All You Need Is Love - Part A

I believe that instead of focusing on politics or Christian writes the message of John 13 verse 34 to 35 is all you need is love because if there is one thing that should characterize the church's love different kinds of love of Jesus can change my jail and connect with Skip Skip son made Heights shoes why love is the cited part of want to tell you about a resource that shines light on the rapidly shifting landscape of the Middle East and widest impacts you New York Times best-selling author Joel Rosenberg is now based in Jerusalem and he's releasing the new nonfiction book enemies and allies I traveled with Joel to the middle of the cities to meet with Kings Crown Prince. We sat together on the east lawn of the White House for the signing of the historic Abraham of court and I previewed his new book enemies and allies. I can tell you it contains never before published quotes from behind closed door meetings with some of the most powerful and mysterious leaders in the Middle East. You will want to read enemies and allies by Joel Rosenberg includes insights and analysis of the authors conversation old. She is meet's howls, language needs come meet the most cost leaders enemies and allies Joel Rosenberg insights and analysis of the authors conversations with some of the most controversial leaders in the world will send you a hardcover copy of enemies and allies. Thanks for your gift of $35 or more to give. Visit connectwithskip.com or call 800-922-1888 John chapter Skip son made Heights starts today's the song give peace a chance, when John Lennon wrote. It was really kind of an antiwar protest song. This was the era when Vietnam War was happening in the Beatles and John Lennon.

A lot of the people that era were revolting against war and were kind of protesting and rioting against what was happening around the world, not really any different than what we've seen in 2020, and a lot of marches and protests and riots. I think it really shows something innate to the human nature, and that is all of us want to be a part of something right want to be a part of a cause want to be a part of something bigger than us and really what you get down to it we want to change the world. We want to change society and seems like our culture. Every group has some kind of a revolution or uprising like you just pick one. There's a mark happening every day for something different to me just in the past several years. Think about the ones that we've seen the 99% occupying Wall Street. You know those gone 2020, but I forgot about that one didn't you, the LGBT Q community has their gay pride days in 2020. BLM marched in protest of the killings of George Floyd and Rhianna Taylor and just recently this year, a group of trump supporters storm the capital protesting the election results in many of you are probably even watching the news dry fear wasn't happen today. With that, but even the Oscars and Hollywood are all about causes now does it drive anyone else nuts to watch the Oscars now like to shut up and take your award stage. I don't want to hear your political views and all the things that you think are wrong with the country.

Just be happy you got a little golden guy go like why is a matter of fact, even NBC news recognize this and they wrote an article entitled Academy award winners speeches are all about causes saying everybody with a statue seems to have a cause over and over. The winners of the Academy award user acceptance speeches to call attention to social injustice, mental health, and political debates the world is obsessed with making a difference. Problem is they don't know how the tools that the world has to offer.

Don't make the change in the difference that we really want to see in society. Every celebrity is a part of some charity now.

I found a few celebrities and the charities they were involved with Alec Baldwin Pamela Anderson pink and Woody Harrelson are people for the ethical treatment of animals, Jennifer Lopez, Kelly Clarkson and Nicole Kidman stand for the March of Dimes.

Mariah Carey is behind the Fresh air fund.

Mohammed Ali founded celebrity fight night foundation Bono and Chuck Norris are sorry Bono Nicolas Cage are big advocates of Amnesty International and Chuck Norris founded kickstart kids which must be honest should been roundhouse kickstart kids because it's Chuck Norris and Lance Armstrong obviously founded live strong or maybe now with evidence can outlive stronger with steroids. Every celebrity has some because they're attached to something that they want to champion and we are trying to make a difference. My question is, as a society, are we really succeeding in changing the world and we eliminated poverty that we eliminated murder have we destroyed hunger is disease magically gone well as coded wars ceased as much as we want to change the world.

We can't if were using the world's tools and sometimes I think as Christians we have the tendency to buy into this and believe that the way to change society is through the things the world tells us we should do to change society and so we bought in to boycotts and protests may ask you as a church, should our focus be on bringing about social change is that the role of the church today in 2020.

Without a lot of people who think that it is in some people got mad at us and told us we should talk more about political things we should be more political get more involved in our focus should be on marches and boycotts and protests. I'll let you know you will not find that pattern in the New Testament.

Many people today say if you want to change society change society and men and women will get better.

But Jesus, in essence, says all throughout the Gospels that if you change men and women you will get a better society. The focus isn't on creating political or environmental changes and hoping that people will get better with those changes.

The goal that Jesus has is to change people change men and women change their hearts change their eternal destinations in their souls, and that's how we'll see the change we want to see in society.

That's how the moral fabric of society will grow and get better and I believe that if Jesus were here today, he saw the state of the world with all of our boycotts and protests if he was walking this earth, he would tell us that all you need if you want to see society change his love, but not the kind of love and peace that Paul McCartney and John Lennon talked about all you need is God's love to change the world.

I believe that instead of focusing on politics or Christian writes the message of John 13 verse 34 to 35 is all you need is love because of there is one thing that should characterize the church's love.

Jesus said by this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another and so tonight as we study this verse and the verse before it. There's one thing I want you to take away this is my outline, but it's also a simple sentence that if you really want to see change in society change in the world change in Albuquerque change throughout New Mexico. There's one simple thing that I want you to take away and leave this place with and that is that love like Jesus changes lives. Love like Jesus changes lives.

And if you want to see the world change get better if we see lives changed the world will in turn change as well.

At times we speak up, and we make a difference and that's good and I'm not saying all of this to say that we shouldn't be involved politically or we should have a voice in the political arena.

I think we should use the rights that we've been given by our founding fathers, our forefathers to make our voice heard in the political arena, but I believe we really want to see the lasting change we desire the way to change the world is through love and a love like Jesus changes lives in Sridhar Texans. Your first point, which is simply love John chapter 13 verse 34 to 35 of the other Bibles with you. If not, will be right up your behind me says a new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

Verse 35 by this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another way to notice what it says there the beginning of verse 34 it says a new commandment I give to you that you love one another. Now if you're like me, you read that and say I don't think this is a new commandment I think I've read in other places in the Bible tells us to love each other that it tells us to love people.

I feel like that's actually pretty common theme in the Bible as a matter fact I seem to remember summary Leviticus is saying that we should love our neighbors as ourselves. That's like the second greatest commandment is in it like love God and and and love others.

It's important to mention that when Jesus is bringing this up is not saying it's new chronologically.

That is to say it's not new information. Rather, there's a new understanding a new application for believers today.

There's a new application to your life as a believer for Jesus to tell you that your to love one another. See the word for love that Jesus uses here is a word that you should all know is good Bible students and is the beautiful word for love, Ogg, Apollo or agape. Now, what's so special about this word is this is a word that isn't found in any other pagan Greek literature is only found in Christian sources. It is truly a love that is unique to Christians and God.

It is a love that you cannot have or possess outside of a relationship with God.

It's a love its unique from the world's love. I think this is important because of where he talked about wanting change the world. If we try to use the world systems in the world's tools. It's not working. We need a higher love. We need a stronger love.

We need a deeper love because the love and peace of the world talks about is it enough its unique from the world's love. It's different from the Greek for Leo which talks about the feelings of love and were right now the season of love right.

Tomorrow is the biggest day celebrating love and you know it's so wishy-washy it all right me in one sentence.

You can say I love pizza and I love my wife and I felt that such a disservice to pizza just joking. My wife's in the front row. It's okay she knows I'm getting but it just doesn't really mean anything anymore doesn't you can say I love you to somebody and then turn around and stab them in the back people pledge their allegiance of love to one another before a pastor and then a year later divorce because of irreconcilable differences.

It doesn't have the meaning that it was meant to have and its most full definition for the word Ogg Apollo is this a love of the will that leads to goodwill and benevolence way to focus on both of those things because there's two unique aspects of that is a love of the will that is to say, the choice that is to say when you wake up and you don't feel in love. You choose to love is a love of the will, but is not just a feeling or a choice you make it something that leads to action because it leads to benevolence and good will. It doesn't focus so much on what love is. Rather, Ogg Apollo focuses on what love does she love that Jesus talks about here is active not abstract love doesn't just talk. It walks love is fully love only when it acts love doesn't just make you feel something it makes you do something, where's my DZ talk fans that love is a verb right Toby Mac spin spin that jam for decades. Love is a verb, it does something it active it changes things that changes the world around it. Part of why love love mom so much.

We have a opportunity to physically show love to people across the world to physically show them that we care about them to show them that we support them. Not just talk about it. Say Owen Sosa had those kids that video all know that's what the world does were Christians we do something we see in the rise to the occasion we make a difference.

We'll just talk about first John chapter 3 verse 18 says my little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but indeed and in truth.

Jesus then tells us who to love.

He tells us to love. There's a new commitment, love but poor results love says love one another. Matthew question. When Jesus was delivering these words in the upper room. Who was he talking to the disciples.

There was 11 of them in the room because Judas already did his thing, and he split and we know without historians. There's 11 dudes in there and hang out with Jesus and he tells them around dinner new commandment I give to you guys. Love one another, but I want to say this is just as applicable to us in this day and age in this room to her brothers and sisters in Christ.

This is a new commandment to you, to love the person next to you in front of you, behind you the person that you purposely sit 10 rows away from because you don't want to have an awkward conversation with them. The person that you walk in when you see them you go to another entrance so that there's no awkward tension. The person that you might've gossiped about of the person might've gossiped about you.

This is a call in a commandment upon every believer. Every person who claims the name of Jesus Christ, to love one another. Acts chapter 2, verse 4444 describes what this love looks like in the body of Christ. If we are to love one another in the body of Christ. Acts 244 tangibly shows us what that looks like it says now all who believed were together and had all things in common and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. Another beautiful Greek word is displayed here in acts nest the word coin in the and it means Fellowship communion distribution contribution and partnership and simply just means this God's people take care of each other.

We take care of each other again. Love is not just an abstract idea. It active if I tell you I love you. That means that if I see you in need. I take care of you. I take what I have and I give it to you so that God can use what I've given to you to do something with it again. Another reason why love love Bob there's believers in another part of the world and were taking we have and were seeing them our brothers and sisters in Christ who were to be with and have been overseeing the need that therein and were giving what we have, to what they need so that they can do something with it. To further the gospel and create more life change. All across the world. It's a beautiful concept. This partnership that Jesus invites us into the early church looked out for each other and God has a unique plan for his church in this world.

Paul tells us in Romans that we as Christians are the called of Jesus Christ. What does this mean to begin with means that God's people are called out. The Greek word for church is ecclesia, which comes from the verb meaning to call out. That is to say God's people. You and I are called out of this world system that is hostile to God, which again means we need to stop using the systems of the world to accomplish peace in the world are called out of this world.

That means the things the world has to offer to bring about change are going to work. We need to use something differently. We are called out by God.

People not only called out. We are called together. Jesus said I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it word for church here is again ecclesia but here the term means gathering adds another element to this, we are to be a gathering, a called out gathering the church that Jesus Christ promises to build isn't a denomination or a building. It is you and I is our care and our love for each other and as long as we remain together united in love.

No one, not even death can stop us to understand this the future of the church. The future of the church that your kids will grow up in your grandkids will grow up in the future of the church hangs on our willingness to be one.

And to be united. The way we build our gathering isn't through boycotts or protests or services or clever campaigns or events.

The way that we build our gathering is through love, unity and community in acts 244.

Reread now all who believed were together, they worshiped together, they prayed together they read the Scripture. Together they ate together. They gave their tithes and offerings.

Together they share the gospel together, you and I are a part of the church that Jesus purchased heads and protects and we are called to be to gather in love and unity and community yet tragically so many churches today are shrinking in number so many churches, effaced, horrible and divisive splits. Many are disillusioned by what is happened to them in church as well. We hear all too often today will. There's too many hypocrites at churches ever heard that as a response why you don't go to church.

There's too many hypocrites.

There therefore they decide not to be a part of church at all Mazel become bitter and angry at the church now I'm mad at the church. Why because you suddenly discover that is not made up of perfect people, but instead people like you people who make mistakes.

People who sin what you think the church was ever my dad say. For years the church is not a museum for Saints, but at the hospital for sinners. If the church was for perfect people. I hate to break it to you but you wouldn't be allowed to come, if the church was for perfect people. I wouldn't be allowed to come. None of us would be allowed to come, if the charge was for perfect people, there would be no church I spoke to someone recently who mentioned a mutual friend was no longer attending church. We're talking and she said well he's still walking with the Lord. He just doesn't go to church and I heard that and I'm forced to look at what that person said compared to what Jesus said that the world will know you are my disciples, by your love for one another and I'm forced to say can you be both a Christian and have no fellowship with other Christians. I don't know that it's possible you could maybe start a personal commitment to Jesus Christ. But the question can you really actively live out the Christian life that Jesus has called you to do the answer that is a clear no you can't without being in community in unity, loving one another. The call upon us is to love one another. That means fellow shipping with one another. That means caring for one another. This is a casual request from Jesus is not saying if you think about if you have time love each other, though this is a new commandment I give to you a commandment love one another. By this the will know you are my disciples love one another.

This leads us to our second point, if we are to love. Question is how are we to love will Jesus answers that for us. We are to love like Jesus.

Look at verse 34. He continues by saying a new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you, you also love one another, who just got real right if it wasn't already like a high benchmark to love people we don't like. Now you say yes to love them, the way that I love you. You gotta love them. To the extent that I've loved you the benchmark for our love is the love that Jesus Christ has for us later on in John 1512 Jesus repeats this idea.

He says love them as I have loved you, Matthew how is it that Jesus has loved us.

Jesus loved those the world hated Jesus touch those the world shunned Jesus went to those of the world avoided an Christian, you don't get to determine what is good enough you don't get to determine how far is far enough. Jesus also said to let our light so shine before men, but I'm convinced that if we spend our lives trying to be bright, were never to be bright enough. Don't try to be bright.

Try to be Jesus. Don't try to be loving. Try to be Jesus. Remember we are to be daily conformed to the image of his son Jesus Christ. So every day you wake up. We need to learn how to look a little bit more like Jesus how I look like Jesus. Today my love more like Jesus today. How do I go to those that I don't want to today.

How can I die to myself and take up my cross today. How can I love the unlovely today. How can I pour myself out until I have nothing left to get a phenomenal love some more, because that's what Jesus Christ did ask me a message from the series 5 is a trip to Israel is a life-changing Bible study will never be the same Skip his live-in Israel led tours.

Many many times you refuse to invite you.

One is next to her.

You know there's always something new to see and experience in Israel and I'm so excited to let you know that I'm taking another tour group to Israel next spring.

In 2022 urine for an incredible time as we travel throughout Israel and experience the culture that's so unique to that country will start on the Mediterranean Sea and head north.

Seeing places like Caesarea and Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River will spend several days in and around Jerusalem and see the temple mount Calvary, the garden of Gethsemane and the Mount of olives and much more. This remarkable itinerary is made richer with times of worship, Bible study, and lots of fellowship. Now I've been to Israel a number of times over the years and I can honestly say that visiting the places where the events of the Scriptures unfolded before Jesus lived taught and heal it just never gets old.

I can't wait to see you in his start planning and saving out to Israel with Skip Heitzig, formation, inspiration, cruises.com/see a inspiration. Cruises.com/see BQ again tomorrow is Sunday shares how God's love time so Skip Heitzig presentation of connection to God is true ever-changing time