DAY 18

NO GREATER LOVE

NIKKI CATHERINCCHIA, TEACHING PASTOR

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.

—John 15:13–16

If you spend any time in the Scriptures you will soon discover that Jesus is a people person. Give Him a DISC Assessment and He would be a perfect match for an “I” personality, an extrovert who never knew a stranger. Of course, He does have the advantage of being our Creator so I guess that puts Him on a personal level with every human being. To put it simply, Jesus loves people. In fact, that is why He came to live among us. It is love that motivated Him to submit to the will of the Father. The will that had Him leave the throne room of heaven to live among and ultimately die for you, for me, and for all of humanity. However, as much as Jesus’ love for us is guaranteed it also expects a response from us. Years ago the country singer George Strait had a song called “You Can’t Make a Heart Love Somebody.” The declaration of this song is that, “you can lead a heart to love, but you can’t make it fall.” In essence, these lyrics remind us that love is a two way street of giving AND receiving. In order to activate the fullness of love there must be two participants that share a mutual affection and devotion for each other. However, the risk of love is that while you can lavish someone with a love so great and limitless that you would be willing to die for them, there is no guarantee that they will fall in love with you in return.

The greatest obstacle to many faith journeys is that people tend to love Jesus but they are not in love with Him. Unfortunately, it is also an obstacle that many people never realize is even there. Most Christ followers would undeniably assert that they love Jesus. But, let's be honest, we love a whole lot of things. I love shoes and classical music. I love makeup and American history. I love pasta and New York City. I love Def Leppard and Aerosmith. 12-year-old me had their posters all over my room. Don’t judge, if you were born before 1984 you probably know the words to a song or two yourself. But take a second and think about all the things you love; maybe it's a band or a football team or a sport or store or a kind of food, etc. What are some things you claim to love? When we say we love a multitude of things, what we are really proclaiming is that we are fans. We would choose these things over the other options available. However, Jesus didn’t come to earth to start a fan club. He doesn’t want us to settle on Him because He seems to be the best of all the options. He wants us to fall in love with Him because He is in love with us.

How can you identify if this obstacle is present in your own faith journey? Well, ask yourself these questions. Does Jesus come first in my life or is He lucky if I give Him a passing thought on any given day? Does He get the best of me or the scrapes I have left over after I’ve done all the other things I deem more important? Is He the Lord of my life or do I continue to do things my own way in hopes that He will just bless it? Is church something I attend to feel good about myself or do I long to be in the presence of God worshiping my Savior? You see, depending on how you answer those questions will determine whether you love Jesus like you love the latest binge worthy show on Netflix or if you are in love with Him, giving Him your full devotion and affection.

Jesus didn’t die on a cross to influence people to cheer Him on yet ignore His teachings. He isn’t looking for fans. Every word spoken in the Gospels and every interaction Jesus has with people suggests that His great motivator isn’t fame, it is love. A love He freely gives us. A love that cries out “Come as you are.” No clean up necessary because that is exactly what Jesus came to do, wash us clean from the stain of sin. To restore us, make us whole, a new creation birthed out of the greatest love ever known. The price was high but it was worth it to Jesus because His love runs so very deep.

As the Apostle Paul so often wrote, for this reason, because we know of this great love Jesus has for us, how could we not fall in love with Him in return? As sure as His love compelled Him to die for us, our response of love should compel us to live for Him. Not admire Him, not applaud some of His teachings, not show up on the big holidays or once a month. Jesus isn’t a celebrity, we are not supposed to love Him from afar. Jesus is a person. He is the Savior of the world and every mouth that confesses or professes Him to be Lord has a personal relationship with Him. A relationship anchored by mutual love. His love for us and our love for Him.

Falling in love with Jesus isn’t about church attendance, it’s not about tithe dollars, and it’s not about making sure you pray before meals. Falling in love with Jesus means that all of those things and so much more are the overflow of a close, personal relationship with the Savior of the world. A relationship that is activated and sourced by the Holy Spirit that dwells within us. A relationship that bears the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. A relationship that governs every aspect of our lives. Jesus gave everything for humanity. There is no greater demonstration of love than laying down one's life for the object of our affection. Through Jesus, God the Father has led all of humanity to His limitless love, but only you can choose if you will fall in love with Him in return.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me with everlasting love. For finding me worthy of a love that would send Your Son to die for me. A love that washes me clean from all sin so that I might know abundant life, here and now and for all eternity. So today Father, I give you my whole heart. A heart that desires not just to love You as an admirer but a heart that is ready to fall more and more in love You, my God, my Savior, the Lord of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.