Sunday Sermon Aug 5, 2012
John 21:15-17
We conclude our series “Loving Jesus” today. We started this
series by asking that all important question Jesus asks… “DO YOU LOVE ME?” and
we’ll end by asking the same question… Do You Love Jesus? We’ve also learned
that this question has some important aspects to it. That Loving Jesus helps us
have greater Spiritual Understanding. That Loving Jesus empowers us to be
Spiritually Authentic. And that Loving Jesus helps us be Spiritually Hopeful.
Today we’ll see that
Loving Jesus will bring Spiritual Joy.
PRAYER:
We often think of Joy as being happy. Joy and happiness are
really two different realities
o
Happiness is stimulated by things.
o
Joy is an experience of the heart.
o
Happiness is short-lived… temporary… forgettable.
o
Joy is long-lasting… sustaining… unforgettable
o
Happiness is fleeting
o
Joy comes from the deep connections of our
relationships.
John 16:20… Jesus
says, “Truly, I tell you, you will weep & mourn, but the world will
rejoice, you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy.”
Jesus then uses an illustration of a woman giving birth. There
is extreme pain involved. At least that’s my observation because I’ve not
experienced anything like child birth, yet after the child is born the pain is
forgotten or at least it’s tolerated. The pain doesn’t produce happiness… However,
Joy does comes because of the deep connection between mother and child.
Let’s look at some
ways we can experience Joy.
Having lunch with a colleague he shared a story where he
grumbled at his daughter because he had to change his schedule so he could pick
up her & a friend from school. As they rode in the car his daughters friend
ask, “Mr. Hendricks, what is your favorite food?” He said, “It depends on
whether it’s a main course or desert. “My favorite desert is Choc-Chip cookies
w/ Ice Cream. The kind of choc-chip cookies that are homemade, the soft and chewy
kind & vanilla ice cream.”…. 2 days later his daughter told him there was
something in the freezer for him… it was a plate of homemade soft & chewy
choc-chip cookies & ice cream.
One way to experience
Joy is to “Be thankful for the little things.”
The story of
Zacchaeus where Jesus says, “Zacchaeus, I must stay at your house today.
Zacchaeus hurries down from the tree and was joyful to welcome him.”
It’s the little things in life that often bring the most
joy. The simplicity of a child taking its first steps… or speaking their first
words.
At the door of Debs office is a post-it-note from her gr.
Son that says, “DEBS ALLFIS” …. (Spell
the word) Or the spur-of-the-moment visit to someone you haven’t seen or
spoken to in a while. I wonder how many
of us really take the time to be thankful for the little things in life.
Another way is “Being
Generous”
Paul says, “Although
they were going through hard times and were very poor, they (Macedonians) were
glad to give generously.”
When we give of self we are opening our hearts to the heart
of God from which brings purpose and joy. I know that some of the most joyous
moments in my life have been when I’ve been generous with my time and my money.
I remember helping a mother out one day as she struggled to hang on to one kid
and corral the other as she was told how much her grocery bill was, then
discovering she didn’t have enough money. I gave her the extra $10 she was
short even though I could really part with it. Doing these kinds of generous acts has
deepened my sense of joy and life fulfillment.
Finally… “Deepen your
Love of Jesus”
Jesus says, “I give
you a new command. You must love each other just as I have loved you.” John
13:34
This is why Jesus asks Peter 3 times… “DO YOU LOVE ME?” Jesus
wants Peter to love him as much as Jesus loves him.
Author Gail O’Day says, “The joyous story of John 21 provides the
backdrop for the call to discipleship… Peter receives the gift of his life –
The Love of Jesus – now Peter must share that gift… and Love Jesus in return.”
(New Interp. Bible Commentary Vol. IV Pg. 864)
DO YOU LOVE JESUS?
Mother Theresa went
about her work in Calcutta, India when she was asked from a news reporter, Why
do you do this work? She responded, “I Love Jesus… how about you?”
DO YOU LOVE JESUS?
Do you want to experience real Spiritual Understanding?...
LOVE JESUS
Do you want to experience a Spiritually Authentic life?...
LOVE JESUS
Do you want to experience Spiritual Hope?... LOVE JESUS
Do you want to experience real Spiritual Joy?... LOVE JESUS
DO YOU LOVE JESUS?
Closing:
At camp a couple years ago was a camp councilor named
Maggie. She was so excited, so passionate, so geeked about what she was doing.
I caught up with her one day and commented to her about her enthusiasm. She
responded, “I love the kids and I love being out in creation, and more than
anything I Love Jesus.” When I left camp that year I was inspired by this
persons love of Jesus that it brought back the memory of my ordination of what
my mentor said… in fact I can hear him right now saying, “Dennis Do You Love
Jesus?
My friends… Our question is…. Do
You Love Jesus?
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