Love God and Love Your Neighbor

One day, a teacher of the religious law challenged Jesus, which was the “most important,” commandment. Jesus answered the teacher, “‘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.” Matthew 22:37-38 (NLT) He expanded on the topic, saying, “Equally significant is the commandment to ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:39 (NLT) Jesus tied the two commandments together. The two he made of equal importance. Loving God and loving your neighbor became the “Prime Directive” for every follower of Jesus. A disciple of Jesus isn’t truly loving God with all their heart, soul, and mind if they don’t love their neighbor. A person can love their neighbor without loving God, but they can’t love God without loving their neighbor. In Leviticus 19:18 (NLT), God commanded the Israelites to “love your neighbor as yourself.” JESUS QUOTED THIS MORE THAN ANY OTHER OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURE. From the commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself” comes the Golden Rule “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” Matthew 7:12. Jesus referenced “love your neighbor” so often that his brother James refers to it as the “royal Law.” People often ask, “What’s God’s will for my life?” Another way to state the question is, “What’s my purpose in life?” The specifics of those questions are different for every disciple. But the general answer could not be clearer. Love God and Love your neighbor. That’s God’s will. That’s God’s purpose. Jesus’ mother Mary told the first few disciples who were with them at the wedding in Cana where Jesus turned water into wine, “Do whatever He tells you.” John 2:5 (NLT) Do whatever He tells you. What has He told his disciple to do? Love your neighbor as yourself. Let’s do it.  

Built Any Bridges Lately?

Last week I didn’t post “Matt’s Thoughts” because I spent most of my time at our local county fair. For the last 34 years, I’ve spent a week during the summer working at the fair. (Except 2021 when fairs weren’t permitted due to Covid) The county fair has been a great opportunity to rub shoulders with people I see little the rest of the year. I look for ways to “love my neighbor” and “pastor” the community. Here’s some examples of opportunities I took to let my “light shine.” The fair is a time to build bridges. I met a man recovering from a near death accident. He explained, in very colorful speech, the extent of his injuries. After listening to his story, I challenged him, from my survival story. I told him he lived survived for a reason and needed to ask God why he survived. He didn’t fully grasp the challenge. So I challenged him again: “God let you live for a reason, and you need to ask Him why you're still here.” He understood and I hope the question of survival challenges him like it did me in 1996. I greeted a woman who had just gone through the loss of a loved one. I greeted her and asked her how her pregnancy was going. She told me, with tears, that she had miscarried during the midst of grieving. I put my arm around her shoulder and prayed for her, while others around us waited for food. I celebrated with a woman whose son has been sober for a year. At the 2021 fair, she told me about the anguish and pain of watching her son abuse alcohol. I prayed with her at the 2021 fair. A year later, she is celebrating to have her son back, working, and making healthy choices. I spent an hour sitting and talking with a couple who I’ve made friends with over the years. They come from a different philosophy of life than me, and we disagree on many aspects of life. But I love this couple and appreciate the opportunity to discuss life, politics, morality and the issues facing humanity from a “faith” point of view. The Apostle Peter instructed the early church “Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have, but answer in a gentle way and with respect.” 1 Peter 3:15-16 (NCV) I try to tell and show people the reason I have for hope. I take the last part of Peter’s instructions seriously: “In a gentle way and with respect.” Gentleness and respect build bridges with people who interpret life differently than me. Bridges make crossing over to faith possible. Few people fight the currents to faith. People cross bridges to faith. I encourage you to look for ways to build bridges by responding with gentleness and respect. Jesus will use your “loving your neighbor” to change lives.

Love One Another

At almost every graveside or memorial service I’ve officiated; I spend a few minutes giving my thoughts about “What do I do now?” I hope people will consider what they should do as they walk away. THOUGHT #1 - DEATH IS THE DESTINY OF EVERY PERSON. WE WILL ALL FACE DEATH. THOUGHT #2 - LIVE AS IF TODAY IS YOUR LAST DAY ON EARTH. THOUGHT #3 - ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER AS IF YOU’LL NEVER BE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE THEM AGAIN. THOUGHT #4 - PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER. THOUGHT #5 - LOVE ONE ANOTHER Jesus commanded his followers to “Love one another.” In the early evening before his execution, He told the disciples, gathered for their last meal, “I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35 (NLT) Love is a verb. Love is choosing the best for your friends, neighbors and enemies. Love doesn’t mean you always feel good about someone else. Love means you want the best for them. Love is a sacrificial word. Jesus modeled love and then described it. “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13 (NLT) Tell other people you love them. You might not get another opportunity. Don’t waste your last chance. I remember a friend of mine whose son died after a long battle with cancer telling me about a conversation he had with his older brother. His older brother’s son had died instantly, with no warning. My friend’s older brother was jealous because my friend had time to tell his son goodbye and of his love for him. Don’t waste an opportunity. We express love by forgiving each other. You can’t love someone and hold a grudge against them. Forgiving is a sacrificial act of love. The other person doesn’t deserve forgiveness and you sometimes don’t want to give it. Make a choice for their best and your best and forgive them. A principle to live by: You reap what you sow! (Galatians 6:7) Take the time and effort to sow love. You will reap it in return. Love might not always reap love, but hatred almost always reaps hatred. Obey Jesus and, “Love one another!”

Loving God and Loving Others Well

If you are news reader or watcher, you know well that the church is the regular topic of the press, and it’s usually not good. I walked away from last Sunday’s memorial for Mark Brinkman so proud of South Whidbey Assembly and the other churches we work with on South Whidbey! The church was embracing the mission of Jesus to Love God and Love Others. I would say we were loving in technicolor! On Saturday, people from Island Church, Calvary Chapel and the community joined the set-up crew from SWAG. Sunday after the memorial, some of the same crew and others joined in to tear down and set-up the building for Island Christian Academy to jump into school again on Monday morning. We are the church! The church ministered to hurting and grieving law enforcement and first responders from Lynnwood, Edmonds, Mt Lake Terrace, Snohomish County, Island County, and WSP. The church ministered to students, family members, community members from South Whidbey as well as city employees and officials from Lynnwood. The day and the memorial were tough, but your “Love God and Love Others” ministry made the day a little less painful and stressful. I’m so proud to pastor South Whidbey Assembly and to be a part of the larger church on South Whidbey! Over the years, SWAG has often been asked to serve in difficult community situations and you have always risen to the occasion to Love God and Love Others. One of our theme verses for 34 years has been Jeremiah 29:5-7. “Build houses and settle in the land. Plant gardens and eat the food they grow. Get married and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons, and let your daughters be married so they also may have sons and daughters. Have many children… Do good things for the city where I sent you…. Pray to the LORD for the city where you are living, because if good things happen in the city, good things will happen to you also.” Jeremiah 29:5-8 (NCV) I am proud to serve and lead alongside you!

Do Everything with Love

Many of you are aware of my love of basketball and the annual March Madness. This year the “Cinderella Team” is Oral Roberts University. ORU is only the second No. 15 seed team to advance to the Sweet 16. Everything is not rosy for ORU athletics, though. Some in the media and culture recently labeled ORU homophobic and out of step with the new thinking regarding all things queer. They are calling for ORU and other schools like them to be excluded from post-season play. The school holds a traditional Biblical view of gender, marriage and sexuality that are now culturally unacceptable. ORU is not the only school feeling the pressure. Catholics, evangelicals, Mormons, Muslims and many other groups hold traditional views. Last winter I read George Orwell’s “1984.” The similarities between the description of the future and our current cultural realities continue to intrigue me. The depiction of the “Thought Police” in the superstate of Oceania and the authority to investigate and punish thinking not approved of by the state is prophetic of our current “cancel culture.” The Apostle Paul warned Timothy, the leader of the church in Ephesus, that “in the last days there will be very difficult times … people will scoff at God … they will consider nothing sacred. … They will be cruel and hate what is good.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5 NLT) The pressure to agree with the views of “cancel culture” and adopt culture’s thinking will continue to mount. Those who disagree with current thinking will experience pressure and exclusion. How to respond to this cultural thinking will require great wisdom, leading of the Holy Spirit and courage. One of the most powerful quotes from “1984,” speaks to the bravery necessary to disagree with popular thinking and values. “Your worst enemy, [Winston] reflected, was your nervous system. At any moment the tension inside you was liable to translate into some visible symptom.” Winston’s thoughts accurately describe the tension experienced by those who are unwilling to bend to culture’s transient thinking. Paul encouraged Jesus’ followers to “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14 (NLT)

Love Does

Five years before the Apostle Paul’s execution in Rome, he wrote to the church in Corinth. He provided them with instructions about living a God honoring life. Paul’s expectation was that the believers in Corinth would become imitators of Jesus and follow the ways of Jesus. The central trait that concerned Paul was imitating and following Jesus’ way of love. Love motivated everything Jesus did and said. Love for his Father and/or love for humanity. Love should be the motivating factor of everything that a Jesus follower does and says. “If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NLT) If I could correct every lie of fake news, if I could combat the injustices of vote counters, if I could set straight every wrong by BLM protestors or by corrupt police, but didn’t do it from a motivation of love, my actions would not be beneficial for me or society. If I could foresee election results, policy outcomes and legislative shortcomings, but did not act and speak in love, I would be nothing. If I stood between every protestor and police officers on behalf of protestors or on behalf of the police, If I added my voice to the cacophony of sounds against injustice, but if love didn’t my actions and speech, I have gained nothing and others have gained nothing. The actions and speech that Paul described are good things, superb things, but only if the motive is love. Nothing is accomplished from speeches and activity motivated by self-righteousness, hatred, vengeance, jealousy, or revenge. What is said and done without love only adds to the darkness, pain, and suffering. Paul clarified love this way: Love is patient, kind, not jealous, boastful or proud. Love does not demand its own way, doesn’t get irritated, and doesn’t keep score. Love does not rejoice at the sight or sounds of injustice, but rejoices when truth is the winner. Love keeps trying, keeps believing, keeps hoping and striving. Actions and words rooted in love will last forever. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Matt's paraphrase)

Licensed to Love

Timothy Dalton starred in the 1989 James Bond film “License to Kill.” I don’t know why, but the title of that movie came to mind recently. The thought “license to kill” (I know not a politically correct idea) prompted me into thinking how Jesus, and the Gospel, gives Jesus' followers the exact opposite license to James Bond’s. Jesus gave his followers “a license to love!”

Jesus commanded the disciples to love. “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” (John 15:12 NLT) Jesus followed his command saying, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13 NLT) Jesus commanded us to “Love your neighbor.” (Mark 12:31) And to “Love your enemies.” (Matthew 5:44)

The Apostle John wrote about the expectation of Jesus’ followers. “Let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.” (1 John 4:7 NLT) “Since God loved us, we surely ought to love each other.” (1 John 4:11 NLT)

The Apostle Paul emphasized the “license to love” in his letter to Jesus’ followers in 1 Corinthians 13. This passage is popular at weddings; but the love between a husband and wife is not the emphasis here. Paul writes that without love; spiritual talk (explaining spiritual truths and mysteries), generosity to the poor, grand feats of faith, and even sacrificing of one’s life are pointless. Love must be the motive behind the words and actions of Jesus' followers!

If you are a follower of Jesus, you are “licensed to love.” You are commanded to love. And you are empowered by the Holy Spirit to love. “The fruit of the Spirit is love.” (Galatians 5:22 NIV)

You have a “license to love” - look for ways to put your license to use!