On Easter Sunday I completed a series called, "Reckless." Every Sunday from the Sunday prior to Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday we took a look at the different ways Jesus loved others, recklessly, as outlined in the gospel of John. I first got this idea from my co-worker, Sarah Campbell, at Highland Church of Christ. She had this idea as a theme for our summer youth missions. I can say for sure that, that summer and this idea changed my life. Before that summer I approached helping and serving others as another item on the list of what I should do as a good Christian. However, that summer I learned that serving others and spreading the word of God is about love, not duty or obligation. Love wells up inside you and then you serve others, because you can't help yourself and you feel that you are cheating others by not telling them who this beautiful savior, Jesus Christ, is and how he loves them unconditionally. So, thanks Sarah Campbell for giving me new eyes and allowing the Holy Spirit to use you in mighty ways with adolescents and their families at Highland Church of Christ.
During our sermon series at UCC we took a look at the idea of Jesus "moving into the neighborhood" (John 1, The Message) and His reckless love for others, some who no one else would dare love. Who else but Jesus would strike up a conversation with a Samaritan Woman who couldn't keep a husband and end up having an entire village believing? Jesus is the one who found the paralytic looking for a miracle bath and gave him working legs to walk and leap. Jesus was the only one who could throw a stone at the adulteress and instead loved her enough to give her an unprecedented 2nd chance. His reckless love was shown in how he wept with his friends over Lazarus' death and yet showed the power of God through Lazarus' resurrection. He dealt with the crowds that cheered and the leaders that plotted with great love and respect of the Father. And as a final act of reckless love Jesus rose from the dead so that all people might have the chance to experience the ongoing love of God and Kingdom life.
Most of the time I don't give reckless love. I give estimated, expected love. A kind of love anyone can give. The challenge for me and maybe for you is to give reckless love, the kind of love Jesus gave to all that we meet in our everyday life. Instead of giving "leftovers" love, after we have judged, proven ourselves right, stood on the "correct" political side, and have vetted someone worthy; we should love first and second and third and then keep on loving. Once you have experienced that kind of reckless love that speaks to the outcast, takes up for the scandalous, shows compassion on the marginalized, and weeps with the broken-hearted you cannot mistake that God is real, alive, and saves through Christ. I pray we experience that kind of love from others and that we experience that kind of love as we give it away and let it go, recklessly! Then we will have it forever, real now and eternally.
During our sermon series at UCC we took a look at the idea of Jesus "moving into the neighborhood" (John 1, The Message) and His reckless love for others, some who no one else would dare love. Who else but Jesus would strike up a conversation with a Samaritan Woman who couldn't keep a husband and end up having an entire village believing? Jesus is the one who found the paralytic looking for a miracle bath and gave him working legs to walk and leap. Jesus was the only one who could throw a stone at the adulteress and instead loved her enough to give her an unprecedented 2nd chance. His reckless love was shown in how he wept with his friends over Lazarus' death and yet showed the power of God through Lazarus' resurrection. He dealt with the crowds that cheered and the leaders that plotted with great love and respect of the Father. And as a final act of reckless love Jesus rose from the dead so that all people might have the chance to experience the ongoing love of God and Kingdom life.
Most of the time I don't give reckless love. I give estimated, expected love. A kind of love anyone can give. The challenge for me and maybe for you is to give reckless love, the kind of love Jesus gave to all that we meet in our everyday life. Instead of giving "leftovers" love, after we have judged, proven ourselves right, stood on the "correct" political side, and have vetted someone worthy; we should love first and second and third and then keep on loving. Once you have experienced that kind of reckless love that speaks to the outcast, takes up for the scandalous, shows compassion on the marginalized, and weeps with the broken-hearted you cannot mistake that God is real, alive, and saves through Christ. I pray we experience that kind of love from others and that we experience that kind of love as we give it away and let it go, recklessly! Then we will have it forever, real now and eternally.
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