1 John 4:7-11 – “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”  NASB

It is vital that we understand what Jesus did and Who He was and is. He was the first true man to walk this planet living God’s kind of love.  That is the reason that Religion became so angry with Him.  Watching how Religion reacts to Love is always fascinating if not infuriating and frustrating.

The political powers of that day could care less about Jesus. He was nothing to them.  He did not threaten them, but the ones who were threatened by Jesus was the Religious people.  The best that religion in that day could produce was the Pharisees.  Truthfully, they would fit in well in too many churches today.  They were the best of that day and were scandalized by Jesus.  They hated Him because of His Living God’s Love.

The Love of God is scandalous to religion because it loves the worst of people.  It loves bad people.  It loves people that religion and other humans have given up on.  I can say that because of the life and conduct of Jesus.  He sat, talked, and even had meals with prostitutes, tax collectors, and other sinners!  The religious crowd’s reaction was, “What is the world going to think?”  His first miracle, turning the water into wine was at a wedding feast.  What could He be thinking?  If He is the Messiah, He should be at a prayer meeting, not a wedding celebration.

Does that sound familiar?  We tend to draw circles around our group and say, “We are other than them.  They are less than we.  We are holy and they are sinners!”  The Pharisees would not even talk to Samaritans, because a Samaritan could never be saved.  Likewise, with tax collectors, prostitutes, etc. 

I find it fascinating that Jesus made His best friends among tax collectors.  He went into Samaria and talked in public with a Samaritan woman.  What could He be thinking?  He is not keeping up the image, how dare Him?  Religion is frequently disgusted with God’s Love.  It does not fit or follow their rules.  Religion is horrified by God’s Love.  It only knows how to love like a good human being.  It wants the best people in membership but Love, God’s Love destroys that.

Jesus was a horror to religion.  It was religion that crucified Him.  But little did they know that when they crucified Him, He was dying for them too.  They didn’t know it and could not say, “Thank You!”  That’s God’s Kind of Love.

Something I hope you see is that before Jesus died on the Cross, in order to take away sin, He said certain things.  In the weeks before He went to the Cross He said, “except a grain of wheat falls to the ground and die, it abides alone. But if it drops into the ground and dies, it brings forth much fruit.”  That’s what He did.

Let me offer this simple illustration for clarity and understanding.  We know what Jesus’ statement meant.  In farming, if you have only one grain of wheat and plant it, the Law of Harvest comes into play and it springs forth and produces many more than that single seed.  The fruit is exactly like the original, just multiplied.  Thus, Jesus was saying, “There is only one of Me.  No one has ever lived God’s Love before.  I’m going to fall into the ground and die.  If I don’t there will never be but one of Me.  But, if I do, then I will bring forth much fruit.”  There would be millions or billions like Him.  That is the Desire of God and what God wants for our lives to be manifestations of Jesus.

Jesus did not come just to forgive our sins and take us to heaven.  That is simply the handle on the door to the Kingdom.  He came to produce persons who Love like He Loved and Loves.  The Law of Harvest is that it brings forth after its kind and there are multitudes just like Him in the earth today.  He brought forth a Race of Lovers.  That’s why Jesus came and that is the Desire of God for us!

It is amazing that the disciples heard things like that from Jesus but did not comprehend what He meant.  At the Last Supper, they were still arguing about who would be the greatest in the kingdom.  They could heal the sick and work miracles, but they did not know how to Love each other.  Doesn’t that sound familiar in today’s world?

They were fascinated with Power.  But the Bible tells us that Love is the Greater Work.  Love, not Power is how all men know that we are the disciples of Jesus.  The devil can perform miracles, but He cannot love – We can! 

If we can Love as Jesus love, then we won’t have to worry about keeping the Law we will keep it naturally.  If the same Love that we see in Jesus is inside us we do not need a law that says, “Thou shalt not kill, we won’t kill.”  This Love not only does not kill, it lays down its life for its enemies.  We do not need a law that says, “Thou shalt not steal, we won’t steal.”  Because Love not only does not steal it does not want to steal.  Therefore, we will no longer need the Ten Commandments because we are people of Love.

I am convinced that when we manifest Jesus through God’s Love, the world will respond mightily.  But I am equally convinced that if we Love as God Loves religion will seek to kill us.  My prayer is, “Lord shed your love abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit and help me Love as Jesus loves.”

What is God’s Purpose for Your Life – LOVE LIKE JESUS LOVES and the rest will take care of itself.  Have a great day!