Reordering Our Loves: Embracing Divine Affection
Summary
In today's sermon, we explored the profound theme of love and its rightful place in our lives, particularly focusing on the divine love that should reign supreme. We began by considering the stark differences between two couples who started with the same aspirations for a loving marriage but ended up in vastly different situations due to how they prioritized their loves. This illustration set the stage for a deeper discussion on the nature of disordered loves and their consequences.
We delved into the teachings of James, who challenges us to examine the root causes of conflicts and quarrels among us. James points out that these are not merely incidental but stem from passions and desires that are at war within us. However, it's crucial to recognize that the issue isn't passion itself, which can be positive, but rather passions that become weaponized due to disorder.
The central part of our discussion focused on how to live a devotional life as opposed to a disordered one. This involves resisting the devil, submitting to God, and purifying our hearts. Each of these steps requires a deep commitment and a reorientation of our lives around God's divine love. By resisting the devil, we reject his deceptions and the false rights he tempts us with. Submitting to God involves recognizing His authority and yielding to Him as our protector and guide. Purifying our hearts is about genuine repentance, turning away from deceitful promises, and embracing the unblushing promises of reward in Christ.
We also reflected on the nature of God's love for us, which is not transactional but relational. God's jealousy for us is not petty but a holy envy that desires the best for us. This divine affection sets the foundation for our devotional life, reminding us that it begins not with our love for God but with His enduring love for us.
In conclusion, we were reminded of the power of grace, which reorders our disordered loves and lifts us up. Grace is not merely about tolerating us but about transforming and exalting us in Christ. As we draw near to God, He promises to draw near to us, fulfilling the deepest desires of our hearts with His perfect love.
### Key Takeaways
1. Understanding Disordered Loves: The conflicts and quarrels among us often stem from disordered loves—passions that have become weaponized. By identifying and understanding these disordered loves, we can begin to address the root causes of conflict in our lives and communities. This understanding is crucial for moving towards a life centered on divine love. [05:07]
2. The Power of Divine Love: Placing divine love at the top of our lives orders and harmonizes all other loves. Unlike human loves, which can become idols and lead to disorder, divine love has the capacity to bear the weight of our needs and expectations, providing a firm foundation for all other aspects of our lives. [07:04]
3. Resisting and Submitting: To live a devotional life, we must actively resist the devil and submit to God. Resisting involves rejecting the lies and temptations that lead us astray, while submitting requires us to embrace God's authority and protection. This dual action fortifies us against spiritual attacks and aligns us more closely with God's will. [10:23]
4. The Role of Repentance: Genuine repentance is a critical component of purifying our hearts. It involves more than quick apologies; it requires a deep, sustained commitment to turning away from sin and towards God. This slow repentance allows us to fully appreciate and embody the changes God wants to make in our lives. [15:18]
5. Grace and Transformation: Grace is the divine mechanism that reorders our disordered loves and elevates us to a place of honor in Christ. It is not a passive acceptance but an active force that changes us from the inside out, enabling us to live lives that reflect God's love and holiness. [22:29]
### Chapters
0:00 - Welcome
01:35 - The Tale of Two Marriages
03:27 - The Root of Conflicts
05:07 - Weaponized Passions
07:04 - The Chief Love
08:37 - Devotional Life Introduced
10:23 - Resisting the Devil
12:10 - Submitting to God
13:49 - Purifying Our Hearts
15:18 - The Slow Repentance
17:09 - God's Devotion to Us
18:41 - God's Jealous Love
20:18 - Drawing Near to God
22:29 - The Power of Grace
24:41 - Closing Prayer and Benediction
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. James 4:1-10
2. Revelation 12:9
3. Exodus 34:14
#### Observation Questions
1. According to James 4:1, what does James identify as the root cause of quarrels and fights among believers? ([03:27])
2. How does James describe the nature of God's jealousy in James 4:5? ([05:07])
3. What are the three actions James instructs believers to take in James 4:7-8 to live a devotional life? ([08:37])
4. In Revelation 12:9, how is the devil described, and what is his primary activity? ([08:37])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. What does it mean for passions to be "weaponized" according to the sermon, and how does this concept relate to James 4:1-2? ([05:07])
2. How does the idea of "submitting to God" in James 4:7-8 help believers resist the devil's deceptions? ([10:23])
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that God's jealousy is different from human jealousy, and how does this understanding impact our relationship with God? ([18:41])
4. How does the concept of "slow repentance" as described in the sermon deepen our understanding of James 4:8-9? ([15:18])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent conflict you experienced. How might disordered loves have contributed to that conflict, and what steps can you take to reorder your loves around divine love? ([03:27])
2. Think about a time when you felt justified in criticizing or judging someone. How can you resist the devil's temptation to weaponize your passions in similar situations in the future? ([08:37])
3. What practical steps can you take this week to submit more fully to God's authority in your life? Consider specific areas where you struggle to yield to Him. ([10:23])
4. Identify a specific area in your life where you need to practice slow repentance. What actions will you take to genuinely turn away from deceitful promises and embrace God's truth? ([15:18])
5. How can you cultivate a deeper awareness of God's relational love for you, rather than viewing your relationship with Him as transactional? Share one way you plan to draw near to God this week. ([17:09])
6. Reflect on the concept of grace as described in the sermon. How can you humble yourself to receive God's grace more fully, and how might this change your interactions with others? ([22:29])
7. Consider the idea of God's holy envy for you. How does this understanding of God's love challenge or encourage you in your daily walk with Him? ([18:41])
Devotional
Day 1: Unraveling the Roots of Conflict
Understanding the origins of our conflicts can lead to profound peace. Disordered loves often manifest as weaponized passions, which are the true culprits behind many interpersonal conflicts and internal struggles. These disordered loves misdirect our energies and priorities, leading to strife not only with others but within ourselves. By identifying these misaligned passions, we can begin to address and realign them with divine love, which offers a more fulfilling and peaceful way to live. This understanding is crucial for moving towards a life centered on divine love. [05:07]
James 4:1-3 ESV: "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask."
Reflection: Consider a recent conflict you experienced. Can you identify a disordered love or passion that might have contributed to this conflict?
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Day 2: The Transformative Power of Divine Love
Placing divine love at the center of our lives reorders and harmonizes all our other loves. Human loves, when elevated to ultimates, often lead to disappointment and chaos, but divine love is sturdy enough to bear the weight of our deepest needs and expectations. This love provides a firm foundation, preventing other loves from becoming idols that lead us astray. Embracing this hierarchy of loves not only brings order to our lives but also infuses them with meaning and purpose. [07:04]
1 John 4:16 ESV: "So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."
Reflection: How can you prioritize divine love in your daily activities to ensure it remains the foundational love in your life?
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Day 3: The Dual Call of Resistance and Submission
To live a devotional life, we must actively resist the devil and submit to God. Resisting involves rejecting the lies and temptations that lead us astray, while submitting requires embracing God's authority and protection. This dual action not only fortifies us against spiritual attacks but also aligns us more closely with God's will, leading to a life that is more attuned to divine purposes and less susceptible to the chaos of disordered loves. [10:23]
James 4:7-8 ESV: "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
Reflection: What specific temptations do you need to resist today, and how can you actively submit those areas of your life to God?
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Day 4: Embracing the Slow Process of Repentance
Genuine repentance is a critical component of purifying our hearts. It involves more than quick apologies; it requires a deep, sustained commitment to turning away from sin and towards God. This process allows us to fully appreciate and embody the changes God wants to make in our lives. By embracing this slow and often challenging process, we open ourselves to the transformative power of God's grace, which can reorder our loves and renew our spirits. [15:18]
2 Corinthians 7:10 ESV: "For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death."
Reflection: What is one area in your life where you need to practice deeper repentance, and what steps can you take today to begin this process?
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Day 5: The Exalting Nature of Grace
Grace is not merely about tolerating our flaws but about transforming and exalting us in Christ. This divine mechanism reorders our disordered loves and elevates us to a place of honor in Christ. Grace actively changes us from the inside out, enabling us to live lives that reflect God's love and holiness. By continually drawing near to God, we allow His grace to fulfill the deepest desires of our hearts with His perfect love. [22:29]
Titus 2:11-14 ESV: "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age."
Reflection: How has God's grace transformed a specific aspect of your life, and how can you cooperate more fully with His grace today?
Quotes
1. "Disordered lives are driven by disordered loves, but a devoted life reorders all of our loves by putting God on top, by befriending Jesus, and now the devoted God. We could make the mistake in paying attention to all the things that we need to do, which we need to do. You know, we need to draw near. We need to submit. All of these things. But we could make the mistake in thinking it's all on us." [17:09]
2. "God has made it clear how he feels about us. He is jealous for us. He yearns jealously for you over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us. Raising our kids, I would occasionally say to them, God is nuts about you. He's nuts about you. He's jealous for you." [18:41]
3. "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. He will draw near to you. He will draw near to you. He will draw near to you. He will draw near to us. This is a command we are to draw near to God, but it is paired with a promise that God will, in fact, draw near to us." [20:18]
4. "Grace judges not us, but Jesus. Grace takes a disordered life and reorders our loves. Grace flows down to those who reach up for Jesus. Grace is real. Grace changes us. Grace flows down to the humble and meek of heart. God is eager to dispense his grace." [22:29]
5. "If you put your career on the top of your life, let's say it was your chief love, and you were driven to success, if you make that the chief love of your life, it'll disorder all the other lives, all the other loves. Why? Well, because you won't have the time to spend with your kids." [07:04]
6. "Verses 7 to 10, James replaces the disordered life with a devotional life. He shows us three ways to live a devotional life. To resist the devil, to submit to God, and to purify our hearts. Let's look at each one. Resist the devil. Why is it that we should resist the devil?" [10:23]
7. "Cleanse your hands, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn. And weep. The philosopher Soren Kierkegaard wrote a little book called The Purity of Heart to Will One Thing. What a lovely title. The Purity of Heart to Will One Thing, the chief thing." [13:49]
8. "It's not that we can't confess on the fly, but slow repentance takes time. What is slow repentance? Slow repentance is slowing down and sitting down. And it's a slow repentance. It's a slow repentance. It's a slow repentance. It's a slow repentance. It's a slow repentance." [15:18]
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