July 29th 2018
Can You Serve Jesus By Loving His Other Friends?
Luke 10:20-22 (NIV)
However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No-one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no-one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
There was once a man who always offered the heels from each loaf of bread to his wife. She always took it and ate it, but then one day she finally said, why do you always make me eat the heels from each loaf of bread? When I lived at home, we always gave the heels of the bread to our dogs, because no one liked them. Why do you treat me like a dog, she asked?
Her husband was horrified by what he just heard, and he explained to her, at my home everyone loved the heels from the bread, and they would argue over who would get them. So our parents made it a rule that a list was formed, and each person got their turn eating the heels. On each person’s birthday that person got both heels from the bread. And her husband explained, I decided when we got married, I would always allow my wife to have both heels, and so it was like celebrating her birthday every day when we ate bread!
Is there something in your life that causes you to feel cheated in some way by someone making you do something you do not like to do? Have you ever asked them why? Is something in your life robbing you of joy, because you feel somehow cheated? Have you ever tried to find out why this situation exists? Many reading this today have some situations in their lives where they have felt cheated of freedom by the members of their family, but they have never asked, why! All families are not the same, as some families have people who are influenced by a loving God who make the decisions, while some families are devoid of any real influence from God.
In this lifetime we each make decisions that will affect others, and even if you are not an active member of a family, you still interact with other people every day. If you are not a member of a church family, then you are missing the best possible connection to a loving all-knowing God! If you feel too busy with your life to find a church of your choice, then you are missing out on the best possible place to connect with other people who are seeking true freedom. There is no freedom more fulfilling than to believe you know your immortal soul will be taken to heaven immediately when we pass from this life into our eternal life.
Christianity is the only relationship that offers the absolute knowledge of where your immortal soul will spend eternity! All of the worldly religions require you to do some works in order that you can spend eternity in some kind of good earthly condition. Therefore, you cannot be sure that you have fulfilled exactly what is required so you will get what has been promised, by some human leader, that you are trying to follow. Notice I did refer to Christianity as a religion, as it is not really a religion, as it does not offer a list of works that must be done in order to obtain some reward when you die. All the work for followers of Jesus to obtain heaven, when you die, was done by Jesus on a cross! You only need to accept His sacrifice to win the prize!
Followers of Jesus are requested to follow a series of commands in order to live a good life, and to be blessed with peace and joy in this life, but this peace and joy are not contingent upon having a free ride, so to speak, but instead by knowing that in the end, “You Win!” Paul wrote about how he found contentment through this knowledge of winning and dwelling on that instead of dwelling on eating the heels of bread, when you did not have better stuff. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:11-13)
Yes, I know my paraphrase of what Paul was writing is a big reach, but in essence Paul is telling us to be content with what we have, and be happy, and to draw on Jesus for strength to do so. Paul also is giving the glory to Jesus by admitting that he is getting his strength through his relationship with Jesus, when he wrote, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Are you trying to supply your own strength, or are you depending of Jesus for support? Jesus does offer His followers His support by sharing His yoke to help you pull your load in this life.
So, see you do not have to wait until you die to win with Jesus! He offers to help you now with whatever is burdensome to you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:29-30) Hopefully, there are people in your life who are willing to share your yoke too. Do not yoke yourself with some person who is not also yoked with Jesus, and life will be a lot more redeeming! If you are a follower of Jesus, then you are also His Friend!
Jesus laid down His life for all those who would choose to accept His gift of salvation, and Jesus did this out of His love for us (you) His followers. Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. (John 15:13-15)
We are told that actually, Jesus is seeking us, and He has chosen you to be His follower. Jesus looks at us friends who chose to follow His commands, not as servants who have no choice. First, you are born again, and then, you are given the right to choose to serve. But still, not as a servant, but as a friend. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other. (John 15:16-17)
Can you serve Jesus by loving His other friends?
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Luke 10:20-22 (NIV)
However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No-one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no-one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
There was once a man who always offered the heels from each loaf of bread to his wife. She always took it and ate it, but then one day she finally said, why do you always make me eat the heels from each loaf of bread? When I lived at home, we always gave the heels of the bread to our dogs, because no one liked them. Why do you treat me like a dog, she asked?
Her husband was horrified by what he just heard, and he explained to her, at my home everyone loved the heels from the bread, and they would argue over who would get them. So our parents made it a rule that a list was formed, and each person got their turn eating the heels. On each person’s birthday that person got both heels from the bread. And her husband explained, I decided when we got married, I would always allow my wife to have both heels, and so it was like celebrating her birthday every day when we ate bread!
Is there something in your life that causes you to feel cheated in some way by someone making you do something you do not like to do? Have you ever asked them why? Is something in your life robbing you of joy, because you feel somehow cheated? Have you ever tried to find out why this situation exists? Many reading this today have some situations in their lives where they have felt cheated of freedom by the members of their family, but they have never asked, why! All families are not the same, as some families have people who are influenced by a loving God who make the decisions, while some families are devoid of any real influence from God.
In this lifetime we each make decisions that will affect others, and even if you are not an active member of a family, you still interact with other people every day. If you are not a member of a church family, then you are missing the best possible connection to a loving all-knowing God! If you feel too busy with your life to find a church of your choice, then you are missing out on the best possible place to connect with other people who are seeking true freedom. There is no freedom more fulfilling than to believe you know your immortal soul will be taken to heaven immediately when we pass from this life into our eternal life.
Christianity is the only relationship that offers the absolute knowledge of where your immortal soul will spend eternity! All of the worldly religions require you to do some works in order that you can spend eternity in some kind of good earthly condition. Therefore, you cannot be sure that you have fulfilled exactly what is required so you will get what has been promised, by some human leader, that you are trying to follow. Notice I did refer to Christianity as a religion, as it is not really a religion, as it does not offer a list of works that must be done in order to obtain some reward when you die. All the work for followers of Jesus to obtain heaven, when you die, was done by Jesus on a cross! You only need to accept His sacrifice to win the prize!
Followers of Jesus are requested to follow a series of commands in order to live a good life, and to be blessed with peace and joy in this life, but this peace and joy are not contingent upon having a free ride, so to speak, but instead by knowing that in the end, “You Win!” Paul wrote about how he found contentment through this knowledge of winning and dwelling on that instead of dwelling on eating the heels of bread, when you did not have better stuff. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:11-13)
Yes, I know my paraphrase of what Paul was writing is a big reach, but in essence Paul is telling us to be content with what we have, and be happy, and to draw on Jesus for strength to do so. Paul also is giving the glory to Jesus by admitting that he is getting his strength through his relationship with Jesus, when he wrote, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Are you trying to supply your own strength, or are you depending of Jesus for support? Jesus does offer His followers His support by sharing His yoke to help you pull your load in this life.
So, see you do not have to wait until you die to win with Jesus! He offers to help you now with whatever is burdensome to you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:29-30) Hopefully, there are people in your life who are willing to share your yoke too. Do not yoke yourself with some person who is not also yoked with Jesus, and life will be a lot more redeeming! If you are a follower of Jesus, then you are also His Friend!
Jesus laid down His life for all those who would choose to accept His gift of salvation, and Jesus did this out of His love for us (you) His followers. Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. (John 15:13-15)
We are told that actually, Jesus is seeking us, and He has chosen you to be His follower. Jesus looks at us friends who chose to follow His commands, not as servants who have no choice. First, you are born again, and then, you are given the right to choose to serve. But still, not as a servant, but as a friend. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other. (John 15:16-17)
Can you serve Jesus by loving His other friends?
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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