November 20 Ministering Love

Luke 9:1-2 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 
 
MOST of us have heard, “We need to love people as Jesus loved.” This statement generally directs our thoughts to be loving, patient, kind, forgiving and gracious.
   We must also look at Jesus’ love through his directive to his disciples here. God’s love is agape (ä-gä′pā)’ – an active love. Jesus’ is activating his love with his command to “drive out all demons and to cure diseases”. In love, Jesus has pushed the “Start” button on his disciples’ work to love on others as he “sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”  
   In Jesus’ remarkable healings recorded in Luke 8 and his work here, we see a true, living image of that simple and beautiful children’s song, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” God’s great love for mankind shines forth in the gospel of salvation.
   Yes, we must recognize that the foundation of Jesus’ love here and throughout his ministry is “to preach the kingdom of God.” From the gospel, which is the good news of eternal salvation, comes the eternal agape love. Jesus’ preaching tells us we are sinners. He preached, Luke 13:5 “I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” And he preached, Mark 16:16 “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Jesus loves us so much, he tells us what is true and what is not.
   If we respond to his teaching, we are saved into the Kingdom of God. We can then learn to love as Jesus loved, growing more and more into patience, forgiveness, grace, submission and respect. We mature into loving God and loving others.
   Jesus’ directive to his disciples then is the same to you today. To be a disciple is to love people as Jesus loves you. Because the good news has saved you, you are then to eagerly respond to preach – tell, share, explain, teach – the gospel.
   Too often we equate, “Love as Jesus loved.” with being nice, polite and accepting of people’s wayward lives. I don’t know about you, but I’m glad he plainly tells us of his agape love in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
   Do you believe? Then go and love as Jesus.
 
Prayer: Help me, Holy Spirit, to love people enough to tell them the gospel. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.