What's Love Got To Do With It?

That was a popular Tina Turner song back in the Day. Whenever the Day was...

It turns out that love has everything to do with it. It is the only way we will enjoy any success in living the Christian life. If we love Jesus, everything else seems to fall in place. I jokingly advised a young high school graduate in his graduation card to "love Jesus, stay out of the bars and keep your pants on." But you know what? That's not really a joke. It's sound advise; wisdom for the current age. If we love Jesus, we want to be like Him.

Jesus Himself, pointed this out to His own people.

John 8:42-47

Jesus said to them, "If God were your father, you would love me, and I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell you the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? I am telling you the truth, why don't you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God has to say. The reason that you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."

Wow. Jesus' own people that were expectant of a Messiah, could not accept Jesus, even though He spoke God's words. There are a number of reasons for this. Their interpretation of the Law and the prophets was not what it should have been. They were expecting a political and militaristic Messiah that would be concerned with freeing them from Roman servitude and bringing back the days of glory they enjoyed under David and Solomon. What they got though and what they were so strongly rejecting, was a Messiah that was interested in setting them free from their spiritual bondage to sin. This is not what they wanted. It is why they turned on Jesus in the end.

In this passage, Jesus points out the problem. They do not love Him and the reason for that is that they do not love His Father. They do not believe in Him because they do not believe in His Father. What they do believe in is the 'here and now' and their immediate material and political needs. To there minds, there is no sin issue, no need for a savior; they have the temple and sacrifice for that.

What they do not understand is that Jesus can release them from their need for the law, if they believe in and love him. He can free them from their sin to live as God's people.

I do not relish saying this, but there are many Christians today that are in the same place as these Jews. While we do not reject Christ, we are not entirely in love with Him and His Father. We love the things of this world more. We like the idea of Jesus, His grace, His love for us; but we do not quite get the rest of it.

If we love Jesus, we will love His Father and we will be obedient. Love and faith produces obedience and trust.

So Christian, do you love Jesus and obey Him? Or do you like the idea of Jesus and being forgiven, but feel like you can do what you want because of His grace? Ya...are you a Christ follower or a Christ user?

Who is your father? Is it Yahweh or the prince of this world?

God's grace is for the repentant. The repentant turn away from their sin.

So what's love got to do with it??? Everything.