SLIDE: Back to the Basics – UNLOVABLE

“Unmet Expectations, Masks and The Gospel of Jesus Christ”

 

Relationally Driven Church

 

 

SLIDE: Gospel of Matthew 22:37-40  Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

 

LOVE God LOVE people –

 

Love your neighbor as yourself

Love your neighborhood as you own home

 

 

Friday Valentine’s Day –

Love and Relationship –

 

This is Valentines week – It is about LOVE, Romance and relationship

 

Friday is Valentine’s Day. –

It is the day we declare our love for others.

 

Valentines Day = Movies, TV and fantasy.

 

Gabe’s Course – Just started  “Better Love”

SLIDE: Back to the Basics – UNLOVABLE

“Unmet Expectations, Masks and The Gospel of Jesus Christ”

 

 

Love your neighbor … AS YOURSELF

 

 

1. SLIDE: Unmet Expectations –

 

If my expectations are not met – I feel unloved!

 

“ IF… I feel unloved” – You don’t love me.

 

I am unlovable

 

Relational Expectations based on Basic assumptions

 

Expected Fran to cook, clean dishes, house and do laundry

 

Basic assumptions…

 

My mom! –

 

Married to Fran – Not Jackie

 

 

IF GOD LOVES me – then…

 

Self-generated beliefs or some TV preacher

SLIDE: The Beatitudes –  Jesus acknowledges unmet expectations

He said:

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

Jesus acknowledges the unmet expectations of faith

 

God IS with you AND HE will fulfill these expectations someday.

 

Jesus reassures us that in His kingdom God truly is with us.

 

 

 

2. SLIDE: UNLOVABLE – Masks – Pharisees – Hypocrites

 

SLIDE: Matthew 23:1-7 A Warning Against Hypocrisy

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: ² “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. ³ So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. …

⁵ “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; ⁶ they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; ⁷ they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.

 

Do not be like the Pharisees – “Seen by others”

 

Hypocrites 13xs Jesus says this in Matthew  – actors

 

Jesus’s critique of them is … “to be seen by others”

 

HYPOCRITE – an actor

 

They wear masks – a performance

 

Do we wear masks?

 

If you see the real me – You would NOT love me.

 

We act out a role that is not our own

 

If you believe we are truly loved we can move from unmet expectations and wearing masks to truly opening up to God and to people.

 

I believe that the Love of God is the thing that can truly free us from ourselves.

 

The Gospel of Matthew seems so certain about these things.

 

Why?

 

 

SLIDE: Matthew 9:9-13  The Calling of Matthew

⁹ As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

¹⁰ While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. ¹¹ When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹² On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

 

Jesus quotes from Hosea

Hosea – Gomer

She cheats –

God could not end the covenant –

Because He loves Israel –

God’s love is greater than Israel’s sin

 

Hosea 3 God will do something to restore

God is emotionally torn apart –

The last chapter – ONE day God will be in relationship with them

 

Matthew was a tax collector – Jesus meets him

“Come and follow me”

 

SLIDE: Feet to Your Faith

 

SLIDE:  As you trust in the love of God… you can take off your masks

 

SLIDE: As you experience Christ’s love… you don’t need to perform for others approval.

 

SLIDE: As you follow Jesus… you can release unmet expectations and trust God

 

 

 

 

Baptism coming