20th April 2011

John 14:18-30 – Jesus predicts His Betrayal

• “Love Wins””
• Now I have your attention… this is not about the Rob Bell book which I have not read yet.
• It is however about the fact that love not arguments will win others to God’s cause.
• There were many god” in Jesus day.
• When I was younger I often heard it preach that only Christians claimed that their God had been raised from the dead. This is totally untrue.
• In Jesus’ day there were many “gods” and their disciples claimed such things as;
• One was born in a cave to a virgin,
• One was worshipped by shepherds
• One had 12 followers and some believe he had something to do with death being conquered.
• The faithful referred to one of them as "the Light of the World".
• One was Born Dec 25th.
• One was hung on some sort of tree. Several days later he was said to have rose from the dead.
• Several were born of a virgin.
• One died to crucifixion.
• As a small child foreign kings were said to have brought one of them gifts.
• Jesus knew however that the proof of who He was lay in the disciples ability to love each other with agape love.
• At first this does not seem to be a new commandment as Leviticus 19:18 says something similar but it was new because Leviticus says love others as yourself. Jesus said love others as “I have agaped you”.
• We are to love others not with human love but Godly love flowing through us – only this will be the convincing proof of Jesus’ claims.
• Blows me away that Jesus left knowing that the only real proof of His words lay in the hands of others!
• Challenged today to seek God’s love for others not mine.