PALM SUNDAY: Luke 19, 41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace…”
ONE1
Section 2: “Making Disciples” Sessions 10 & 11
JESUS KNEW OUR LEVEL OF SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING, AND CAME TO DEVELOP INTENTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH US! DO I LOVE OTHERS AS HE LOVES ME?
The Words of Jesus recorded in John 15:9-17 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
LOVE ACHES FOR THE BEST FOR OTHERS.
CALLS TO THE RIGHT CHOICE.
…remain in my love… I have told you this so that my joy may be in you your joy may be complete… so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last…“my joy”… “as the Father has loved me”… passed on to you…remain it it!
CALLS FROM THE WRONG CHOICE.
“…IF you do what I command”… Hebrews 13:5 “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” He won’t “leave,”
but I will miss the benefit of Who He is if I don’t accept Who He is… Friendships depend on integrity of identities
Luke 19:41-44, 41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”
LOVE TAKES INITIATIVE.
DEVELOPS INTENTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS…
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you… Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command… everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you…”
…AND IDENTIFIES SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING LEVELS.
“The SEEKERS.”
Luke 19:1-4, 1Jesus entered Jericho... 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
“The SOUGHT.”
Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
Paul’s model: “to those under the law” / “to those apart from the law” / “I became all things to all men so that
by all means some might be saved” / In the pagan temple & the “unknown god” / Educated in the ways of the world / Timothy, Titus, Onesimus, etc.
LOVE MAKES FRIENDSHIPS.
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends… My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you… This is my command: Love each other.
No one cares what you know until they know that you _CARE_.
Am I saying to people “_YOU CAN GO TO HELL__?”
Christians must have a sense of __URGENCY__!!!!!!!
Drowning: rescue boat… call to friends, “JUST GET IN THE BOAT!”
Isaiah 45:23 By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear.
Revelations 21:6-8 6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.This is the second death.”
DO I KNOW ON THIS DAY WHAT WILL BRING ME PEACE? AM I “IN HIM”… AM I “REMAINING” IN HIM?
DO I LOVE OTHERS AS HE HAS LOVED ME? AM I WEEPING OVER MY “CITY” BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT WILL BRING THEM PEACE? AM I REACHING OUT SACRIFICIALLY TO BRIDGE THEM TO CHRIST?
NEXT WEEK: S-UPPLY A SUPPORT SYSTEM & C-ONTACT REGARDING SPIRITUAL PROGRESS & NEEDS