Love God, Love Others – Any Questions?

Norma J. Oliver
olivernorma@bellsouth.net

Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:37-40

Why so much discord among those who call themselves Christians? Why is there so much division in the church? Could it be that the One in whom we choose to worship has not given us the means in which to “get along?” Are we like disobedient school children with a note in our file that says: “does not play well with others?” How could God, who is love, not teach us how to love? Maybe we don’t know the real meaning of love. Let me help somebody: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1Corinthians 13:4-5 Are you loving God and others like the passage describes? If not, do you need a lesson in loving? Let’s talk about this thing called love.

We know that God is love but how do we love love? God wants us to love Him with every ounce of who we are – no exceptions. He doesn’t want a Sunday kind of love. You know the one where you give Him all the attention on Sunday but come Monday morning or even worse Sunday evening you’ve forgotten all about Him. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. Mark 12:32-34 God never stops loving us. As a matter of fact, He loves us in spite of us. We don’t even love ourselves all the time but God never stops. Wait a minute; hold up… did y’all see where it said Thou art not far from the kingdom of God? You mean to tell me we can love ourselves closer to God? How can you not love God? He made us, this earth and the universe and everything that dwells in it, on it and outside of it. He sent His only Son to die a painful, torturous death so we could escape the penalty of eternal damnation so what’s so hard about loving Him? Oh, that’s right I almost forgot we are sinful by nature and sin and God don’t mix.

When I became a mother I better understood God’s love for us. Even when my son is disobedient I still love him. I don’t put him out of the house or refuse to feed or clothe him. As a matter of fact, my love for God has saved him a spanking or two because I’m trying to do unto Ryan as I want God to do unto me and overlook some of my mess! I know you hear me! My love for Ryan is unconditional but God’s love is far greater than what I can express as a mother. Yet, Jesus teaches us that the ultimate expression of our love for Him is to keep His commandments. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. John 14:21 Any questions? I didn’t think so.

Now for the really hard part, loving others... Well, if anyone can teach us to love others, then, it’s Paul. Fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, Philippians 2:2-6 In his letter to the Philippians Paul explained that in loving one another we should strive to be on one accord, like-minded. Now let’s be mindful that Paul is speaking to the church at Philippi so this one is for the church folks especially. As for people in general he said treat them as if they are more important than you. He didn’t say they were more important but to treat them as if they were. If every one does this then we’re all VIP’s. Now who wouldn’t want to be treated special? He goes on to say that we should not only be concerned about our own interests but the interest of others. Remember if my neighbor’s house is burning then the whole neighborhood is in jeopardy. Ask the residents of California. When Hurricane Katrina hit the southeastern part of the United States we all paid the highest gas prices in history. Am I making Paul’s point here? When all else fails and you forget what Paul wrote then look to the ultimate example of Jesus. He could have walked in any room or synagogue and commanded attention. He could have used His status to be served every where he went but he never did. But made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:7 It’s hard enough to love family (yes, I said family), friends, church members and strangers but Jesus had to get a ‘Beatitude’ and tell us to love our enemies, too. Here, again, Jesus showed us how to love our enemies when He was hung on a tool of torture and uttered these words about those that beat, cursed, humiliated and killed Him. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. Luke 23:34 Remember, if we don’t forgive others, then, God won’t forgive us and who can afford not to have some forgiveness saved up for a rainy fire and brimstone day? For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: Matthew 6:14 Okay, I will go first… I love you, Lord and I love all of you, yes, even you! Be encouraged but most of all be loving!