Do you love Jesus?

Do I love Jesus?

Jesus says: If you love me, it will show in the way you live out what I’ve told you to do.

What does that look like?

• Washing smelly feet – John 13:15. How do I ‘get down & get dirty’ for the sake of sharing Jesus’ love for other people? How do I humble myself in doing the menial tasks, the unnoticed & unlovely things for the sake of others?
• Crossing the road to care for a stranger – Luke 10:30-37. This means going out of my way to ease the suffering of someone I may not normally associate with. It means spending my money to ensure they have enough to live by. It means risking my reputation to ensure others may know the love of Jesus.
• Respecting people others wouldn’t and engaging with their lives – Luke 9: 57-62. Have I introduced myself to my Muslim neighbours, or made time to sit with someone I can’t agree with – to hear their perspective & how it is for their lives? Have I considered what it’s like to be a gender-confused kid, or transgender person? Have I tried to befriend the single mum with 5 feral kids down the street?
• Reorganising my priorities in order to love & follow Jesus first – Luke 9:57-62. When others are heading off on their annual holidays, am I content to stay home & support my local church, or those I care for, or my volunteering work?
• Loving like Jesus did also means persevering when you know it’s his mission – Luke 15 – the lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost son – the Lost Causes that others give up on.
• Standing up against corruption; when things are morally & ethically wrong – Luke 20:45-46, John 2:13-17. Is your voice heard, even when it’s unpopular?
• Confronting with the truth of the gospel – John 1-21, Nicodemus. Are you prepared to ask the hard questions, at the risk of relationship & reputation?
• And ultimately, are you prepared to surrender ‘self’ for the sake of Jesus – maybe not your body, but your time, your finances, your reputation, your career path, your holidays, your future plans – all to be Jesus’ hands and feet on this planet.

It was the supreme act of God who IS love, that Jesus came to earth – in love for his Father & their creation – to reconcile Creator with Creation. That which was made in love, to be loved, to again know our place in love.

We can only love because we were first loved by God. Surely this demands a response of loving.

In Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus is asked what is the greatest commandment?  He replies that is it to love God first, then your neighbour as yourself. Jesus’ life encapsulates this.

So, when I ask, how do I love Jesus? The answer can only be by living my life as he did.

If I love Jesus, the life I live is no longer mine, but is a living sacrifice for the greatest love I will ever know.

The Apostle Paul says that Christ’s love compels us … 2 Corinthians 5:15. It is our motivating force!

He also has much to say about love in Romans:

Romans 8-11: we are controlled by the Spirit:

8:26

8:35: can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love?

The answer is in v38-39 – NOTHING!!

If you love Jesus, you are a new creation & Christ’s spirit of love lives in you – Romans 8; Jn 14. Powered by Jesus’ love and example.

You are a walking, talking, love machine! For Jesus J

So, love Jesus (obey his commands, live as he lived & loved) by loving all that is his. Romans 12:9-21 Read…

Do you love Jesus; is there evidence for that?

If, like me, you fall very short, I want to encourage you with the following:

In Mark 10:51 we read the account of Jesus’ encounter with blind Bartimaeus. ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ he asks of Bartimaeus.

Bartimaeus wanted to see and received his desire.

Maybe you need to know Jesus’ love for yourself first; maybe you need a softened heart so you can better love that pesky neighbour; maybe you need a greater vision of what loving really means – how can I love you more, Jesus?

Jesus asks us: What do you want me to do for you this morning?

Reflection time …