We began the Great Mate series last night at REVOLVE! Student Ministries. We are off to a good start...
Romans 5:8 says that "God put His love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to Him." (The Message)
Did you catch that? It says "while we were of no use whatever to Him." This goes against everything our planet tells us love is supposed to be about. The world's version of love is a system completely based on what someone else can do for you. Its evident. Just pay attention to the commercials that were on during the Super Bowl this year. Companies paid millions of dollars to show Americans and the world exactly what it is that we value and hold so dear. Its not even about the products as it is the way we sell those products. What was Danica actually selling for her company of choice? You could almost make the case for prostitution, right?
Our system is based on what someone else can bring to the table. But, we see something drastically different from the system God has to offer. While we were of no use whatever to Him Christ died for us. This love, this unthinkable type of love, puts the world's system on its head. While we were in our filthy, stinking, lustful, lying, murdering, selfish state Christ gave Himself sacrificially in love for people that couldn't bring anything to the table. This is the love we are to try to attain to; this is the love that the Holy Spirit places the capacity within each of us - the believers who dare to walk the walk of the Master.
Last night I gave our students three basic rules of love to set the stage for the next three sessions in our series, Great Mate.
- No one can truly love themselves until they begin to see how Christ truly loves them.
- No one can truly love another until they begin to see how Christ truly loves them.
- This selfless love from Christ is the basis and true definition of what love truly is for the three relationships we have in our lives... God, ourselves and others.
Next week we begin session two: It's a Man's World. We are going to look at what it means to be a real man through the example of Jesus. See you at REVOLVE!
Hey Jeremy,
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by the blog. Are you near a Dreamland BBQ?
Read some of your posts, I like the Great Mate series idea. Looks like it will be a good one.
Hey Brother,
ReplyDeleteWas reading on your blog about your series "Great Mate" and thought about a movie I saw recently you would enjoy, fits right in with the theme of what love really is. If you have not seen it....you should pick it up, it is called Fireproof, it's a great story. If you get a chance (or have seen it already) let me know what you think.
Brad
Brad, thanks for your comments! I actually have seen the movie "Fireproof". My wife and I help lead our young couples ministry at our church and we went to the movie as a group on opening weekend. There's a funny story, or at least funny to me, about this movie. The afternoon our young couples group is to meet and view the movie, Pamela was running way late to pick me up. You know how it is for the ministry leader to show up late, right. So when she finally picked me up I was in such a bad mood that I was determined to let her have a piece of my mind. Which I did. I sat there in the theater during this movie with other young couples we are supposed to be mentoring just brooding! And, then I got under such conviction for my behavior that I swallowed my pride and began to ask Pamela to please forgive me for being an idiot. She did. So, I guess I can say that "Fireproof" saved my marriage. The movie is excellent! And, I highly recommend everyone checking it out!
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