THE AMBIENCE OF LOVE

(The stage was set with a loveseat - props available, flower, chocolate, wine glasses (sparkling grape juice), candlelight.  For the fireplace, we had a fireplace on the overhead and soft music playing through most of the introduction).

* Imagine – Young Man – Girlfriend Is Coming Over And He Is Going To Pop The Big Question. He’s Going To Ask Her To Marry Him.

- He wants to communicate his undying love for her

- He wants to create just the right atmosphere that communicates his deep love.

- The Ambience has to be just right. The "Ambience Of Love"

(Illustrate: - Set up on Stage - right lighting - candles - fire place - chocolate - flowers

- He is creating the "Ambience Of Love"

* He Wants His Girl To Know That She Is Loved And Cherished.

* I believe that God wants us to foster the Ambience of Love in our lives and in our Church so that people can see and experience the Divine Love And Romance of God. So that they will know they are loved by us and by God.

* Such an Ambience of Love - will bring people into a loving relationship with God and foster dynamic growth as His disciples.

Let’s separate ourselves from the sentimental greeting card variety of love.

* Jesus placed a high priority on love as an essential quality to be nurtured and demonstrated in the lives of His followers and in the life of His church.

Read John 13:34-35 – That His disciples should love one another was not an option but a command. He Knew That: —

- Having spent 6 years in G.M. fishing village, I know the rugged and often worldly nature of fishermen.

* John and brother James' father had thriving fishing business

- from childhood hanging around these rugged fishermen and the adventure of riding out storms on the sea had been part of their lives.

- they were rough and ready to tumble - no doubt -could handle themselves in any scrimmage.

- they were no pushovers and they had a reputation

- not exactly the tenderhearted type. – Sons of Thunder

* Christ had a transforming work to do in their lives.

Wipe Out Samaritan Village

- Once wanted to wipe out Samaritan village because wouldn’t put them up for night.

- wanted call down fire from heaven. "Let’s Toast Them Lord."

Wanted to Be Greatest In The Kingdom

- promise us we can have the seats of honour next to you in heaven

- not exactly a servant's heart

– James and John - Sons of Thunder - lots of rough edges

* In John - see amazing Transformation Of A Life By The Power Of Love.

- John became known as the Apostle of Love.

- Early church looked to him for direction and leadership

- wrote 5 of 27 NT books

- Made clear to us what it means to live in relationship with Jesus Christ.

- More than any other NT writer John challenges us to love one another.

- records most of Christ’s teachings on importance of love.

* Illustrate - one of my earliest sermons - preaching from 1 John - niece (Nat. 4 yrs old) " All Uncle Wicky is talking about is love, love, love."

* John wrote so much about love because he knew the transforming power of love firsthand.

* Whole plan of redemption - focus of God’s love for us and our responding to that love.

* He called us to love one another because He knows how love can transform people’s lives

"The people whom God has called you to serve are desperate for love. They don’t need that mush, fuzzy, spineless ooze but the meaty compassion and commitment that we see in Christ." (Growing A Healthy Church - Dann Spader)

* The priority of love is set forth as clear as a bell in scripture.

* Ever notice diff. between church where people loved each other and where they didn’t?

Lack Of Love = multitude of sins, accusations, innuendos, gossip, political infighting etc.

* Heb. 10 calls us to stimulate each other to love

doesn't say: And let us consider being a little more congenial to one another

- it says - encourage - motivate - stimulate - genuine heartfelt love for one another.

- needs to be a major priority at Parkway Bible Church.

- those who mature and display loving attitudes and actions will be celebrated

- if you’re going to display unloving attitudes and actions - it is unacceptable.

- we don’t help you in your walk if we allow you to continue unacceptable behaviour.

- As a church we want to promote genuine love for one another.

* 1 Tim. - calls on Church leadership to consciously pursue love in the congregation as a goal.

"The overwhelming testimony of the NT is that love both expressed and experienced among members of the body is absolutely essential if that body is to be healthy and alive. Thus the development of love within the body must be a primary concern of the spiritual leadership" ( A Theology of Leadership - Larry Richards and Clyde Hoeldtke)

* Over 50 passages in NT hammer home the Priority of Love

- Creating a place where people are loved is a priority of Scripture.

– My Dream Is That Parkway Bible Church Will Be Such A Place

- love is in our soul and radiates from our being.

* Every person you will ever meet needs to love and be loved.

- It’s a hard thing to find in our world.

- world offers a cheap substitute – sex.

- we don’t have to condone a person's lifestyle to love them.

- i.e. Time Out For Teen Moms – don’t approve of sex before marriage.

- but we better love those girls

- when we love them - they’ll understand the love of Christ for sinners.

* World around us has more affluence than ever before - on outside life seems intact

- but more than ever, people are hurting, weary and bleeding on the inside.

- job related - divorce, abuse, drugs, broken relationships

– whatever the cause – increasing personal pain in our society.

- All of this in the midst of increased "selfishness."

* In spite of fact Love is - Thing We Need Most It Is The Thing We Give Least.

* The Absolute - Unconditional Love That Christ Has For Us And Wants To Display To The World Through Us Is Rare And In Desperately Short Supply.

- but it is the kind of love that can make a difference in our world.

* When We Demonstrate The Love Of Christ, The Gospel Comes To Life For Those Around Us

- " People don’t know how much you know till they know how much you care."

- Not good enough just to tell people they need Christ. They want to see a genuine demonstration of His love. – They won’t believe it till they see it in God’s people.

- Can’t share the light till you’ve shared the love.

Parkway Motto: Sharing the light and love of Jesus Christ in every way with everyone

- let’s change order - Love, then light

* The Words Of Jesus Echo Down Through the Corridors Of Time To the 21^st Century Church at Parkway.

* The love that Christ has for a lost world takes on flesh and bones through our love for one another.

- Not through greatest church growth strategy – best music money can provide – not by the most rambunctious worship around - not even by the best Bible teaching in the city.

*The world will know that we belong to Him and that He loves them – when they see us genuinely loving one another.

* Man - I want to be that church, don’t you?

- don’t you just want the world to know that we belong to Him

- don’t you just want the world to know that they are loved by God

– then they’ve go to see it demonstrated in us.

* When We Demonstrate The Love Of Christ - We Become Light And Bring Hope To A Dark And Lost World

*** How can we make that happen? How Can We Demonstrate Love And Become Light In the Darkness. - Let me suggest - We need to -

1 Cor 13

1 Cor. 13: 4- 7 = The Way Love Acts

– Every action on list benefits others.

– Stands in Stark Contrast To The Way People Are Treated Everyday In The World

* Joe Aldrich in his book "Lifestyle Evangelism" talks about "The Music Of The Gospel."

1 Cor. 13 = LOVE = Music of the Gospel

"Sharing The Love And Light Of Jesus Christ With Everyone In Every Way."

- When we demonstrate love - people sit up and take notice – allow us share light.

** When We Sing The Music Of The Gospel people are prepared to hear what we have to say.

* What Would Our Church Look Like - If We Lived The Music Of The Gospel

* I tell you what – When A Church is Filled With the Ambience Of Love – Not Only Will Unbelievers Be Attracted — Believers Will Grow.

"The degree to which we are effective in communicating love is the degree to which we will see our people grow in Jesus Christ." (Dan Spader Pg 61 - Growing A Healthy Church)

* Love just doesn’t happen – it needs to be cultivated in our lives and in our church.

* How Do We Cultivate The Ambience Of Love ?

* Look in Mirror and Ask Yourself:

* Do I Really Love The People In My Church

- not fuzzy feeling - authentic self-sacrificing love.

* Do I Really Love The People In My Community

Illustrate: - Smelly Guy at "Jesus the Saviour"

- Maria Yak - break down and cry over University Students

* Do You Really Love And Have Compassion For Lost People

* Do People See The Love Of Christ Demonstrated In Your Life

Grace = unmerited favour — Unconditional

* Do We Love People Whether Or Not They Live The Way We Want Them To Or Whether Or Not They Treat Us The Way They Should.

Few things communicate love like a compassionate listening ear.

- Love = abandoning your own agenda and hearing the heart of another.

* People will disappoint you.

* Did we not disappoint the Saviour - Did not the Disciples abandon Him when He needed them the most.

– Yet He Loved In Spite Of The Disappointment

* People Disappoint – We Forgive = Opportunity To Demonstrate Love

* Look for ways to let people know that God loves Them and You Love Them

- hand on their shoulder – invite for Thanksgiving – small gift – affirming Word.

*Ask God To Give You Love For The People In Your Church

* Ask God To Give You Love And Compassion For People In Our Community.

Illustrate: I walk through Parkway Mall and wonder about the people there and ask God to show us how to connect with them. i.e. Radio Lady - 4 Old Guys Hanging Around Talking

- Youth Out for Lunch etc.