Lesson On Love

Hello! Class. Let's begin...

Jesus. What is the very first thing that pops into your mind when you hear that name? Joy? Peace? Patient? Love? Healer? Many things pop into my mind but the one that stands out the most is, SAVIOR. Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, that is who He is. He wants to save you today from yourself, He wants to wipe away all of your sin, and welcome you in His' Kingdom. Does that really sound bad? I laugh at the people who think serving God is boring. Those of you who don't have a relationship with Jesus -Are seriously missing out. You can go ahead and have all this world...all I want is Jesus.

Jesus and Nicodemus
John 3:1-21

1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

3In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

4“How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”

5Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

9“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

16“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,^f that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.^g 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

When did you first meet Jesus? How? The entire gospel comes to a focus in verse 16. TRUE love is NOT self-centered; it reaches out and draws others in. God sets the pattern of true love here, the basis for all love relationships: If you love someone dearly, you will be willing to pay dearly for that persons love. God paid with the life of his Son., the highest price he could pay. Jesus accepted our punishment, paid the price for our sins, and then offered us the new life that he bought for us. When we share the gospel with others, our love must be like his--we must willingly give up our own comfort and security so that others might join us in receiving God's love.

One heart at a time,

-Tina

Snowed In?

When the storms of life are raging, who do you go to for help? Your Mom? Your Dad? Your Coworkers? Friends? What? Who? Do you find what they have to say helpful? Is it good advice? Well that's great. However, next time you are in a bind...go to God. Go to God first. Pray. Worship. Seek His face. He is listening to your cry and He sees every tear that you shed.
It's in times of discomfort, turmoil agony etc. that we decide to turn to God. Take for example the past earthquakes and fires in California that caused damage. Before those events occurred the people walked about living there lives like everything was fine. Things were peachy...so they thought. Then when the earth began to rumble unapologetic-ally underneath them, and the fires continued to rapidly spread it was only then -that some decided to pray and ask God for help. Why is it that so often people only pray when they are in great need? When it only involves them or, those close to them? It's only when disaster strikes that people run around in circles in panic and THEN turn to Jesus. That is a little something called, "Putting God on the back burner". Why do we? Shouldn't we be people of faith? Shouldn't we be praying without ceasing? Not only praying for ourselves but, praying for others as well. In the good times AND in the bad, shouldn't God be our ultimate source of strength?

The Concerns of Jesus

Matthew 9:27-38 says -

²⁷ As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

²⁸ When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

“Yes, Lord,” they replied.

²⁹ Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; ³⁰ and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” ³¹ But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.

³² While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. ³³ And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”

³⁴ But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.”

The Workers Are Few

³⁵ Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. ³⁸ Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

How Do YOU picture Jesus caring for you? Jesus didn't respond immediately to the blind men's pleas. He waited to see how earnest they were. Not everyone who says he or she wants help really wants it badly enough to do something about it. Jesus may have waited and questioned these men to make their desire and faith stronger. If it seems as if God is too slow in giving an answer to your prayers, maybe He is testing you as He did the blind men. Do you believe God can help you? Do you really want His help?

One heart at a time,

-Tina

“I sought the LORD, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.” Psalm 34: 4-5

“When the humble see it they will be glad; you, who seek God, let your hearts revive for the LORD hears the needy.“ Psalm 69:32