Addicted to Love Pt. 2

The Soloist

A few weeks ago, after Brittany and I walked down to Safeco Field to watch the Mariners beat the Twins, we caught the 5:10 showing of “The Soloist” at Meridian. “The Soloist” is based on a true story of Nathaniel Ayers (pictured above), a cello prodigy who attended Juilliard in NYC, who becomes schizophrenic and homeless.  LA Times columnist, Steve Lopez befriends Ayers and writes a series of columns describing Ayers’ plight.  We can’t discern Lopez’ motives for befriending Ayers, although it’s not a stretch to assume that initially it was motivated by selfish reasons, i.e.; he needed a story and it made HIM feel good, but what it looks like Lopez comes to realize is that;

1. Everyone has a story and,
2. unconditional friendship heals.

True Love

It was appropriate seeing this movie after concluding the recent two-part sermon series, “Addicted to Love.” THE ingredient for renewal personally and for our city is love…not the selfish, sexual, worldly love but the love that emanates from Jesus…patient, enduring, kind…the kind of love that doesn’t keep a record of wrongs and that allows us to open our hearts, lives, apartments to those who are different, hostile, and who may appear “more broken” than us.  Jesus said in Luke 6:32, if you love those who are just like you or who expect will give you something in return…what love is that? Translation…it’s not love.  True love is loving those who are different then you…who have differing views than you…they may even oppose and talk trash about you.  Love them.  Open your heart. Your apartment.

Christ’s Command to Love

In our city we are surrounded by people who are broken, who are marginalized….who have different views and who may even be hostile to Jesus.  All these people we walk by, come in contact with and who you may even turn your nose down at…have been created in the image of God…they have stories….backgrounds…and we should get to know those people and those stories.  If we have been changed by the endless, unconditional, amazing love of Jesus this love will flow out of our heart because it’s the love that Jesus has given to us.  Jesus says, don’t be like this because I was like this….he say’s, be like this because I was like this for you…I hung on a cross for you.

To hear part two of “Addicted to Love” click below. . .

Missional Unity

Be One

In my latest sermon, I talk about how Jesus communicated one strategy to his followers in order for the gospel to get spread to the world through the local church…be one. In Ephesians, Paul communicates the type of unity Jesus had in mind…that every follower of Jesus of every race, status, and class would worship, work, serve and pray together as a community so that the world would know that Jesus loves them.  Click below to listen. . .