Back in 1967, a very popular song was written & recorded by the Beatles
“All You Need Is Love”
How many of you can remember hearing that song?
And, now that I brought it up, you’ll be humming it
Essentially, the message is - there’s nothing more important than love
“Love, Love, Love! All you need is Love!”
There's nothing you can do that can't be done.
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung.
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game.
It's easy.
Nothing you can make that can't be made.
No one you can save that can't be saved.
Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time.
It's easy.
All you need is love.
All you need is love.
So, do you agree with that song? Is love all we need?
(fade out song)
I’m incined to say - “yes” - Love is all you need!
-however - What is Love?
-it was a lofty concept by the Beatles - to proclaim - all we need is love
-I don’t think, however, that the Beatles
-or most people who hummed that song
-really understood what it all entails
If we understand what love is
-or if we’re in the right direction of understanding it
-then, maybe, LOVE tops the list of our needs
In I John, we’re set right on this - “GOD IS LOVE!”
So, if God is Love - then we could say - All we need is love - right?
1 John 4:7-12
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
Let’s make a list of things that help us understand what love really is
1. God is love
-of course, God is loving - but really, God is so loving - we can say, God is love
-He is the essence of love
2. God’s people love
-people connected to God will love
-because the connection to God is what is needed to really love
3. We learn to love because God loved us
-when we’re loved by God - & experience His love for us - we can now love
-& we naturally, will love
4. The best example of love is the cross
-God sending His Son - to sacrifice His life for us - for our sin
-so we could be forgiven & eternally saved
-that’s the very best example of love that there will ever be
5. One of the most effective ways for the world to know about God,
-is through the example of God’s people showing love
12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
The world will see God through us - as we love one another
vv.13-21
We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
6. Love is the most important virtue of life - as commanded by God
Jesus confirmed that when asked,
“What is the most important commandment?”
What did He say?
Matthew 22:37-40
Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Love is the most important virtue of life
-it’s the culmination of all the commands of God on our lives
Do you want to know what God’s will is for your life?
What does God want you to do?
LOVE
So, can we agree with the Beatle’s song? “All you need is love!”
I think, as I understand it, I’d have to say - yes!
But, what does it mean on a day to day - moment by moment work of life?
What should we be doing - how do we love - what should do to love?
What does it mean to love?
1 John 3:16-20
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
Love is not just a thought or concept - but action
Love is not just talk - but walk
Love is not just a desire or passion - but a commitment
-it’s about helping people & making sacrifices to do it
-it’s about helping people in their needs as this example suggests
-love is helping people who are in need
-using our material possessions - giving sacrificially
-even sacrificing our lives if called to do so
It’s not easy!
-& that’s one problem with our Beatles song
“. . . It’s easy! All you need is love, . . .”
-though I’m not sure what they were trying to say in the song
Is love easy?
Or, is everything else easy, compared to love?
Love doesn’t come easy - while the Beatles were doing their staged recording
-of the song - with orchestra
& other big names in music present in the studeo for a recording
-I guess John Lennon wanted everyone to wear green - but they were fighting
-& Paul McCartney to spite Lennon,
-took a very red rose & stuck it in his headset
-so you’ll see this red rose if you watch the video
Love is not easy!
John 15:9-13
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
So, there you have the general principle of love - it’s sacrifical giving for others
It’s sacrificial giving to help others in need
Who are we to love?
So far, included in our instructions are:
1. Neighbors
2. Brothers - of course our own family - but also the family of God
“One another”
3. Friends
4. Enemies
Luke 6:27-36
"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
As that ends - it’s so much in keeping with what we read in I John
-we love, because He loved us
-God loved us when we were sinners - call us enemies of God
-God died for us - even though we were wicked & ungrateful
-God was merciful to us
So, what can we say about love?
It’s more than just an emotion
-sometimes we’ll have emotions
-like romantic love
-like - “I really love that person!”
-but, we may have even unloving emotions - “Oh, I feel like I hate that person!”
“He really bothers me!”
-& we still can & should love him/her - despite our feelings
-that’s what Jesus means by loving your enemies
Love isn’t just a feeling - it’s sacrifical giving & helping - ministry to people
-people that God brings into your life
-friends, family, even enemies
-neighbors
-it’s all about neighbors - friends & foe
Jesus taught us who we should love by giving a great example of a neighbor
-in the very well known - maybe one of the best known parables
-the parable of the Good Samaritan
Luke 10:25-37
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
26 "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
27 He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
28 "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30 In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
37 The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
The religious ruler - “wanted to justify himself”
-we kind of do that also - don’t we
-the self-justification process causes us to come up with reasons
-why we shouldn’t love certain people
“That person is stupid!”
“That person needs help - but, he’s not my responsibility!”
“There’s nothing I can do for that person!”
“That person will just abuse my offer of help!”
“Oh, I shouldn’t get too close to that kind of person!”
Now, there are some legitmate concerns - in helping people
-but let’s be careful we don’t ratonalize up reasons for not loving people
-when we should
-when they are our neighbor
-the two religious leaders walked by the injured man
-a Priest, then a Levite - both full time ministers in the temple of God
Why didn’t they stop?
Let’s think of some reasons - self-justified reasons for not showing love
1. Too busy - maybe, they needed to be somewhere
-didn’t have the time
2. Too religious - maybe, they thought, they’d be somehow contaminated
-by this injured - maybe dead person
-their job was to be religious
3. Too fearful - maybe, they didn’t want to risk stopping
-maybe, they’d be jumped by the robbers
-maybe, it was a trap
4. Too indifferent - lazy - maybe, they just thought, that’s someone else’s job
-they just didn’t have love
Do you think some of those rationalizations opperate in our minds
-when we don’t love someone that we should?
-I think so
We’re often too busy
-sometimes it can’t be helped - as there’s only so much time in our days
-but, sometimes, we can help & don’t - it’s easy to use that excuse
We even come up with our own religious rules
-in the name of being pure & holy - to stay away from “worldly people”
-& of course, there are legitamate concerns to balance
-between contact & separation
We’re fearful of the risk - but love takes sacrifice, & sacrifice takes risks
And, we’re just plain lazy & un-loving
The Samaritan - on the other hand, showed love - even to his enemy!
Samaritans & Jews were like enemies
-maybe, akin to the anamosity & tension that’s felt between
-the modern day Jews & Palestinians
-yet, the Samaritan sacrificially ministered to this hurt man - that’s love
Who is your neighbor?
And this could include some enemies!
Think of people who are in your life
-believers & non-believers alike
-in your home, your work, your school, your recreation, your marketplace
-parents you sit in the bleachers with at your child’s ball-game
-people you cross paths with
-people with needs
-people to love
And, what is the greatest need that everyone has or has had in this life?
-It’s salvation - it’s the need to gain eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ
Wouldn’t you agree that’s the greatest need?
You can live a long & prosperous life - but if aren’t in heaven for eternity
-it’s all a big waste - you’ve missed the most important target
-you’ve missed the point of living
Are we to love our neighbors?
Are we to help them with their needs?
Then, we should be like Paul -
1 Corinthians 9:22-23
To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
Love, would have us focus on seeking ways to reach this dying world
-with the gospel - the message of salvation through Jesus
There are people on your path of life that don’t know Jesus as their Savior
What can we do to help them?
I’d like us to consider this question in the upcoming weeks
-I’ve gone through similar series of messages in the past
-I think the last time was in 2005
-I don’t like to be repetitive - but 4 years is a while
-& frankly, in all my years of preaching messages like this
-& from each message, it’s important that I learn from them
-this series has challenged me more than any
-this series of messages has got me to think about so many ways
-that I need to have God change my life
-it’s about love
All you need is love
-God is love
-He lovingly made the sacrifice to give us eternal life
-now He calls us to lovingly sacrifice our lives to help people
-& the top of the list of help that people need
-is to hear & believe the gospel
-look at the neighbors in your life
-will you stop to help them?
Let’s buckle down & think about how we need to do that
In the weeks ahead, let’s open our eyes & our minds
-to ways the Lord would use us to reach the lost
-let’s keep our eyes open to opportunities
Colossians 4:2-6
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
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