Coffee for the "Journey"

Ok, so it’s not Starbucks or even Dunkin Donuts but is good. It’s a very special blend of coffee created by one of the members of journey church. He went to Stauff’s in Grandview and found six different coffees, that collectively spell the word J-O-U-R-N-E-Y. Java Estate; Organic Sanctuary; J.R. Mora; Nicaragua; Ethiopia; Yemen. We haven’t served at journey church yet, we do serve coffee and we even let you bring it in the service. (check out an earlier post, “Top Ten Things I’ve Learned by Being a Church Visitor”, September 17, 2007)

Coffee is just one of the things we serve at Journey Church. Something else we serve is a heart felt love for God and one another. That’s not our idea, it’s what Jesus said we should do. When asked which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus said " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Matthew 22:37-39.

Both of those are easier said than done. Yet, they are said and so we should do them. But how? Well, that is the question we are trying to answer as we unfold the 3D vision of journey church. Last week we looked at the first half of this command which is to love the love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. To do that we need to understand three things about love. We need to understand. . ..

The parameters of love,

The problem with love and

The prescription for love (sorry for the alliteration, it comes with being a pastor)

The parameters of love are both qualitative and quantitative. What I mean by that is, first, we are to love God emotionally (with our heart), volitionally (with our soul), intellectually (with our mind) and physically (with our strength). Second, we are to love him quantitatively, that is with “all” of our being.

Second is the problem with love. The problem with love is that it never stands still. It is either increasing or decreasing. You can’t be on the fence with your love. I remember a story my daughter in law told me about my second son while they were dating. She wanted the relationship to progress but couldn’t tell what he wanted, so she asked him. (He’s a middle child so he’s more laid back than the first or last) Anyway, that “pushed” him off the fence and they are now “happily” married and living in Charlotte with two dogs!

Third is the prescription for love. The apostle Paul commended the Philippians for their love but at the same time exhorted them to grow in their love. “I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge.” Philippians 1:9 I think there are three things we can do to make our love grow. These apply to any relationship, but especially our relationship with God.

Remember

Repent and

Do (sorry no alliteration, here)

That's what Jesus told the church at Ephesus to do when he condemned them for letting their love grow cold.

4Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. Revelation 2:4-5a

Remember how much God loves you and how much He has forgiven you. Psalm 103:12 Repent of not loving God in return. Do or obey God's commands. 1 John 5:3 Which do you need to do today? Remember, repent or obey? Remember you can’t stay on the fence for long and if you do, it's terribly uncomfortable. Why not get off the fence and remember how much God loves you and has forgiven you and wants you to love him in return. Then enjoy a cup of coffee on the journey.