CRCF\u201d\u201d5\/29\/11
\nRonnie McBrayer
\nIn the world in which we now live, where everything and everybody is so different than the Christian world that incubated and shaped us, how do we say anything that matters to those who do not know or follow Christ?
\nOne of Soren Kierkegaard\u201d\u2122s legendary parables begins: \u201cIt happened that a fire broke out backstage at a theater.\u201d Kierkegaard goes on to explain how the fire spread quickly and threatened to consume the entire building. One of the actors backstage at the theater that evening was a clown, and it fell upon him to go onto the stage and warn the public of the danger. He stepped onto the stage, dressed as he was, and the crowd began to laugh and applaud. He stopped them and gave his warning: \u201cYou are in great danger! Run for your life!\u201d They laughed all the more. He repeated his warning, even more forcefully this time. The crowd laughed and shouted even louder. On and on this went, the clown growing more and more passionate and the crown more and more entertained. They did not take him seriously. \u201cBut after all,\u201d Kierkegaard says, \u201che was only a clown.\u201d
\nWhy are we as Christians not taken seriously when we speak? Maybe it is because it doesn\u201d\u2122t matter what we say as much as it matters more how we live, and who we are? Then, and only then, will we have anything to say that is honest, credible, or effective to the society that surrounds us. It is a clich\u00c3\u00a9, but there remains some truth in it: People don\u201d\u2122t care about what you know until they know how much you care. What matters at the end of the day, at the end of our careers, at the end of whatever time God gives us \u201d\u201c what matters is that we cared, and cared deeply, for the people who crossed our paths and that we served them as Christ served us.
\nThe House of Love
\nRomans 12:9-21<\/p>\n
God\u201d\u2122s love in Jesus is the house in which we live, and into which we invite our world!
\nRomans 12:9-21 (NLT)
\n9 Don\u201d\u2122t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God\u201d\u2122s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
\n14 Bless those who persecute you. Don\u201d\u2122t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don\u201d\u2122t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don\u201d\u2122t think you know it all!
\n17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
\n19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
\n\u201cI will take revenge;
\nI will pay them back,\u201d
\nsays the LORD.
\n20 Instead,
\n\u201cIf your enemies are hungry, feed them.
\nIf they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
\nIn doing this, you will heap
\nburning coals of shame on their heads.\u201d
\n21 Don\u201d\u2122t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
\nGod\u201d\u2122s love in Jesus is the house in which we live, and into which we invite our world!
\nLove must be . . .
\n1. GENUINE (9)
\n\u201cwithout a mask\u201d
\nNLT
\n9 Don\u201d\u2122t just pretend to love others. Really love them.<\/p>\n
The Message
\nLove from the center of who you are; don’t fake it.
\nHate hypocrisy in yourself! Be real in loving others!
\nWhy?<\/p>\n
Rom. 12:1-2 (NLT)
\n1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice\u201d\u201dthe kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don\u201d\u2122t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God\u201d\u2122s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.<\/p>\n
Because it is GOD\u201d\u2122s love in Jesus!
\nLove must be . . .<\/p>\n
2. DEVOTED (10)
\nNLT
\n10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.<\/p>\n
The Message<\/p>\n
Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.
\nDevoted love is characterized by kindness\/sweetness, honoring and giving preference to others.
\nBarbara Walters
\nThe most consistently endearing human trait is warmth. Everybody responds to the person who radiates friendliness from a serene core. Such people are lovely to be around because they don\u201d\u2122t reject or belittle and, best of all, they bring out the best, most generous qualities in the people they encounter.
\nEphesians 4:32-5:2 (NLT)<\/p>\n
32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.<\/p>\n
1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
\nLove must be . . .<\/p>\n
3. DILIGENT (11)
\nNLT<\/p>\n
Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.<\/p>\n
The Message<\/p>\n
Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame.
\nLove is to be a continuous and sincere and intense labor for the good of others, all in service to Jesus!
\nLove must be . . .<\/p>\n
4. JOYFUL (12a)
\nNLT<\/p>\n
Rejoice in our confident hope.<\/p>\n
The Message<\/p>\n
Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant.
\nHope maintains joy in spite of circumstances!
\nLove must be . . .<\/p>\n
5. PERSEVERING (12b)
\nNLT<\/p>\n
Be patient in trouble<\/p>\n
The Message<\/p>\n
Don’t quit in hard times
\nHope strengthens us to persevere in tribulations!
\nLove must be . . .<\/p>\n
6. PRAYERFUL (12c)
\nNLT<\/p>\n
keep on praying<\/p>\n
The Message<\/p>\n
pray all the harder<\/p>\n
Hope inspires prayer to the Father of hope!
\nLove must be . . .
\n7. PRACTICAL (13)
\nNLT<\/p>\n
13 When God\u201d\u2122s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.<\/p>\n
The Message<\/p>\n
Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.
\nLove that does not act in the meeting of the needs of others is not love!
\nJames 2:15-16 (NLT)<\/p>\n
15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, \u201cGood-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well\u201d\u201d\u201dbut then you don\u201d\u2122t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
\n1 John 3:17-18 (NLT)<\/p>\n
17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion\u201d\u201dhow can God\u201d\u2122s love be in that person?
\n18 Dear children, let\u201d\u2122s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.
\nLove must be . . .
\n8. SYMPATHETIC (15)
\nNLT<\/p>\n
Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down.
\nThere\u201d\u2122s a difference between talking about unity and being unified! And it is the daily ups and downs that tell the tale!
\n1 Corinthians 12:26-27<\/p>\n
And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
\nLove must be . . .
\n9. HUMBLE (16)
\nNLT<\/p>\n
16 Live in harmony with each other. Don\u201d\u2122t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don\u201d\u2122t think you know it all!<\/p>\n
The Message<\/p>\n
Get along with each other; don’t be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody.
\nLove must have another\u201d\u2122s best interest at heart\u201d\u00a6and must not pick and choose those others\u201d\u00a6or it\u201d\u2122s not love!
\nPhilippians 2:3-5a<\/p>\n
Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. 5-8Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all.<\/p>\n
Love must be . . .
\n10. UNCONDITIONAL
\n(14, 17-21)<\/p>\n
Love is never more Godly than when it is given to one\u201d\u2122s enemies!
\nNLT<\/p>\n
14 Bless those who persecute you. Don\u201d\u2122t curse them; pray that God will bless them.<\/p>\n
The Message<\/p>\n
Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath.
\nNLT<\/p>\n
17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
\n19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
\n\u201cI will take revenge;
\nI will pay them back,\u201d
\nsays the Lord.
\n20 Instead,
\n\u201cIf your enemies are hungry, feed them.
\nIf they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
\nIn doing this, you will heap
\nburning coals of shame on their heads.\u201d
\n21 Don\u201d\u2122t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
\nRomans 5:8<\/p>\n
8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
\nMatthew 5:43-48<\/p>\n
43 \u201cYou have heard the law that says, \u201d\u02dcLove your neighbor\u201d\u2122 and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.<\/p>\n
Luke 10:29ff<\/p>\n
29 The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, \u201cAnd who is my neighbor?\u201d<\/p>\n
30 Jesus replied with a story: \u201cA Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. 31 \u201cBy chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by.
\n32 A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.
\n33 \u201cThen a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him.
\n35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, \u201d\u02dcTake care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I\u201d\u2122ll pay you the next time I\u201d\u2122m here.\u201d\u2122
\n36 \u201cNow which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?\u201d Jesus asked.
\n37 The man replied, \u201cThe one who showed him mercy.\u201d
\nThen Jesus said, \u201cYes, now go and do the same.\u201d
\nGod\u201d\u2122s love in Jesus is the house in which we live, and into which we invite our world!
\nJohn 13:34-35<\/p>\n
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
\nBy this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
\nRonnie McBrayer
\nTaking a truly compassionate approach, where we see people as people \u201d\u201c living, breathing, laughing, crying, struggling but priceless creations in the image of God \u201d\u201c and not as statistics or votes or sales or dollars in the coffers or names on the roll or notches in our gun or people who will agree or oppose us \u201d\u201c this will infuse the church with credibility and integrity so needed in the world today.<\/p>\n
God\u201d\u2122s love in Jesus is the house in which we live, and into which we invite our world!
\nMartina McBride Video (\u201cLove\u201d\u2122s the Only House)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CRCF\u201d\u201d5\/29\/11 Ronnie McBrayer In the world in which we now live, where everything and everybody is so different than the Christian world that incubated and shaped us, how do we say anything that matters to those who do not know … Continue reading