Re: THE KEY TO TWO DISTINCT SPIRITUAL ATTITUDES
Posted by: g.afariayisi <g.afariayisi@...>
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THE KEY TO TWO DISTINCT SPIRITUAL ATTITUDES
John 21: 19-22
Attitudes are so important.
“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference,” Winston Churchill once said.
Nothing affects the church more than attitude. Nothing affects the home more than attitude.
It is attitude not aptitude that determines one’s altitude in life.
Someone has said, "It's hard to be a smart cookie with a crummy attitude."
Someone else has said, "A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition."
Attitudes always reflect in actions.
In our text, we find two kinds of spiritual attitudes illustrated.
These two attitudes are seen in their relationship to the words “follow” or “following.”
Simon Peter is told to follow the Lord; but John is following the Lord without being told. WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE?
How often is this same thing seen among Christians!
There are some believers who always seem to be like Simon Peter. They never do anything of their own accord; they always have to be urged, encouraged, prodded, and nudged to do for the Lord.
This should not be the case for those who know the Lord for we have an invisible urge within to spur on in Christian living and Christian service, for "the love of Christ constraineth us henceforth not to live unto ourselves, but unto Him who died for us and rose again," (2 Corinthians 5:14). The love of Christ has a constraining power to urge Christians in their duty. But, yet, there are believers who seldom or never do anything on their own initiative.
Then there are others who are always active and doing for the Lord.
What makes this difference?
I think the secret for earnest devotion and dedication to Christ is found in a five-time -repeated statement concerning the apostle John as recorded in his Gospel.
John 13:23 “Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.”
John 19:26 “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!”
John 20:2 “Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.”
John 21:7 “Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.”
John 21:20 “Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?”
John never got over the fact that Jesus loved Him.
What the air is to the bird, and what the water is to the fish, the love of GOD is to the believer
. A fresh appreciation of the love of Christ to you will act as a mighty constraining force in your life for good and a restraining power from evil.
It was John's joy and delight that Jesus loved him and that love kept him following the Lord without being told. God’s love for us will inspire you!
See 2 Corinthians 5:14. Paul is speaking here about how the love of Christ influenced him. If anyone ever modeled perseverance in life, it would be the Apostle Paul. His life was filled with problems, pressures, perils, and prisons; however, none of these things could derail him. He just keep following the Lord.
What was his secret? His secret was not found in sheer determination, passionate enthusiasm, or even decisive ambition. His secret was found in his being captivated by the love of Christ for him.
This was true of John as well.
See Jude 21.
I. THE VALUE OF SUCH LOVE
Have you ever consider the value of Christ's love for you?
A. His love for you is SPECIAL.
There is nothing to compare to it. It stands all alone.
In His dealings with us, love is the driving force. He came because He loves us. He went back to the Father because He loves us. He chastens us because He loves us. He is coming again because He loves us.
B. His love for us is SPONTANEOUS.
There is nothing in you or I to attract such love.
As an old saint once said, “If God did not love me before I was born, He certainly would not have loved me after I was born.”
He loves us because He wants to.
C. His love for us is STEADFAST.
His love for us is not changeless. He loves us with an everlasting love.
D. His love for us is SACRIFICIAL.
I John 3:16
You never know how much one loves till you know how much they are willing to endure and suffer for you.
II. THE VALIDITY OF SUCH LOGIC
“Keep yourselves in the love of God”
Jude is no dummy. He is aware of the problems we face, and he give us the remedy. He gives us the cure for all our ills.
It is our wisdom, our happiness, our security to keep ourselves in the love of God.
Here is a command calling for "urgent" attention.
It does not say, "Keep yourselves loving God," but "Keep yourselves in the love of God." It is His love to you, not yours to Him, that is important. Neither does it say, "Keep God loving you," for He never ceases to love you.
Jude was no dummy. He is aware of the problems we face and he give us the remedy. He gives us the cure for all our ills.
The word "keep" means to attend to carefully, take care of, guard. We are to give careful attention to the love of God for us every day. It means to watch as one would guard some precious possession. The love of God for us is precious.
Now, the burden is on our shoulders; the responsibility is ours. This phrase does not convey the idea that we need to keep God loving us by good works.
Rather, we are to focus on God's love for us. We need to let God's love for us flood our hearts. This is not keeping our love for God in focus but keeping His love for us in our focus
God's love is more than sentiment; it is a love of commitment to us.
We need to let God’s love for us flood our hearts. This is not keeping our love for God in focus but keeping His love for us in our focus.
Jude is commanding his readers to keep themselves consciously in God’s love.
On cold days, our old dog moves around the yard, finding a sunny spot to stretch out on the grass to keep herself in the warmth of the sun.
This reminds me that we must “keep” yourselves in the love of God (Jude 1:21). That doesn’t mean we have to act in some special way to make God love us, but because we are His children we’re loved no matter what we do or fail to do.
We should think about His love and bask in its radiance and warmth all day long.
To be conscious of being beloved by God is one of the greatest protections that the believer can possess.
A consciousness of His love for you will make all the difference in your daily life.
It will be easily manifested in whether we are told to follow the Lord as Peter; or are following the Lord without being told as John.
A. God's love for you will CARRY YOU THROUGH THE TRIALS
God's love can hold you together when everything else around you is coming apart. God’s love can hold you securely when everything around you is falling to pieces.
B. God’s love for you will COMFORT YOU THROUGH THE TEARS.
Life is not always easy. We can find ourselves facing very dark times, but it is a great comfort and strength to know that He loves us.
For many years, George Muller kept a motto on his desk that read: It Matters to Him About You. Our life does matter to God. He loves us. Don't ever forget
that! No matter what you are going through or may go through, never forget God loves you.
Nothing can separate us from the love of God (Rom. 8:39). He loved us before we were born, and He loves us now. This is our identity in Christ; it is who we are—God’s beloved children. That’s something to think about throughout the day.
In June, 1870 the song ‘Jesus Loves Even Me’ was written.
The hymn “Jesus Loves Even Me” was written and composed by Philip Bliss after attending a meeting where the song “O How I Love Jesus” was sung often. He thought, “Have I not been singing enough about my poor love for Jesus and shall I not rather sing of His great love for me?”
Under the impulse of this thought he composed the following words.
I am so glad that our Father in Heav’n
Tells of His love in the Book He has giv’n;
Wonderful things in the Bible I see,
This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.
Refrain
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me.
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves even me.
Though I forget Him, and wander away,
Still He doth love me wherever I stray;
Back to His dear loving arms I do flee,
When I remember that Jesus loves me.
Refrain
Oh, if there’s only one song I can sing,
When in His beauty I see the great King,
This shall my song through eternity be,
“Oh, what a wonder that Jesus loves me!”
Refrain
In this assurance I find sweetest rest,
Trusting in Jesus, I know I am blessed;
Satan, dismayed, from my soul now doth flee,
When I just tell him that Jesus loves me.
IN HIS ETERNAL GRIP,
Pastor Jimmy Chapman
Victory Baptist Church
706-678-1855
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