We
use the word “love” carelessly. It is a verb, and action word. Love is
something we chose to do. The Readings remind us that God is the source of all
love. The Joshua Reading teaches us that God’s love – and all love, requires a
response. Without a response love can turn into grief, anger and even hatred.
St. John gives us the very good news that God loves us with an extravagant,
self-sacrificial love. When we really grasp this, our response is to love God’s
creation – and especially other people. But God has loved us enough to give us
freedom - so we have to make a choice.
· People had settled down, prospered and intermarried
· Some had begun worshiping other gods – idols etc.
· Like our time when many people worship materialism etc.
· Joshua called on them to make a real choice – to “come home”
· Weddings are a time to make a real choice to love one person
· Weddings are also a time to chose a church community where your life can be enriched by spiritual teaching, experience and fellowship
· Real letter written by a real person in the First Century
· Summarises the Good News of God’s love & forgiveness
· Jesus demonstrated a new kind of self-sacrificial love
· This choice breaks our stubborn hearts – when we “get it”
· Christians respond by loving Jesus, repenting their rebellion and turning to Him for forgiveness and reconciliation
· When we are reconciled the Holy Spirit can live in us
· Holy Spirit gives us the love, joy and peace we need to love others
· Wives need to feel physically and emotionally protected
· Husbands need to feel they are respected
1. Joshua called the Hebrew people to
choose which god to honour
·
Scene is just after the conquest of Palestine
around 1,200 BC· People had settled down, prospered and intermarried
· Some had begun worshiping other gods – idols etc.
· Like our time when many people worship materialism etc.
· Joshua called on them to make a real choice – to “come home”
· Weddings are a time to make a real choice to love one person
· Weddings are also a time to chose a church community where your life can be enriched by spiritual teaching, experience and fellowship
· Real letter written by a real person in the First Century
· Summarises the Good News of God’s love & forgiveness
· Jesus demonstrated a new kind of self-sacrificial love
· This choice breaks our stubborn hearts – when we “get it”
· Christians respond by loving Jesus, repenting their rebellion and turning to Him for forgiveness and reconciliation
· When we are reconciled the Holy Spirit can live in us
· Holy Spirit gives us the love, joy and peace we need to love others
3.
Love is a choice to put the good of the other first
·
Rarely have to die – do have to help with
cleaning and dishes· Wives need to feel physically and emotionally protected
· Husbands need to feel they are respected
No comments:
Post a Comment