Crazy Little Thing called Love

Goodmorning! Because Christmas is in the

air and Christmas day is just around the
corner, I wanted to share this short
video with you about the birth of Jesus.
[video]
Okay so we all know why Jesus was sent to
earth right? John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave
His one and only Son, that whoever
believes in Him shall not perish but
have eternal life.
God sent His Son because He loves us. He
loves the world. If this is what God’s
love looks like, what does our love look
like?
Mark 12:29
What does it mean to love your neighbour
as yourself? Eddie Issachar says that
it’s more like self-policing. Do you
want people to kill you or to steal your
stuff? No? So then you should probably
not kill them or steal their stuff.

But love is so much more than that isn’t

it? Because let’s be honest most of us
sitting here don’t steal or kill but yet
we struggle to love people don’t we?
Pink has this brilliant line in one of
her songs where she says: “ At the same
time I want to love you and wrap hands
around your neck.”
You know people like that. Don’t you?
You love them...but some days you just
want to strangle them.
Over the last couple of weeks I have been
thinking about the many ways that we love
people and more-over the many ways that
we think that we love people. And there
are many. But today we will only be
looking at 3 of these ways.
Before we look at this list, let’s first
just get some clarity on who exactly is
our neighbour.
1. Matthew 25:31-40
The Robot Guy
This passage normally inflicts us with
guilt. It’s one of those passages that
we would rather like to skip in the
Bible. We will read the passages about
hell but please just don’t give me a
passage about helping someone.
The other day as I approached a red robot
there was this guy...
Uncomfortable at that robot. We start
having this inner conflict... We sing
break our hearts for what breaks yours
but when we do notice someone in need,
then we have this line-up of excuses.
Guilt accompanied by excuses...
Judge person in 8 seconds...
Magic R2...
Basic human needs
Food
[video]
3. Dr Phil
James 1:19-20
You have one mouth and two ears, use it
accordingly. Conversation...
Don’t listen, formulate a
monologue...don’t listen to feelings
Advice...
Why do we do this? Because we sometimes
have this need to control people...we
know what’s best for them so if they
will just do what we say... but love is
allowing people to be who they are.
Allowing them to be human and make
mistakes.
1 Corinthians 3:6-9
The responsibility was never yours to
change a person. Your only responsibility
was to love the person. God will change
them.
3. The black sheep
Matthew 18:22
I sometimes wonder if this isn’t a
control issue...I want you to stop doing
this not because it is bad for you but
because you are making me feel bad.
So many times you here of family members
disowning another family member because
of something that they have done.
Don’t you think that there is a reason
why Jesus said 70 times 7? It’s because
He knew that we as humans fail time and
time again.
Two and a half men

So what is love?
You know that you’re loving someone when
it’s not about you.
When you don’t have to look good.
When you help people get off the street
not because they are a nuisance but
because you care for them
When people don’t follow your advice but
you choose to pick them up everytime they
fall.
When even after committing the worst sin
possible you still acknowledge their
worth.