Putting Love in Perspective

Good morning.

I don't feel like I really need to say anything now after Yidi and Julie.

I think they've just spoken the sermon for me, so I think I'll go and sit down.

But I prepared something, so maybe...

Let me just pray, actually. Let me just pray.

Father, thank you that you're a God of love.

Thank you that you know us.

Thank you that you know where we're up to.

Thank you that you know our hearts.

And I pray you'd speak to us this morning.

Challenge us with this, what I find, a very painful and difficult passage,

even though it's an amazing passage.

And just help us to see how beautiful you are.

In your name. Amen.

I wonder if there was one thing that you would want to be known for in your life, what would it be?

If it comes to your funeral and people are talking about you,

I wonder what you would want to be known for.

When you get back on your deathbed and you say,

I lived life well without regrets.

What kind of life would you have lived?

Because perspective is an amazing thing.

You know, if you could see what was truly valuable in the future,

you would make some incredibly different decisions today.

Just think about it.

If you knew that horse Clippity Clop was a thousand to one,

but was going to win,

you would place all your money on Clippity Clop.

Would you not?

If you knew that shares in Watermark were going to go through the roof,

and there are no shares in Watermark, I'm afraid,

but then you'd bank all your money on it.

Because perspective changes the way you live today.

I don't know if you've seen,

there's a Mr. Bean episode where,

it's very profound.

Mr. Bean sits an exam,

and he, I don't know if you've seen it,

but he goes in,

he goes down, sits down,

opens the exam paper,

and he starts kind of,

he's a bit confused at the beginning,

and then after a while,

he starts kind of furiously writing the exam,

gets to the end of the exam,

puts it down,

relieved, thinking,

okay, I've done it.

And then the examiner says something like,

so those of you who are meant to do the green paper,

and he looks down,

and he's done the pink paper,

and suddenly he realized,

he did completely the wrong exam.

Can you imagine what that feeling is like?

If you get to the end of the day,

and you realize,

you did the wrong exam.

And we've been looking in 1 Corinthians,

at this passage,

where Paul is basically talking to this church,

and he's trying to give them perspective,

that if he doesn't want the Corinthians

to get to the end of their lives,

and to say like,

one of the students,

a 70 year old student that I once taught said,

I've wasted my life.

I've wasted it.

He doesn't want them to go there.

Because Paul is trying to tell us,

listen, the paper that you should be taking in your life,

is love.

Because love lasts.

At the end of the day,

love counts.

And this church in Corinth,

well,

they thought they had made it.

You see,

they were a highly talented,

gifted church.

Right at the beginning of the book,

in chapter 1,

Paul says,

you've been blessed with every spiritual gift.

And you know,

they had the greatest preachers,

they had the greatest children's workers,

they had the greatest tongues,

they had all these miracle workers,

they had the hottest band,

and it was the greatest,

hottest,

most exciting church out there.

They thought they'd arrived.

They thought they'd made it.

They thought they were mature.

And Paul comes along,

and in chapter 3,

he tells them,

do you know what guys?

You're just spiritual infants.

You're babies.

And he says,

your spirituality is self-focused,

and self-focused spirituality is childish.

You need to grow up.

Now,

I wince a little bit at that,

because he's saying,

you need to stop sucking your spiritual thumb,

and learn what maturity really means

in the Christian life.

And maturity means having an outward focus,

and an outward perspective of love.

So we're going to look through this passage,

have it with you in front of you.

I'm going to kind of move around a little bit,

but Tobin started looking at this,

and we're just going to look one more time

through this passage.

There is so much in here.

And we looked last time,

verses 1 to 3 of this passage

are very much about how the necessity of love.

You know,

you can have all the tongues,

all the gifts,

everything you like,

but without love,

they're just noise.

Verse 4 to 7

is about the character of love.

It's like,

what does love look like?

And we'll come back to that

and look briefly at that at the end.

And verse 8 to 13

are about the permanence of love,

love that lasts.

And we're going to look particularly

at those last verses.

And I pray that God would give us

that sense of perspective on our lives,

right where we're up to at the moment.

So we're going to look at love realizes,

first of all,

love realizes what the time is.

Love realizes what the time is.

Verses 9 to 12.

Paul,

he describes

a number of things.

He says,

we know in part

and we prophesy in part.

But when the perfect comes,

the partial will pass away.

When I was a child,

I spoke like a child,

thought like a child,

I reasoned like a child.

When I became a man,

I gave up childish ways.

For now,

we see in a mirror dimly,

but then face to face.

Now I know in part,

then I shall know fully

even as I have been fully known.

What he's saying is this,

there are two kind of periods in life.

There is now

and there is then.

It's not complicated.

Okay?

Now and then.

And he uses three images

to describe these two periods of life.

He uses the image of something

which is partial and incomplete

with something which is complete and perfect.

He uses the imagery of childhood and adulthood.

He uses then the imagery

of looking into a mirror

and seeing a reflection

as opposed to seeing a person

in person,

in the flesh.

And so he says,

you've got to get this idea.

What is now?

Because the Corinthians thought

then was now.

They thought heaven was now.

But now is the time

when you actually don't get

the full picture,

even of God.

Life is frustrating.

Life is under the curse of sin.

It's a broken world.

It's a world where there's sin abounds,

there's injustice,

there's suffering,

and you know it

when you go out into the world,

when you watch the news,

you can see

now is filled with pain.

There's great things,

but there's also hardship.

And sometimes God doesn't always

seem so clear either.

I don't understand

why God sometimes

does the things he does.

Like really, I don't.

I don't understand

why did he let my brother die?

I don't understand

why did he let my parents

suffer for health issues

for most of their lives

when other people

seem to have just

a cushy life?

I don't understand.

And I don't know about you,

but there are times

when we feel lost.

We just don't know

the direction

we should be going in.

We don't know,

as parents,

how do I deal with my kids?

We don't know my studies.

Where am I going?

We live in a sense

of lostness sometimes,

even in our relationship

with God.

We sometimes,

God, where are you?

Now, maybe that's just me.

But Paul is saying

there is something

about now

which is partial,

which is incomplete.

God is here.

We can know him,

but it's not complete.

And he goes on to say

that our human experience

is not just partial,

but it's also like

this childhood image.

You know,

Corinthians were so fixated

on gifts,

but Paul says to them,

now is like a child.

You know,

when I was a kid,

I would cry

if I didn't have

my little comfort blanket.

And I used to have

to carry around

this little comfort blanket.

Child by child,

I mean like three.

I don't mean like 12.

Okay?

And I couldn't go anywhere

without it.

But now,

imagine me as an adult.

If I stand up here

and I have to have

my little comfort blanket

with me,

otherwise I feel insecure,

you would probably

start calling a doctor

or psychologist

or something.

Right?

Because for a child,

a comfort blanket

is perfectly good.

But for an adult,

you don't need it.

What Paul is saying is

the gifts

that the Corinthians

had thought

were just the be-all

and end-all,

he's saying,

if you get some perspective,

you see it's just like

what a child needs

at the moment.

They're good for this stage.

But at the end of the day,

that's not what it's all about.

He's saying to Corinthians,

stop thinking so childishly

about so fixated

with these gifts.

Paul then goes on

with his third image,

the image of a mirror.

And he's saying,

now is when you look

in a mirror

and all you see

is a reflection.

That's what he means

by dimly.

It's indirect.

You don't see

the full picture.

It's a bit like me

Skyping my parents.

You know,

I see them.

I see something.

It's good.

But actually,

it's so different

from when I go

and I meet them

in the flesh.

You can actually touch them.

You can feel them.

There's such a different vibe.

And it's a bit like

now

God is kind of online

in a little way.

We see him.

We feel him.

We experience him.

That's now.

But then,

when Christ returns

and restores creation,

I won't just be looking

at a kind of screen.

I'll be bathing

in the warmth

of his presence

next to me.

Now,

though I can know God,

it's incomplete.

Then,

we'll be like

an intimate old couple

who nod and smile

when something happens

because they know

exactly what each other's thinking.

Because they've been

with each other.

They know each other.

That's what it'll be like

with God.

We'll know his heart

like he knows my heart

right now.

He knows what I'm thinking.

He knows my fears.

He knows my thoughts.

He knows why you put

your Facebook profile

picture on there.

He knows everything.

And we will know him

with that intimacy.

And Paul is saying,

that's the goal

of the Christian life.

That's where it's going.

It's about him.

Not about yourself.

So that's now

and that's then.

But what happens

if you don't realize the time?

I mean,

if you don't realize the time,

I mean,

what's the time now?

Sorry?

Sorry?

Great.

It's time to end,

according to John.

You see,

we think of time

in just minutes

and hours.

But God thinks

in terms of seasons.

So think about it.

If you don't realize

that this season

is the now,

if you don't realize

that spiritual gifts

are given to you

for this season

because God wants

to show his love

through you

in the fog of here,

he wants to show

his light,

cracks of light

in the midst

of the fog.

Think about it.

In the now,

we don't see

everything clearly.

Why do we need

a gift of healing?

Have you thought about it?

Because there's sickness.

And God,

at specific times,

wants to show

a glimpse

of his love

to you

by providing people

with gifts

of healing.

Then,

in heaven,

do you need healing?

There's no sickness.

Why do you need

the gift of encouragement?

Because life

can be so discouraging.

You know,

some of you

are so discouraged

by work,

discouraged by your grades,

discouraged by other people,

discouraged by your kids.

And we look at

everybody else around us

and compare us.

And God provides

people in his church,

in his body,

to come alongside you,

to encourage you,

to lift your eyes up

in the midst

of the fog

so that you begin

to see him

through it all.

He wants to give you

hope in now.

That's what gifts

are for.

We could go through

all of them,

but we don't have time.

because he wants

other people

to experience

God's love

through you.

Spiritual gifts

are simply tools

to enable you

to love

in the now

of life.

Okay?

If you don't

use your gifts,

this body

will not experience

the love of God

as God intended it.

Did you get that?

If you don't

use your gifts,

this body

will not experience

the love of God

the way he has

designed it for now.

Do you know,

the word in Greek

for spiritual gift

comes from the word

grace.

And that's what gifts are.

Gifts are simply

gifts.

It means you give them

gifts of grace.

So I give a gift

of grace to you

and through it

you experience

God's grace

coming to you

as you're encouraged,

as you're healed,

as you speak a word

which just brings

light to your darkness.

It's like my mom

when we were kids,

she used to buy us

presents

because we weren't

kind of old enough

so that we could give

my dad

on his birthday.

Right?

I don't know if some of you

had that as well.

Maybe you do that

with your kids.

Okay?

You know,

it's like surprise.

But what would happen,

so my mom

wants my dad

to experience love

and so she gives

a gift to the child

and wants the child

to give it to my dad.

But what happens

if I say,

I'm not going to give it.

I'm going to keep it

for myself.

My dad would not

experience the love

that my mom

wanted him to experience

through his children.

That's why spiritual gifts

are meant to work.

If you don't give

your gifts

to other people,

you will not

help them

to see the love

of God

that he wants

them to know

in now.

So my challenge is,

do we do that?

Do we do the same

to our church family here?

Do we do that?

Because Paul's point is,

if these spiritual gifts

are meant to be

cracks of light

in the midst

of the fog,

when the sun rises

and Christ comes back,

then you don't need

light again

because you've already

got the greatest light.

Because when then comes,

I won't need anybody

to point me to Christ

because I'll see him

face to face.

I will know him

perfectly.

Love realizes the time

that means

you cannot walk alone

as a Christian

because if you're not

involved in relationships,

you are going to be

withholding love

that God wants

to give to others

and also you will not

receive the love

that God wants you

to receive from others.

So love knows the time.

Secondly,

love

is about character

and the greatest

of these

is love.

Okay?

What makes it through

to the final round?

What makes it

all the way

it's love.

Okay?

What counts

isn't the great gifts

that you have.

You know,

there are many

fabulous Christian

speakers and writers

who end up

causing damage

in the church

because they were

so gifted

but they didn't

have the character

to go along

with their gifts.

People thought

they were mature

because they could

give a good sermon.

Listen,

I'm not mature

because I'm speaking

to you in front of you.

That is not what

counts

because the Bible

says

just having knowledge

of the Bible

doesn't make you mature.

You can be nothing.

That's what Paul says

in the first three verses

unless you have love.

Ayah.

That's

So am I using

my gifts to love

or to exalt myself?

But he says now

there are three things

which count.

Faith

counts.

This is something

that counts

in Christian maturity.

Love counts.

Hope counts.

This is what counts

in God's eyes.

Colossians 1 verse 3

Colossians 1:3

says this.

We always thank God

for you

since we've heard

of your faith

in Christ Jesus

and of the love

you have for all the saints

because of the hope

laid up in heaven.

Paul's explaining

what he means.

He's saying

faith

growing up

as a Christian

means you stop

trusting in yourself

and you start

trusting in God.

You start trusting

yourself

to sort out

your world

to sort out

your kids

to sort out

your issues

and you say

God I need you.

I need you.

I trust you

with my world.

That's what counts.

It also means

in the now

hope

counts.

It means

fixing our eyes

on the then

of seeing God

face to face

and we invest

in that relationship

with God.

In Hong Kong

I think we have

our now and then.

You know

now is study

work

suffering

pain.

Then

is my holiday.

Then

is retirement.

Okay

this is where

we put our hopes in

but he says

if you put your hope

in those things

do you know what

it's not going to last

you're not going to be

mature

you're going to be

childish.

Can't you hope

for something

greater

to know

the living God

face to face

that is so much

better than a holiday

in Thailand.

Holiday in Thailand

is not bad

but you know

it's better.

Could I sacrifice

the holiday in Thailand

because I know

that I have a bigger

holiday with the

King of Kings.

Where's my hope?

The third thing

which counts

as maturity

is love

and love

is the greatest.

Why is love

the greatest?

Well think about it.

Faith.

Now

we walk

by faith

but when we

see Christ

we'll see him.

We'll see him.

We don't need

that same sense

of faith.

When we see Christ

our hope

will be fulfilled

but love

doesn't stop

when we see Christ.

You see

that word love

never ends.

It means love

is not a flower

that wilts.

Love is not

an iPhone battery

that runs out.

Love is not

an employee

who is replaced.

Love is better

than Duracell.

Love doesn't

have a shelf life.

Love

never

ends.

And he's not

talking about

just any love.

You know

in culture

we have all you need

is love.

And Forrest Gump

says I may not

be a smart man

but I know

what love is.

you know

but that's not

the kind of love

he's talking about here.

He's talking about

an earthy love

for the people

of God

the love

for the saints.

At a previous church

I was

leading a group

where there was a lady

who was suffering

from a severe depression

at the time.

And one day

I remember

deciding

for some reason

that

I would make

a shepherd's pie.

That's the easiest dish

I don't know if you know

what it is

but it's like

the idiot's guide

to cooking.

And

do you know

and

I was a little nervous

because

cooking is not

my greatest strength

and I didn't want

to poison her

that's not love.

Okay.

And

but I went

I cooked it

gave it to her

forgot all about it

carried on

you know

when I was teaching

I was leading in the group

three four years later

she gets married

she invites me

to the wedding

and her parents

I see her parents

I go up to introduce

myself to them

and they said

oh we know you

that's a scary one

it's like okay

what did I do wrong

you know

they said

you're the shepherd pie guy

and I'm like

I don't normally

get addressed like that

and so

because I'd forgotten about it

and then they reminded me

of that day

and

and the strange

thing was

that

I had

been teaching

and leading

and doing all these things

all the time

thinking these were the great things

but it was that one

tiny action

that actually touched her life

and had stayed

in her memory

all that time

because she experienced

God's love

through my

total inadequacy

and I'm not

saying that story

just show how wonderfully

loving I am

because actually

this shows me so often

how lacking in love

and I really realize that

even as I look at that passage

and Tobin challenges you

I look at it

and I say

wow

I fall so far short

because I'm so wrapped up

in the issues of now

I'm so wrapped up

with all the tasks

I've got to do

all the problems

I've got to solve

all the projects

that I have in my mind

that I think

that if I can just

get those done

then later

I'll have time

to love people

the problem is

that's just kidding myself

if you don't love people

now listen

you're not going to be

loving people

20 years later

and the challenging thing

that Paul would say is

if I do that

I'm actually wasting my life

on something

that doesn't last

now is the time

to love

Dr. Hannah

who some of you know

who was here earlier

he once said

something that really

struck in my mind

he said

I could have been promoted

in my field

far more quickly

than I did

everyone else around me

was progressing

at a stage in my life

I had a clear decision

whether I prioritized

my family

or my career

I thought about it

long and hard

and I realized

if I chose career

I could lose my family

and grow old lonely

but if I chose my family

then I'll always have my family

to look after me

in old age

he chose love

because love lasts

that doesn't mean

you can't be involved

in work

doesn't mean

but actually

it's the attitude

with which I do it

which is what counts

and I think

the same is true

in church

the people

who've had the biggest

influence on me

in my life

have not been

the really gifted people

they've just been

the people

who have loved me

because love

lasts

love knows the time

love

is about character

which lasts

third thing

love is uncomfortable

have you ever thought

what a ridiculous idea

church is

have you ever thought

about that

I mean it's completely nuts

I mean think about it

you get a bunch

of self-centered people

who have come from

perhaps previously

no relationship

before

okay

from different backgrounds

different nationalities

different personalities

and then you put them

all in the same group

and you tell them

to love each other

it's insane

I mean

who would have thought

up that idea

I mean you've got

the entrepreneur

who just can't sit still

charges in

feet first

into everything

then you've got

the laid back Aussie guy

you know

he just sits still

and you can't get them

to move

then you've got

you've got the kind of

techie geek

in the corner

you know

who's as socially adept

as like a rhino

doing ballet

you know

that kind of thing

and then you've got

the chatterbox

who just won't stop talking

and then you've got

the sensitive guy

who just won't say

boo to a goose

and then you've got

the emotional ones

and then you've got

the ones you haven't

seen in emotion

for years

and you put them

all together

and what do you get?

Church

now whose idea

was that?

I mean it's a recipe

for disaster

and it gets worse

because the people

that you're supposed

to be with

are actually sinful

they get impatient

they say things

they shouldn't

they're annoying

maybe I shouldn't

say that

but

and I mean

I used to

just a silly example

I used to be

in a community group

back in the UK

and it was filled

with introverts

but it wasn't just

ordinary introverts

they were socially

awkward introverts

all of them

now I'm an extrovert

generally

and so people

like we'd sit around

in the group

and no one would speak

and I would invite

a friend to come

into this group

and no one would

speak to them

and it would drive

me nuts

and the thing was

I would

I would be telling

people

church is all about

loving people

you know

we're just a community

of love

and they'd come in

and they'd get

as warm a welcome

as a block of ice

will give you

I mean it was

just terrible

and what's my

natural reaction

my natural reaction

is get me out of there

because I want to

find some people

that I actually

like being with

and

the thing is

what Paul is saying

in this passage

is really quite

challenging

because he says

my natural reaction

which just wants

to get out of there

is not love

because love is patient

love is kind

love is not irritable

or resentful

love does not rejoice

at wrongdoing

that means that love

doesn't count up wrongs

love bears all things

believes all things

hopes all things

endures all things

and when you start

putting it into reality

you suddenly go

ah

because at first sight

it sounds like a beautiful

kind of Bruno Mars

and Paul

kind of together

kind of song

you know

love bears all things

patient

but

but

but when you come

to the reality of it

it is so hard

it is the hardest

it is the hardest thing

you will ever do

in your life

any of you

who have got kids

know this

but it is also

the most rewarding

thing you will ever do

in your life

because you know

that group of people

I actually did stick

with them

I had to

I was the leader

of the group

so

I mean

but you know

six months later

you know

God did something

because God worked

in that community

and they became

the most loving

welcoming community

that I have ever

been in

in my entire life

and if I had

bailed out

at that moment

when I really

wanted to

then

I would never

have experienced it

that's God

because love

is forged

in the pain

of friction

and difficulty

love is made

in the gritty

ups and downs

of being with

the people

who are flawed

is when you go

through the fight

and you come

through the other side

you know

relationships

friendships

which never have

conflict

you know

they're superficial

right

until you have

conflict

and you work

through the conflict

and you get through

with forgiveness

and love

and a lot of crying

then

God begins

to work something

now sometimes

people don't respond

as we want them

to be

but you see

what God does

through these things

is he means

to make you

who he wants

you to be

he begins

to mature you

through these things

and you grow up

when love

when the going

gets tough

love doesn't

get going

it sticks in there

now

I know

I know that

there are some

people who've

had a lot

of pain

and I'm not

talking about

abuses

cases of abuses

or serious sin

where sometimes

you actually have

to get out

of a relationship

but I'm talking

about everyday

love

in messy

church

with messy

people

love is

patient

think about it

how do you learn

patience

it's with

an irritating

annoying

people

right

you want

to learn

patience

listen

God will

teach you

patience

he'll put

you in

church

listen

love does

not rejoice

at wrong

doings

it doesn't

count up

wrongs

like an

accountant

that's what

it means

because when

do you count

up wrongs

when you

have been

wronged

and hurt

it's painful

it's painful

but in a

world where

wrong happens

all the time

love actually

liberates you

from the

resentment

and the things

which actually

hold you

in a prison

because all

this stuff

is going

on in

Corinth

all this

stuff is

going on

in Corinth

and he

says

listen

you

will not

grow muscles

without lifting

weight

you will never

give birth

without feeling

pain

you will never

grow mature

in character

to be somebody

that people

will look up

to and at the

end of your

life they

will say

I want to

be like you

if you haven't

been through

that friction

that relationships

and love

causes you

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

a German

pastor

in the time

of Hitler

said this

and this is

profound

he says

those who

love their

dream

of a

Christian

community

more than

the

Christian

community

itself

become

destroyers

of that

Christian

community

even though

their personal

intentions

may be ever

so honest

earnest

and sacrificial

those who

dream of

this idealized

beautiful

community

demand that

it be fulfilled

by God

by others

and by

themselves

they enter

the community

of Christians

with their

demands

set up

their own

law

and judge

one another

and even

God

accordingly

excuse me

he goes on

to say

like Paul

says

because God

has already

brought us

together

as a body

before we

even

joined the

church

he brought

us together

and we

enter

into this

community

not with

demands

but thankfully

receiving what

God has given

us

even the

annoying

person

next to you

we do

not complain

about what

God doesn't

give us

rather

we are

thankful for

what God

does

give us

what he's

saying

and I

just find

this difficult

because

he's saying

church is a

bunch of

sinners like

you and

me

and if

you're not

a sinner

then you

shouldn't be

here so

please leave

okay

but love

is not

found

waiting for

you on

a plate

to kind

of

okay

come and

get your

love

you'll never

love the

church

you'll never

love the

people in

the church

if you

simply come

thinking

community

should be

a certain

way

and if

your

expectations

aren't

met

then you

withdraw

because

I know

this

personally

this is

one of the

hardest

things

I think

even being

an

international

church

here in

Hong

Kong

people

come and

go

you know

we've

many of us

have been

in churches

from different

backgrounds

I know

I have

and you

come with

expectations

what you

think church

is and

what church

isn't

and then

you arrive

and then

you get

disappointed

by certain

people

and

often what

happens is

we begin

to withdraw

from others

because it's

not the way

we thought

it should

be

and what

Bonhoeffer

is saying

is

do you

love your

dream of

community

or your

past

experience

of

community

or do

you love

the real

people

that God

has placed

around you

now

because the

problem with

a dream

is this

A they're

not real

B they're

over when

you wake

up

can you

thank God

for the

people he's

given you

around you

can you

invest

and begin

to devote

yourselves

to some

people in

relationships

in this

church

even the

annoying

ones

because that's

the way

you're going

to grow

into

maturity

now

nearly

done

do you

know what

the biggest

problem with

everything I've

just said

is

it's

impossible

it's

impossible

I challenge

you

go out

there

and try

to love

people

perfectly

this week

I challenge

you to go

and love

the annoying

person

next week

go on

try and do

it

dare you

okay

because

loving your

own family

is hard

enough

loving

people in

the church

is like

but the

thing is

here's what

Paul is

trying to

do

you know

that's

why that

bookmark

is so

helpful

because what

it's trying

to do

is trying

to show

you

your love

is inadequate

my love

is inadequate

and if you

think trying

a bit harder

or feeling

a bit guilty

is going

to get you

there

forget it

because that's

just all

about yourself

the place

to start

with love

is to look

here

at the cross

because you're

going to look

at Christ

and you're

to see

actually

he is

the perfect

embodiment

of all

that patience

kindness

goodness

love

towards us

and I

have failed

to love

him

the way

he calls

me to

love

I have

failed

to use

his gifts

the way

he called

me to

use

these gifts

I have

not loved

the people

around me

the way

he's called

me to

love

them

and yet

on the

cross

he covered

me

he bore

my sin

he doesn't

count up

my wrongdoing

he throws

it into

the depths

of the sea

he is

patient

with me

even with

my lack

of love

though he

loved more

than anybody

else

he was

abandoned

by his

father

so that

I could

become

you

could

become

his

child

and know

him

intimately

and so

God is not

saying to

you now

okay

try harder

he's saying

to you

come to

me and

repent

say God

I can't

forgive me

I can't

do it

but then

if you think

you've earned

it

you're going

to make it

all about

you

but if you

realize that

Christ

earned it

for you

he will

change you

you know

like

Yiddy said

as she

saw

the way

Julie

and Edmund

loved her

it changed

her

when you

see the

way

God

loves

you

it

changes

you

if you

see that

he delights

in you

in spite

of you

in spite

of all

the stuff

that you

haven't

done

this week

that

then

takes

you

out

of

yourself

to

begin

looking

at the

people

around

you

in your

community

group

and start

loving

them

you

have

on

your

sheet

a

list

here

here

are

some

of

the

needs

that

we

have

in

Watermark

as a

church

family

have a

look

through

them

because

here

is

some

of

the

ways

that

actually

you

and

I

can

take

some

practical

steps

to

actually

think

what

does

love

look

like

now

for

us

have

a

look

at

them

and

consider

how

can

I

take

a

step

to

love

not

a

giant

leap

it's

a

step

to

love

but

we

don't

want

you

to