JOURNEY FROM THE CROSS: LOVING GOD IS LOVING OTHERS

Sermon Notes, April 14, 2013

Pastor Jan Sinozich

 

Pastor Jan’s message was titled “Journey from the Cross: Loving God is Loving Others” and was based on Mark 12:30-31, and John 21:1-19.  When Jesus was asked “What is the greatest commandment?” he answered “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” He also said the second was like it, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 

Sometimes it looks to us like God is far away; we keep beating ourselves up as being failures.  But we are looking at a picture not fully developed.  How can we operate without seeing ourselves as God sees us?  We need to see ourselves as God sees us so we can see others as He does.  How well do we love ourselves?

At Jesus’ trial, three times Peter had a chance to defend Jesus, but he doesn’t.  He’s a bonafide failure.  His fears, his picture of himself, won out.  In John 21 we see the picture of how God sees him.  This is after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, and although the disciples had seen him twice, they still didn’t know what to do.  So Peter says, “I’m going fishing,” and the others go with him.  They fished all night but caught nothing.  In verses 4-9, we see a second chance for Peter.  A man on the shore tells them to cast their nets on the other side.  When they do, there are so many fish they can barely haul in the nets.  Peter recognizes the Lord, and swims to shore.  In verses 10-14 Jesus serves bread and fish to the disciples, and afterward he talks to Peter (v. 15-19) Notice the name change: he calls him “Simon,” not “Peter,” the rock.  He asks, three times, “Do you love me?”  Jesus uses the word for love that means divine love.  Peter, remembering his denials, answers with the word for love that means brotherly love, or fondness. The third time Jesus asks him if he even loves him like a brother, and again tells Peter to “Feed my sheep.”  Even though Peter saw himself as unworthy, Jesus saw him as one who could carry out the assignments God gave him.

Peter changes how he sees the Lord, so he changes how he sees himself, and how he sees others.  He realizes, “I can’t go back to fishing.  If Jesus loves me, I have to love myself as he sees me.  And I have to love others has I do myself.”  When God looks at us as his children, he sees his Son, Jesus.  He sees us in unconditional love.  If we don’t understand his unconditional love for us, we can’t show his unconditional love to others.    Mark 12:30-31 tells us to Love God, Love ourselves as He does, and Love Others.  If we keep looking at ourselves as the world does, we’re saying that Jesus’ death on the cross didn’t matter.  If we lift Him up, He will take over: tell what He’s done for you, the difference He’s made, and the Holy Spirit will do the rest.