Love Motivates Change

The news reporting business knows that a good headline written or spoken will capture the attention of people and lead them to read or hear what is being reported.

News Headlines:

· What Is Missing In Heaven? (Pulpit Helps, June 2001)

· Medical Marijuana Ruled Illegal. (Springfield Newsleader)

· Census Reveals Big Jump in Unmarried Couples.

If you were going to write your own headline for your life, so that others would read it … what would it be?

How about, "LOVE MOTIVATES CHANGE." This could be the headline for . . .

· Zacchaeus … motivated to give. (cf. Lk 19:8)

· Woman at the well … motivated to tell. (cf. Jn 4:28-29)

They each met the "so loved" (Jn 3:16) of God and it changed their motivation of living. What changes your motivation for living?

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 NIV For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

2 Corinthians 5:14a NEB For the love of Christ leaves us no choice,

Would the "Good News Chronicle" headline our lives with "Love Motivates Change" ?

Read … John 14:15, 23-29

1. Love Motivates Adhering (23-24)

John 14:23-24 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

· Definitive (explicit, final, conclusive) measure of love by Christ.

· Love for Christ is measured by the increments of our obedience … adhering to the words of Jesus.

Adhere: to stick fast by; to be a devoted follower or supporter.

A man once told me he likes to read the "red words" in the Bible because those were Christ’s Words. In reading and heeding to the words in red (Christ’s words) … we will adhere to the whole message of the scriptures.

· Disobedience … not adhering to the words of Christ (Bible) speaks of our lack of real love for Him.

· Lip service (cf. Mt 15:8, Mk 7:6) will never produce "life service" of adhering to the Word of God.

· Saying it … isn’t getting it … doing it will only get it done.

· Adhering brings about the blessed life of the abode of Christ in us, so that we might abide in Christ.

2. Love Motivates Abiding (25-26)

John 14:25-26 "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

· Abiding … to remain where we are is vital and critical to our change.

· Jesus assures us of His presence to always be with us through the presence of the Spirit.

· Abide in the truth the Spirit teaches (cf. Jn 14:17, 16:13)

· To abide in Christ is nothing less than walking in the Spirit to the truth of God’s Word.

John 8:31-32 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

3. Love Motivates Agreeing (27-29)

John 14:27-29 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 "You have heard Me say to you, ’I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ’I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I. 29 "And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.

· "Seeing is believing" … some will say.

· But how many times do we believe before seeing?

· If we agree with the Word we will believe the Word.

· Agreement with who Jesus is … delivers peace.

· Agreement with what Jesus has done … delivers peace.

· Peace comes through "relationship" not "resources."

· Peace maintains harmony (cf. Col 3:15)

· Peace stands to guard the heart and mind (cf. Phil 4:7)

· Agreement is believing.

Conclusion:

Love motivates change …

Change to adhere to the Word

Change to abide in the Word

Change to agree with the Word

Amen!

This sermon was preached by Robert AuBuchon at Trinity Baptist Church in 2001. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.