“Jesus Did It Anyway” #1
Pastor Mike Barnett
SCRIPTURE: Luke 15:11-31
THEME: “PEOPLE ARE ILLOGICAL, UNREASONABLE, AND SELF
CENTERED – LOVE THEM ANYWAY”!
(Pg. 740) Luke
15:11-31 says:
11Jesus
continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12The
younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he
divided his property between them. 13"Not long
after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant
country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14After
he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and
he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself
out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs
were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17"When
he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to
spare, and here I am starving to death! 18I will set out
and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven
and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called
your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20So he
got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his
father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw
his arms around him and kissed him. 21"The
son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no
longer worthy to be called your son.[a]' 22"But the
father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put
a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring
the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was
lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. 25"Meanwhile,
the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and
dancing. 26So he called one of the servants and asked
him what was going on. 27'Your brother has come,' he
replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back
safe and sound.' 28"The older brother became angry
and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been
slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a
young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30But
when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes
home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' 31" 'My
son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.
·
The younger son had been illogical, unreasonable, and
self centered.
·
The younger son took his inheritance early and then
squandered it – but his father loved him back anyway!
·
The older son was also illogical, unreasonable, and
self centered.
·
The older son refused to celebrate his brothers
return.
·
The older son was self-righteous and could think only
of himself – but his father loved him anyway!
·
The youngest son was a difficult person because he
was being selfish and thought only of himself – how he could spend his Father’s
money.
·
The oldest son was a difficult person because he was
being hypocritical and only thought of himself – that his father had never had
a party thrown for him.
·
They bothers were only thinking of themselves.
·
That is probably a good definition of a “difficult
person” – they primarily THINK OF THEMSELVES first and foremost.
·
A Difficult person by definition is a person who
“_______________ ______ _________________” (thinks of themselves) first.
·
By this definition, then probably all of us in church
this morning has been a difficult person to some extent or another.
·
The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ, our Lord and
Savior, by contrast never thought of himself first.
(Pg. 831) Philippians
2:1-11 says:
1If you have any encouragement from being united with
Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any
tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by
being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in
humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each
of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of
others. 5Your attitude should be the same as that of
Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God
something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every
name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
THE FACT IS.
·
A difficult
person usually has a hard time ______________________(giving) and
_______________________(receiving) love.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 gives us God’s definition of
love.
(Pg. 813) 1
Corinthians 13:4-8 says:
“4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it
does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is
not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always
perseveres. 8Love never fails. But where there are
prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled;
where there is knowledge, it will pass away.”
·
Many people
do not know how to give or receive this kind of love that only comes from God,
the Father!
·
JESUS, BY DEFINITION WAS NOT A DIFFICULT PERSON TO
GET ALONG WITH, SINCE HE FRRELY GAVE AND RECEIVED LOVE.
·
Love is central to the teachings of Jesus.
·
When asked by a Pharisee which is the greatest
commandment of the law, Jesus answered:
(Pg 699) Matthew
22:37-40 says:
37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with
all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[a] 38This is the first
and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it:
'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[b] 40All the Law and
the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
·
At the last Supper, Jesus said in (Pg. 763) John 13:34-35:
34"A new command I give you: Love one another. As
I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By
this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one
another."
·
Again, in John
·
By commanding his disciples to “love each other as I have
loved you,” Jesus was giving himself as the model of the love we
are to show to each other.
·
Perhaps Jesus’ most extraordinary teaching about love
is that we should love our enemies.
In Matthew 5:43-48 (Pg. 684), Jesus says:
43"You
have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor[b] and hate your enemy.' 44But
I tell you: Love your enemies[c] and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his
sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the
unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what
reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more
than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect,
therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
·
Jesus calls His followers to love difficult people
anyway – just like he did.
·
Jesus didn’t say that we should love each other only
when we feel like it, or when it is convenient, or when the people we are
supposed to love are charming and lovable.
·
Jesus didn’t say we can give it a try, but if we get
tired, or it doesn’t work out, we can just give up.
·
Jesus doesn’t allow any
__________________________(excuses) for not loving
_________________________(difficult) people.
·
In the New Testament, there are more than twenty
separate passages urging us to love others.
·
We are commanded to ________________(love) people
even we do not __________________(like) their behavior.
ILLUS – WORKING WITH HOMOSEXUALS AT THE RED LION INN
AS A BANQUET WAITER
·
We are commanded to love people even when we
_________________________(disagree) with their opinions and actions.
·
We are commanded to love other people even when they
are _______________________(crude) to us.
Proverbs
11 A man's
wisdom gives him patience;
it is to his glory to overlook an offense.
Why should a Christian patiently overlook and offense?
·
Because love
is what the Christian life is about – to
reflect the love of Christ to a dying and dark world.
·
Jesus said love _________________(sums) up the ______________(Law)
of God!
·
If we do not love others, we are not who we are
suppose to be in Christ.
·
If we do not love others, we are not all that we can
be; we are not doing all we can do.
·
If we do not love others, we miss God’s purpose for
our lives.
·
If we do not love, we will not really
___________________(know) God.
(Pg. 863) 1 John 4:7-8,15-21 says:
7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes
from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love……15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God
lives in him and he in God. 16And so we know and rely on
the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in
God, and God in him. 17In this way, love is made
complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment,
because in this world we are like him. 18There is no
fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with
punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19We
love because he first loved us. 20If anyone says,
"I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who
does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not
seen. 21And he has given us this command: Whoever loves
God must also love his brother.”
·
God is love and without __________________(receiving)
and _______________________(giving) His love our lives are
____________________________(meaningless).
·
We are built to run on love – God designed us that
way.
·
Loving and being loved are essential to our
__________________ _______________(spiritual growth) and happiness as
Christians.
(Pg. 813) 1
Corinthians 13:1-3 says:
1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I
am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I
have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and
if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to
the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.
·
This passage says that if I have all Knowledge, but
do not have love, I am nothing.
·
Only God’s love makes a person special.
·
God’s love _______________________(empowers) a
“person to become the person He created them to be”.
·
THE DANGER FOR CHRISTIANS IS: YOU CAN HAVE BIBLE __________________________(KNOWLEDGE), BUT NOT HAVE LOVE.
·
A person who knows Bible verses, but does not possess
God’s love is a ______________________(dangerous) person in the hands of the
________________(devil).
·
Love comes from God – because the Bible says that _______________(God)
is _______________(love).
·
It is easier to receive Bible knowledge than it is to
receive and give God’s love because the process of receiving and giving God’s
love is ____________________________(costly).
·
Receiving and giving God’s love will cost you both:______________________(pride)
and__________________(time).
·
God created us to love each other.
·
When we do love each other as He commanded us, God lives
in us and life is purposeful!
·
Jesus does not want us to _________________(limit)
our lives by limiting our love to others.
·
One of the biggest challenges for every follower of
Jesus Christ is loving difficult people even when it seems impossible and a
waste of time.
·
By the grace and power of Christ in me, it is
possible to ______________________(love) someone with whom I _____________________(disagree).
·
Love is deeper and more __________________(potent)
than ______________________(agreement) or ______________________(approval).
(Pg. 457) Proverbs
12:16-18 says:
16 A fool shows
his annoyance at once,
but a prudent man overlooks an insult.
17 A truthful
witness gives honest testimony,
but a false witness tells lies.
18 Reckless
words pierce like a sword,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
(Pg. 459) Proverbs
15:1-2 says:
1 A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
2 The tongue of
the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
·
I do not have to be angry, proud, or resentful
because in Christ I have the ability to speak the __________________(truth) in __________________(love).
(Pg. 828) Ephesians
4:11-15 says:
11It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be
prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the
body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach
unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining
to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14Then
we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown
here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of
men in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking
the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head,
that is, Christ.
(Pg. 468) Proverbs
27:5-6 says:
5 Better is
open rebuke
than hidden love.
6 Wounds from a
friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.
(Pg. 469) Proverbs
29:11 says:
11 A fool gives
full vent to his anger,
but a wise man keeps himself under
control.
·
I can love people when they are illogical,
unreasonable and self-centered because this is what Jesus did!
HOW TO LOVE UNLOVABLE, DIFFICULT PEOPLE:
1) REALIZE THAT YOU WERE AND STILL CAN BE A
___________________________((DIFFICULT) PERSON AND GOD STILL CHOOSES TO LOVE
YOU!
(Pg. 798) Romans
5:6-11 says:
6You see, at
just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though
for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But
God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us. 9Since we have now been justified by
his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to
him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall
we be saved through his life! 11Not only is this so, but
we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now
received reconciliation.
·
When you do not love difficult people, you are being
a _________________________(hypocrite) because God loves you even when you are
difficult!
2) ASSUME
________________________(RESPONSIBILITY) TO LOVE DIFFICULT PEOPLE IN THE SAME
WAY GOD LOVES YOU – _____________________(CHOOSE) TO BE A _________________________(RIVER)
OF GOD’S LOVE!
(Pg. 684) Matthew
5:38-48 says:
38"You
have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'[a] 39But I tell you, Do
not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to
him the other also. 40And if someone wants to sue you
and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41If
someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42Give
to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow
from you. 43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love
your neighbor[b] and hate your enemy.' 44But
I tell you: Love your enemies[c] and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his
sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the
unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what
reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more
than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect,
therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
·
Love is a _____________________(choice) not just an
_______________________(emotion).
·
God knows better than anyone that sometimes people
are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered – so love the anyway just like
God loves you!
3) ___________________(PRAY) IN THE _____________________(SPIRIT)
BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT TO LOVE IN THE FLESH.
·
YOU CANNOT LOVE A DIFFICULT PERSON IN YOUR ____________________
____________________(OWN STRENGTH) BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH – BUT
CHRIST IN YOU IS!
(Pg. 830) Ephesians
6:10-19 says:
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty
power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can
take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our
struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put
on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able
to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your
waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and
with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with
which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on
all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be
alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. 19Pray
also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I
will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.
4) TRUST GOD TO LOVE THE DIFFICULT PERSON
______________________________(THROUGH) YOU – ________________________
__________________________
(SURRENDER CONTROL) TO THE HOLY SPIRIT!
(Pg. 826) Galatians
5:16-26 says:
16So
I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful
nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary
to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are
in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. 19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual
immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft;
hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions,
factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.
I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the
5) IN LOVING PEOPLE, REALIZE THAT YOUR
_______________________(ACTIONS) ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT AS YOUR
_____________________(WORDS)!
(Pg. 854) James
1:19-27 says:
22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive
yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the
word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a
mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and
immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man
who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do
this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what
he does. 26If anyone considers himself religious and yet
does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion
is worthless. 27Religion that God our Father accepts as
pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress
and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.22Do
not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says
is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and,
after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law
that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard,
but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. 26If
anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his
tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27Religion
that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after
orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by
the world.