Love is a very confusing word. Its meaning is so varied. We use the word “love” so loosely. I laugh thinking, if we took our use of the word literally we would have affairs with ice cream, sports, Mountain Dew, music and the list goes on. So, what is love really?
According to Wikipedia, “Love has many different meanings in English, from something that gives a little pleasure ("I loved that meal") to something one would die for (patriotism, pair bonding). It can describe an intense feeling of affection, an emotion or an emotional state. In ordinary use, it usually refers to interpersonal love. Probably due to its psychological relevance, love is one of the most common themes in art and music.
Cultural and personal differences, as well as the breadth and complexity of all that is meant by the English word "love," mean that a universal definition of the term is probably impossible to establish. Expressions of love may include the love for a "soul" or mind, the love of laws and organizations, love for a body, love for nature, love of food, love of money, love for learning, love of power, love of fame, love for the respect of others, etcetera. Different people place varying degrees of importance on the kinds of love they receive. According to philosophers, the only goal of life is to be happy. And there is only one happiness in life: to love and be loved. [I think I have heard this before J] Love is essentially an abstract concept, much easier to experience than to explain.”
I agree! What I know about love is this. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” Romans 5:8. I also know this.
“35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."[l] 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord,” Romans 8:35-39.
Jesus Christ teaches us to love as we have been, as we are loved.
As we accept our Christmas story, will you stretch yourself and love? Will you stand at Aldi and purchase shopping carts for people because Jesus Christ loves them? Will you purchase groceries for someone who needs them? Will you serve a homeless person? Will you help touch someone with encouragement who sits next to your cubicle? Will you pray and ask God to open your eyes and show you how to love? You see your responsibility is to love God and love people. A simple message. A faith and hope filled plan. “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us,” Romans 5:5
Today, will you think and pray about how your story will read and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to live your life as Jesus directs us? Will you live giving love? Join me right now, via this web cast, in Our Christmas Story!
Our Senior Pastor, Mark Savage,taught this message December 16, 2007.
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