The Transformative Power of Jesus' Name and Love
Summary
In today's gathering, we focused on the profound power and significance of the name of Jesus. We began by acknowledging the authority and healing that comes through speaking His name over our lives and situations. The Bible assures us that the name of Jesus is the only name by which we can be saved, and it holds the power to make every knee bow and every tongue confess His lordship. We are encouraged to speak Jesus over our sickness, our families, and our communities, believing in His power to heal and transform.
We also explored the "if-then" statements of Jesus, particularly in John chapters 14 and 15. These statements are not just logical conclusions but invitations to understand God's heart and our relationship with Him. Jesus asks, "If you love me, keep my commandments," challenging us to demonstrate our love through obedience. This is not about following a burdensome law but living out a law of love that is written on our hearts. The love of God is unquestionable, but our love for Him is often what needs examination. We are called to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
The sermon also highlighted the importance of action in love. Love is not merely a feeling or a declaration; it is demonstrated through our actions. Jesus exemplified this by His sacrifice on the cross, and He calls us to follow His commands as a testament to our love for Him. This includes abiding in Him, loving one another, and fulfilling the Great Commission by making disciples. We are reminded that our love for Jesus should be evident in our daily lives, through our fellowship, worship, service, and support of kingdom initiatives.
Key Takeaways:
- The name of Jesus holds unparalleled power and authority. Speaking His name over our lives invites His presence and power into our situations, bringing healing and transformation. We are encouraged to continually lift up the name of Jesus in our communities and personal lives. [47:11]
- The "if-then" statements of Jesus are invitations to understand and align with God's heart. They challenge us to examine our love for Jesus and demonstrate it through obedience to His commands, which are rooted in love rather than obligation. [54:08]
- Love is an action word. Our love for Jesus must be expressed through tangible actions, not just words. This includes keeping His commandments, which are designed to guide us in living a life that reflects His love and character. [01:04:39]
- The law of love supersedes the old law. Jesus fulfilled the law and calls us to live by a new law written on our hearts. This law of love guides us to act with compassion and integrity, reflecting God's love in our interactions with others. [01:16:56]
- Our love for Jesus is demonstrated through our commitment to His commands, including abiding in Him, loving others, and making disciples. These actions are not burdensome but are expressions of our relationship with Him and our desire to honor Him. [01:18:26]
Youtube Chapters:
[0:00] - Welcome
[47:11] - The Power of Jesus' Name
[49:03] - Observations on Church Attendance
[54:08] - Understanding "If-Then" Statements
[58:25] - God's Unquestionable Love
[01:01:58] - Jesus' Commandments
[01:04:39] - Love as an Action
[01:06:55] - Peter's Restoration
[01:10:24] - Proving Our Love for Jesus
[01:13:20] - The Law of Love
[01:16:56] - From Law to Love
[01:18:26] - Abiding in Christ
[01:24:44] - Bearing Fruit
[01:26:37] - Loving One Another
[01:30:44] - The Great Commandment
[01:35:24] - Loving Our Enemies
[01:37:19] - Raising the Bar
[01:41:43] - Expressing Love Through Action
[01:44:57] - Closing Prayer and Reflection
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. John 14:15-21
2. John 15:1-17
3. Matthew 22:36-40
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Observation Questions:
1. What does Jesus promise to those who keep His commandments according to John 14:15-21?
2. How does the sermon describe the power of Jesus' name in our lives and communities? [47:11]
3. What are the "if-then" statements of Jesus mentioned in the sermon, and how do they relate to our relationship with God? [54:08]
4. How does the sermon illustrate the concept of love as an action rather than just a feeling? [01:04:39]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. In John 14:15-21, Jesus speaks about sending another Helper. How does the presence of the Holy Spirit help believers in keeping Jesus' commandments?
2. The sermon emphasizes speaking the name of Jesus over various aspects of life. How might this practice influence a believer's faith and actions? [47:11]
3. How does the sermon interpret the "if-then" statements of Jesus as invitations rather than obligations? [54:08]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between love and obedience to Jesus' commands? [01:04:39]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a situation in your life where you need healing or transformation. How can you actively speak the name of Jesus over this situation this week? [47:11]
2. Consider the "if-then" statements of Jesus. Is there a specific command of Jesus that you find challenging to obey? What steps can you take to align your actions with this command? [54:08]
3. The sermon highlights love as an action. Identify one tangible way you can demonstrate love to a family member or neighbor this week. [01:04:39]
4. How can you incorporate the law of love into your daily interactions, especially with those who are difficult to love? [01:16:56]
5. The sermon calls for abiding in Christ and making disciples. Who is one person you can reach out to this week to share your faith or invite to church? [01:18:26]
6. Reflect on your current commitments. Are there any kingdom initiatives or church activities you feel called to support more actively? How can you start doing so this month? [01:41:43]
7. Think about a time when you struggled to love your enemies. What practical steps can you take to show love to someone you find difficult to get along with? [01:35:24]
Devotional
I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:
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Day 1: The Transformative Power of Jesus' Name
The name of Jesus holds unparalleled power and authority, capable of bringing healing and transformation into our lives. When we speak His name over our circumstances, we invite His presence and power to work within us and around us. This is not merely a ritualistic act but a profound declaration of faith in His ability to change our situations. The Bible assures us that Jesus' name is the only name by which we can be saved, and it holds the power to make every knee bow and every tongue confess His lordship. As believers, we are encouraged to continually lift up the name of Jesus in our communities and personal lives, trusting in His power to heal and transform. [47:11]
Acts 4:12 (ESV): "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Reflection: In what specific area of your life do you need to invite the power of Jesus' name today? How can you intentionally speak His name over that situation and trust in His transformative power?
Day 2: Aligning with God's Heart Through Obedience
The "if-then" statements of Jesus, particularly in John chapters 14 and 15, are invitations to understand and align with God's heart. These statements challenge us to examine our love for Jesus and demonstrate it through obedience to His commands, which are rooted in love rather than obligation. Jesus asks, "If you love me, keep my commandments," encouraging us to live out a law of love that is written on our hearts. This is not about following a burdensome law but about embracing a relationship with God that is characterized by love and obedience. Our love for God is often what needs examination, and we are called to love Him with all our heart, soul, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. [54:08]
1 John 5:3 (ESV): "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome."
Reflection: What is one command of Jesus that you find challenging to obey? How can you take a step today to align your heart with God's by embracing this command in love?
Day 3: Love as a Tangible Action
Love is not merely a feeling or a declaration; it is demonstrated through our actions. Jesus exemplified this by His sacrifice on the cross, and He calls us to follow His commands as a testament to our love for Him. This includes abiding in Him, loving one another, and fulfilling the Great Commission by making disciples. Our love for Jesus should be evident in our daily lives, through our fellowship, worship, service, and support of kingdom initiatives. The law of love supersedes the old law, guiding us to act with compassion and integrity, reflecting God's love in our interactions with others. [01:04:39]
James 2:17 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
Reflection: Identify one practical way you can demonstrate love through action today. How can this action reflect the love and character of Jesus to those around you?
Day 4: Living by the Law of Love
Jesus fulfilled the old law and calls us to live by a new law written on our hearts—the law of love. This law guides us to act with compassion and integrity, reflecting God's love in our interactions with others. Our love for Jesus is demonstrated through our commitment to His commands, including abiding in Him, loving others, and making disciples. These actions are not burdensome but are expressions of our relationship with Him and our desire to honor Him. As we live by the law of love, we are called to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. [01:16:56]
Romans 13:10 (ESV): "Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."
Reflection: How can you intentionally live by the law of love in your interactions today? What specific action can you take to show love and compassion to someone in your community?
Day 5: Demonstrating Love Through Commitment
Our love for Jesus is demonstrated through our commitment to His commands, including abiding in Him, loving others, and making disciples. These actions are not burdensome but are expressions of our relationship with Him and our desire to honor Him. As we abide in Christ, we are empowered to bear fruit and fulfill the Great Commission by making disciples. Our love for Jesus should be evident in our daily lives, through our fellowship, worship, service, and support of kingdom initiatives. This commitment to His commands is a testament to our love for Him and our desire to reflect His love and character in the world. [01:18:26]
John 15:5 (ESV): "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: What is one way you can deepen your commitment to Jesus' commands today? How can you abide in Him more fully and allow His love to flow through you to others?
Quotes
1. "I want us to take a moment right now and just think about Jesus. Just speak the name of Jesus over your life, over your situation, right where you are, right where you are this morning. We speak Jesus in this house. We speak Jesus in this place here today. The Bible tells us the name of Jesus has power. There is no name given on the heaven and earth by which man can be saved except the name of Jesus. God has given him a name, the Bible tells us, at which every demon will flee, every tongue will confess, every knee will bow and call him Lord today." [47:11] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "I think that's a beautiful thing. Amen. And I've always believed in sponsoring or blessing children's ministries. And I think that is one of the things that has always been in our heart over the years. Because I believe that if you invest in children, if you invest in children, it is going to pay dividends in the years to come. Amen. But within the kingdom perspective." [49:03] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "So today I want to continue looking at those if -then statements of Jesus. So we said that if -then is a sort of a, it's a device, a literary device that is used to come to a conclusion. Sometimes in math and science and philosophy. You will say, if this and this is so, then we must have this conclusion. And as we go through the scriptures, especially the gospels, we see Jesus using this device as well." [54:08] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Now, you know, God has always loved you. How many of you know that? God has always been passionately in love with you. I don't know if you understand God's love for you, but God has deeply, has felt deep, deep love for his people. We are more important to God than the angels. You know, sometimes you might look around and you see the condition of the world and you see what's going on and you wonder, does God really love us? But the truth is, God loves you more than anything else. He loves you with a deep, deep love that is more than anything else you can think about. God is passionately, deeply in love with us." [58:25] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "So God has given us this opportunity to love him. And today, we want to hear Jesus saying, if you love me. Let's go to our text this morning and 14 verses 15 to 21, Jesus is speaking and he says, if you love me, keep my commandments. And he says, and I will ask the Father and he will give you another helper and advocate to help you who will be with you forever." [01:01:58] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "You see, loving Jesus does not require a passive response, yes, I love you. No, I don't. That's not what it requires. It requires an action. It requires an action. You cannot say you love Jesus without performing an action. It's not enough to say, yes, I love Jesus. It's not enough to sing the songs, I love you, Lord, and I lift my hands. It's not enough to say, I lift my hands. It's not enough to just do that. It has to go beyond that. We must prove that we love Jesus by the actions that we take. It requires an action. You see, love is an action word." [01:10:24] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "So when Jesus says, if you love me, keep my commands, we understand what he is talking about. And we understand how easy it becomes to follow his commandments. And that's what he wants. So he says, if you love me, then you will keep my commands. Remember, we're talking about the if -then statement. If you love me, then you will keep my commands. So keeping the commands of Jesus is not very hard. But when you love him, when you know that you love him, he says, if you love me, then you will keep my commands." [01:38:41] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "So God is coming. He's calling some people this morning to love him through action. Love him through your actions. Use your hands. Use your feet. Use your mouth to love Jesus, to do something for him. Stand with me this morning because that's what he wants. And Jesus says, If you love me, you will keep my commands. How many of you are willing to keep God's commands this morning? How many of you are willing to do the commands of Jesus and follow him?" [01:44:57] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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