A Passion for God and People
Jul. 15th, 2007 08:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
failegaidinThese are the notes I took during the sermon this morning. I'm going to start posting them. First of all, it will make me think about them again. Second of all, maybe some of you might find them interesting/enlightening. Any comments/questions are welcome.I apologize if parts don't make sense - some of them are direct responses to things my pastor said and others are tangent thoughts.
1Corinthians 9:19-22 - This sermon was about loving people where they are and showing them faith and the love of God. If we truly love them, how can we not share this valuable treasure we have?
Complacency. We go on as though life is normal. But things are not normal. We need to realize what we have. But how do you share it with people who know your faith and just don't care?
But if we as Christians, who have God as our comfort, find life tough, then hhow hard must it be for those who don't know God?
Paul became everything to everyone in order to win them for God. People train from childhood to win a medal that will eventually rot or rust - why can't we pursue eternal life with that same determination and single-mindedness? Where is my passion? Why can't I be obsessed with 24 and Lost and movies and music and my friends, and yet not become enthralled with God?
I tend to push people away who I find to lead immoral lives. I look down on them. And that's not righ.t I need to be in the world but not of it. Can I love them where they are? Can I put aside my rules to reach out and get to know them? I need to meet them where they are with the love of Christ. It starts with loving people for who they are. Love them unconditionally even if they never turn to God.
1Corinthians 9:19-22 - This sermon was about loving people where they are and showing them faith and the love of God. If we truly love them, how can we not share this valuable treasure we have?
Complacency. We go on as though life is normal. But things are not normal. We need to realize what we have. But how do you share it with people who know your faith and just don't care?
But if we as Christians, who have God as our comfort, find life tough, then hhow hard must it be for those who don't know God?
Paul became everything to everyone in order to win them for God. People train from childhood to win a medal that will eventually rot or rust - why can't we pursue eternal life with that same determination and single-mindedness? Where is my passion? Why can't I be obsessed with 24 and Lost and movies and music and my friends, and yet not become enthralled with God?
I tend to push people away who I find to lead immoral lives. I look down on them. And that's not righ.t I need to be in the world but not of it. Can I love them where they are? Can I put aside my rules to reach out and get to know them? I need to meet them where they are with the love of Christ. It starts with loving people for who they are. Love them unconditionally even if they never turn to God.
