My recollection of my life as a little boy was for the larger part a demonstration of love. We didn't know if our parents money was funny, or if there change was strange, because we shared everything. Ms. Juanita had some Squash, Ms. Burns had the onions, macaroni, and government cheese, Ms. Mary had the buttermilk, cornmeal, and starch, and Mama had the Season salt, flour, and Chicken. A couple of my friends and I would be sent to Joses, the corner store, for 3 packs of Kool Aid, and a 5 LB. Bag of Sugar!
Together it made one scrumptious gathering that would put some modern day buffets to shame. Everybody ate, enjoyed one another, and had all things in common. It was all love.
We said it was all love, because everyone took the little they had, and when they put it together it was so much more than if we tried it on our own. Had anyone here today ever had an "all love" experience?
I believe there's at about 5 people who can look back over there lives and remember an all love moment, and begin to give God some praise. Hallelujah up in here! For the next few moments let us meditate on the theme, "Remember Love." Look at your and say "Neighbor... Remember Love." Look at someone else and say, "Love is all we need."
Merriam Webster Dictionary: (Noun) a feeling of strong or constant affection for a person
As a (verb) to like or desire (something) very much.
There are 3 Greek expressions for love that inform for the most part what most people think love is.
The first is Phileo - Common feelings of wellness for another.
2nd is Eros where the word erotic is derived from.
The 3rd is Agape Love used to describe a deep love that reaches beyond the surface. Also known as an unconditional love.
And while the Bible uses this type of Love to communicate what the Father feels for us, Zion calls us to a higher place, a closer look at love not from a point of ideologies or high and lofty thoughts, but right where the rubber meets the road.
Romans 5:8 says that GOD demonstrated His Love in this: that Christ died for us while we were yet sinners.
What can we glean from this passage of scripture today? Since the essence of a person or thing is elucidated or made clearer by there characteristics, we know our God is awesome, because God is omnipotent or all-powerful. God is omniscient or all knowing, and God doesn't share these characteristics. But God wanted us to know something else about Him.
1. God demonstrated or exuded a part of God's essence, which is Love, by demonstrating Love.
When I say essence I'm referring to God's beingness, who or what God is.
1 John 4:8 New International Version (NIV)
8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
2. God demonstrates His love proactively.
John 3:16 says that GOD so loved the world that He gave.
A. His giving was precipitated by who He is and what He felt for us.
B. Conversely His love was not predicated or dependent upon our goodness, nor our ability to apologize, repent, confess, or even realize we were sinners.
What did God give? The Initiator of Life in the person of Jesus Christ (John 1:3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made) to die while we were yet sinners.
God gave us a priceless gift through Jesus Christ before we ever knew we needed a gift. And that's what we hear Jesus proclaiming on the cross. "Father forgive them, for they know not what they have done." it was a proclamation of Who He was, and What He was doing, and Why He was doing it. Love was Loving on us, because the God who Loves loves you, and all you can do about it is accept Love or reject Love.
So have you for-given someone lately? Have you given someone what they don't deserve before they even know that they need it, because you possess an unmerited LOVE? If you have not, you may be hindering your own progress, purpose and destiny.
As I close, Jesus said to the disciples a new command I give you. Love one another as I love you. In other words He was saying, watch my example.
As He proceeded, He gave them a foreshadow of this very demonstration of His Love, but it was also to be a demonstration of the discipleship and commission of the Church.
Hear these word today and remember Love,
"He gave thanks and blessed the Bread, and Broke the Bread, and distributed to them as He said, "Take eat. This is my body and my blood. As often as he do this, do this in remembrance of me." Remember Love.
In His LOVE,
Pastor Emery