Radical Love: Cultivating Our Obsession with God
Summary
In today's world, we often find ourselves caught up in various obsessions, whether it's sports, careers, or personal interests. However, the ultimate obsession we should cultivate is our relationship with God. When God is not our primary focus, we risk becoming lukewarm in our faith, a state that Jesus warns against in Revelation 3. To keep our faith vibrant and alive, we must intentionally pursue a deep and passionate love for God and others.
In Luke 6, Jesus challenges us to love not just those who love us but also our enemies. This radical love is not natural; it is supernatural and marks us as true followers of Christ. Loving our enemies requires us to step beyond our comfort zones and extend grace and mercy, just as God has done for us. This love is not about the worthiness of the other person but about our obedience to God, who first loved us.
Understanding and experiencing God's love is crucial for us to love others genuinely. We are called to love because God is kind to the ungrateful and wicked, which includes us. Our motivation to love should stem from our knowledge of God's unconditional love and our identity as His children. This love is not about what we can gain but about being obedient to God in all things.
Moreover, we must recognize the mercy we've been given. Mercy is not receiving the punishment we deserve, and it is closely tied to grace, which is receiving blessings we do not deserve. God's mercy is new every morning, and as recipients of His grace, we are called to extend mercy to others. Our lives should be conduits of God's love, flowing into the lives of those around us.
As we strive to love all people, we reflect God's love and make Him known in the world. This commitment to love transforms us and those we encounter, making our world a better place. Let us be a church known for our love for God and people, serving both with passion and dedication.
Key Takeaways:
- Obsess with God, Not the World: In a world full of distractions, our ultimate obsession should be God. When God is not our focus, we risk becoming lukewarm in our faith, which is spiritually dangerous. To keep our faith alive, we must intentionally pursue a deep love for God and others. [03:33]
- Love Beyond Comfort: Jesus calls us to love not just those who love us but also our enemies. This kind of love is supernatural and marks us as true followers of Christ. It requires stepping beyond our comfort zones and extending grace and mercy, just as God has done for us. [09:42]
- Experience God's Love: Our ability to love others genuinely stems from understanding and experiencing God's love. We are called to love because God is kind to the ungrateful and wicked, which includes us. Our motivation to love should be driven by our knowledge of God's unconditional love. [19:53]
- Recognize and Extend Mercy: Mercy is not receiving the punishment we deserve, and it is closely tied to grace. As recipients of God's mercy, we are called to extend mercy to others. Our lives should be conduits of God's love, flowing into the lives of those around us. [27:29]
- Transform Through Love: As we strive to love all people, we reflect God's love and make Him known in the world. This commitment to love transforms us and those we encounter, making our world a better place. Let us be a church known for our love for God and people, serving both with passion and dedication. [34:43]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [02:36] - The World of Obsession
- [03:33] - God as Our Ultimate Obsession
- [04:33] - Avoiding Lukewarm Faith
- [05:41] - Love for Enemies
- [06:50] - Commitment to Love All
- [08:49] - The Challenge of Loving Enemies
- [09:42] - Supernatural Love
- [12:18] - The Role of the Holy Spirit
- [13:09] - The New Commandment
- [14:43] - Vulnerability in Love
- [17:10] - Knowing God's Love
- [18:49] - God's Kindness to Us
- [19:53] - Our Motivation to Love
- [21:53] - Love Beyond Deserving
- [22:42] - Returning to God's Love
- [27:29] - Recognizing Mercy
- [28:22] - Thanksgiving and Blessings
- [34:43] - Commitment to Love
- [35:55] - Baptism and New Beginnings
- [36:56] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Luke 6:32-36
- Revelation 3:15-16
- John 13:34-35
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Observation Questions:
1. In Luke 6:32-36, what does Jesus say about loving those who love us compared to loving our enemies? How does this challenge our natural inclinations? [05:41]
2. According to Revelation 3:15-16, what does Jesus say about being lukewarm in faith, and why is it considered dangerous? [03:33]
3. How does John 13:34-35 describe the new commandment Jesus gives, and what is its significance for His followers? [13:09]
4. What examples of worldly obsessions were mentioned in the sermon, and how do they contrast with being obsessed with God? [02:36]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. Why does Jesus emphasize loving our enemies in Luke 6, and how does this reflect the nature of God's love for us? [05:41]
2. How can being lukewarm in faith, as described in Revelation 3, affect a believer's relationship with God and their spiritual growth? [03:33]
3. In what ways does the command to love one another in John 13 serve as a distinguishing mark of Jesus' disciples? [13:09]
4. How does the sermon suggest that understanding God's mercy and grace can transform our approach to loving others? [27:29]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current obsessions. Are there any that might be distracting you from making God your ultimate focus? How can you shift your priorities this week? [02:36]
2. Think of someone you find difficult to love. What practical steps can you take to extend love and grace to them, as Jesus commands in Luke 6? [05:41]
3. How can you actively avoid becoming lukewarm in your faith? What specific actions can you take to keep your spiritual life vibrant and passionate? [04:33]
4. Consider the mercy and grace you have received from God. How can you intentionally extend that same mercy to someone in your life this week? [27:29]
5. In what ways can you demonstrate the love of Christ in your community, making it evident that you are His disciple? [13:09]
6. Identify a situation where you have struggled to forgive someone. How can returning to the "great love of the great lover" help you in this process? [22:42]
7. How can you incorporate the practice of loving all people, including those who are different from you, into your daily routine? What might be a first step in doing so? [09:42]
Devotional
Day 1: Cultivating a God-Centered Obsession
In a world filled with distractions, it is easy to become consumed by various obsessions such as careers, sports, or personal interests. However, the most important obsession we should cultivate is our relationship with God. When God is not our primary focus, we risk becoming lukewarm in our faith, a state that Jesus warns against in Revelation 3. To keep our faith vibrant and alive, we must intentionally pursue a deep and passionate love for God and others. This requires a conscious effort to prioritize our spiritual life over worldly distractions, ensuring that our hearts remain fervent and committed to our Creator. [03:33]
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21, ESV)
Reflection: What is one worldly obsession you can set aside this week to focus more on your relationship with God?
Day 2: Embracing Supernatural Love
Jesus challenges us to love not just those who love us but also our enemies, as seen in Luke 6. This radical love is not natural; it is supernatural and marks us as true followers of Christ. Loving our enemies requires us to step beyond our comfort zones and extend grace and mercy, just as God has done for us. This love is not about the worthiness of the other person but about our obedience to God, who first loved us. By embracing this supernatural love, we reflect the heart of God and demonstrate the transformative power of His love in our lives. [09:42]
"But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you." (Luke 6:27, ESV)
Reflection: Identify someone you consider an enemy or someone difficult to love. How can you show them love and grace this week?
Day 3: Experiencing God's Unconditional Love
Understanding and experiencing God's love is crucial for us to love others genuinely. We are called to love because God is kind to the ungrateful and wicked, which includes us. Our motivation to love should stem from our knowledge of God's unconditional love and our identity as His children. This love is not about what we can gain but about being obedient to God in all things. By experiencing God's love, we are empowered to extend that same love to others, reflecting His kindness and mercy in our interactions. [19:53]
"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8, ESV)
Reflection: How have you experienced God's unconditional love in your life, and how can you share that love with someone today?
Day 4: Recognizing and Extending Mercy
Mercy is not receiving the punishment we deserve, and it is closely tied to grace, which is receiving blessings we do not deserve. God's mercy is new every morning, and as recipients of His grace, we are called to extend mercy to others. Our lives should be conduits of God's love, flowing into the lives of those around us. Recognizing the mercy we've been given helps us to be more compassionate and forgiving towards others, allowing us to be instruments of God's love and grace in a world that desperately needs it. [27:29]
"Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful." (Luke 6:36, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a situation where you can extend mercy to someone who may not deserve it. How can you act on this today?
Day 5: Transforming the World Through Love
As we strive to love all people, we reflect God's love and make Him known in the world. This commitment to love transforms us and those we encounter, making our world a better place. Let us be a church known for our love for God and people, serving both with passion and dedication. By living out this love, we become agents of change, bringing hope and healing to a broken world. Our love for others is a testament to our faith and a powerful witness to the transformative power of God's love. [34:43]
"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35, ESV)
Reflection: How can you actively demonstrate God's love in your community this week, and what impact do you hope it will have?
Quotes
"We live in a world of obsession, but in a world of obsession, our ultimate obsession ought to be God Himself. We ought to be obsessed with God, knowing Him more, serving Him more, worshiping Him more." [00:03:06] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"And how, when God is not our obsession, what ultimately results is that we end up lukewarm in our faith. And Revelation chapter 3 in the New Testament speaks of how that is not only eternally dangerous, but how Jesus Himself despises it." [00:04:20] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"To be obsessed with love as we continue to grow deeper in love with God. In our Bibles, on your apps, or if you want to follow along on the screen, we're in the Gospel of Luke." [00:05:04] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"Now this teaching of Jesus reveals to us how we can develop and how we can cultivate an obsession with love that will result in our faith continuing to burn brightly and hotly in our lives. And the first thing our text reveals is that Jesus, is asking us to make a commitment to love all people." [00:06:27] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"And Jesus is telling us it is the true mark of someone who follows him. It's the true mark. You know, the reality is that on our own, on our own and by our own power, we will find it very, very difficult to love, to love all people, to love those people that we disagree with, to love those people who offend us, to love those people who hurt us, to love those people who anger us." [00:10:17] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"Our motivation to love and our desire to be obedient to Jesus' command to love, it must be driven. It must be driven by our knowledge of God's love." [00:20:10] (13 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"Lastly Jesus says we need to recognize the mercy that we've been given recognize the mercy that you've been given last verse in our text verse 36 jesus says be merciful just as your father is merciful be merciful just as your father is merciful now let's just be honest with ourselves this is a tough one to hear that this instruction to be merciful seems to to focus in on the area of life where most of us struggle where most of us tend to come up short probably frequently because what i know about myself and what i know about the human heart is that i love it i absolutely love when mercy is extended to me oh man that's great thank you for extending mercy to me you but often it can seem unappealing even like a chore to extend mercy to others" [00:25:13] (73 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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