Pastor Mark Mikels
– October 1, 2006
“I WOULD
DO ANYTHING FOR THEM!”
Church Under Construction – Relational Phase #2
Intro … Last week we entered into the third phase of this spiritual
construction project we are involved in … the relational phase. I
said last week that this is the phase “where the fun starts” for this
is the phase where we begin to focus upon the quality of life that is
to be enjoyed by the family of God that lives inside the “Church” (the
house) that Christ is building right here in our midst.
During the course of construction we will be examining several Biblical
Relational Directives (the “one anothers” of the Scripture) that
describe the kind of life God intends his family to experience.
Last week we considered Biblical Relational Directive #1 …
“Be Devoted To One Another In Brotherly Love” – Romans 12:10
The title of last week’s message arising from that directive was …
“These People Are So Special To Me !”
Today’s Meditation is entitled … “I Would Do Anything For Them !”
and it grows out of Biblical Relational Directive #2 …
Biblical Relational Directive #2 …
“LOVE one another … AS I have LOVED you, you are to LOVE one
another.”
John 13:34
Last week’s directive also included the concept of love but it was
“brotherly love” – a love based on family connection and affection.
In today’s directive Jesus uses the word Agape (Divine Love) … and
that choice stimulates the observation expressed in Today’s Key Concept
…
Key Concept …
“AGAPE has more to do with DOING than it has to do with FEELING.”
Agape could be defined as “well-intentioned benevolence” … the desire
to see its object benefited or blessed in some necessary way.
Three quick Biblical Examples …
Biblical Example #1 … perhaps the most familiar verse of all.
“God SO LOVED (agaped) the world that He GAVE…” – John 3:16
God’s agape saw man’s need and stimulated decisive action … He gave
His own son as a solution for man’s need. He set in motion things that
would allow man’s need to be met.
Biblical Example #2 … the events surrounding the last supper.
“He now showed them the full EXTENT of His LOVE” – John 13:1
As an object lesson of agape in action, Jesus humbled himself and took
upon himself the task of a lowly servant and “washed his disciples’
feet”.
Agape says, “If there’s a need in the lives of those I love and I can
meet it, I will”.
Now it was in the context of that incredible service to his disciples
that Jesus gave the relational directive that we focus on today …
“As I have (just) demonstrated my agape to you, you are to agape one
another.”
It’s interesting that John used the expression “full extent of his
love” to describe not Jesus’ incredibly noble sacrifice on the cross
but to describe his incredibly lowly sacrifice at the table.
Is it possible that it takes “more love” or a “fuller understanding of
the nature of agape love” to do the menial thing than to do the
extraordinary thing?
It’s almost as though John were saying … “If Jesus would stoop to
wash our dirty feet, there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for us – how great
must be His Love!”
The menial task doesn’t get the notoriety, the menial task doesn’t
require exceptional ability, the menial task doesn’t promise great
result or benefit … it simply needs to be done and usually can be
done by anyone – even by the Son of God!
There is simply no missing John’s intention … we are to “agape” just
like Jesus “agaped” – if there’s a need we can meet in the lives of
those we love, then we are to meet it.
Biblical Example #3 …”Jesus LAID down his LIFE for us ” 1 Jn. 3:16
The Apostle John who, of course, experienced that final supper with
Jesus wrote many years later to a brand new generation of believers …
“This is how we know what agape is: Jesus Christ laid
down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives
(our possessions, our comforts) for our brothers.”
Agape establishes a priority that says, “You are more important than
me” – if what I have can meet your needs, then I will put “my stuff” at
your disposal. That’s exactly what Jesus did as he “laid down His life
for us”.
The Communion we share together this morning is intended to remind us
of that incredible agape love Jesus demonstrated on the cross. It is
also intended to remind us of the directive Christ gave us to so love
(and serve) one another.
Final Thot …
People committed to LOVE are people committed to SERVE.