Follow (Week 4): The Love Language of Jesus

 
SAVE THE DATE:  Saturday, October 19, 2019: 5 Love Languages Conference with Gary Chapman here at FBC.
 
 
 
 

In case you are not familiar with the 5 love languages that are described in Chapman’s book, they are

  1. Gifts
  2. Quality Time;
  3. Words of Affirmation
  4. Acts of Service
  5. Physical Touch.
 
The first book focuses on the marriage relationship, but he has done follow up books to help us understand how to talk with our teens and children.
 
So from where did he draw his examples? The Bible. And who was his greatest example? JESUS! Think about it. Here is just a few examples” He gave the gift of healing to the blind man (John 9:1-12); He gave quality time to the disciples (John 3:22); He gave words of affirmation to the Samaritan woman (John 4:1-26); He served the disciples by washing their feet (Matthew 26:14-39); and He wanted people to know He was approachable by telling the disciples to let the children come to Him to hold them and bless them (Luke 18:15-17).
 
Over the last three weeks, we have heard that we are not to follow a “brand” or denomination, but we are to follow Christ!
 
We are to know that we can’t do this on our own, but need to listen to and live our lives in the power of the Holy Spirit at work in us.
 

We are to be people of prayer and in communication with our Heavenly Father so that He can reveal to us what His will is for our lives. We even heard Jesus’ own words in John 6:38 For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will.”

 

Reading Mark 1:17-18Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”  And they left their nets at once and followed him.

 

They didn’t hem and haw…at once they left! He didn’t hand them a manual to tell them what His plans were, they followed in faith.   Reading 1 John 2:5-6:  “But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.”

John had walked with Jesus, followed Him and His teachings, and knew what it meant to remain in his faith in Christ, even during the tough times.
 

So what love language of Jesus stands out the most to me? READ: John 13:4-15

 

Jesus put into action exactly what He had been teaching, showing, living out in front of the disciples as the final exclamation point before He would give His life on the cross! He had even given them a heads up about this after they had heard His parable about the workers in the vineyard. James & John’s mother came to talk with Jesus. They thought He was going to establish His kingdom here on earth by removing the Roman regime, and she wanted to make sure that her boys held good positions when Jesus took over. But He set them straight very quickly.

 

Matthew 20:25-28 “But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them.  But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,  and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”   His kingdom is a kingdom of love and He showed us how we are to live.   You have heard it said that actions speak louder than words…that the world will know that you care when you show that you care.  The Bible even says  Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”   (John 13:35)

 

But it can’t be one without the other.  It is BOTH AND…in word and in deed.

 

READ Colossians 3:12-17 We are all different, not just in skin color, or gender, but in upbringing and personalities.  I am thankful for that diversity! The body of Christ would be boring if we were all the same! But the one thing that brings us together so we can live in unity is the love of Jesus. God loved us so much that He sent His greatest gift, His Son, to the world, for each and every one of us. He desires for us to spend quality time with Him in our prayer and bible study time. He uses the written words of the Bible and the Holy Spirit to speak words of affirmation into our lives. He asks us to be His hands and feet to carry out the acts of service and be the physical presence to give a hand up or a hug when someone needs it.

 
We are not to be selfish in living our lives for what we want, but we are to surrender our lives to God and be selfless as we strive to be more like Jesus in our daily lives.
 
Paul writes it best in Galatians 5:13-14

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.  For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

 

Please understand that these are God’s words to us today! If we say that we are a follower of Jesus Christ, then we have to show it in everything that we do. There are many rich people who do good things, but many times, it is not truly costing them anything. We are called to “put some skin into the game”, and to live life with one another while reaching out to a world that is lost and dying without hope.

 
Follow Week 4:  Listen to it here
 
You can view the video series HERE.
 

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