When Love is Spelled with “S’s”
Pastor Michael Wise
Valentines day is soon approaching. I enjoy the day because it emphasizes the importance of loving our spouses. I dislike the day because we should love our spouses everyday not just one day a year. So in this message, lets talk about love, and when love is spelled with “S’s”.
I think most Christians know John 3:16-17 by heart, well at least vs 16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
Did you notice the part that says “He gave”? It’s pretty easy to say “Jesus died for me/us/everyone/sinners”. But do we really understand what it means?
The cross was invented approximately 600 years before Christ by the Phoenicians. It was adopted by the Egyptians and the later the Romans who refined it and used it to execute the worst criminals.
Crucifixion was the most painful and shameful instrument of execution ever practiced by man. It would typically take between three to seven days to die on the cross. Gangrene would form in your hands and feet where the rusty nails had pierced. The nails in the hand were driven through the median nerve causing a searing pain. Plus there was the excruciating pain as every joint of your body felt torn apart. Death ultimately came by suffocation. You could not exhale without raising your body up, but when you felt the unbearable pain from the nails that had been driven through your heels. You were exposed to the cold at night and the heat of the day as you hung in the shame of total nakedness. No loincloths were provided, no, you were fully exposed to onlookers for the purpose of humiliation and contempt.
History records that other people have been scourged (whipped) and crucified. And many martyrs have suffered horrible deaths. There was something totally different with Christ’s crucifixion and death that made it the supreme sacrifice over all other deaths.
Pilate had found no fault in Jesus, and when he presented Jesus before the chief priests and officers they cried out “crucify Him, crucify Him”. They said it was because He had broken a law, their law! He had committed blasphemy by claiming to be the Son of God. But of course we know Jesus was indeed the Son of God.
John 19:5-7 “Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!” 6 Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.” 7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.”
The law of blasphemy required stoning (Leviticus 24:16), which they had tried to do to Jesus before (John 10:33-34). So why were they calling for crucifixion – hanging on a tree? There was a very important reason to these Jewish leaders. Notice what Deuteronomy 21:22-23 says, “If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 “his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.”
They didn’t understand that prophecy was being fulfilled. They only knew their hatred was so great that they didn’t simply want Jesus dead, they wanted Him cursed!
Notice Paul’s statement in Galatians 3:13 “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree).”
After Adam’s fall, the curse of sin fell upon this earth (Genesis 3:14-19). To spare us from that curse,, to defeat it, Christ came and took the curse of sin upon Himself. God made Christ to be a curse for us. He took, and felt, the condemnation of sin, and the guilt of the whole world beginning in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Jesus knew what was coming. He hoped there was a different way to save us, but there wasn’t. More than simply the thought of becoming our sin bearer, but actually experiencing it was crushing to Him. He was already beginning to die. As He prayed His capillaries were beginning to rupture from the stress of becoming a curse for us. He sweat great drops of blood. Notice His words in Mathew 26:38,39,42 “Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” 39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”… 42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”
Mark 15:34 says that just before He died on the cross, Jesus loudly exclaimed “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Though He experienced both, it wasn’t the scourging or the crucifixion that killed Jesus. He died from a broken heart. He chose to take the curse of sin upon Himself and lay down His life so we could have the eternal life. Sin separates the sinner from God. In taking the sins of the world, in becoming a curse, Jesus felt something that had never before happened in all of eternity, a separation in the trinity. He cried out to His Father expressing His feelings of utter abandonment. Its as if He is asking “What has gone wrong with the plan? Why have you abandoned me?”
Human emotions can cloud our judgment. In His humanity Jesus could not feel the Father’s presence, but He was not abandoned. I especially like how this writer puts it in her book titled “Desire of Ages”:
“But now with the terrible weight of guilt He bears, He cannot see the Father’s reconciling face. The withdrawal of the divine countenance from the Saviour in this hour of supreme anguish pierced His heart with a sorrow that can never be fully understood by man. So great was this agony that His physical pain was hardly felt.” {DA 753.1}
“Satan with his fierce temptations wrung the heart of Jesus. The Saviour could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror, or tell Him of the Father’s acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their separation was to be eternal. Christ felt the anguish which the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race. It was the sense of sin, bringing the Father’s wrath upon Him as man’s substitute, that made the cup He drank so bitter, and broke the heart of the Son of God.” {DA 753.2}
“With amazement angels witnessed the Saviour’s despairing agony.” {DA 753.3}
“God and His holy angels were beside the cross. The Father was with His Son. Yet His presence was not revealed.… And in that dreadful hour Christ was not to be comforted with the Father’s presence. He trod the wine press alone, and of the people there was none with Him. {DA 753.4}
Here are two important fact to notice:
At Calvary, the faith of Jesus was revealed. The faith Revelation 14:12 says God’s final saints will have, they must have. In this moment Christ feels that the offenses of the world’s sins upon Him is too great for the Father to accept His sacrifice. He does not feel the father’s presence with Him any longer. The hope of His own resurrection also flees as that feeling of sin, guilt, and abandonment overwhelms Him.
Jesus was faced with a choice, save the world or save himself, but He couldn’t do both. In His humanity, burdened with the sin of the world He could not see beyond the moment. But He still placed His faith into the hands of His Father. In this act He is demonstrating the faith that He can and will give to all who ask.
At Calvary, the love of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) was revealed. Jesus demonstrated that He loves us more than Himself. He was willing to die eternally without the hope of resurrection so we might have the hope of eternal life. He was willing to be eternally separated from His Father for you and me.
Why could He go to this depth and be our Supreme Sacrifice? Because LOVE is spelled with “S’s” – “Sacrificial”
God’s LOVE is spelled with another “S” – “Systematic”
We are all sinners deserving death, yet Christ died for us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”)
His grace, His promises, His blessings are available to us every moment of every day, and some of them are even given to the unrepentant – because God loves everyone, and wants to draw everyone to repentance. (Matthew 5:5 “for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”).
Think of how systematic God was in providing manna for Israel for 40 years, and making their shoes and clothes last without wearing out …
God’s LOVE is spelled with another “S” – Spontaneous
Have you found that God often gives “extra” when the need suddenly arises? Like in the story of John 21:6 “And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.”
My testimony: I was baptized in my youth, not because I was converted but because I was tired of being badgered by classmates, teachers and church leaders. I was tired of being asked when I was going to get baptized, or told that the Pastor was holding baptismal studies at school and I should join. If baptism would get them off my back, I’d do it! The truth that Seventh-day Adventist’s teach and proclaim makes sense, it was/is logical, it was/is Biblical. And while I knew the truth, I still didn’t know Jesus. I wasn’t converted.
For a while I paid a faithful tithe and observed the truths in my baptismal vow (as best I could), but as I slipped back into the world my stewardship slipped away too. Years later, as an adult, God won my heart. As a result of my love for God, I became a loving friend and steward of God and again began returning a faithful Tithe, as well as a generous offering. But one day my pastor preached on stewardship, including tithe & offerings. As I listened, God began convicting me that I had been a thief, robbing from Him despite of my vows. Just shortly after that I was listening to a Christian radio broadcast and heard a Christian financial advisor. Some one called in with a question, there situation was very similar to mine, of what to do about tithe you cheated God from in the past. He replied that you didn’t have to worry about it because you were now a new creature in Christ, your past was forgiven. That sounded great, but God didn’t remove the burden. He intensified the conviction.
A little later I contacted every church where I had ever held membership since my youth “baptism” and asked for my tithe and offering records. I compared to what I had returned with what I should have based on my earning from my tax statements (I had kept). When I compared what I should have returned with what I had returned I thought “this will be impossible” to repay. I ran the figures multiple times, but it was always the same, and the Spirit didn’t let up with His conviction until finally I said, “Lord, it will take me forever, and you will return before I can pay this back, but I’ll continue paying a faithful tithe and generous offering and I’ll make a payment plan to pay back the stolen tithe.” And I did. I made a covenant with God and instantly the burden was lifted. Miraculously, just a few months later, God worked a miracle in my life that enabled me to pay it all back, in one final payment!
God’s timing is perfect, but I didn’t think so at the time. I had quit my job as an Optician to return to school for my BS in Business Administration. It used up our savings but I looked at it as an investment in my and my wife’s future. It was shortly after I had finished my degree and started a new job that God called me to go to Seminary for the ministry. That wasn’t part of my plan but He convinced me it was truly His plan and call. He assured me He would provide if I (we) went. One of my stipulations with God was that Julie, my wife, would have to find work as an RN that did not require Sabbath work – as I felt a pastor should set a higher example. He provided Julie with two work offers that did not require Sabbath work. She took the offer to be an office nurse for a doctor’s complex next to the school campus and literally across the street from our apartment – she could easily walk to work. Seminary students were assigned to an area church as part of their practical training. You were like an unofficial assistant pastor. I was fairly active in my assigned church, helping with different aspects including Bible Studies and visits. But my car was getting old, and repair costs were increasing. One day I had a once-sided “pity party” talk with God. I reminded Him that I was there because He called me, and promised to take care of us, and yet I was driving a heap of junk that was breaking down and costing us money we didn’t have. God certainly didn’t need reminding of His promises, and I’m ashamed of that conversation. I don’t recall telling anyone about it, but a few weeks later I was riding in the car of a businessman. As we talked, he told me how God was blessing his business and that he was a faithful steward and active in His church. Then, as we were talking, he asked me what I though of his car. It was a nice car, only a few years old, power everything, comfortable riding. After telling him it was a very nice car, he told me it was his wife’s, but he had just gotten her a different car. Then he looked at me and asked me if I needed a new car. I told him I did but it wasn’t in the budget, that I hoped to get a different car after seminary and starting ministry. Somehow the conversation became circular. He would tell me how God was blessing him and his business and that he was a faithful & generous steward, and active in his church. Then he would then ask how I liked his car. Then after telling him how nice it was, he would ask me if I wanted to buy it. I knew I couldn’t afford it but as the circular conversation continued I thought maybe he would be willing to make the payments incredibly low until I was finished seminary. So I asked him “how much?”. Instead of answering the conversation would start back at the beginning….. till one time when I said more emphatically “how much? He replied that even though he was active in church, a leader, a faithful & generous steward he wished he could do more for God. Then he said to me “you’re a pastor aren’t you?” I told him I was in seminary to be a pastor”. His response was that he thought if he was to help a pastor who was doing God’s work it would almost be like doing God’s work. When I affirmed his thinking he looked at me and said “why don’t you buy my car”. I again replied, “How Much?”. He said “do you have a dollar?”. I had a dollar in my pocket and gave it to him and bought his car.
In that instance, God reminded me of my “pity party talk”. He rebuked me and blessed me in the same instant.
Biblical stewardship is misunderstood by many church members. They think of it in terms of to material things, like “tithe and offerings.” This misconception has created problems:
Ø Mistrust of church leaders and systems for how “their” $ is used/spent
Ø Which can lead members Diverting their tithe and offerings to other persons &/or groups
Ø Project giving replaces faithful systematic giving
Ø A Resistance to stewardship begins in church members
Scripture clearly tells us in that God owns everything as He created it. Psalm 24:1 “A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.”
What is Stewardship? Here’s a simple definition: it’s the lifestyle of one who:
Ø Accepts Christ’s Lordship,
Ø Walks in partnership with God
Ø Acts as God’s agent/partner to manage His affairs on earth.
Christian Stewardship thinking:
u Starts with God as Creator
u Teaches that Jesus is Creator, Savior, and Lord
u Recognizes God as owner of all things you have in your possesion (life, time, resources etc)
u Acknowledges God as the sustainer of life, and is in control of His creation
u Accepts God as the provider of every good gift and blessing
u Recognizes the Church as an extension of Christ Himself – it’s His bride and His body.
u The believer is a steward, a partner with God, in partnership with God
You may recall God’s promise in Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Perhaps we should ask: What are our values?
The Secular Nature The Spiritual Nature
Temporal Eternal
Self-centered Christ-centered
Body Spirit
Short-term Long-term
Self-controlled Spirit-controlled
Stewardship is simply the human side of lordship
Ø Commitment to the Lordship of Christ
Ø Expression of our partnership with God
Ø Believer’s response of love to/for God
Ø Recognition of God’s blessings and grace
It’s a matter of the Heart & Head!
What is your Stewardship Paradigm?
Old Nature Thinking New Nature Thinking
Financial matter Spiritual matter
Focus on Self Focus on God
Work oriented Grace Oriented
Emphasize Obligation Emphasize Lordship
Maintenance Driven Mission Driven
Members are Donors Members are Stewards
Briefly, here are some lessons I’ve learned from Scripture:
Matthew 25:14-46 The Parable of the Talents
The Goal of A Committed Christian is to take whatever God gives you in time, talents, gifts, health, and treasure, and “trade” with it until He comes; with the Purpose of bringing “profit” (increase) to His kingdom.
Luke 19:1-10 The story of Zacchaeus
Repentance and salvation include a radical change in stewardship behavior.
Mark 10:17-23 The Rich Young Ruler
Stewardship was designed to be a safeguard against pride & selfishness.
Mark 12:41-42 The story of the widow’s mite
God doesn’t need our money, but He wants our heart. Our stewardship does reveal whether or not we have given it to Him.
1 Timothy 5:8 “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever”
Who is your family? It may start at home, but the context of 1 Timothy 5 is about church family. Support your church family.
Malachi 3:8-10 Embezzlement is an “inside job”
Failure to return a faithful tithe, and give offerings as we are able, is robbery of God (embezzlement).
An honest tithe consists of three elements.
Ø The Right Amount. 10% of our increase – Gen. 28:22
Ø To the Right Place. It must be returned to God’s
Storehouse. The place from which the church Conference’s workers are paid. Mal. 3:10
Ø With the Right Attitude (attitude – heart purpose). 2 Cor 9:7
If you give “tithe” in any other fashion, if it lacks all three of these elements, its simply not tithe or a faithful return of tithe to God.
God wants us to remember and “observe His way’s” Proverbs 23:26 “My son, give me your heart, And let your eyes observe my ways.”
He wants us to remember how He loves and gives to us:
- Spontaneously
- Systematically
- Sacrificially
Because that is the same way He wants us to love and give to Him:
- Spontaneously
- Systematically
- Sacrificially
God present’s His instruction and appeal to us in this verse:
Malachi 3:10-12 ”Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it”
God invites you to test Him so he can increase your faith if it needs increasing.
I tested Him. And He passed… abundantly!
And He will for you to if you need to test Him!
But instead of needing to build our faith, wouldn’t it be better if we accepted Jesus’s faith so our faith was at the point where we too could simply chose to be bold and fearless in our faith …. and simply LOVE Him, with “S’s” because He first loved us with “S’s”?
1 John 4:16-19 “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us.”
For my Benediction please permit me to paraphrase 1 John 4:16-19
“May you experience and believe the love that God, who is love, has for you. May His perfect and fearless love be perfected in you giving you boldness to live fearlessly for Him in these last days. May you love Him because He first loved you.”