Our Daily Bread, October 4, 1992 - During World War II, Hitler commanded all religious groups to unite so that he could control them. Among the Brethren assemblies, half complied and half refused. Those who went along with the order had a much easier time. Those who did not, faced harsh persecution. In almost every family of those who resisted, someone died in a concentration camp. When the war was over, feelings of bitterness ran deep between the groups and there was much tension. Finally they decided that the situation had to be healed. Leaders from each group met at a quiet retreat. For several days, each person spent time in prayer, examining his own heart in the light of Christ's commands. Then they came together.
Francis Schaeffer, who told of the incident, asked a friend who was there, "What did you do then?" "We were just one," he replied. As they confessed their hostility and bitterness to God and yielded to His control, the Holy Spirit created a spirit of unity among them. Love filled their hearts and dissolved their hatred. When Love prevails among believers, especially in times of strong disagreement, it presents to the world an indisputable mark of a true follower of Jesus Christ.
In todays reading in the Gospel of Luke, I often wonder if Jesus was thinking the morning of giving the statement to the people, "I wonder how they will respond?" Unknown to the citizens of Nazareth, that day would change their lives forever. They are about to witness something miraculous and powerful all in one breathe. That day, the LORD God has openly declared the fulfillment of a prophecy hundreds of years old, which Jesus read aloud, some amongst the congregation did not accept it willingly. That day, became D-Day so to speak, which will absolutely alter the course of all mankind to date. So lets read the scripture of the important statement from Jesus, "And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. And the scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to Him. And He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed, To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. And He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all the people in the synagogue were intently directed at Him. "Now He began to say to them, Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. And all the people were speaking well of Him, and admiring the gracious words which were coming from His lips; and yet they were saying, "Is this not Joseph's son?" And moving to verse 28, "And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and brought Him to the crest of the hill on which their city had been built, so that they could throw Him down from the cliff. But He passed through their midst and went on His way."
So what happened here? What did Jesus say that got them so enraged? Does this scenario not sound familiar to the lessons of the Gospel today where some messages from the Bible are received as good news and others no? There are people who hear Gods word gratefully and cheerfully and others fiercely contend against it. So what happened here was in short, God was speaking the truth! And just as scripture tells us, the truth shall set you free! But it can be painful. But in a little more depth, even the truth when its received, is not fully understood at times. Our hearts are far from God.
In preparing for this sermon, I thought about how much Love Jesus put into his ministry, and in this part found in the Gospel of Luke, shows how prepared God was in making a genuine statement of truth at the right moment. I came across a quote I thought was quite fitting to this subject, it says "Love hurts! Its costly, painful, takes effort, and downright consuming in its own province, but I wouldn't have it any other way!" If I really thought about that statement, why would anyone who experiences Love at the price of being hurt, painful, and consuming still want to experience it? The reward outweighs all other things! When we hear the word Love, it is sometimes missued in the world today. When someone expresses Love but in the same breath curse you. But when you think about Gods Love with Mercy and Grace, these are the most undeserving things we could ever receive, yet God gives it to us freely.
In hearing how Jesus gave a massive imprint on the mind in reading the prophecy, an unbelievable attitude was developed: to kill Jesus by throwing him over the cliff. Think about it; the truth was so painful, that they conjured up the thought of murder to vanquish him. Now remember, in those days, false prophets were well known, and scripture does say to test all spirits and rebuke all false prophets. But here, they are seeing and hearing the truth, yet they could not discern for themselves what was real or not! Again, their hearts was far from God.
In thinking just how important the Love of God is while proclaiming the truth, shows us today that all who call him Lord and Master, is what the heartbeat of Love looks like.
For Gods people to be Loved, it wasn't just going to church because these same people who rebuked him attended the synagogues regularly, but that didn't keep them from getting angry and murderous from hearing God's loving word; Look at us today! It wasn't what they tithed or surrendered to God that prevented them from having a evil intent to kill Jesus: Look at us today!. It wasn't even their prayer life where they asked for forgiveness, prayed for deliverance, prayed for the messiah to come, only to reject him when he did come: Look at us today!
Jesus tells us in the Gospel of Matthew "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." Did you hear that! He came to fulfill Gods Law. To make crooked paths straight; to set the captives free; to redeem and conquer death, hell, and the grave! But all of that and much more hangs on the same thread of the true which is the Heartbeat of God's Love. Do you know what that is? In the Gospel of Matthew, the disciples ask Jesus the question, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Wow! What a proclamation of Love it is. If you Love God with all of your being, and Love your neighbor as yourself, you will learn the Love of God because God's Love is in you to do these things as God is Love. He then thrives in you, and you in Him. But it doesn't stop there. Jesus tells us in the Gospel of John, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." Did you hear that? Regardless of how you view God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you will find the Heartbeat of Love, which is you and me! Its us friends! We are the reason for Gods Love. We are the purpose that God sent his only begotten son to save us from the sin that will ultimately destroy us. The Heartbeat of Love is Gods love for us!
What should be well known to all believers of Christ, is the Love Chapter of the Bible, found in 1 Corinthians which Paul tells us "Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
Love gives us something that no king, conqueror, or potentate can promise. True Love, can only come from the creator, which is our Holy God in Heaven. Yes, there are things on earth that we can strive for to fill the voids of life. Something to mimic Love or even duplicate it in a fashion where it becomes toxic to us and eventually drags us into an abyss that we didn't intend to go. When we have un-Godly infatuations in our thoughts only to call it Love in our eyes. When we listen to unruly lies about being Loved, if you do this drug or steal that item and be enticed by the king of liars only to be surcomed to its hooks of deception that drive you into despair if not worse.
We as a people are absolutely obsessed with the thought and feeling of Love. Yet, it's our make-up to be Loved, but the problem is where is the Love coming from? What is the source? Friends, I want you to try and remember this, we live in a world where everything is competing against God. What God has given man freely, man wants to replace or substitute it for something else. Just like the people in the synagogue who heard Jesus proclaim the prophecy was fulfilled, they were unwilling and not ready to hear the truth in the first place! Even though they attended their church, their hearts were not of God. The Gospel of Matthew tells us, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules." We always want to remember, we speak the truth even when it may not always be what others want to hear.
In closing friends, I want you to try and go about your day today, and listen for Gods Love in your life. Feel the Hearbeat of Love in you, and without a doubt, God will restore you, keep you and cherish you the rest of your days. Please don't turn away from his face! Let the Love of God not just indwell you but become all of what we are as Christians.
I am a Christian Maya Angelou
When I say “I am a Christian”
I’m not shouting “I am saved.”
I’m whispering “I get lost”
That is why I chose this way.
When I say “I am a Christian”
I don’t speak of this with pride.
I’m confessing that I stumble
And need someone to be my guide.
When I say “I am a Christian”
I’m not trying to be strong.
I’m professing that I am weak
And pray for strength to carry on.
When I say “I am a Christian”
I’m not bragging of success.
I’m admitting I have failed
And cannot ever pay the debt.
When I say “I am a Christian”
I’m not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are too visible
But God believes I’m worth it.
When I say “I am a Christian”
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
Which is why I seek HIS name.
When I say “I am a Christian”
I do not wish to judge.
I have no authority
I only know I’m loved.