WEBVTT 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:07.480 Well, good morning everyone. Here we are at the beginning of our new series for Lent. 00:00:08.500 --> 00:00:17.640 And we start, of course, with when was the last time that you told God that you loved 00:00:17.640 --> 00:00:26.160 him so much? The thing is, the theme is that God loves us. But let's spin that. When was 00:00:26.160 --> 00:00:34.579 the last time that you told and poured out to God how much you loved him? Now, as you 00:00:34.579 --> 00:00:41.079 know, I'm heavily into film. And I love those black and white films that probably from the 00:00:41.079 --> 00:00:47.719 1940s where you have people waving goodbye, like Brief Encounter on a railway station. 00:00:48.500 --> 00:00:55.079 And it goes something like this, doesn't it? Goodbye, darling. I think I'm really going 00:00:55.079 --> 00:01:00.060 to miss you. I know. I know, darling. I'm going to miss you as well. Isn't it awful that 00:01:00.060 --> 00:01:05.560 we have to be part of the life? This is, darling. But you know that I have to go. And all you're 00:01:05.560 --> 00:01:11.840 screaming at the television is, kiss her. Tell her that you love her before they go. 00:01:15.019 --> 00:01:21.239 Strange, isn't it, that we're in a relationship with someone. And maybe, again, when we think 00:01:21.239 --> 00:01:28.560 about our relationship with God, that we wait for an hour on a Sunday and then tell him how 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:34.899 much we love him and what happens for the rest of the week. You know, do we, moment by moment, 00:01:35.339 --> 00:01:44.280 tell him how much we appreciate his love for us as much as we love him? Well, you're in it for a 00:01:44.280 --> 00:01:52.719 treat this morning because, actually, we're at the movies. And one of my favourite psalms is 139, 00:01:52.939 --> 00:02:00.439 but also one of my favourite musicals is A Fiddler on the Roof. And there's a lovely clip in here, 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:07.260 which is a song that I love. And basically, the Jews are being oppressed and being driven out of 00:02:07.260 --> 00:02:14.539 their land by the Russian forces. Sounds quite familiar, doesn't it? And Tevye and Golda have 00:02:14.539 --> 00:02:21.960 three daughters. There's trouble in the town, there's trouble around, and life is changing rapidly. 00:02:22.460 --> 00:02:33.640 And Tevye asks Golda, do you, do you love me? Do you love me? I sense that question because that love 00:02:33.639 --> 00:02:40.839 has never really been openly spoken about between them. And maybe sometimes that's our relationship 00:02:40.839 --> 00:02:48.899 with God. You know, it's not worth waiting 25 years. It's not worth waiting 25 weeks, 25 minutes, 00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:56.060 25 seconds without telling God how much we love him, how much we appreciate him, deepening that 00:02:56.060 --> 00:03:02.739 relational bond that is there. But so often goes unsaid, just like in our clip, the things that need 00:03:02.740 --> 00:03:09.219 saying. And as we enter this series with the heart of God, that God loves you, I appreciate many 00:03:09.219 --> 00:03:14.020 Christians and not yet Christians struggle with that statement, that they're going to look at this 00:03:14.020 --> 00:03:20.420 band and say, what does that heart mean? And the heart means that God loves you. But God, people will 00:03:20.420 --> 00:03:29.379 say, well, how can God love me? That will be the question. Because so many people who I find come on 00:03:29.379 --> 00:03:38.199 offer, who you talk to about God, God says, you know, how can they love me because of the way that I am? 00:03:39.359 --> 00:03:45.180 They struggle with that statement. And whether it's because of their lifestyle decision, whether it's 00:03:45.180 --> 00:03:50.500 because of a mistake or a choice, something that they've done, something that they're holding on to, 00:03:50.500 --> 00:03:58.639 like guilt, resentment, anger, whatever it is, sin, man, inshumanity to man, and all these things, 00:03:59.639 --> 00:04:08.599 the message is that God loves you. And that's a hard thing for people to appreciate and receive that 00:04:08.599 --> 00:04:16.259 love. Philip Yancey says in the world-selling book, What's So Amazing About Grace? Grace means there is 00:04:16.259 --> 00:04:22.959 nothing we can do to make God love us more. The grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love 00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:35.420 us less. Grace means that God already loves us as much as an infant God can possibly do, that we are loved, 00:04:36.319 --> 00:04:37.480 greatly loved. 00:04:37.480 --> 00:04:49.420 In a recent, we've just come back from a conference in Harrogate, and James Aladaran has said in his book, 00:04:49.759 --> 00:04:55.840 In A Life on Fire, I think there is a massive difference between functioning in our relationship 00:04:55.840 --> 00:05:02.660 with God for his love and functioning in our relationship with God from a place of love. 00:05:02.660 --> 00:05:09.420 This might sound like a subtle distinction, but it has a huge impact on the quality and longevity 00:05:09.420 --> 00:05:16.500 of our spirituality. It's important to understand that God loves us all the same, whether we fast 00:05:16.500 --> 00:05:24.780 and pray or not. But the more of his love and presence we encounter, the more we desperately want 00:05:24.780 --> 00:05:31.060 to give ourselves to him. So my response in fasting and prayer would come from a place of complete 00:05:31.060 --> 00:05:40.040 confidence in his love for me and a desire to seek more of him. We are called to seek more of God in 00:05:40.040 --> 00:05:51.259 his love for us. And it's not something that God does. It's who he is. It's who God is. 00:05:52.220 --> 00:05:58.660 That actually, that we can encounter that love. Even before we were born, like the psalm says this morning, 00:05:58.660 --> 00:06:03.200 even before we were born, God loves you. 00:06:06.340 --> 00:06:15.379 Paul, who experienced that love and abundance when he wrote to the Romans, from a life moved 00:06:15.379 --> 00:06:23.820 from persecuting Christians to finding that deep, deep love that can only change hearts and minds and 00:06:23.819 --> 00:06:30.659 lives, says, for I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither the angels nor demons, 00:06:31.159 --> 00:06:37.879 neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation 00:06:37.879 --> 00:06:43.879 will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. 00:06:43.879 --> 00:06:53.500 And of course, the ultimate demonstration of that love is the cross, as we move towards that during Lent. 00:06:53.860 --> 00:07:01.480 For God so loved the world, you and me, that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him 00:07:01.480 --> 00:07:07.879 will not perish, but have eternal life. With God, we are not alone. 00:07:07.879 --> 00:07:15.959 So why is it that the people feel so alone? And the psalmist says, where can I go from your spirit? 00:07:16.379 --> 00:07:25.399 Where can I flee from your presence? God love is with us. And each of us will have our own story today. 00:07:25.740 --> 00:07:34.600 One of the biggest tricks and deceits of the enemy is to isolate and convince us that we are alone 00:07:34.600 --> 00:07:42.800 and unloved. Especially in today's society, we are reeling from a world pandemic where we isolated, 00:07:43.020 --> 00:07:49.240 where we were on our own, where we spent times, where people's anxiety went through the roof, 00:07:49.240 --> 00:07:57.280 where we were locked away. People need to know that God is with them and remains with them in that. 00:07:57.600 --> 00:08:04.300 God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit are always and forever with us. It is impossible 00:08:04.300 --> 00:08:11.000 to escape from God's love. Believe me, I have tried. 00:08:15.000 --> 00:08:21.980 He is mighty to save. David knew this in the psalm and these qualities as he was chased down 00:08:21.980 --> 00:08:27.819 by a crazed King Saul and exiled to hide in a cave. 00:08:27.819 --> 00:08:37.659 You know, the issues that we look at here in here that God is here with us. 00:08:38.779 --> 00:08:46.340 We are never unloved. So if we are so loved, and we are, how do we express that love in our life? 00:08:47.259 --> 00:08:54.019 How do we do that on a day-to-day basis? You know, when did you first fall in love with God 00:08:54.019 --> 00:08:59.419 or find out that realization of that love with God? 00:09:02.079 --> 00:09:08.199 Mine was at a children's camp where suddenly I was stood at the back of the room where I'd given up 00:09:08.199 --> 00:09:15.100 trusting in God. I'll be totally honest about that. And the children saying, I'm special because God has 00:09:15.100 --> 00:09:22.340 loved me. I found this overwhelming sense of God's love that I'd never experienced before, 00:09:22.340 --> 00:09:28.879 and I will never forget since. This overwhelming sense of God's love for us. 00:09:30.139 --> 00:09:36.740 When was that realization in our own being that we want to share with other people so that they can 00:09:36.740 --> 00:09:42.500 come into that relationship as well? In that expression of reciprocal love that marks out our 00:09:42.500 --> 00:09:46.580 discipleship. In John 13, 35, 00:09:46.580 --> 00:09:55.780 by this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another. Lean into my love. 00:09:57.040 --> 00:10:02.480 That expression of God's love that we share is worked out every day by the things that we do, 00:10:02.580 --> 00:10:09.360 the things we say, how we behave, how we respond to others and show that love, because we know that 00:10:09.360 --> 00:10:19.220 ourself. And when Jesus is a question in Luke 10, 25, teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? 00:10:19.399 --> 00:10:24.379 What is written in the law, Jesus says. How do you read it? He answered, love the Lord your God with 00:10:24.379 --> 00:10:28.279 all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, with all your strength, with all your mind. 00:10:28.519 --> 00:10:36.800 Love your neighbor as yourself. You've answered correctly, Jesus replied. Do this and you will live. 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:44.120 When was the last time we poured out our love consistently to the one who never gives up on us? 00:10:45.479 --> 00:10:53.639 Who gave everything to secure that love for us? Personally, I don't think an hour on a Sunday is 00:10:53.639 --> 00:11:04.759 good enough. You know, it's about an everyday, 24-7, 365 days a year, that we express that love. 00:11:04.759 --> 00:11:12.519 And then people will be drawn to us because they need to experience that love. Think of people that 00:11:12.519 --> 00:11:18.620 you have been drawn to because of the love of God, shown in various different ways. 00:11:20.939 --> 00:11:27.279 But how could somebody love me? I hear it again, some people make it difficult to love them, 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:35.539 and I appreciate that. You know, the sense of the evil one lies that our sins have separated us from 00:11:35.539 --> 00:11:43.179 God. You know, it shouldn't become a barrier. We've just said our forgiveness, we've received that 00:11:43.179 --> 00:11:51.439 forgiveness. There is no barrier to God's love. And so here this morning, as we begin our Lenten series, 00:11:51.440 --> 00:12:00.140 you know, some people would want to come and say, yeah, but why doesn't God love me? Why can't I 00:12:00.140 --> 00:12:06.200 experience that love? And also because sometimes when there's been struggle, when there's been 00:12:06.200 --> 00:12:11.260 disappointment, when you've struggled with a lack of faith, when you've gone through tough times, 00:12:11.680 --> 00:12:19.520 the thing is, in Lent we recall how Jesus took up his cross and followed me. I'm really sorry to say 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:24.779 that I think some people have been groomed in the evangelical thing to say that once you become 00:12:24.779 --> 00:12:31.919 a Christian, you become actually that there will be no suffering and no more harm, no more worry. 00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:38.860 You know, it's not true. Jesus says, take up your cross, but with the confidence that his love is 00:12:38.860 --> 00:12:42.100 always there. He will never let us down. 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:58.100 We're thinking about constant love. 00:13:00.100 --> 00:13:09.179 And if like me, you waver slightly, you know, God loves me this much, but then on another day doesn't 00:13:09.179 --> 00:13:16.340 love me as much because something I've done, then that is a lie that we need to break. 00:13:16.340 --> 00:13:23.840 Because the evil one will do everything to break us from the love of God that is constant. When did 00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:32.879 you last tell God that you loved him? When did you express that love in a way that was personable, 00:13:33.480 --> 00:13:40.500 tangible, and outpouring of that love for him? Because it works both ways. 00:13:40.500 --> 00:13:49.559 I believe as Christians, we are in a new season. There is a new season that the Spirit of God is 00:13:49.559 --> 00:13:56.600 ushering in, a season to express that love openly and unashamedly, a love that is visible, 00:13:57.279 --> 00:14:06.480 is active in order to set people free. Whatever it is that diminishes the fullness of that love 00:14:06.480 --> 00:14:12.820 in us and through other people. There is a song by Delirious that goes, lead me to the cross where 00:14:12.820 --> 00:14:18.920 we first met. Draw me to my knees where we can talk. Let me fill your breath. Let me know you're 00:14:18.920 --> 00:14:26.820 here with me. We draw people to this cross because that's where the love is. That's where love came from. 00:14:26.820 --> 00:14:35.800 That's where love is personified. In a father who loved his son so much that he gave him for us 00:14:35.800 --> 00:14:39.140 so that we can know that love forever. 00:14:41.520 --> 00:14:44.580 So this morning there's three things I want to share with you 00:14:44.580 --> 00:14:53.820 and our sense that we needed to share today. The first one, there are those who are here and may be 00:14:53.820 --> 00:15:01.620 listening online where something in life has created a wall for you. It's created you to doubt 00:15:01.620 --> 00:15:08.540 God's love and it's created a stronghold in your life. It's a place you go back to all the time where 00:15:08.540 --> 00:15:16.400 God can't love me because of this and it takes you back. Today be freed from that because to know God's 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:24.740 love and again and again will free you from that being dragged back again and again. Number two, 00:15:25.079 --> 00:15:34.059 you became a good religious person. You know, but religion took precedence over an intimate and loving 00:15:34.059 --> 00:15:42.340 relationship with God and a spirit of judgment over others is taken over in your life. You love God but 00:15:42.340 --> 00:15:53.680 sadly struggle to love your neighbour as yourself. And three, you've never experienced the fullness of the 00:15:53.680 --> 00:16:00.220 love of God in your life and you desperately, desperately want to know that more. 00:16:04.060 --> 00:16:08.000 We know God's love through the power of the Holy Spirit he gave to all people. 00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:14.779 So at the beginning of this series, which is a very good place to start, I think that came from the 00:16:14.779 --> 00:16:15.820 sound of music, didn't it? 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:26.460 So at the beginning of this series, to reveal in this place his power and his gracious love, 00:16:28.039 --> 00:16:32.779 his life-giving spirit for us. If any of those things resonate, 00:16:32.779 --> 00:16:42.399 I'm just going to invite you to maybe hold out your hands as we receive that love in all its fullness. 00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:51.100 There's an ancient prayer and it's very simple and it says, 00:16:51.100 --> 00:16:53.299 Holy Spirit, come. 00:16:53.299 --> 00:16:58.719 Shall we just wait on the Lord 00:16:58.719 --> 00:17:04.019 to fill us afresh with that love? 00:17:05.379 --> 00:17:07.480 Holy Spirit, come. 00:17:07.480 --> 00:17:07.539 Come. 00:17:07.539 --> 00:17:07.599 Come. 00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:09.599 Come. 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:11.599 Come. 00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:13.599 Come. 00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:14.599 Come. 00:17:14.599 --> 00:17:15.599 Come. 00:17:15.599 --> 00:17:17.599 Come. 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:18.599 Come. 00:17:18.599 --> 00:17:19.599 Come. 00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:20.599 Come. 00:17:20.599 --> 00:17:21.599 Come. 00:17:21.599 --> 00:17:21.659 Come. 00:17:21.659 --> 00:17:22.659 Come. 00:17:22.659 --> 00:17:23.279 Come. 00:17:23.279 --> 00:17:24.859 There are barriers to that love. 00:17:24.859 --> 00:17:27.420 Ask him to show you what those barriers are. 00:17:30.779 --> 00:17:33.000 And to break down those strongholds. 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:50.879 Maybe you want to speak those words yourself to say, Holy Spirit, would you come? 00:17:50.879 --> 00:17:50.940 Come. 00:17:51.160 --> 00:17:55.940 God bless you, Lord. 00:17:55.940 --> 00:17:56.320 Come. 00:17:57.080 --> 00:17:58.660 Martin, let us know. 00:17:58.660 --> 00:18:02.799 Let us know. 00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:03.980 Thank you, Lord. 00:18:05.339 --> 00:18:06.000 Thank you. 00:18:19.500 --> 00:18:23.879 Just sense as well for those that want to be freed 00:18:23.879 --> 00:18:27.619 from the crippling restriction of religion 00:18:27.619 --> 00:18:33.899 that has held you fast and has stopped you from moving on. 00:18:35.699 --> 00:18:37.019 You got stuck. 00:18:38.839 --> 00:18:40.119 Stuck in a time war. 00:18:41.159 --> 00:18:42.799 Holy Spirit, would you come? 00:18:44.439 --> 00:18:46.819 Show us the love that you have for us today. 00:18:46.819 --> 00:18:59.859 Lord, you knew me and you loved me before I was born. 00:19:02.299 --> 00:19:03.579 Show me that love. 00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:09.179 And help me to show that love to you. 00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:11.119 In Jesus' name. 00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:12.119 Amen. 00:19:16.819 --> 00:19:17.819 Amen.