Lent- Week 3

Lent (Week Three)

Scripture Focus: 1 John 3:7-24; Matthew 23: 37-40

Objective: To demonstrate the importance of love of one another in this season of growth.



Welcome to week three of the Lenten season of GROWTH! Are you growing? I hope so...if you can't see it yet, keep going...God is with you and your growth is inevitable! This is a very special week during our Lenten observance- it's all about LOVE!



Because we recognize our need to repent (for our wrong), we are reconciled to God (and each other) in order to demonstrate our relationship to God by love of one another. That's right...this week is about looking at how we treat others here on earth. Fun right!? I believe it is the most challenging part of our Christian walk, but it is foundational to our development as believers.



In Matthew 23: 37-40, Jesus answers the question of what is the greatest commandment: "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Jesus is telling us through His conversation with the Pharisees (teachers of the Law) that our love of the Lord is paralleled with our love of our "neighbor". Now maybe you are already perfect, but that is a difficult pill to swallow for me! We know ourselves- we are hard to love right? Nah...not if we look at loving one another the way Jesus says we should!



So, how do we do this? During week three of your Lenten fast, I challenge you to join with me in focusing on 1 John 3:7-24 as a means for growth in our desert experience.



1. Stay FOCUSED as God's Child (1 John 3:7-8)

We learned last week that we are reconciled to God which means that we are now in relationship with God. Unlike our personal relationships that may change depending on a person's willingness to or not to commit, our relationship with God is SOLID and STABLE! We are children of God! As children of God attempting to LIVE IN LOVE, the text begins as a letter declaring that we must STAY FOCUSED! It says in verse 7, "Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous". In this Christian walk, especially in desert experiences, it is easy to become distracted by what others think about us instead of who God calls us to be-His offspring! As offspring of God, we must DO "right things" (what is right) instead of just "looking the part"!



2. Stay FRUITFUL as God's Child (1 John 3:9-12)

Are we fruitful? Of course we are! We are dropping some fruit each and every day in the words we say and the things we do. Now, the question is: are the fruit rotten? In this portion of the text, I believe that God is affirming our need to be fruitful as children of God! Luke 6:44 says, "Each tree is recognized by its fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers." Because a tree is known by the fruit it bears, we must bear fruit that look like God.



Ok, so step two is a little deeper than that! We can look around the ground and say "I got some good fruit...I volunteer...I work at the church...I sing in the choir...I help others...etc" Well, that is great but our fruit is also seen in our dealings with "our brother" and "our sister".



3. Stay FRIENDLY as God's Child (1 John 3:13-17)

Our growth in the desert experiences of life is most evident in our ability to LIVE IN LOVE! As we move from "death" (fleshly living) to "life" (heavenly living), our treatment of others changes. We begin to actually LIVE in love!



4. Stay FAITHFUL as God's Child (1 John 3:18-24)

Let us move beyond a love that speaks without action! Let us move beyond a love that worships God without witness! Let us move beyond a relationship with God that has no substance or evidence! God desires for us to demonstrate the truth of our love and relationship by our deeds!!! By doing so, we live in love by living in CHRIST!



In our pursuit of living a life of love, my prayer is that your cup overflows!



Blessings,

Pastor C