Week 12 Love of God
This week in summary| Day 1 : Who is Jesus | Ephesians 1 |
| Day 2 : The Divinity of Jesus | Various |
| Day 3 : Because Love | Isaiah 9 |
| Day 4 : Blessing | Isaiah 40 |
| Day 5 : Faith with Feet | Psalm 8 |
Who is Jesus?
Jesus’ culture fiercely defended God’s honor. They would execute someone just for speaking disrespectfully about God. Some people were so sensitive to the issue of God’s honor that they would not even utter the name God revealed to Moses for fear that they may pronounce his name incorrectly.
It may seem like a hyper sensitive reaction of an ancient culture but remember everything and everyone is connected God’s worth. While there’s nothing we can really do to debase God, the Jews wanted no part of anyone willing to try to bring Him down. Anyone who spoke ill of God was charged with the crime of blasphemy which required capital punishment. The execution was brutal. A group of men would gather around the criminal, pick up heavy rocks and hurl them at the convict until dead.
This is the event in John 10:22-42
Don’t let anyone tell you that Jesus never claimed to be God. He did. His audience clearly understood His claim to Deity and they tried to execute Him for it multiple times (John 5:18, John 8:58, John 10:33)
So who is Jesus? Moral teacher? King? Savior? Miracle worker? Is he human? Is He Divine? What is this person?
The people closest to Jesus who saw his movement grow after long after his departure wrote the following about him.
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form. Colossians 2
Although Jesus was in the form of God, he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. … And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.John 1
Jesus is the answer to the question: “What if God was one of us?”
The Divinity of Jesus
The last thing the disciples expected to see from their fishing boat in the middle of a sea was someone walking towards them. In the darkness of night and the middle of a storm, Jesus walked on the water and met the disciple at their boat. It was a scene that stuck in the minds of the disciples; with the question did Jesus just reveal that he is God? The biographies of Jesus they wrote later demonstrate how they beheld this scene and looking at Jesus, they saw God.
John makes the connection between Jesus and God with the comment from Jesus: “don’t be afraid, It is I.” John wrote in ancient Greek and he didn’t write “It is I” he wrote “Ἐγώ εἰμι” which means “I AM.” This was a special phrase in Jesus’ culture because it was the response God gave to Moses when asked for his identity. God said “I am who I AM.” Jesus identified himself the same way that God did.
John looked at Jesus and he saw God.
Matthew also saw God through Jesus but he uses details that connect to God at the moment of creation. Looking at Jesus reminded Matthew of the description of God in the second verse in the Bible. “The Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.” So Matthew included the detail that when they first saw Jesus from far off they thought they saw a spirit on the water. (note the ancient language has only one word for a spirit or a ghost, so while some translations use the word ghost. It was the same word to Matthew.)
Mark describes the same scene but includes a different detail to arrive at the same conclusion. Look at Jesus and see God. Later in Moses’ life He stands before God cloaked in a luminous bush and Moses asked to see God’s glory. God tells him that no one can look directly at Him and live, but he can see look as God leaves. So God passed by giving Moses a glimpse of his glory. Mark tells how Jesus intended to pass by the disciples, just like God passed by Moses.
Since no one can look at God directly, let’s look at some indirect connections between Jesus and God.
Jesus does Godly stuff
God is the only creator of earth, the universe and everything. But the bible says everything was created by and through Jesus. Conclusion: Jesus must be God.
God is eternal and described as the “first and the last.” Jesus is eternal and is called the “first and the last” Conclusion: Jesus must be God.
God is all powerful. Jesus says he has all power and authority. Conclusion: Jesus must be God.
God knows everything. Jesus knows everything. Jesus must be God.
God is everywhere. Jesus is everywhere. Jesus must be God.
People should only pray to God and only worship God. They disciples pray to Jesus. Jesus accepts worship from multiple people. Jesus must be God.
When the devil was testing Jesus, he responded with scripture, “do not test the LORD your GOD.” This is only relevant if Jesus is God.
Prophets spoke to the people saying, “this is what God says…”, teachers taught the people, “this is what God said in scripture.” But Jesus spoke from his own authority, “This is what I say.”
Jesus was to be named “God with us” and “Mighty God”
Over and over Jesus demonstrated qualities that are unique to God. By simple reasoning this makes Jesus divine.
I AM
Jesus identifies himself using the special “Ἐγώ εἰμι” phrase that God used to identify himself to Moses. Each description includes a statement that is even more telling of Jesus’ divinity.
“I’m telling you so that you will believe that I AM”
“unless you believe that I AM, you will die in your sins” Jesus is claiming that belief in him will save us from our sins and that he is God.
“before Abraham was born, I AM.” Jesus claimed to be older than Abraham, and he claimed to be God. His opponents tried to kill him after hearing this.
Jesus gave seven more I AM statements that each describe a role associated with God and each statement follows an intentional literary structure. Even the fact that there are seven statements is another clue that God is involved in it.
- I AM the bread of life
- I AM the light of the world
- I AM the door of the sheep
- I AM the good shepherd
- I AM the resurrection and the life
- I AM the way, the truth and the life
- I AM the true vine
Because Love
Love is a huge deal to Jesus. He said:
If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
This is the greatest and first commandment: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.
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.
If you want any kind of association with Jesus, he leaves no alternative. You must love.
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love
If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
So love is the center of Jesus’ program, the entirety of Jesus’ law and the defining characteristic of his disciples. Maybe it would be a good idea to know what love looks like. Is love a powerful feeling between teenagers? Is love an emotional rush that leads us to foolish decisions? Is love a good looking person, an object of desire?
No.
What is love?
Love gives of itself. Love sacrifices. Love pours out. Love can be measured by what it gives up.
Greater love has no one than this: that he lay down his life for his friends.
Jesus gave of himself everywhere he went through his entire life. He held nothing back for himself. He had no place to lay his head. His loving sacrifice wasn’t just a last minute act of charity at his death. His love poured out in everyone he encountered.
Jesus’ extraordinary acts of love inspire extraordinary love from us. Love is our response to Jesus.
Then King Jesus will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
How can you show extraordinary, sacrificial love like Jesus did?
Blessing Your Neighbors
Pray with your Family - Remember your neighbors by name during mealtime and bedtime prayers.
Prayer Walk - Walk by yourself or with family, roommates, and other neighbors who are believers. Pray over each home by name as you pass and ask God for opportunities with your neighbors.
Ask Open-ended Questions - How long have you lived here? What line of work are you in? What do you do for fun?
Ask Follow-up Questions - How did that test go? Are you feeling better? How was your vacation?
Enjoy a Meal Together - Invite a neighbor (or two) for a BBQ, order in Pizza, or have everyone bring a dessert to share.
Celebrate Special Occasions and Holidays - Bake cupcakes for birthdays. Send a casserole to new parents. Deliver Christmas cookies.
Serve While You’re Outside - Turn lawn chores into opportunities to serve: Mow lawns, water yards, etc.
Serve In Times of Need - Visit when a neighbor passes away or has a baby. Deliver flowers or a gift. Coordinate meals with other neighbors.
Share Commonalities - Hobbies such as golf, book club, bunko night, or a running/fitness group can all bring people together.
Socialize and Make Holidays Special - Enjoy recreational areas. Participate in yard sales and BBQs. Attend holiday parties.
Faith with Feet
Based on the scripture you read this week What do you believe God wants you to do?
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What have you learned about God’s heart & values?
How can you follow God’s will?