Jesus Loves People
Mark 10:21;Philippians 1:8-10
Skip Heitzig
Mark 10 (NKJV™) | |
21 | Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me." |
Philippians 1 (NKJV™) | |
8 | For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. |
9 | And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, |
10 | that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, |
New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.
Welcome to our new weekend series, Jesus Loves People! For the next many weeks, we will observe how Jesus' love for people was displayed and conveyed to a cross section of society. We will see Him as He loves the most religiously devout folks to the weak and doubting, from the prostitutes to the priests, from the bewildered to the brokenhearted. We will marvel at His love for thieves, murderers, and atheists. In each message, we will consider how we as God's people can show authentic love to people within each group.
Jesus loves people—all people: prostitutes, drug addicts, abusers—and you. This profound truth is at the very heart of the gospel. Jesus loves the unlovable and touches the untouchable, and during His time on earth, He was compassionate and merciful toward people from all walks of life. What would it be like if you personally encountered Him? Join Pastor Skip Heitzig in this series to learn more about God's radical love for you and fall more in love with the living Savior.
FREE - Download Entire Series (MP3) (Help)
|
Buy series
| Buy audiobook
We love love; we love to hear love stories and sing love songs. What’s more, we crave love—we want it more than anything and will often do anything to know that we are loved unconditionally. No one has loved better than Christ—He is the fullest demonstration of God’s love. He loved the worst of sinners and the best of saints. He loved prostitutes, drunks, the brokenhearted, atheists, religious people, etc. Let’s consider four foundational truths about His love that will function as the legs that the series Jesus Loves People stands on.
First, Jesus loves people. In Mark 10:17-22, we find a man who was very different than Jesus: he didn't know what Jesus knew, he wasn't at the same spiritual level Jesus was, he was self-righteous, he was gripped by the sins of materialism and greed, and he even walked away from Jesus. Yet, the text still says, “Jesus…loved him” (v. 21). The Greek word for love used here is agapaó, an unconditional love of the will. Jesus never met anyone He didn't love. The apostle Paul wrote that nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39). The meaning of agapaó—an unconditional love of the will—implies that Jesus chose to love the young man. How has Jesus shown His love to you? Has there been an occasion when you chose to love someone and that love was not returned? (See 1 John 4:21.)
Secondly, Jesus loves people individually. His approach of love was not canned or predictable. In this same chapter of Mark, Jesus blessed little children, and in the next chapter, He overturned tables and rebuked the sellers in the temple. He had the unique ability to read a situation, know who He was dealing with, and then love them accordingly. To the woman caught in adultery, He spoke tenderly. To the ostracized leper, He healed with a touch. But to the scribes and Pharisees, He spoke harshly, justly accusing them. The love of Jesus was tailor-made for every individual He met! Each expression was unique to the situation, just as love itself takes different forms. For instance, we give gifts to our children, yet we also spank them. We tell our spouse that we love them, yet we also argue with them in order to resolve issues. How do we respond in a Christlike manner to our own children—or the Lord’s? How can we “tailor-make” our expressions of love? (See John 14:15-18.)
Thirdly, Jesus loves people through us. We as the church are the body of Christ: we are His hands, touching people who hurt; we are His feet, going to the place of need; we are His mouth, voicing words of healing and truth; and we are His ears, listening to pain. Jesus said, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34, NIV). When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, He said, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:37-39). In another place, Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies” (Matthew 5:43-44). It is a divine mandate to love people with the love of Jesus—even the worst of people! Romans 5 tells us that the “love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (v. 5). If God’s love has flowed into our lives, it ought to flow out of our lives! Read Matthew 5:43-48 and Luke 6:27-36. What do these verses mean, and how do we do this?
Fourthly, Jesus loves people through us responsibly. Even though the text says Jesus loved the rich young ruler, it was not a sappy love of sentimentality. Jesus confronted the man with his failure, told him what was keeping him from God, and told him what he had to do to follow Him (see Mark 10:21). This was responsible and mature love. Love doesn't turn a blind eye to every behavior in the name of tolerance. Love sometimes confronts, instructs, and refuses—and it is always honest. There are two boundaries for the exercise of love: knowledge and discernment (see Philippians 1:9). Knowledge is a complete knowledge of what love is and what it is not. Many parents feel that to give their children whatever they want is love, but they should know better. Many have felt out of love with their spouse and in love with another person, but they know better. Discernment means to distinguish right from wrong. This leads to expressing love in different ways to different people. Jesus gently healed a disabled person and then overturned tables in the temple in righteous anger. Why? Because love “does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:6). Knowledge and discernment help you choose the right expression of love for the right person at the right time. Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 and 1 John 4. Define love biblically, and discuss how to choose the right expression of love for a situation.
Adapted from Pastor Skip’s teaching
The BIG Idea
Jesus loves people individually and responsibly through us.
Figures referenced: Dr. Richard Selzer, Karl Menninger, Paul Tournier, Billy Graham, D.L. Moody, Julian the Apostate
Greek words: agapé, agapao, epignósis
Cross references: Matthew 3:7; 5:43-44; 8:1-3; 9:9; 12:34; 23:27, 33; Mark 1:40-42; 5:1-20; 10:13-22; 11:15-17; 12:28-31; Luke 5:12-13; 8:52; 9:51-55; John 8:1-11; 11:35; 13:34; 20:16; Romans 5:5; 8:39; 1 Corinthians 13:6; Philippians 1:8-10; 1 John 4:8-9, 16
Date | Title | Watch | Listen | Notes | Share | Save | Buy | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6/28/2015 completed
|
Jesus Loves People, BUT... Romans 2:1-11 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary In this last message of our series Jesus Loves People, we want to bring equilibrium to the series itself. It’s true that God loves people. It’s equally true that He hates evil and the practice of it. Today we want to show how both the wrath of God and the love of God are integral parts of the nature of God Himself. This is crucial so that we don’t distort Him to the world and mislead people eternally. Let’s consider three requirements for representing the God who loves people. |
Message Trailer Watch Watch and take notes |
Listen - Mini Player Listen and Take Notes Listen in Spanish |
Outline Detailed Notes Study GuideTranscript |
Facebook |
Video (MP4) Audio (MP3) Spanish (MP3) |
Buy CD |
6/7/2015 completed
|
Jesus Loves Addicts Luke 4; Matthew 11 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary When a person ingests a substance or engages in an activity that provides temporary pleasure and then such acts become compulsive and interfere with ordinary life responsibilities, he or she is said to be an addict. Addictive behavior is widespread and is one of the reasons many addicts turn to Christ for help. Jesus has a special message for them and a special plan to help them. As the body of Christ to our generation, shouldn’t the church be part of that plan? |
Message Trailer Watch Watch and take notes |
Listen - Mini Player Listen and Take Notes Listen in Spanish |
Outline Detailed Notes Study GuideTranscript |
Facebook |
Video (MP4) Audio (MP3) Spanish (MP3) |
Buy CD |
5/17/2015 completed
|
Jesus Loves Terrorists Acts 9:1-16 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary One magazine noted that "religious terrorism is the communism of the 21st century, the most serious international threat to human rights." I am aware that the title of this sermon is a strange one, and it's even stranger to think we should be told to love terrorists. Today we consider the stark reality of terror in our world and what a proper biblical response to it is, and we see the conversion of a terrorist who became Christianity's most celebrated cleric. |
Message Trailer Watch Watch and take notes |
Listen - Mini Player Listen and Take Notes Listen in Spanish |
Outline Detailed Notes Study GuideTranscript |
Facebook |
Video (MP4) Audio (MP3) Spanish (MP3) |
Buy CD |
5/3/2015 completed
|
Jesus Loves Criminals Luke 23:33-43 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary A lengthy seventeen-year study in Washington, D.C. by psychiatrist Samuel Yochelson shows that crime cannot be traced to environment, poverty, or oppression but to people making wrong moral choices. Corresponding to that is another report showing that the lack of proper moral training by parents has a direct correlation to crime, especially to children in their formative years. But when parents and their offspring fail, Jesus can step in to rescue. |
Message Trailer Watch Watch and take notes |
Listen - Mini Player Listen and Take Notes Listen in Spanish |
Outline Detailed Notes Study GuideTranscript |
Facebook |
Video (MP4) Audio (MP3) Spanish (MP3) |
Buy CD |
4/26/2015 completed
|
Jesus Loves Murderers Luke 23:33-34 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary A Jewish proverb reads, "Blood that has been shed does not rest." And yet there is rest that is possible for even the worst murderers of all time—those who killed Jesus Christ—if they would be willing to receive it. In two verses of Scripture, we will examine how Jesus loves murderers, even those who murdered Him. |
Message Trailer Watch Watch and take notes |
Listen - Mini Player Listen and Take Notes Listen in Spanish |
Outline Detailed Notes Study GuideTranscript |
Facebook |
Video (MP4) Audio (MP3) Spanish (MP3) |
Buy CD |
4/19/2015 completed
|
Jesus Loves Prostitutes Luke 7:36-50 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary It was Blaise Pascal who noted, "There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus." In our text today, we find a woman, the city prostitute who acutely felt the need to have the vacuum of her heart filled. She discovered that Jesus loved her with a wholesome love—the kind of love every woman is searching for. |
Message Trailer Watch Watch and take notes |
Listen - Mini Player Listen and Take Notes Listen in Spanish |
Outline Detailed Notes Study GuideTranscript |
Facebook |
Video (MP4) Audio (MP3) Spanish (MP3) |
Buy CD |
4/12/2015 completed
|
Jesus Loves Atheists John 18:28-38 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Yes, Jesus loves people who don't believe in Him or who aren't sure what they think about Him. Pontius Pilate was the cynical Roman governor of the district of Judea. He was unsympathetic to religious Jews and religion itself. He had no room for the superstitious claims of prophets, priests, or would-be messiahs. He was a secular pragmatist concerned about Roman order and personal advancement. Pilate also represents how Jesus loved and handled atheists—and how we should. |
Message Trailer Watch Watch and take notes |
Listen - Mini Player Listen and Take Notes Listen in Spanish |
Outline Detailed Notes Study GuideTranscript |
Facebook |
Video (MP4) Audio (MP3) Spanish (MP3) |
Buy CD |
3/29/2015 completed
|
Jesus Loves Traitors Matthew 26 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a traitor as "one who betrays another's trust or is false to an obligation or duty." On this Palm Sunday, I've chosen to consider in contrast the two traitors seen side by side in the New Testament accounts of the Passion of Christ. Though we may see some similarities in Judas and Peter, they are separated by one giant factor—the cross of Jesus Christ, the one thing that still offends most people. |
Message Trailer Watch Watch and take notes |
Listen - Mini Player Listen and Take Notes Listen in Spanish |
Outline Detailed Notes Study GuideTranscript |
Facebook |
Video (MP4) Audio (MP3) Spanish (MP3) |
Buy CD |
3/22/2015 completed
|
Jesus Loves Haters Matthew 5:43-46;Luke 9:51-56 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary One of the worst things to ever hear or say are the words "I hate you." And since Jesus is the One who God sent to show love to the world, how He handled haters is significant. Today we will explore and hopefully apply two important lessons. Hatred can flow in two directions: hatred towards you and hatred from you. Jesus shows us what to do about both. Get ready by turning to two passages: Matthew 5 and Luke 9. |
Message Trailer Watch Watch and take notes |
Listen - Mini Player Listen and Take Notes Listen in Spanish |
Outline Detailed Notes Study GuideTranscript |
Facebook |
Video (MP4) Audio (MP3) Spanish (MP3) |
Buy CD |
3/15/2015 completed
|
Jesus Loves Homosexuals - Part 2 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Be assured that I didn't select the topics in this series because I am equating homosexuals with murderers; nor am I suggesting that addicts or homeless people are to be seen the same as terrorists. It’s simply that the church has historically been unkind to these groups, and we believe it is time to make the statement that Jesus loves all people. In today’s text, we see it clearly: everyone has some kind of past, and everyone can be freed from sin. |
Message Trailer Watch Watch and take notes |
Listen - Mini Player Listen and Take Notes Listen in Spanish |
Outline Detailed Notes Study GuideTranscript |
Facebook |
Video (MP4) Audio (MP3) Spanish (MP3) |
Buy CD |
3/8/2015 completed
|
Jesus Loves Homosexuals - Part 1 John 8:1-11 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary There is not a hotter or more controversial subject being discussed today in our country than homosexuality. Voices are loud and tempers run hot whenever this subject is mentioned. Although the text before us doesn’t deal specifically with homosexuality, it does show us how Jesus approached a woman caught in sexual sin and what He had to say to those who were quick to condemn her. |
Message Trailer Watch Watch and take notes |
Listen - Mini Player Listen and Take Notes Listen in Spanish |
Outline Detailed Notes Study GuideTranscript |
Facebook |
Video (MP4) Audio (MP3) Spanish (MP3) |
Buy CD |
2/8/2015 completed
|
Jesus Loves the Broken John 5:1-16 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Just about everyone who has ever lived has experienced a broken heart to some degree or another. But then there are others who have been affected so adversely by events in their lives that they can be described as broken people. We can respond by questioning why God allows bad things to happen or by loving the broken in His name and thus being part of the solution. |
Message Trailer Watch Watch and take notes |
Listen - Mini Player Listen and Take Notes Listen in Spanish |
Outline Detailed Notes Study GuideTranscript |
Facebook |
Video (MP4) Audio (MP3) Spanish (MP3) |
Buy CD |
2/1/2015 completed
|
Jesus Loves Doubters Matthew 11; John 20 Skip Heitzig |
Info Message Summary Jesus never turned away the questions of a sincere searcher. I have personally wrestled with issues of faith and doubt on a number of occasions. Oswald Chambers quipped, "Doubt is not always a sign that a man is wrong; it may be a sign that he is thinking." Today we will see how Jesus loved two doubters—both of whom were friends of His. |
Message Trailer Watch Watch and take notes |
Listen - Mini Player Listen and Take Notes Listen in Spanish |
Outline Detailed Notes Study GuideTranscript |
Facebook |
Video (MP4) Audio (MP3) Spanish (MP3) |
Buy CD |