Pastor Paul talked about relationships Sunday. A fitting sermon for Valentine's Day, a "holiday" based on relationships and love. Some say it's a holiday for the flower shops and card companies. But I think some sort of response is nice...
What Pastor Paul spoke about was "To be Known is to be Loved." Well, shiver me timbers, mates, isn't that what happens when we know Jesus...we receive His love, we know His love and then we also learn how to love Him even more for what He has done for us! That only happens when we allow ourselves into a relationship with Him.
I know, I know...for some the word relationship is very frightening. That's a shame. It's what this world should be all about...at least having the right kind of relationship. With all the technology today people are losing the meaning of relationship. It's all about cell phones, computers, email, Facebook, television. True face-to-face interaction can be nearly non-existent.
Pastor Paul brought up several points that help show us about relationship. The first was that shame keeps people apart. Sin is relational...when we are in sin we distance ourselves from others. I again refer to the Samaritan woman...she went to the well to get water when no one else would go there--except she met a Man who was all into relationships. She met Jesus at the well and He changed her whole life. She fell into relationship with Him and probably fell in love for the very first time, not only with herself but with Jesus.
Point number two was there is a Shepherd who touches the heart. Jesus is our Shepherd. It's relationship that touches...you can't have a relationship and never touch or be touched. In relationship with Jesus, He clearly touches your heart and change occurs within you. You fall in love with Him. However, for some when a relationship begins to get too close, a pulling away takes place. The relationship suffers and fizzles because the closeness is something that can't be handled. That's what happens to some when they are exposed to the greatness of who Jesus is. They can't handle it and they turn their backs.
Point number three is there is a Water that satisfies the longing heart. Over and over I've mentioned that there is a God-sized hole in each of our hearts that only Jesus can fill. And Jesus is also called our Living Water. The Samaritan woman was going to the well to fetch water. Jesus told her the water she received from that well would never take the thirst completely away...but He could because He is the Living Water. Until we meet Jesus at our own well, that hole in our heart will never be filled. How sad.
Point number four is there is a Truth that stimulates the heart with joy. He is our Truth and He loves us and wants that relationship with us so that we can be filled with joy...that the hole in our hearts is filled with the love of Jesus. When we are in relationship with Him we feel like worshiping Him. We relate to Him and He relates to us. Relationship...it's that simple and true.
God so loved the world that He gave us His Son Jesus. He was born so that He might die for you and me. He died that we might have eternal life through Him, not through religion, not through idols, not through rituals or good works, but through Him. So whoever believes in Him can have life. Each of us wants to be loved. And some may never find a person in this life to provide that love; at least not a perfect love. But Jesus is there to fill our hearts with all the love we could ever need. It is through Jesus that every bit of love that we miss in this life is fulfilled.
He is our portion. He is our all in all. He is all we will ever need. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He is our Living Water and Fountain that provides the thirst quenching water of eternal life.
John 4:13-14 - Jesus answered and said to her [the Samaritan woman], "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."
Oh, when we are united in Christ ... we become like-minded not only with Him but with others! I love it when unity in Him brings us to thinking in unison! Preach it!
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