Love and Liars

763

That's how many times the word "love" is used in the bible.

Out of the 66 books in the old and New Testament, the world "love" is used in 61 of them, 499 times in the Old Testament and 264 in the New Testament. The word is used 78 times in the four gospels alone.

So what's the point? Why bother with all these figures? Well, let's face it; even for a long book such as the Bible 763 times is not a small number. Could it be remotely possible that the idea of love is slightly important?

The Apostle John seems to think so. In 1 John 4:7-8 he says, "Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love."

So love is from God. In fact, God literally is love.

John continues in verses 9 and 10, "God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins."

God didn't just say he loves us, he actually proved it. He loves us more than his own life. That's real love.

So what about us?

Verses 11 and 12 say, "Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us."

So if the perfect, almighty God of the Universe loves his disobedient, sinful creation enough to die for them, shouldn't we love each other? In God's eyes were all in the same boat. We all fall short of God's glory. But He loves us anyways. As Christians, we claim to have God living in us. If God is love, and God is in us, how is it possible for us not to love each other? When "the world" looks at Christ's followers (Christians) they are literally supposed to see God's love.

Luke 6:27-36 says:
"But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you. If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return. Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate."

That's intense love. That's the love that Jesus calls his followers to, those that claim his name. We've all heard it before. We all know we're supposed to love our enemies and turn the other cheek, but do we truly take this command seriously? Do you honestly wish good upon those who hurt you? Jesus did.

Love. God is love.

Matthew 22:37-40 says, "Jesus replied, "You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."

The entire Bible screams of love. Read the Psalms. God loves everyone. John 3:16 says, "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."

That's why God sent his son. Because he loved the world and desired that everyone would believe in him.

We cannot say that we follow Christ if we don't love our neighbors, if we don't love our enemies.

1 John 4:20a- " If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar." (NIV)

Are you a liar?





*all figures are based on The New Living Translation. All scripture references are also from the New Living Translation unless marked "(NIV)" in which case they are from the New International Version

Zombie Worship

Zombies are dead people walking around. They don’t have personalities. They don’t have feelings. They’re just kinda there… Ok they’re trying to eat you but they aren’t driven because they feel strongly that you should be eaten. No, they’re just doing what they need to do to get by.

Don’t we do the same thing in church? I do.

Sometimes I just don’t want to worship God. Sometimes I’m distracted. Sometimes I’m tired. Sometime’s it’s just easier to act like I’m worshiping.

So here I am in church. I’m listening to the praise band play a song I’ve heard a million times before. I swear I could sing this song in my sleep… So I mouth the words. I hit the right notes. And I even throw in a little fake vibrato to make it sound like I can actually sing. There’s nothing wrong with that right? I mean God gets the point. Or does he?

I’m not saying God doesn’t know he’s great. I’m not saying he needs me to praise him so he feels better about himself. No I’m saying that the idea of a church Zombie is repulsive to God. I’m saying that half-hearted praise isn’t praise at all.

"And so the Lord says, 'These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by route.” – Isaiah 29:13

In Isaiah, God says that just because people say they are his doesn’t mean they are. He says that they’re “worship” isn’t worship. All they’re doing is singing along with everybody else in church.

Zombies aren’t really people, but despite the fact that they may be missing a limb or have blood oozing out of they’re eye sockets, they still resemble people.

However, the unavoidable fact remains: they’re Zombies.

When our worship is “nothing but man-made rules learned by route” it doesn’t please God. He doesn’t enjoy it. God hates Zombie worship.

Real worship is illustrated in Psalm 100

"Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord. Rejoice with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation. "

He made us and we are his. When we truly worship, we’re not just singing a song we’re shouting for joy. We can’t contain ourselves! God made us and we are his. Zombies don’t love anybody. They just want to eat your brains. Sheep love their shepherd because he loves them and watches over them. He is their whole world. It makes sense for them to enjoy praising him.

Don’t be a zombie.

Be a Sheep.