Jesus' More Excellent Way!

This morning we have a summary, of most, of Jesus' teachings.  Which begins with the elusive term love. 

Love is one of those words that is thrown around like popcorn in a popcorn fight.  Light and fluffy but not easily grasped or felt.  

Many Christians use the term love much too casually; as if people will automatically understand what love means.  It happens a lot with Biblical terms drawn from the ancient Greek and Hebrew language.  

The popular modern concept of Romantic love is just one tiny insignificant piece of this magnanimous request to love.  Today’s understanding of word usage does not always — hardly ever — define the terms used from the Greek and Hebrew. This is one of the main problems with biblical interpretation.  According to me that is! 

Example: The Hebrew root (‘hb) has connection to both human, secular and religious things.  The more common root (rhm), offers a sense of mercy.  The Old Testament word, for love, is a spontaneous feeling which impels self-giving, to grasp that which causes it.  It involves the inner person. This Love is not merely external.  It is deeply inward and God given.  This kind of love results in transcendence of the Law.  Love is the most positive force in human nature. (p. 5 & 6 Greek Dictionary)

To be loving, has the basic sense of: excellent, useful, good, kind, genuine, costly.  Love is described as the divine kindness, which allows space for repentance.  God’s gracious restraint, in the face of his people’s unacceptable behavior. (p.1320 Greek Dictionary) 

36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Lets start at the being of God’s creative activity.  A time when love was the norm, the core value, of existence. God being pure-love created everything to live in His mercy, excellence, and genuineness. So that all of His creations would offer to each other His extravagant positive force in the environments in which they move.

Jesus describes this concept — God’s definition of loving —  in all areas of our lives: 

36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”…..45 The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks…..

As we move through this year we will discuss the various ways, that this Gramma’s, Jesus models and teaches. That are meant to guide us thought the most excellent ways; to maneuver through the temptations we are confronted with in our wilderness wanderings. 

But before we do that I will attempt to define the meaning of the word sinner, that Jesus uses in the passage below.  

31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”…..45 The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks. (Luke 6)