Joy in God through Loving Others

2. Joy in God through Loving Others Exceeding Joy in God Series [9] Selected Scriptures July 7, 2013 Pastor Paul K. Kim

3. TWO COMMON DANGERS OF SPIRITUAL POLARIZATION • 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your Godwith all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it:You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”Matthew 22:37-40

4. TWO COMMON DANGERS OF SPIRITUAL POLARIZATION • 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your Godwith all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it:You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”Matthew 22:37-40 • Trivializing the need for loving others by a polarized emphasis on loving God [= fruitless worship/uncaring church] • Neglecting the horizontal love also distorts the vertical love. • Trivializing the need for loving God by a polarized emphasis on loving others [= humanitarianism/shrinking vision of God] • Neglecting the vertical love also distorts the horizontal love.

5. AN EXAMPLE OF CHRISTIAN LOVE BY THE CHURCHES OF MACEDONIA • 1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in • a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extremepoverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, • and beyond their means, of their own accord,  • 2 Corinthians 8:1-3 • Observation #1: Experience of God’s sovereign grace • It all started with their receiving—not giving—the grace of God. • Observation #2: Abundance of joy (amidst affliction & poverty) • Their experience of God’s grace led them to exceeding joy. • Observation #3: Wealth of generosity (giving sacrificially) • Their joy overflowed into a generous giving to meet the needs.

6. AN EXAMPLE OF CHRISTIAN LOVE BY THE CHURCHES OF MACEDONIA • 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us 7 . . .see that you excel in this act of grace also. 8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. • 2 Corinthians 8:4-5, 7b-8 • Observation #1: Experience of God’s sovereign grace • It all started with their receiving—not giving—the grace of God. • Observation #2: Abundance of joy (amidst affliction & poverty) • Their experience of God’s grace led them to exceeding joy. • Observation #3: Wealth of generosity (giving sacrificially) • Their joy overflowed into a generous giving to meet the needs. • Observation #4: Begging for the favor of taking part (in relief) • Their giving/loving was NOT a burden but a blessing for them.

7. AN EXAMPLE OF CHRISTIAN LOVE BY THE CHURCHES OF MACEDONIA • What was the source of their cheerful eager love? • For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.  2 Corinthians 8:9 • It was their joy in God’s grace. If so, what does it mean to love others in light of this example? • “Love is the overflow of joy in God which meets the needs of others.” – John Piper

8. HOW TO FIGHT FOR JOY IN GOD THROUGH LOVING OTHERS • 1) First, RECEIVE GOD’S GRACE DAILY in order to give your “best love” to others. • You make known to me the path of life;    in your presence there is fullness of joy;    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. • Psalm 16:11 • You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. • 2 Timothy 2:1 • We don’t have a source of unconditional love within us—hence, we must first receive—not give—the grace of God. • The best gift we can give in loving others is ourselves overflowing with what we have received from God. • Hence, begin each day with seeking to be satisfied by God’s grace and steadfast love.

9. HOW TO FIGHT FOR JOY IN GOD THROUGH LOVING OTHERS • 2) Let YOUR JOY IN GOD’S GRACE OVERFLOW into loving others generously. • By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. • 1 John 3:16 • But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, • patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness... • Galatians 5:22 • Think of “Dead Sea” as a reminder of your life without loving others—your life will soon become joyless and lifeless. • In so doing, we are to be a conduit of God’s grace in loving others—not grudgingly (burden) but generously (joy). • Hence, the time to love others is NOW by God’s grace.

10. HOW TO FIGHT FOR JOY IN GOD THROUGH LOVING OTHERS • 3) Give yourself TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OTHERS by earnest love. • and this, not as we expected, but they gave • themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. • 2 Corinthians 8:5 • 16 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, • for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, 17 but • when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me. • 2 Timothy 1:16-17 • It is more blessed to give than to receive. • Acts 20:35b • Loving others with Christ’s love ought to be tangible in meeting the needs of others in love. • Earnest love has the eyes to see and detect the real needs. • Hence, we are to seek to meet the needs of others in love.

11. HOW TO FIGHT FOR JOY IN GOD THROUGH LOVING OTHERS • 4) Eagerly GIVE UP LESSER JOYS IN LIFE for greater joys in God, as you love others passionately. • 32 But recall the former days when, after you were • enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, • 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, • and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had • compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the • plundering of your property, since you knew that you • yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. • Hebrews 10:32-34

12. HOW TO FIGHT FOR JOY IN GOD THROUGH LOVING OTHERS • 4) Eagerly GIVE UP LESSER JOYS IN LIFE for greater joys in God, as you love others passionately. • looking to Jesus... who for the joy that • was set before him endured the cross... • Hebrews 12:2 • Sell your possessions, and give to the needy.  • Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, • with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where • no thief approaches and no moth destroys. • Luke 12:33 • Loving others always involves giving up something; but God never requires us to give greater worth for lesser worth. • The reality is that the joy set before us in sacrificing anything for others is ALWAYS greater than the cost of our love. • Hence, we are to be overjoyed with the hope in loving others!

13. THREE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE • How can I avoid the two polarizations of misguided spirituality in my everyday life? • In what ways can I cultivate a generous earnest love for others an overflow of my joy in God? • What must be changed in me to eagerly give up lesser joys in life to pursue greater joy in God?