Love. Nothing Else - Final

Have you ever been really close to a bright light or near an explosion or a gun shot? Have you ever been near the center of a storm where thunder rattles your house, or had a child scream in your ear? Have you ever experienced the intense heat of being near a roaring bonfire?

If you have, then you have experienced one of the fundamental laws of physics that govern the entire known universe. All forms of energy and forces (like sound, light, or an explosion) will diminish over time and distance. A light bulb that blinds you when your eyes are two inches from it is barely visible a mile away. A shot gun will annihilate a tin can from ten feet, but at 300 yards it does nothing. The bonfire that produced so much heat in the first few minutes is cold ash the next day.
But not love. Love is the only force and energy source that increases over time and distance, that grows as it travels, that affects both the lover, the beloved, the people around them, their descendants, even the very universe. (Have you ever noticed that just witnessing an act of love fills you with more love? Have you ever seen someone blessed because of the love of their grandparents? ) Love increases as it moves forward. Love is the greatest miracle in all of creation, the reason why we exist, the source of all good, and the very language of our future home in heaven. Love is eternal, ever increasing, an endless supply, and the highest possible good. Love is outward focused and always moving forward.

Does this sound a little wishy-washy, or naive or maybe grandiose to you? I assure you it’s not any of those things. It’s actually empirically true because GOD IS LOVE. He is the endless source, ever increasing, the highest possible good. He is outward focused.

Everyone wants more love. Everyone needs more love. So practically, how does this happen? How do we follow the Old Testament command to "Love Nothing Else" (Love God only) and the New Testament fulfillment of "Love. Nothing Else" (Love others)? For believers in Jesus, it’s both simple and profound (like everything else in our lives). We spend time with The Source. Our intimate, obedient relationship with the Father is our Source of Love. From the overflow of His Love for us, we can sacrificially focus outward, love others, and experience more Love ourselves even as we change the world around us.

Look at these passages from 1st John, written by the "disciple whom Jesus loved". (This is from The Passion Translation).

"Those who are loved by God, let his love continually pour from you to one another, because God is love. Everyone who loves is fathered by God and experiences an intimate knowledge of him.” (1 John 4:7)
"Anyone who does not demonstrate righteousness and show love to fellow believers is not living with God as his source." (1 John 3:10b)

"This is how we have discovered love’s reality: Jesus sacrificed his life for us. Because of this great love, we should be willing to lay down our lives for one another." (1 John 3:16)

"Delightfully loved ones, if he loved us with such tremendous love, then ‘loving one another’ should be our way of life!" (1 John 4:11)

"We have come into an intimate experience with God’s love, and we trust in the love he has for us. God is love! Those who are living in love are living in God, and God lives through them. By living in God, love has been brought to its full expression in us.." (1 John 4:16,17).

So, our mandate as His Children and representatives is simple and profound. We abide in Jesus and pursue our relationship with the Father through obedience and time with Him. Somehow He fills us with endless love. We sacrifice ourselves (like Jesus) for each other, and (like Jesus) we find new, Resurrection Life in doing so. So simple. So mysterious. We give our lives to Him and each other and somehow we find new Life. A continual and miraculous cycle. In the process, we are bringing the Kingdom to earth and new Life to others with the most incredible, constructive, beautiful power Source in the world - God Himself. Love. And in the process we are become more like Him.

It’s not easy. But nothing good ever is.

We haven't figured it out yet but like Bob Goff says, "People who are becoming love keep it real about who they are right now, while living in constant anticipation about who God is helping them to become."

My family at Selah Memphis is doing this, and I’m so proud to be a part of it, and just witness it. We have been real with you these past 8 weeks about our struggles, victories, and life lessons in His Love.

So whether we are...

Waiting patiently for that family member to come home or

Learning not to envy others as we wait for His Promises or

Forgetting our needs and looking to others as He takes care of us or

Giving up our anger and forgiving others no matter what or

Coming out into the open with all our flaws so we can tell each other the truth or

Resting in His Protection and trusting Him with those closest to us or

Enduring day after day in the strength that He gives because the hope He sends or

Trusting in His unfailing Love even when we fail ....

...or the many other unspoken things this family does in the name of Love on a daily basis ... we are saying one thing. Together. With one voice:

We don't have everything figured out. But we don't have to. Our Father Loves us and He loves you too. And we love you. If you want to change the world with us, try loving someone today.

"How great is the Love the Father has lavished on us, that we may be called children of God". (1 John 3:1)

"A new command I give you. Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)

-David Esgro