Love FIRST

Randy Smith
LMC “a fellowship of anabaptist churches”
A Spirit-led movement to:
– Make disciples of Jesus,
– Mobilize every member as a missionary, and
– Multiply faith communities locally and beyond!

Love FIRST
John 14:23,24 “Those who love me will follow my commands”
John: Chapters 13 – 14
-Salvation is not intellectual.
-The means to obtain salvation is not a path or a process, it is a person.
– Jesus is “The way, and the truth, and the life” John 14:6
-Arriving at our spiritual destiny is not a matter of seeking a goal on our terms;
– It is a question of whether we know the Person who embodies ultimate Truth. (John 14:4-7)
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What Always Comes First?
-Love, faith, belief in God and Jesus
-Jesus is saying that fluid obedience flows from our love for Him and the Father, and not from a conscious choice.

Matthew 22:35-40 “Love the Lord your God… Love your neighbor”

Obedience does not result in salvation
Love and faith in Jesus results in salvation
Ephesians 2:8-9

What are you inviting people to?
Far too often we get caught up in the “specifics”…

Anabaptist
-We are people of the Word
-We hold onto what Jesus demonstrated and what he taught.

What does Jesus say?
-”Those love me… will be obedient.”
-”Love the Lord your God with all our heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.”
-”Love one another as I have loved you; by this they will know that you are my disciples.”
What does Jesus do?
-Heals the sick
-Gives sight to the blind
-Respects the marginalized
-Loves the unlovable
-Forgives the sinner
-Forges Disciples
-Raises the dead

Do you love Jesus deeply?

Oubliette – “the forgotten”
Psalm 40:2