THE GREATEST LOVE: Healing our Wounds - 3-28-21

 THE GREATEST LOVE: Healing our Wounds - 3-28-21

INTRODUCTION

The Greatest Love

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.”

‭‭ John‬ ‭15:9-17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I.  DEEPER HEALING

"Faith for my deliverance is not faith in God. Faith means, whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is love. There are some things only learned in a fiery furnace."

Oswald Chambers in Run Today's Race

A.  Physical healing is always temporary healing

“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

‭‭ Isaiah‬ ‭53:4-6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

B.  His wounds brought us healing

Thinking of the fullness and duration of this wonderful life, W. B. Hinson, a great preacher of a past generation, spoke from his own experience just before he died. He said, "I remember a year ago when a doctor told me, 'You have an illness from which you won't recover.' I walked out to where I live 5 miles from Portland, Oregon, and I looked across at that mountain that I love. I looked at the river in which I rejoice, and I looked at the stately trees that are always God's own poetry to my soul. Then in the evening I looked up into the great sky where God was lighting His lamps, and I said, ' I may not see you many more times, but Mountain, I shall be alive when you are gone; and River, I shall be alive when you cease running toward the sea; and Stars, I shall be alive when you have fallen from your sockets in the great down pulling of the material universe!' "

W. B. Hinson

II.  ULTIMATE HEALING

“On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.””

‭‭ John‬ ‭11:17-27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A.  Life beyond death

B.  The sting of death is gone

“When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

‭‭ 1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:54-57‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Abraham Lincoln was instrumental in freeing the slaves in the United States, but it was William Wilberforce who was instrumental in freeing the slaves in the British Empire. Wilberforce’s tireless efforts were dramatized in Amazing Grace. His actions were a direct result of his religious convictions. On his tomb in Westminster Abbey in London are these words: “Tis death is dead, not he.”

Michael Shannon

III. ETERNAL LIFE

“The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”

‭‭ 1 John‬ ‭2:17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.””

‭‭ John‬ ‭6:25-29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

‭‭ John‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”

‭‭ John‬ ‭3:36‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

‭‭ 1 John‬ ‭5:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

‭‭ Romans‬ ‭5:20-21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

‭‭ Romans‬ ‭6:23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

CONCLUSION

A man went to a cemetery for a burial. He arrived ahead of the procession, and as he waited for the arrival of others, he occupied himself reading the epitaphs. He saw one across the way that caught his attention. It said, “Death Is Eternal.” He thought that it was the most depressing thing he had ever seen on a tombstone, but when he went nearer he found that another stone had obscured part of that one. The full message was “Death Is Eternal Life.” If we let anything obscure the biblical view of life or death, we will be sadly and widely misled.

Michael Shannon

There is hope of healing in Jesus.  There is hope of the ultimate healing of Jesus that cures the damage of sin.  There is hope of eternal life.

CHALLENGE

"Keep Kenwood Connected" has been a reminder to stay connected with your church family since January.  In February, we added "Connecting Others to Jesus" as a way to have a conversation with someone about Jesus.  This month we add "Share the Greatest Love."  The challenge this week is to share hope with someone who is sick.  Offer them hope beyond their sickness.  Offer them eternal life.

INVITATION

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, I would be honored to speak with you in the upper parking lot following the service about what God is doing in your life.