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SERMON DATE AND TITLE:20120729: "The Paradox of Loving"This page streams the audio-only sermon, when available, in downloadable SWF flash format. It begins playing upon opening this pageWant a download or CD copy? Read this. The sermon outline is below, when available. |
The Paradox of Loving SERMON STARTER The Paradox of Loving is that we are commanded to love, but those we love will often choose not to love us back. Country Western music plays this theme over and over. The lover is frustrated because the one they love doesn't respond to them. They are sometimes sad bar-ballad, Crying-in-your-beer songs. The theme of unfulfilled love and mood of frustration is common. There is no difference in traditional churches today. Pastor Dan Weaver of the Del Amo Southern Baptist Church in Torrance, California was confused. His music director, John Sheldon was leaving him after 9 years of faithful service. I was not a member of pastor Dan's Church, but he and I were friends and occasionally we met and talked together. It seems that John and Pastor Dan's daughter got into conflict the previous Wednesday night at choir practice. John wanted the piano turned a certain way, and pastor Dan's daughter wanted the piano turned a different way. AFTER ALL! SHE was the pianist, wasn't she? The music director has her rights doesn't she? Later, when I talked with John the music director, he said, "Well, I guess it is pretty petty isn't it? But it's time to be moving on, anyway! Nine years is long enough at one church!" Too often when people leave, there is a bad spirit between people. Where is Christ's command to love? People tend to leave a church or employment situation, sad or mad. Mostly, they leave mad, overtaken by their own rage. I was a witness to pastor Dan's feelings of pain and rejection. Their poor congregation was left with confusion. Against this too-often backdrop, we are commanded to love. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another." John 13:33-34 There are no options in this command. Jesus gave us a command, a divine order on how to behave and conduct yourself. This sermon explores the complexities of loving in the modern church setting. Pastor Phil <><<
JULY 29, 2,012 Sheepfold Ministries, Pastor Phil Roland
The Paradox of Loving Luke 6:20-35 "The Paradox of Loving is that we are commanded to love, but those we love will often choose not to love us back." Pastor Phil <><<
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another." John 13:33-34
PARADOX = "A statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth." LOVING WITH GOD'S LOVE HAS THREE PARADOXES: I. THE DIVINE PARADOX - Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 A. Biblical Truth often comes to us as "Truth in Tension" 1. God HATES and God LOVES at the same time 2. God Hates Sin, but God Loves Sinners B. We are Commanded to Love the Undeserving 1. Isn't that "Casting Pearls before Swine?" - Matthew 7:6 "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces." 2. Jesus deliberately died for the ungodly - Romans 5:6 died for the ungodly." C. The Divine Paradox: "God Hates Sin, but Loves Sinners" 1. Technically, the phrase isn't in the Bible 2. St. Augustine was first to say, "Love the sinner but hate the sin" D. God Loves Us, but doesn’t protect us from pain 1. God does say, “I WILL be with you thru trial and pain” 2. Yet, we FEEL in the trial, conflict, tribulation . . .ALONE 3. It always HURTS to love people with Christ's love 4. Ask Jesus: There's the Paradox
LOVING WITH GOD'S LOVE HAS A SECOND PARADOX: II. THE PASTORAL PARADOX - 1 Corinthians 1:18-27 "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." v. 18 THE PARADOX OF LOVING, p. 2
A. Paradox of Gospel Preaching: Foolishness and Power 1. Paradoxes: Wisdom of God - Foolishness of Man's Wisdom 2. Called and Commanded to Preach the Gospel - 2 Tim. 4:2 "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction." 3. Treated with Contempt and Hostility by those who hear it 4. The Hearer of the Gospel Message has Three Choices a. Discredit the Message b. Destroy the Messenger c. Repent and be changed by the Gospel of Jesus 5. The Gospel of Jesus is like a rock thrown through my living room window and into my lap: It demands a response a. I can be calm about it b. I can be hostile about it c. The choice is mine B. Pastoral Paradox of Loving 1. I can only PREACH THE WORD of God 2. John Wesley asked young preachers Two Questions a. Has anyone been converted under your ministry? b. Does anyone hate you for preaching the Gospel to them? 3. A "No" to either question meant rejection of the candidate 4. I cannot make mankind respond to it in Love - Luke 6:22;26 "Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake." 26 "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets." 5. Pastor’s desire to love ALL PEOPLE/Told by Jealous members: “If you love and accept them, you can’t love me!” a. People are Exclusive and Divisive by nature b. They learn in their Families of Origin to withhold love c. They will act out the same behavior in the church 6. Read the "Chicken" illustration C. Called by Christ to do His work/ Hired by Congregation to do work 1. Pastors are not "Hirelings/Employees" paid to do ministry 2. At the Sign of Trouble Hirelings Flee - John 10:13 "The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep." 3. Christ’s Love is “Genuine” and “For Real” D. Personal Paradoxes 1. Alcoholic Father / Nurturing Mother 2. Father was non-complementary, angry, critical fault-finding a. Results in Offspring with Strong need for Acceptance b. Strong need for Approval /To be Liked 3. God has a sense of humor to call ACOA's into His Ministry
THE PARADOX OF LOVING, p. 3
III. CONGREGATIONAL PARADOXES A. Called to Love the Unlovable, but they will Hurt you in response 1. Love your enemies, and do good - . Luke 6:35 "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil." 2. How do you feel: Loving and feeling hate in return? 3. What's it like: Loving and feeling rejection in return? B. Congregational government IMPLIES that the spirit of judgment resides in the people. . . Luke 6:37 "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." 1. Can you see the Paradox here? 2. Loving people vs. Judging them 3. We are committed to more than promoting agendas a. Attracting crowds b. Religious Jargon c. Church Rituals 4. We have a Christ-Commanded Order to Love- John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." C. If it is Judgment that rules us, it is tempered with Jesus' Love
The Paradox of Loving Chicken Illustration Al Schriner, a Santa Rosa California Poultryman makes contact lenses for chickens. He turns out 150,000 pains of tiny eyepieces for barnyard fowl everyday. The lenses, made of molded plastic, fit snugly over the chicken's eyeball. Unlike human contact lenses which help humans to see better; these "Chicken-Lenses" have built-in distortion which causes them to see less accurately. The reason for the lenses is simple: chickens on big poultry farms no longer run the fields. They are confined to cages or crowded chicken houses where they fed and fattened. This crowdedness causes severe social problems among the chickens. They peck, attack and kill one another. With Al Schriner's lenses they see the world so distortedly, they remain confused until the Kentucky Fried Chicken house gets them. Hmmmm. . .Too bad they don't have "Chicken-Lenses" for some Christians I have met!
The Paradox of Loving Closing Illustration Michaelangelo, the world-famous sculptor was faced with a paradox. He was examining a huge block of marble with the idea of using it for an 8-ton piece of statuary. Another sculptor had tried to use the same piece of marble and had cut too bag a slice out of the side. He discarded the piece considering it ruined. BUT THE TRAINED EYE OF MICHAELANGELO SAW POSSIBILITIES. He carved from the lop-sided piece of unlikely marble the famous statue of David. It stands 9 cubits tall. The sliced-off side of marble became the curve of the body of David. Michaelangelo captures David in that moment just after he has hurled the stone that felled Goliath. The Lord God has taken the marred, discarded piece of your life and created something He can use in His Kingdom of Love. There are no paradoxes with Him: only His Love and His Mercy. . .
The Paradox of Loving Luke 6:20-36 (NKJV) THE PARADOX OF LOVING, cont.
34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.
Christian Line Art about God's Love http://www.godloves.us/clipart.htm
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