Today we begin to look at what Francis Chan calls the “obsessions” we should be about as followers of Christ. By obsessions, he means the things that should drive us, consume us, and ignite our passions because we love God and want to serve Him with all our life.People who are obsessed with Jesus give freely and openly, without censure. Obsessed people love those who hate them and who can never love them back.Love ….. as followers of Christ, we are commanded to love those who are our enemies, the fringe people of society, the “unlovable,” and that is not easy to do. Nonetheless, as the following scriptures indicate, that is exactly what we are suppose to do as a result of God’s love for us:
“If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return. “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. (Luke 6:32-36)
Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.” (Luke 14:12-14)
Blessings
3 John 8
Bill H.
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