woodward, Door of Hope

Our Mission: Working together with God to help people grow from where they are now into fully devoted followers of Christ.

That mission has a number of very important parts to it.

• It involves working together with God.
• It involves accepting people where they are now
• It involves helping people grow.
• The goal, for all of us, is being fully devoted followers of Christ.

If the goal is being a fully devoted follower of Christ, begs one very important question.

What does a fully devoted follower of Christ look like?

One of the questions we ask people when we see them is, "How are you?"

Sometimes this is nothing more than an erroneous way of saying hello. It's like the guy who said to me, "Good morning David, how are you today." I was sick that day, so I answered, "Miserable, thanks." To which he replied, "That's good" and kept on moving. He was really asking how I was. He was simply saying hello.

At other times, and I would hope most of the time, we are really asking how someone is. We are genuinely concerned, so we ask.

I have found that many people answer this question with the words: "I'm getting there." What does that mean? My follow up question is usually, "Where's ‘there'?" How will you know when you ‘get there'?

Suppose you're travelling by car to Sydney. Along the way, I call you on your mobile phone and ask, "How are you going?" and you reply, "I'm getting there." That answer pre-supposed a couple of things.

1. You have an identifiable goal. You know where you're going. In this case, your goal is Sydney.

2. You are making progress towards that goal. You are closer to Sydney now than you were the last time we spoke.

Getting there could have the same meaning when it comes to being a fully devoted follower.

1. There is an identifiable goal

2. There is progress towards that goal

If we don't know what a fully devoted follower of Christ looks like, how will we know when we get there?

Do what does a fully devoted follower look like?

In my search, I wanted to make the definition as simple as possible. Jesus had a way of taking complexity and breaking it down. He was asked by a religious teacher what was the most important command. The rabbis had codified the Old Testament laws into 613 commandments.

• 365 negative commands.
• 248 positive commands

Jesus took all those commands and narrowed them down to two.

"'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."
- Matthew 22:37-40. NLT

At the risk of adding to the brilliance of Jesus, I have added one more. Through some reading I came across a three-point definition of a disciple. I realise this is more than Jesus, but the third one straddles both. Here is a simple definition of a fully devoted follower of Jesus.

A fully devoted follower is someone who:

1. Loves God
2. Loves others
3. Serves the world in Jesus' name

That is the definition we are going to work with for these three weeks. Hopefully, we can also look at some suggestions about how we can grow in these areas, thus moving closer to being fully devoted followers of Christ.

First, a fully devoted follower loves God.

How can you love someone whom you can't see?

• We know what it's like to love those we are close to – our spouses, our parents and siblings, our kids. We can see and touch them and be touched by them. We can talk to them and hear them speaking to us.

• And yes, we can experience God, but we all know it's not the same. We have conversations, but they're not always easy. We can't see God. We can't read his body language.

I think the key lies in the Greek word for love, at least the one used here. Agape has a much deeper meaning than just the warm and fuzzy feelings we tend to associate with love. Rather than the feeling side of love, agape has to do with who, or what, you are committed to.

It's more to do with commitment than feeling.

To love God, then, is to be committed to God and to God's ways. A fully devoted follower of Jesus is someone who is committed to Jesus and his ways.

When love is used in this way, we can see a number of examples, from the Bible, of how people have become committed to all kinds of things –not always in a good way.

God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. John 3:19. NLT

John mentions there were people who believed in Jesus but didn't want to come out in the open with their faith…

For they loved human praise more than the praise of God. John 12:42-43. NLT

Jesus told off the Pharisees…

For you love to sit in the seats of honor in the synagogues and receive respectful greetings as you walk in the marketplaces. Luke 11:43. NLT

Paul had a falling out with a guy named Demas…

Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life… 2 Timothy 4:10. NLT

Jesus identified that love for him involves commitment to him.

If you love me, you will obey my commands. John 14:15. NCV

With that in mind, let's look at a couple big ideas regarding loving God.

BIG IDEA NO. 1

Understand how we love God

This is not particularly brilliant, but I can think of at least four ways of expression our full commitment and love towards God.

Appreciation

Some here have been exposed to people who said they loved you but never showed appreciation.

• A parent who never praised you but always picked your faults.
• A spouse who constantly criticised.

Part of loving God is to be in continual awe at all of God's goodness.

• The beauty of creation…
• The richness of every blessing…
• The amazingness of grace…

I think sometimes we can be guilty of taking the blessings of God for granted.

• We rush along, not even noticing the beautiful sunrise.
• We complain about what we don't have without really being grateful for the things we do have.
• We come to church and sing Amazing Grace, and we're not really amazed.

The first step in loving God is to stop and appreciate all that you have in your life that is either a direct or indirect result of God's presence and God's mercy.

The second step is to tell God that you appreciate him.

Elevation

To elevate is to lift up. How do you lift up God? How do you lift up someone else, say your kids or your spouse, or a co-worker?

• Verbal acclamation. You tell them how much you love and appreciation. One of the things I often talk about when I'm conducting a funeral is the need for people to express their love to their loved ones while they are still alive, because the time may come when they aren't around anymore. You elevate someone by telling them.

It's the same with God. We elevate God by verbal acclamation. We do this in the songs we sing. We do it when we tell God through prayer.

• Another way of lifting someone up is by telling others how they brought joy and value to your life. By praising someone to others, you take the significance of who they are to you and pass it on to others.

We do that with God when we tell others the good things God has done in our lives and share the God-Moments we have had.

Imitation

Paul encouraged the Christians in ancient Corinth.
Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1 NKJV

The Greek word used in this verse is the same word from which we get our English word mimic. To imitate Christ is to mimic him. It means we seek to act just like Jesus in every circumstance in which we find ourselves.

• We adopt his values.
• We make it our aim to live as he lived.
• We seek to treat people as Jesus did.

That thought leads me to the second big idea.

BIG IDEA NO. 2

Let your imperfections drive you to deeper love

Somebody once said that the biggest room in the building is the room for improvement. When it comes to loving God, I can tell you now, you're not all that good at. Neither am I.

I often get uncomfortable with singing songs that declare that we love God with all our hearts. One song really makes me uncomfortable. It's a Hillsong song called Dwelling Places. The chorus goes, "I love you, I love you, (a total of nine times, and then…) And my heart will follow wholly after you."

It's not that I don't agree with the sentiment. And it's not that I don't love God. It's just that I know I fall way far short of the statements in the song. I know that I can be terribly selfish. I know that I can put my own will ahead of God's. I know that there are times when I think about myself more than I do God.

There are two points of view in this regard, and I think I understand both.

• On one hand, people say we should always speak positively, as though we are really living the life to which we aspire. My aspirations are to love and serve God with a whole heart, so therefore I should confess that I do and trust God to make up for what's lacking. I get that.

Even among those who are not people of faith, this viewpoint is widely held. I know a fellow, who at least I don't think is a believer. Everytime someone asks how he is, his response is an enthusiastic "Magnificent!" He told me that his philosophy is that, even when he's not feeling so good, just saying he is "magnificent" out loud lifts his spirits, so that he starts to feel what he says.

• The other idea is that we should speak the truth. If we say we are doing better than we are, then we are not being honest. According to this view, it would be hard to ever confess our love for God, because we are constantly reminding ourselves of how conflicted we are at times.

So, on one hand, we need to focus on where we want to be, while, on the other hand, we have to face honestly those areas of life where we have room to improve.

I think there is room for both of those in our lives.

• We can acknowledge the work God has done in our lives. We can rejoice in those areas where we have progresses and grown. We can confess our perfection, not because we have made ourselves perfect but because we have been cleansed by God's grace. In that focus, we can confess our love for God.

• At the same time, we can honestly face our weaknesses and our failures to love God perfectly, or even well at times.

In our brokenness, we can know God's love and follow to the best of our fragmented ability.

In fact, admitting to our failures and weaknesses can add to our love for God

To know that God knows about our ugliness, and still loves us, is an amazing thing on its own.

It helps us be more honest with God, knowing that he already knows our weaknesses, and still calls us his children.

• You cannot tell God something about yourself he doesn't know.

• You cannot tell God anything about yourself that will cause him to turn away from you.

Being honest about our junk actually helps us to change.

• Dr. Phil is known to say, "You can't change what you won't acknowledge."
• Acknowledging our lack of love is actually a doorway to loving God more.

I want you to listen to a song by a group called All Sons and Daughters. The song is called Brokenness Aside.

How could you not love a God who sets our brokenness aside and makes it beautiful?

BIG IDEA NO. 3

Choose one way to show your love more

I know God has the power to change us dramatically and suddenly.

• He can heal instantly…
• He can break addictions in a moment…
• He can turn selfish and sour people into beacons of love…

And if that's what God wants to do in your life, go with Him!

Usually, the way God chooses to work is slowly, over time. Jesus talked a lot about planting seeds and then those seeds growing. Anyone who has planted seeds knows they don't grow and produce overnight. They take time.

We're talking about one step at a time.

When it comes to living a life that loves God, you've probably got a long way to go. You love God, but you don't love God in a fully devoted kind of way.

• Don't beat yourself up over that.
• Just choose something you can do to encourage and develop that love.

Choose one thing.

• Read God's Word…
• Spend reflective time with God…
• Sing…
• Fast…
• Serve…
• Ask someone to be your mentor…

Take a moment and sit quietly before God. Ask Him what one thing you can start doing today that would help to build your love relationship with Him.

Does something come to mind?
Do it!

by Dave Woodward, Door of Hope

Last week we came up with this working definition of a fully devoted follower.

A fully devoted follower of Christ is someone who loves God, loves others, and serves the world in Jesus' name.

Today we're talking about loving others.

I'm not telling you anything new when I say that some people you know are really easy to love, while some take a little effort. Then there are others who are nearly impossible to love. I'm not going to spend a lot of time on how to love those who are easily loved. We pretty much know how to do that, even if our love is not always perfect.

Let's look instead at how to love those who are hard to love.

One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: "Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?"

Jesus replied, "What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?"

In an interesting twist on another conversation with a religious leader where Jesus was asked to determine the most important command, this guy responds with a reflection of Jesus' own words. Maybe he had been present when Jesus said it. Maybe it was the same guy.

The man answered, "'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

"Right!" Jesus told him. "Do this and you will live!"

The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Luke 10:25-29. NLT

The religious leaders of the day spent many hours discussing and debating that command – the one to love your neighbour. The biggest question was the one raised here.

Who is my neighbour?

According to the scholars of the day, enemies were not included in the list of neighbours. If my enemy is not my neighbour, then I am free to treat him with contempt, even to hate. They had invented a formula that gave them permission to hate, while at the same time thinking they were keeping the command to love their neighbours.

So, the question is, "Who is my neighbour?"

Jesus responded by telling a story - the story of the Good Samaritan.

"There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man.

"A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man's condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill — I'll pay you on my way back.'

"What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?"

"The one who treated him kindly," the religion scholar responded.

Jesus said, "Go and do the same."
Luke 10:30-37. The Message

Samaritans were enemies to the Jewish people of Jesus' day. They were seen as half-breed Jews who tried to make a way to God on their own while ignoring the Jewish Scriptures and the Jerusalem temple. Many Jews believed if even the shadow of a Samaritan touched the shadow of a Jew, the Jew would become contaminated. Yet Jesus makes the Samaritan the hero of his story about neighbours.

How might that story translate into our culture?

Whom might Jesus put into the Samaritan's role if he told the story today?

• An asylum seeker from Afghanistan?
• A Muslim from Iran?
• A homosexual person?
• A biker???

Jesus made it clear that loving those who love us back is no big deal at all.

If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much!
Luke 6:32-33. NLT

Jesus is talking how even our enemies are neighbours. And we are called to love our neighbours as ourselves. How do we do that?

BIG IDEA NO. 1

Understand that we love God by loving others

One of the big mistakes people make is separating the commands to love God and love others. These are not two different commands, with one being more important. Jesus, by using them together, is marrying the two commands into one – like two sides of the same coin.

Here is the reality of what Jesus is saying.

• We demonstrate our love for God by loving our neighbour.
• We cannot love God without loving our neighbour.
• If we don't love our neighbour, really don't love God.

The two commands (love God and love your neighbour) are sewn together. Jesus joined them together into one command.

Is there anyone reading this who has shown up for church, sung songs of praise to God, all the while you were steaming with anger towards someone who hurt you? Or you've belted out one of those "I love you, God" songs we are so famous for, and then turned a blind eye to someone in need.

Jesus made it clear that when we do acts of kindness for those who are down and struggling, we are actually doing those things for him.

I was hungry, and you gave me food. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was alone and away from home, and you invited me into your house. I was without clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.' … 'I tell you the truth, anything you did for even the least of my people here, you also did for me.'
Matthew 25:35-40. NCV

There is a troubling phrase which we, in church circles, use. As someone who has been raised in the church, it is a phrase I have known all my life.

"Serve the Lord"

It's a biblical phrase. You will find the phrase "serve the Lord" or "serving the Lord" used several times in the Scriptures. It is also one that is widely misused in church circles. So many times in my upbringing the phrase was used in reference to work done inside the boundaries of the church.

• Teaching a Kids Church (or Sunday School) class is serving the Lord
• Handing out Communion is serving the Lord
• Leading worship, or any position on the worship team is serving the Lord
• Preaching is also serving the Lord

As a teenager in Christian camps, I remember hearing speakers who encouraged us to commit our lives to "Christian service" and that almost entirely meant church work.

The way I read the Bible, I don't think God gets all that impressed about what we do in church. He's not fascinated by our great musical talent. He isn't blown away by how we do Communion, or by how well I preach. What really gets God's attention is whether we pass on the love he has given us to the others we meet – to our neighbours.

Don't get me wrong, God deserves to be worshipped, and we need to worship. But our Sunday actions are pretty much useless if they are not accompanied by a Monday to Saturday loving of our neighbours.

All those things we do in church are actually serving God, but it must not stop there or it will become nothing but empty ritual. Listen to this from the first chapter of Isaiah's prophecy (from The Message)…

Quit your worship charades. I can't stand your trivial religious games: Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings — meetings, meetings, meetings — I can't stand one more! Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them! You've worn me out! I'm sick of your religion, religion, religion, while you go right on sinning. When you put on your next prayer-performance, I'll be looking the other way. No matter how long or loud or often you pray, I'll not be listening. And do you know why? Because you've been tearing people to pieces, and your hands are bloody. Go home and wash up. Clean up your act. Sweep your lives clean of your evildoings so I don't have to look at them any longer. Say no to wrong. Learn to do good. Work for justice. Help the down-and-out. Stand up for the homeless. Go to bat for the defenseless. Isaiah 1:13-18. The Message

God goes on to say if they will do that, then he will take notice.

When we love others in very practical ways, God feels it too. And when we withhold love, God feels that too.

You might say he takes injustice personally.

The next time you see someone who makes you feel uncomfortable, think of Jesus. When you show love to that person, you're doing it to Jesus. When you refuse love, you're doing that to Jesus too.

BIG IDEA NO. 2

Give up the idea of being judge

Somewhere along the way, we seem to have picked up the idea that we decide whether or not someone is worthy of our love and acceptance? That might sound harsh, but isn't that what we do when we, either knowingly or unknowingly, decide to show love to one person and withhold it from another?

• We love those who love us back but not those who treat us with disrespect.

• We like those who dress like us, talk like us and act like us, but we steer clear of those who are different.

• We warm to those whose skin colour is the same as ours and shy away from those with a different skin tone.

As hard as it is to face, when we do those kinds of things we are taking on the position of being the judge. We are deciding who is worthy of our love and who is not.

Over the last several months, I have heard good Christian people talking in very negative terms about these groups of people…

• Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus (or anybody who has a belief system different from our own)
• Catholics…
• Abortionists, homosexuals and atheists…
• Members of the Labor Party or members of the Liberal Party (depending on their own political persuasion)…
• Single mums, people on unemployment benefits, and drug addicts…
• Just about anyone whose skin colour is different, including Aborigines, Indians and Middle Easterners, especially those who arrive in Australia by boat from Indonesia…
• Murders, rapists and pedophiles…
• The lists go on and on.

If we're honest, we all have our lists. We all have in mind those who we just don't think are worthy of our friendship and attention. We might not speak it out loud, in fact our words may say just the opposite, but by our inactivity we speak something else.

I came across this quote by Catholic writer, Thomas Merton…

"Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. That is not our business and, in fact, it is nobody's business. What we are asked to do is to love, and this love itself will render both ourselves and our neighbours worthy."

I like that. It's not my job, nor is it yours, to determine if someone is worthy of our love and care. It's simply our job to love.

If we are going to grow in this area to be more like Jesus, then we have to admit to the fact that we, all too often, put ourselves in the position of judging another person's worthiness.

The reality is, we are all unworthy, but God has chosen to look beyond our unworthiness to give us his love.

BIG IDEA NO. 3

Act as though you really do love people

All of what I've said so far does nothing to helping us open up our hearts to those we find difficult to love. How do we do that?

Last week, we noted that the Greek word for love [agape] has more to do with commitment than with warm fuzzy feelings. In other words, we are told we have to have warm fuzzy feelings towards everyone. We are, however, told to be committed to the well-being of all people.

If it's not feelings, how does this biblical kind of love show itself? It shows itself in actions.

Jesus makes that clear in his sermon recorded in Luke 6.

"But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don't try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
Luke 6:27-31. NLT

This is really good stuff. Jesus starts by telling us to love our enemies. Then he tells us how to do it.

• Do good to them. This goes beyond doing no harm. It is actively doing what is good and beneficial for them

• Bless them. This means literally "to speak well of." That means speaking well of them to their face and behind their back. Again, it's more than just not saying something bad. It's deliberately saying good things about them, even those who say bad things about you.

• Pray for them. And this isn't one of those prayers calling down fire on their heads. It's an honest prayer that God will give them his very best.
• Refuse payback. Don't retaliate, either physically or verbally.

• Go the extra mile. In those days, a Roman soldier could stop anyone and demand they carry their gear for one mile. Jesus said if that happens, go two miles. The idea is to do more than is required. Go out of your way to demonstrate the compassion of God.

Jesus has just told you how to love someone. It has nothing to do with feelings and everything to do with actions. So, if it's actions, then it's something we can do. We can't muster feelings, but we can do actions.

This quote comes from C.S. Lewis. In the book Mere Christianity, Lewis wrote…

"Do not waste your time bothering whether you 'love' your neighbour, act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less."

I wonder where you would start with this approach to life? I mean you personally! Where would you start doing the five things Jesus identified as showing love.

1. Do something good…
2. Bless them…
3. Pray for them…
4. Refuse to pay back…
5. Go the extra mile…

Is there someone close by who has mistreated you or trash-talked about you (or to you)?

Maybe, that's where you start.