God calls us to manage, to steward well, 3 types of relationships - all of which He has graciously and generously given us - life from and relationship with Him, the gift of others, and the blessings He provides for us.
As He has been generous with us in His giving - which IS His very nature, we, who have been, 1. Made in His image and likeness, and 2. Now, in faith, created in Christ Jesus and Actively conformed into His likeness (Wp 2; Ro 8; Php 2), are to give as He gives. We are to be generous with those things most precious to us - our time - which is our lives, our blessings - that is our stuff, and we add to that, now, our honor - giving respect, dignity, and service.
God giving us His best, also gives us the best way to love, to love Him, ourselves, and love others (…as we learn to rightly love ourselves)
God graciously gives - Himself - mercifully restraining His glory and holiness, He reveals Himself to sinful man…
Exodus 19 God introduces Himself to Israel in power, majesty, and holiness
· 19:3-6 They saw what I did to Egypt… and, their gods, and that on their behalf to show MY glory
· 19:9 Now they hear and see me, that I AM God, the LORD God almighty!
· 19:16-20…and let them see Me, in my awesome, or awful, power, that I AM (is) here, and I AM for them as my chosen people - God’s mercy expresses kindness to protect us from Himself - He loves His children.
Now, as I AM has loved you, He teaches us how to love - as I have loved you, you love me back, honor and obey me, and let the evidence of your love for me be your love for one another…
John 14:15, 21-24; 15:10; 1Jo 2:3; 5:3; 2Jo 1:6 “If you love me, only my commandments… whoever has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father… if anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love Him and we will come in and make Our home with them.”
Exodus 20 God then gives Israel His 10 commandments - the first thing God says to Israel are His good commandments about governing life with God, others, and their stuff: and God is saying to them: I AM has chosen them out of love and calls them to love
Ex 20:1-7 God almighty
My power and holiness (otherness) demand honor - you have seen what I did to Egypt and their gods
The sheer force of my person and presence - my passionate love - commands honor- I AM not like their gods
Ex 20:8-12 To and honor God and self and those closest – who show us God in a peculiar way - who have given you life, being grateful, appreciative, loving & honoring
God’s passionate love for us and its effect command a new way for you to live
To love God and honor Him - not have to somehow appease like the pagan god’s of Egypt
To be loved by God - not be dominated and used, but, be honored - which is to be loved and love as you have been loved – brought out of a place where you were dominated, enslaved, and your (only) value was in your ability to produce for man and appease him and any god
To rest in that love, that grace (Heb 4)
To love yourself and others as you are now being loved and learning to love yourself
To provide rest, and grace, for others, too
Ex 20:13-17 the “shall nots”, that leave only the “do unto others” in their places… love as you have been loved, as you would want to be loved…
What has God done here? He has presented them a new way of seeing and knowing God, and from it is born a new way of speaking and acting toward Him, self, and one another.
And now, Jesus shows us the way, truth, and the life God’s love would have us live, and, how…
Jesus: the glory of the great I AM, here in the flesh, one who can be touched (and you not be stoned), the power and presence of God cloaked in the flesh, that you can know and be known touch, and be touched… the stark difference between the mountain, that if you touched it you would have to die - to the God, the I AM, who now touches you that you might live…
Mark 10:13-16 Jesus touched them… He took them in His arms and placed His hands on them (see also: Mt 8:3; 20:34; Lk 5:13; 8:44
…but to live, to truly live, one must die to self…
Mark 17-27; Matthew 19:16-26; Luke 18:18-27 The rich young ruler runs to Jesus to ask “What else it is that he must do to get life?”
Just then (Mt), as Jesus started on His way, a man, a certain ruler, ran up to Him and fell on his knees before Him. “Good Teacher, what (good thing) must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“Why do you call me good, or ask about what is good?” (Mat), Jesus answered. “No one is good - except God alone, He is the only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments (Mat) - you know the commandments…”. “Which ones?” he inquired. (Mt) ‘You shall not commit murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor you father and mother’
…and ‘love your neighbor as yourself’’ (Mat)
“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy… what else must I do”
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack… if you want to be perfect. (Mt) Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
At this, the man’s face fell. He went away (very - Lk) sad because he had great wealth, he was very wealthy. (Lk)
This leads right to Jesus’ taking the Law and the Prophets and consolidating them, enveloping them into 3 great acts of love: The Great Commandment: Love God, Love self, Love others, AS, you love yourself…
The Great Commandment…
Jesus’ holiness and perfect and present sacrifice demand love
Jesus’ demonstration of mercy, grace, and love command love
Jesus’ loving us as He does, transforming us as it has, commands we love ourselves and others as we have been loved and are being loved
And how do we, the beloved, the children of God, holy and dearly loved, love and honor God and others? How do we love those God has called us, and commanded us to, love?
3 Types of relationships in which God urges us to use the time we have been graced to live by to build-up for ourselves treasures in heaven – and this takes faith! trusting Him to be everything He says He is…
There are three types of relationships God cares about – in reverse order…
1. Our relationship with our stuff – being grateful for all you have as there is nothing you have that you have not received (1Co ) being generous as God, your Father is generous being an “…imitator of Him, as a dearly loved child” Eph 5:1
Luke 16:9 “…use worldly wealth to make friends for yourselves…”
be generous with your stuff…
James 2:13-19 “What good is it (to have compassion and yet) do nothing (to meet another’s obvious) need”
1John 3:17 “If anyone with earthly possessions sees a brother in need, but does nothing to meet their need, sins… how can the love of God be in them?”
at last, break your heart free from your stuff
Luke 12:33 “Sell your possessions, give to the poor, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…”
2. Our relationship with people (including self)
Exodus 20:12; Mat 19:19; Mk 7:10 “Honor your mother and Father”
1Tim 5:4.8; Mt 7:11; Prov 11:29 “Take care of your immediate family”
John 13:34; Ro 12:10; 1Pe 1:22; 1Jn 1Pe 2:17; 1Th 3:12; Zech 8:16; Eph 4:15; Isa 58:7; Lk 10:27 - Love one another as I have loved you; love the brotherhood; love one another deeply; be devoted to one another; serve, speak the truth with love; honor one another above yourselves; love your enemy; honor the king; Love your neighbor AS yourself
3. Our relationship with Him
Luke 10:27 “Love the Lord your God with your entire self”
John 15:4-7 “Remain in me”
Rev 3:20 “I stand at the door and knock… let me in that I might sup with you”
Gal 5:25; Eph 5:18 b “walk with and keep in step with the Spirit… under HIS influence”
