Embracing the Transformative Power of God's Love
Summary
### Summary
Welcome to Trinity Lutheran Church on this 10th Sunday after Pentecost. Today, we reflect on the profound love of God, a love that transcends human understanding and limitations. We began with a story from Watchman Nee, a Chinese missionary, who demonstrated love by serving his neighbor first, even when it was inconvenient. This story sets the stage for our exploration of love as described by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians.
Paul challenges us to think about love in a new way, beyond our human experiences of love, which often include both highlights and failures. He reminds us that God's love is perfect and unfailing, unlike human love. Paul emphasizes that those who were once far from God have been brought near by the blood of Christ. This inclusion is a testament to the boundless and inclusive nature of God's love.
Paul prays fervently for the Ephesians to have the strength to comprehend the breadth, length, height, and depth of God's love. This divine love is not something we can understand or achieve by our own power; it is a gift from the Holy Spirit. This love is demonstrated most profoundly in Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, showing us that true love involves self-sacrifice and service to others.
We also looked at the story of Noah, who experienced God's saving love in the midst of a corrupt world, and the disciples, who encountered Jesus' love during a storm. These stories illustrate that God's love often meets us in our moments of discomfort and fear, transforming our lives in ways we cannot fully comprehend.
As we gather in this place, we are reminded that we are here to be transformed by God's love, to become vessels of this love in the world. Our prayer is to understand and embody this love, so that we can change the world around us, just as Jesus did. Let us strive to love others with the same depth and commitment that God loves us, making our church a beacon of hope and healing for all who seek it.
### Key Takeaways
1. God's Love is Inclusive and Transformative: Paul reminds us that those who were once far from God have been brought near by the blood of Christ. This inclusion shows that God's love is boundless and inclusive, transforming lives and breaking down barriers of exclusion. [37:19]
2. Understanding Divine Love Requires Strength: Paul prays for the Ephesians to have the strength to comprehend the vast dimensions of God's love. This love is not something we can grasp by our own efforts; it requires the Holy Spirit's work in our hearts. [38:38]
3. True Love Involves Self-Sacrifice: Jesus' ultimate demonstration of love was His sacrifice on the cross. This teaches us that true love involves self-sacrifice and serving others, even when it is inconvenient or difficult. [39:55]
4. God's Love Meets Us in Our Discomfort: The stories of Noah and the disciples show that God's love often meets us in our moments of discomfort and fear. It is in these times that we experience the profound depth of God's love and are transformed by it. [42:46]
5. We Are Called to Be Vessels of God's Love: As we gather in worship and receive God's love, we are called to become vessels of this love in the world. Our mission is to embody and share this love, making our church a place of hope and healing for all who seek it. [46:21]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[06:14] - Vision Statement and Announcements
[07:13] - Registration and Budget Vote
[12:17] - Confession and Absolution
[20:09] - Opening Prayer
[25:14] - Gospel Reading: Mark 6
[31:43] - Introduction: Watchman Nee Story
[32:51] - The Rice Farmer's Lesson
[33:39] - Paul's New Way of Love
[34:47] - Human Love vs. Divine Love
[36:08] - Inclusion Through Christ's Blood
[37:19] - Understanding God's Love
[38:38] - Strength to Comprehend
[39:55] - Jesus' Sacrificial Love
[41:09] - Noah's Experience of God's Love
[42:46] - Disciples' Encounter with Jesus
[44:12] - Becoming Vessels of God's Love
[46:21] - Prayer for Understanding
[47:24] - Impact of Divine Love
[48:22] - Closing Prayer and Benediction
[50:25] - Nicene Creed
[52:47] - Prayers of the Church
[01:02:59] - Holy Communion
[01:20:02] - Recessional Hymn
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Ephesians 3:14-19 (ESV)
> "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
2. Mark 6:45-56 (ESV)
> "Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, 'Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.' And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Paul pray for the Ephesians to have in Ephesians 3:14-19?
2. How does Jesus demonstrate His love for the disciples in Mark 6:45-56?
3. What was the reaction of the people when they recognized Jesus in Mark 6:54-56?
4. According to the sermon, how did Watchman Nee demonstrate love to his neighbor? [32:51]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Paul emphasize the need for strength to comprehend God's love in Ephesians 3:18-19? How does this relate to our human limitations in understanding divine love?
2. In what ways does the story of Jesus walking on water in Mark 6:45-56 illustrate the transformative power of God's love during times of fear and discomfort?
3. How does the sermon illustrate the difference between human love and divine love through the examples of Watchman Nee and the Apostle Paul? [33:39]
4. What does it mean to be a vessel of God's love, as described in the sermon? How can this concept change our approach to serving others? [46:21]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt far from God. How did you experience His love bringing you closer, similar to Paul's message in Ephesians 3:14-19? [37:19]
2. Think about a situation where you had to show love to someone who was difficult to love. How can the example of Watchman Nee inspire you to act differently in the future? [32:51]
3. How can you seek to understand the breadth, length, height, and depth of God's love in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to deepen this understanding? [38:38]
4. Jesus' love met the disciples in their moment of fear and discomfort. Can you identify a current challenge in your life where you need to trust in God's transformative love? [42:46]
5. The sermon calls us to be vessels of God's love. What specific actions can you take this week to embody and share God's love in your community? [46:21]
6. How can you practice self-sacrifice in your relationships, following Jesus' example of love on the cross? Identify one relationship where you can apply this principle. [39:55]
7. Reflect on the idea that God's love often meets us in our discomfort. How can you remain open to experiencing God's love in challenging situations? [42:46]
Devotional
Day 1: God's Love is Boundless and Inclusive
Description: God's love is not limited by human boundaries or conditions. The Apostle Paul reminds us that those who were once far from God have been brought near by the blood of Christ. This act of inclusion is a powerful testament to the boundless and inclusive nature of God's love. It breaks down barriers of exclusion and transforms lives, inviting everyone into a relationship with Him. This divine love is not just for a select few but is available to all who seek it, regardless of their past or present circumstances. [37:19]
Ephesians 2:13-14 (ESV): "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility."
Reflection: Think of someone you know who feels far from God. How can you show them the inclusive love of Christ today?
Day 2: Comprehending God's Love Requires Divine Strength
Description: Understanding the vast dimensions of God's love is not something we can achieve through our own efforts. Paul prays for the Ephesians to have the strength to comprehend the breadth, length, height, and depth of God's love. This comprehension requires the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, as divine love surpasses human understanding. It is a gift that we must seek through prayer and spiritual growth, allowing the Holy Spirit to open our hearts and minds to the fullness of God's love. [38:38]
Ephesians 3:16-19 (ESV): "That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need the Holy Spirit's strength to understand God's love more deeply? Pray for that strength today.
Day 3: True Love Involves Self-Sacrifice
Description: Jesus' ultimate demonstration of love was His sacrifice on the cross. This act of self-sacrifice teaches us that true love involves putting others before ourselves, even when it is inconvenient or difficult. It is a call to serve others with the same depth and commitment that Jesus showed. This kind of love is not based on feelings or convenience but on a deliberate choice to prioritize the well-being of others, reflecting the sacrificial love of Christ in our daily lives. [39:55]
John 15:13 (ESV): "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."
Reflection: Identify one way you can practice self-sacrificial love today. How can you serve someone else, even if it is inconvenient for you?
Day 4: God's Love Meets Us in Our Discomfort
Description: The stories of Noah and the disciples illustrate that God's love often meets us in our moments of discomfort and fear. Noah experienced God's saving love in the midst of a corrupt world, and the disciples encountered Jesus' love during a storm. These moments of discomfort are opportunities for us to experience the profound depth of God's love and to be transformed by it. God's love is not limited to our moments of comfort but is most powerfully demonstrated in our times of need and vulnerability. [42:46]
Isaiah 43:2 (ESV): "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you."
Reflection: Think about a current challenge or fear you are facing. How can you invite God's love into this situation and allow it to transform you?
Day 5: We Are Called to Be Vessels of God's Love
Description: As recipients of God's transformative love, we are called to become vessels of this love in the world. Our mission is to embody and share this love, making our church a place of hope and healing for all who seek it. This involves actively seeking ways to demonstrate God's love through our actions, words, and attitudes, creating an environment where others can experience the same transformative love that we have received. [46:21]
1 John 4:11-12 (ESV): "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us."
Reflection: How can you be a vessel of God's love today? Identify one specific action you can take to show God's love to someone in your community.
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "We believe that everybody has a unique faith journey and that we all have a voice to lend to the cause of the gospel in this place for the purpose of magnifying the name of Jesus around us." [06:14] (12 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Paul teaches that it takes strength. It takes strength to understand this love because to know the love of Christ this way, to understand its depth, to understand its height, to understand what kind of love this is, is to love other. Because this is how Jesus shows us. His love, he demonstrates his love for us that while we were yet sinners, he would go to the cross." [39:55] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Imagine if our love for people was like the love Paul prayed. Imagine if we were the answer to that prayer, if we understood the height and the depth and the width of the love of Jesus. That people from all over would know that he is here and they would be stacked up out there, that the hopeless and the homeless and the suffering and the anxious and the lost and the forgotten were all arriving here at Trinity hoping to just catch a glimpse of this person that we call Jesus." [47:24] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "Paul tells the Ephesians that he bows his knees. Paul is telling them, I'm praying, I'm praying fervently, I'm praying from my knees that you would have the strength to comprehend this love that God has for you. The breadth and the length and the height and the depth of it. We're not talking about silly little human love. We are talking about the love of God." [38:38] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Today you cannot. You cannot love God. You cannot love others. You can't even love yourself as God has designed by your own power or reason or strength because this love comes from outside of us. It comes from a bigger source than us." [39:55] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "The love of God that Paul is praying for, not just praying. Imagine he is on his knees, he is, he is, he is praying the love of God that Paul prays. We would understand comes from a place beyond our comfort. It comes from a place beyond our, our understanding. It comes from a place where Jesus dares to approach the woman at the well where, where he. Challenges us to reconsider casting the first stone where he, he puts aside his kingly dignity and allows himself to be nailed to the cross." [42:46] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "We are coming here that we would be the answer to Paul's prayer, that we would know the height and the depth and the breadth of the love of God in a way that would change us and change the church and change the world. so we learn to love more like Jesus. And that is our ability to love. And as our ability to love. to love like Jesus grows, the world around us takes notice and respond like they did at the end of the gospel text for this morning." [46:21] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Today, I want us to join together in Paul's prayer. Amen. Amen. As we would go from this place, we would seek to understand, not in perfection, but in pursuit. And we would walk from here and say, Lord, help me to understand this kind of love because I want to love people in a way that changes the world. But for that to happen, Lord, you have to change me. Help me to love you in a way that changes me." [49:18] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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