Leaving a Gospel Legacy Through Christ's Love
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, church. Today, we continue our series on what it means to leave a gospel legacy. As we delve into God's Word, we seek to understand how to navigate life's challenges and leave a lasting impact that reflects Christ's love. In my counseling sessions, people often ask for "how-to" solutions for their problems, but true guidance comes from trusting in God rather than relying solely on steps and procedures. This brings us to the central question: How do we leave a gospel legacy?
The answer lies in setting our hearts, souls, minds, and strength on Jesus, imitating Him by following His message. We turn to John 13, where Jesus, during the Last Supper, gives His disciples a new commandment: to love one another as He has loved them. This love is not based on the merits of the receiver or the benefits to the giver but is rooted in Christ's sacrificial love. Jesus exemplified this love by washing His disciples' feet and ultimately laying down His life for them.
The Greek word for this kind of love is "agape," which signifies self-giving, willful devotion, and concern for others' welfare. This love is cultivated by the Spirit of God and is characterized by actions that reflect Christ's love. Jesus' love was both grace and truth, as seen in His interactions with people like the woman caught in adultery. He demonstrated patience, forgiveness, and a willingness to speak the truth in love.
To love like Jesus, we must abide in Him, drawing sustenance and strength from our relationship with Him. This love is practical and tangible, expressed through actions like encouraging one another, bearing each other's burdens, and forgiving one another. These "one another" commands in the New Testament provide a roadmap for living out Christ's love in our daily lives.
Loving one another as Christ loved us is not just a command but a witness to the world. It shows the world that we are His disciples and draws others to Him. Our relationships within the church should reflect this love, creating a community that points to Jesus. As we strive to leave a gospel legacy, let us remember that love is the foundation. It is the beginning, middle, and end of our faith journey.
### Key Takeaways
1. Trust in God, Not Just Steps: In counseling, people often seek "how-to" solutions, but true guidance comes from trusting in God rather than relying solely on steps and procedures. This trust allows us to navigate life's challenges with faith, knowing that God is our ultimate guide. [25:37]
2. Agape Love: The Greek word "agape" signifies self-giving, willful devotion, and concern for others' welfare. This love is not based on the merits of the receiver or the benefits to the giver but is rooted in Christ's sacrificial love. It is cultivated by the Spirit of God and is characterized by actions that reflect Christ's love. [34:27]
3. Grace and Truth: Jesus' love was both grace and truth, as seen in His interactions with people like the woman caught in adultery. He demonstrated patience, forgiveness, and a willingness to speak the truth in love. This balance of grace and truth is essential in our relationships with others. [42:51]
4. Abiding in Christ: To love like Jesus, we must abide in Him, drawing sustenance and strength from our relationship with Him. This daily dependence on Christ allows His love to flow through us to others, enabling us to love sacrificially and selflessly. [52:50]
5. Practical Expressions of Love: The "one another" commands in the New Testament provide a roadmap for living out Christ's love in our daily lives. Actions like encouraging one another, bearing each other's burdens, and forgiving one another are practical ways to demonstrate Christ's love. [54:00]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[25:04] - Introduction and Prayer
[25:37] - Counseling and Trusting God
[26:06] - The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook
[27:24] - How to Leave a Gospel Legacy
[28:45] - Turning to John 13
[29:12] - Context of the Last Supper
[31:00] - Jesus' New Commandment
[32:16] - The Importance of Loving One Another
[33:03] - Defining Love
[34:27] - Agape Love
[35:20] - Love as a Choice
[36:35] - Keep on Loving
[42:51] - Grace and Truth
[44:59] - Abiding in Christ
[52:50] - Practical Expressions of Love
[54:00] - One Another Commands
[57:58] - Why We Should Love One Another
[01:00:18] - Loving for Christ's Sake
[01:01:32] - John's Message on Love
[01:02:26] - The Church in Ephesus
[01:06:40] - Reorienting Our Lives Around Jesus
[01:07:12] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. John 13:31-35 (ESV)
> When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
### Observation Questions
1. What command does Jesus give to His disciples in John 13:34-35?
2. How does Jesus describe the way His disciples should love one another? ([31:27])
3. What does Jesus say will be the result of His disciples loving one another? ([31:56])
4. In the context of the Last Supper, what significant actions did Jesus perform to demonstrate His love? ([29:58])
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is the command to love one another described as a "new commandment" by Jesus? ([38:46])
2. How does the concept of "agape" love differ from other types of love mentioned in the sermon? ([34:27])
3. What does it mean to "abide in Christ" and how does this enable us to love like Jesus? ([52:50])
4. How does the balance of grace and truth in Jesus' love challenge our own ways of loving others? ([42:51])
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you sought "how-to" solutions for a problem. How might trusting in God have changed your approach? ([25:37])
2. Think of a relationship where you struggle to show "agape" love. What practical steps can you take to demonstrate self-giving love in that relationship this week? ([34:27])
3. Jesus' love was both grace and truth. Identify a situation where you need to balance these two aspects in your interactions. How can you approach this situation differently? ([42:51])
4. Abiding in Christ is essential for loving like Him. What daily practices can you implement to deepen your relationship with Jesus? ([52:50])
5. The "one another" commands provide practical ways to love. Choose one command (e.g., encouraging one another, bearing burdens) and plan a specific action to live it out this week. ([54:00])
6. How can your small group create a community that reflects Christ's love and serves as a witness to the world? ([31:56])
7. Consider a person or group in your church who might feel unloved or overlooked. What can you do to show them Christ's love in a tangible way? ([57:18])
Devotional
Day 1: Trusting God Over Procedures
True guidance comes from trusting in God rather than relying solely on steps and procedures. In our daily lives, we often seek "how-to" solutions for our problems, hoping that a set of instructions will lead us to the desired outcome. However, the essence of navigating life's challenges lies in placing our trust in God. This trust allows us to face uncertainties with faith, knowing that God is our ultimate guide. When we rely on God, we open ourselves to His wisdom and direction, which surpasses any human understanding or method. [25:37]
Jeremiah 17:7-8 (ESV): "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit."
Reflection: Think of a current challenge you are facing. How can you shift your focus from seeking a step-by-step solution to placing your trust in God for guidance and resolution?
Day 2: Embracing Agape Love
Agape love signifies self-giving, willful devotion, and concern for others' welfare. This love is not based on the merits of the receiver or the benefits to the giver but is rooted in Christ's sacrificial love. It is cultivated by the Spirit of God and is characterized by actions that reflect Christ's love. Agape love calls us to love others selflessly, just as Jesus loved us, even to the point of laying down His life. This kind of love transforms our relationships and communities, making them reflections of God's kingdom on earth. [34:27]
1 John 4:10-11 (ESV): "In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."
Reflection: Identify someone in your life who may be difficult to love. How can you show them agape love this week, reflecting Christ's selfless and sacrificial love?
Day 3: Balancing Grace and Truth
Jesus' love was both grace and truth, as seen in His interactions with people like the woman caught in adultery. He demonstrated patience, forgiveness, and a willingness to speak the truth in love. This balance of grace and truth is essential in our relationships with others. Grace without truth can lead to permissiveness, while truth without grace can lead to harshness. By embodying both, we can offer genuine love that heals and transforms. [42:51]
Ephesians 4:15 (ESV): "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ."
Reflection: Think of a recent interaction where you struggled to balance grace and truth. How can you approach similar situations in the future with both grace and truth, following Jesus' example?
Day 4: Abiding in Christ
To love like Jesus, we must abide in Him, drawing sustenance and strength from our relationship with Him. This daily dependence on Christ allows His love to flow through us to others, enabling us to love sacrificially and selflessly. Abiding in Christ means remaining connected to Him through prayer, reading His Word, and living in obedience to His commands. It is through this intimate relationship that we are empowered to love others as He loved us. [52:50]
John 15:4-5 (ESV): "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."
Reflection: Reflect on your daily habits. What changes can you make to ensure you are abiding in Christ and drawing strength from your relationship with Him?
Day 5: Practical Expressions of Love
The "one another" commands in the New Testament provide a roadmap for living out Christ's love in our daily lives. Actions like encouraging one another, bearing each other's burdens, and forgiving one another are practical ways to demonstrate Christ's love. These commands are not just theoretical but are meant to be lived out in tangible ways within our communities. By practicing these commands, we create a loving and supportive environment that reflects the heart of Jesus. [54:00]
Galatians 6:2 (ESV): "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
Reflection: Choose one "one another" command from the New Testament. How can you intentionally practice this command in your interactions with others this week?
Quotes
1. "So this series that you're working through, and Pastor Ben has asked me to participate in, is designed to encourage us to put into practice that which will help us leave a gospel legacy. But to do that, all we really have to do is set our heart, soul, mind, and strength on Jesus. That's all we have to do. Imitating Him by following His message. It's a message so simple, right? Yet the greatest challenge, the greatest challenge we'll ever face." [28:14] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another just as I have loved you. You also are to love one another. By this, meaning loving one another, all people will know that you are my disciples. If you have love, love for one another. So what is the biggest command of the intimacy of this time? And Jesus is speaking to them for their sake. It's crazy loving that he'd do that because if you knew it was coming in the flesh there, you'd probably be running." [31:27] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Love is a choice to yield, pause, give way toward, a choice to yield to another's best interest for God's glory. A choice to yield to another's best interest to God's glory. Then there can be emotion in it. It doesn't always have to be, but there can be emotion in it. But it's not a feeling, is it? It's character and action. So if character is the ability to meet the demands of reality, sometimes our reality is that others need love. Do we have the character to step toward that?" [35:20] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Jesus constantly demonstrated love through lots of ways, didn't he? Exhorting and admonishing. He loved people enough to let them approach him as they were. In fact, he loved them so well that Jesus was nicknamed or judged as being what they were. He was called a drunkard and a glutton, was he? No, no. But he also loved people enough to invite them to step away from that which is keeping them in bondage, grace, truth." [43:53] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Jesus' love, of course, is obedient to the Father and sacrificial. This kind of love, this agape love, lays one's life down for another. And wonderfully, Jesus did exactly what he taught. Kings aren't known for that, are they? Have you ever had a boss that asks you to do something that they don't know? Themselves won't do? What kind of wells up in you toward them? Right? Jesus is not a hypocrite. In fact, everything he calls us to do, he's done. Or is doing." [45:47] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "So it might be good to ask as good Bible students, well then, okay, Jesus is saying love others as I have loved you. Well, how did he love? What are the scriptures that we have that indicate how Jesus loved? Well, we see examples throughout the gospels, don't we? Providing, caring, forgiving, telling the truth is a form of love. Sometimes I share with my clients and I shared with the first service that some of us are real grace-based people. All grace and no truth is a doormat. All truth and no grace is a hammer." [41:33] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "So I've been wondering as preparing for this time, why would Jesus take time to say this to them? Remember, try to put yourself in this situation. He's about to be betrayed. He's going to be brought before a sham of a trial, back and forth between Herod and Pilate and then the Sanhedrin, all this stuff. It's all terrible. And yet Jesus is saying, I want you, I want you to know, I want you to know this is going to be very hard for you and I want you to follow my instruction here. Love one another. Don't stop loving one another. Please don't stop. Please don't." [37:16] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Loving Christ. Loving as Christ communicates to the world around us something about Jesus, doesn't it? The quality of relationships amongst Christians is the effective witness for the gospel because it creates a kind of community into which people are naturally drawn. Designed to be drawn into. So our love for one another points others not to ourselves. But to Jesus. And so by loving like this we're redefining love for the world." [58:21] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "So what will this love look like practically? Yeah, yeah, yeah. We're supposed to love each other. Love, love, love. I got it. What's a tangible instead of an ethereal idea? What's something I could really grab? Well, throughout the rest of the New Testament and you're welcome to read it this week, you can find really a series of mutuality commands. These one another's you may find them to be. One another commands and really what they do is they put love into action because love is action but in what ways?" [54:00] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "Isn't it true if we're honest with ourselves that we don't always live up to what our faith demands? You failed in loving others. Me too. Bring this back to Jesus. Back to Jesus. Help us, help us. I failed, I blew it. Press into Jesus. Repent. Confess, which means to agree. And his arms are open. Pick us up. Dust us off. Build us up. Let's try again. Let's try. I'm working something out in you. I'm glad we're talking. Let's keep facing the people. Let's keep. Who is eligible to preach? Jesus." [01:05:43] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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