Bernard Gabbott - Sunday, 26 June 2022
God's Love for Us
Scripture References: 1 John 4:7-21, Ephesians 2:1-10, Hosea 11:1-11
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Close‘Love is love’ is such a warm and fuzzy and nice phrase. It is one of the catchphrases of our times. But what does it mean? And do we realise the inconsistency of defining a word by itself… as well as the way in which such a phrase is logically inconsistent (Is my love for ice-cream the same as my love for my wife? Is the love of Jesus the same as the love of Amnon for Tamar?)… as well as the way such a phrase works as a catch-all justification for any form/type/expression of love that I find acceptable/desirable? We need some clarity on ‘love’. In this week’s ‘love’, we are looking at God’s love for us as humans – and we will see that love in the Bible (which really means all of life) is defined sharply, clearly, and wonderfully – by God.
Scripture References: 1 John 4:7-21, Ephesians 2:1-10, Hosea 11:1-11
Related Topics: Love | More Messages from Bernard Gabbott | Download Audio
Jesus has finally made it to Jerusalem. As Matthew prepares us for His entry into Jerusalem, he helps us confront Jesus’ authority, and the way in which it restores the concern of God for the outsider, and confronts the insider. This is the start of the Passover week. Jerusalem is a roiling maelstrom of religious and political fervour. And Matthew organises the narrative of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem around displays of His authority, rooted in recognition of His ‘old power’ – four Old Testament quotations structure the passage. As we come face-to-face with Jesus’ authority, three truths stand out. First, Jesus’ authority is extensive and all-encompassing. Second, Jesus’ authority is for the outsider, and rooted in God’s deep commitment to bring the outsider inside His kingdom. And, third, Jesus authority confronts the insider, and urges them to repentance. Come and meet Jesus, the King, in all His authority, as He enters Jerusalem!
What is greatness? In particular, what is greatness in the kingdom of God? That is the question addressed in the passage from Matthew today. Jesus is approached by two different groups. First, the family of Zebedee: James and John and their mother. Second, two blind men. Jesus asks both groups the same question “What do you want me to do for you?” What they request is quite revealing. And so is Jesus’ response to their requests. The Zebedees request position, status, reward for effort. The blind men request mercy, for their eyes to be open. Which request lines up with Jesus’ teaching previously? Which request do we tend to go to ourselves?
The Department of Home Affairs has an Australian Values Statement on its website. Visa applicants for residency/citizenship must sign this. And one of its key principles is that we are a ‘fair-go’ country. We would all agree with that. I suspect, too, that we would summarise our ‘fair go’ culture by stating that ‘you get what you deserve/what you work for’. In fact, many of us have established our relational, social and work ethics on this very principle. But is that what the ‘kingdom of heaven is like’? What is its value statement? What is the hallmark of such a kingdom, and its ruler, even its citizenship? Today, after Jesus has assured his disciples that the dependent will be provided for by their king, he now uses the same ideas to issue with them a warning not to abuse, misuse, ignore or become entitled in the face of the kingdom of heaven hallmark—which is grace.
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