so my office is pretty much completely packed up. yesterday in the morning service everyone was so nice to shauna and me as we said our goodbyes. it was all a bit surreal. the cards and gifts were a bit overwhelming for us as we really didn't know how to respond to all the love we received.so my books are all in boxes...33 of them to be exact. i still have a few giveaways in my office for those of you who wants a keepsake or a book that i am leaving behind. for those of you who have permanently borrowed some of my books...shame on you for not returning them. you will just have to bring them up to baltimore and come see me.
last night in underground will go into my top three memories of all time in ministry. seeing so many of the familiar faces and hugging everyone around the room made a cherished night for me. it was pretty difficult sharing that last short talk with everyone. but i mean what i said. for those of you that didnt make the party, here's a brief transcript of what i challenged underground with last night:
Many times our quest to be loved is lived out by our quest to love other people. In each one of us, there is this internal, driving desire to be loved and that, many times, our quest for live is distorted because we pursue the by-products of being loved. I want to follow up on that with just a thought on living other people: romantically, personally, and unexclusively.
First of all, we are self absorbed people. It is fact. It is scripture. It is life. I don’t need to share several examples here to make this point. From babies playing in a nursery and fighting for toys to juggernauts on Wall Street, our quest for self dominance is real. James, a sibling of Jesus, says it like this: James 4:1-3 (NLT)
What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
And he was talking to Christ followers! Jesus even said in order to truly love others we would need to act as if we were loving ourselves.
Secondly, if we are selfish, then we should check out our motives when we do try and love others. Basically, because of our sin, we love incorrectly. – because of our self love, it is difficult to purely love someone else.
Lastly, in our quest to show love, it is really a quest to give up our desires and meet the needs of others. Romantically, family, friends, etc. It is all about giving up and being truly selfless. Matthew 16:24-25 (NLT)
Then Jesus said to his disciples, If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
Ami Ankilewitz was diagnosed with an extremely rare and often fatal form of Spinal Muscular Atrophy – it severely limits his physical growth and movement. He is 34 now. He weighs 39 pounds. He continues to outlive a doctor’s prediction of life expectancy by 28 years – he was only to make it to age 6. Watch the movie 39 Pounds of Love. His mother refused to listen to doctors and raise her son by herself with all of his limitations. She never gave up on him; she really just gave herself up to love him. Watch the clip below to get a better perspective.
Giving love – it seems so complicated, yet it is very simple: it is meeting the needs of others – selflessness. It is the work of the Kingdom. When love is held to these standards and level of maturity, it makes other things, or by-products, seem insignificant.
Here’s what I ask : choose someone in your life and love them selflessly for the next week. It can be a romantic interest, a co-worker, a family member, etc.
Here’s what will happen:
- they may be confused/ask questions
- you will experience the Kingdom
Take this love in all of your relationships: you will learn to love as Christ, be hurt like Christ and maybe discover someone who loves better than you.
First of all, we are self absorbed people. It is fact. It is scripture. It is life. I don’t need to share several examples here to make this point. From babies playing in a nursery and fighting for toys to juggernauts on Wall Street, our quest for self dominance is real. James, a sibling of Jesus, says it like this: James 4:1-3 (NLT)
What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
And he was talking to Christ followers! Jesus even said in order to truly love others we would need to act as if we were loving ourselves.
Secondly, if we are selfish, then we should check out our motives when we do try and love others. Basically, because of our sin, we love incorrectly. – because of our self love, it is difficult to purely love someone else.
Lastly, in our quest to show love, it is really a quest to give up our desires and meet the needs of others. Romantically, family, friends, etc. It is all about giving up and being truly selfless. Matthew 16:24-25 (NLT)
Then Jesus said to his disciples, If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
Ami Ankilewitz was diagnosed with an extremely rare and often fatal form of Spinal Muscular Atrophy – it severely limits his physical growth and movement. He is 34 now. He weighs 39 pounds. He continues to outlive a doctor’s prediction of life expectancy by 28 years – he was only to make it to age 6. Watch the movie 39 Pounds of Love. His mother refused to listen to doctors and raise her son by herself with all of his limitations. She never gave up on him; she really just gave herself up to love him. Watch the clip below to get a better perspective.
Giving love – it seems so complicated, yet it is very simple: it is meeting the needs of others – selflessness. It is the work of the Kingdom. When love is held to these standards and level of maturity, it makes other things, or by-products, seem insignificant.
Here’s what I ask : choose someone in your life and love them selflessly for the next week. It can be a romantic interest, a co-worker, a family member, etc.
Here’s what will happen:
- they may be confused/ask questions
- you will experience the Kingdom
Take this love in all of your relationships: you will learn to love as Christ, be hurt like Christ and maybe discover someone who loves better than you.
Loving others is what Shauna and I both desire for all of you in Concord. No matter where your journey takes you, your image of God is formed by how you give and receive love.
We will be moving next monday...it is so close. Pray for us, please.
