Love Your Neighbor…

Mark 12:29-31

People are sick. And they are lining up to be healed. Check it out in the prescription line at Eckerd's Drugs Store. Or at the local medical walk-in clinic.

Travel the world and you'll find places known for healing. Warm Springs, Georgia, is known for its mineral baths. President Roosevelt used to go there. (He also died there. So much for healing, eh?) Then there's the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, famous for its treatment of cancer. And there's Lourdes in France, the Catholic citadel of faith healing. And what about Star Trek and its glimpse of the future? Have you seen how "Bones" takes the injured into sick bay and heals them with an electronic scanner?

Yes, there are numerous places to go for healing, but the best I've ever seen is the church of Jesus Christ. For here there is a special divine atmosphere, a womb-like environment we call koininia, fellowship, bodylife. It is none other than the real presence of God among His People a presence for good, not ill, that we soak in week after week.

How does this atmosphere work? What does it look like? To be honest, I could never explain it fully. That'd be like trying to capture a summer day in a Mason jar. But it can be roughly outlined.

Jesus said the Great Commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your emotion, will and intellect. And to love your neighbor as yourself. So, healing fellowship in the church is the place where God is loved as well as people and selves.

Today we'll focus on loving one's neighbor. And the really exciting thing about Christ is that He did not just tell us to love people, He stuck around and showed us how to do it for 33 years! So, to a study of Christ's love for His neighbor we now turn that we might learn His healing ways ourselves, and bring this atmosphere into our own fellowship.

DATA COLLECTION

The first step Jesus took in loving people was to take time to find out who they were. The Gospel of John teaches Christ had quite an intuitive gift for this. When Christ called Nathaniel for discipleship, he revealed His divine foreknowledge of the man, a Hebrew in whom there is no guile. With the woman at the well Christ shared His intimate knowledge of her life. "Come meet a man who told me all about myself," she told her village friends of Him.

The Lord often equips us with Spiritual gifts of insight into the lives of others--discernment words of knowledge. Yet He has also gifted us physically with one mouth and two ears. And these may be used to know people.

Pogo Smith is one of my favorite people. He performed the marriage ceremony for my wife and me. I met him in college. He walked into my dorm room and used his mouth and ears. "What's your name?" "Why are you here?" He probed my soul, listened to who I was, and guided me on to Jesus.

Since then I've tried to learn to do the same.

Several years back I was flying home from Albany, New York, by way of Baltimore. I'd been at a conference where I'd preached and counseled for a week. I was tired, had nothing left to say, didn't want to be pulled on.

So here I was sitting in the Albany departure gate, off in a corner reading a novel, forty-five minutes to wait for my flight.

The voice comes from behind me. "Do you think it's raining in Baltimore?" I ignored it, kept reading. 'Oh, I hope it's not raining in Baltimore, she persisted.

I looked up to most a pair of sad eyes. An elderly woman about 75 was looking at me needily. I reluctantly put my book down, introduced myself, and she went on. "My husband's dead 18 years. Now my only child's dead, too. They're loading his casket on the plane. I'm flying to Baltimore for his funeral. That's why I hope it's not raining."

We talked all the way to Baltimore. About sorrow. About loneliness. About grief and hope and Christ. And I hugged her and prayed for her and left her at a taxi so I could go catch my connecting flight. The last thing I heard her say was to the taxi driver. "Do you think it will be raining in Baltimore?

I caught myself praying, "Dear God, please let him listen!"

AFFIRMATION

So, Jesus took time to get to know people. He listened, probed, looked into souls. Then Jesus affirmed.

When the Lord saw Zacchaeus up a tree, out on a limb, he knew the fellow was a short, greedy, tax collecting, lonely man trying to be a big shot But rather than berate him publicly, Jesus paid him a compliment. "Come down, Zacchaeus! I must have supper at your house today!"

To the woman caught in the act of adultery, He said, "Neither do I condemn you." And the Bible tells us Jesus looked on the rich young ruler and loved him.

Check it out! Not once in Scripture did Jesus call another man a sinner. Someone heard a fisherman swear. They clucked their mouths and turned away. But Jesus said, "That's no weak man. He's Peter! Follow me! I'll build my church on you!"

Someone saw a greedy tax gatherer robbing people in the name of Rome. "Nothing much for the kingdom there," they scorned. But Jesus said, "Come, Matthew Levi, be my disciple!"

Another saw only a prostitute in the dust. They quickly averted their eyes in shame. But Jesus said, "No! That woman is mine! Underneath all that sin is a beautiful woman. Come Mary Magdalene and be my disciple!" And she followed, last at the cross, and first at the empty tomb!

We ourselves have a long way to go to catch up to Jesus here. We're so warped. We pass over the thirty good things in people and dwell on the one thing they do wrong.

Have you ever noticed how we describe people by their defects? "Sure, you know Jane. She's the fat lady with the bottled hair!" "Come on, everybody knows Sam--He's the guy with the big scar here on his cheek" "You don't know Sally? You can't miss her. She's the office loud mouth." And so we go through life criticizing, finding fault putting down, complaining, ridiculing and wounding.

Have you ever been in a grocery store and watched an overwrought mom correcting her unruly child? She backhands him across the lips, jerks him up by his arm, and shames him loudly, "You're bad! I'm sorry I had you!" I wince every time I see that. Poor kid. He doesn't have a snowball's chance in July to grow up with any sense of dignity, with any self-esteem. All he's ever heard is how unwanted he is, how bad he is. And all the ridicule is played like a tape over and over in his mind for 18 years until he comes to believe it about himself.

Eddie's parents died when he was eight years old. He grew up on the street. At twenty-two he was in the local prison, sentenced to 9 years for armed robbery. He liked it there, said it was the first home he ever had. Three meals a day, a warm bed, friends, and people who cared whether he was there or not. Isn't it a shame that a man had to go to prison to feel wanted? I could have been his friend. You could have given him a job. We could have loved him into the church!

Contrast Eddie's life with another young man in this church, whose name shall remain anonymous for obvious reasons! This lad, 6 years old, was playing in his first baseball game. The lad goes up to bat and on his third swing connected with what should have been at least a second base hit. The child must not have been coached on what to do next or else he got caught up in the emotion of the moment for he took off for the pitcher's mound, tackled the pitcher, got up, and with a wide grin gave a thumbs-up sign to the grandstands. Do you know what his father in the bleachers did? Like any good parent he stood up and clapped!

Affirmation. Philippians 4:8, "Whatsoever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

My friend, God has wonderfully equipped you to affirm those around you. You can do it with a pat on the back by smiling, by making eye contact by asking for help, with a gift, a word of compliment, a mere touch.

And notice what happens when you do this. A human being opens up to you, reveals a portion of who they are. Then they waft with agony to see how you respond. Will you ignore them, laugh at them, criticize? No, you found a way to affirm them. Your life told them they were okay with you, they were worthwhile, loved. And they were that much more healed, ready to trust you with their…

PROBLEMS.

From fact finding to affirmation, Jesus moved on to dealing with the problems in people's lives. Zaccheaus and Jesus, around the supper table dealt with greed and loneliness. With the woman caught in the act of adultery and facing a mob of men wanting to stone her, Jesus said, "Do it! But let him who is without sin cast the first stone!" And He began to list each man's sins in the dust at their feet. The crowd quickly melted away. In Mark chapter five, the man Legion's problems were demons. Christ exercised them. So, you see how Jesus got involved with people's problems.

This is something Christians have been good at historically. The world tends to run away from pain. "I've got mine. You get yours!" Worldly people are looking to make a fast buck, an early retirement and lead a life of leisure trivia. Christians on the other hand are drawn to pain. Who is it who starts homeless shelters, soup kitchens, orphanages, prison ministries, ghetto ministries, and hospitals? You don't find atheists doing those things! It's Christians loving their neighbors.

I'm so thankful to have known Jim Lest. For the several years he lived among us I watched him walk into our Sunday night fellowship suppers with food for himself and others. He'd stand quietly in the corner and scan the room with his radar looking for someone with a problem. When he got a fix on someone, he'd get in line with them, begin to probe, to affirm, and help them with their problem. Just like Jesus used to do it!

Years ago Campus Crusade was trying to get going on Duke University's campus. And it was slow going. So many rich, bright spoiled kids--they just didn't need God. And most of Crusade's ministry was words, persevering and prayer. That's when a bad flu epidemic swept the campus. And half the student body was down with it.

Most collegiates were selfish, avoided the sick, went to class, took care of Number One. The Christians ministered to the sick by serving chicken soup, administering medicine, bringing class notes, laying on the warm blankets, praying. And the campus noticed. And soon the Crusade meetings began to grow. Today it is a powerhouse!

Did you know that most people come to Jesus at a point of need like that? Most conversions take place in premarital counsel, at a funeral, during bankruptcy proceedings, in an illness, when folks first move to town and are lonely.

Problems! They're ripe opportunities for Christians to move in and earn trust by listening, affirming, and offering help.

GOAL SETTING

After the Lord took the time to find out who another person was, affirmed them, and began to minister to their problems, He helped them set goals.

Zacchaeus rose from the supper table and announced, "Behold, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have cheated my brother, I restore it fourfold!" To the woman caught in the act of adultery He said, "Go, and sin no more!" To Legion, He said, "Go home and tell them there how the Lord has had mercy on you."

I love the story of the hot, humid summer day with all the family lounging in the shade sleepily. The hound dog starts howling mournfully and Pa says, "Me, get up and go see what's bothering that old god." "Pa," says Ma, "its hot and I'm just too tired to move." So Pa tells his son, "Billy Bob, get up and go see what's a-bothering that old hound dog." To which Billy Bob replies, "Pa, it's hot and I'm just too tired to move!" The father calls the roll of his seven kids, all of whom are too tired to move, so finally he goes himself, returns, settles onto the sofa, and soon is snoring sonorously. Ma's curiosity is up, so she asks Pa why the hound is howling. "Oh, nothing's bothering that old mutt! He's just laying on a pine cone and was too tired to move!"

How like so many in our world. We're laying on alcoholism and can't find the energy to move. We're poor, unemployed, and can't seem to find the energy to job hunt. We're mean spirited, lonely and empty, yet too hard-hearted to learn Christ.

You've noticed when one goes to a doctor he comes away with a prescription. "Take two pills 4 hours and come and see me again next week." Well, I've started writing prescriptions to people who come to me for help. A couple with an awful marriage and thinking divorce, comes to talk. I'll listen. I'll get involved with their problems. But I'm also going to set goals! Repent! Put your faith in Christ. Come to church and worship, learn, make friends of happily married couples. But if they are laying on a pine cone howling, too lazy to move, and only wanting me to listen to them whine, I'll ask them to leave. I can't help them.

You think that's hard? This rich, young ruler comes running up to Jesus asking, "Good Teacher, what must I do to have everlasting Iife?" Jesus knew he was young, rich and bright. He affirmed the man. The Bible says Christ saw his problem: idolatry. Money. Me. Materialism strangling his spirit. So Christ prescribed. He set a goal: "Go, give all you have to the poor and come follow me." At this saying the man's countenance fell and he went away, sorrowful for he had great wealth. And you know what? Christ let him walk away. For, where one will not faithfully obey, Christ can do no good. And neither can you or I.

I used to serve two churches in Virginia. It was wonderful--twice the experience in half the time. When one church was mad at me, the other wasn't.

Anyway 9:30 to 10:30 we'd worship in one town. Then I'd hop in my car and ride the six miles to the next town, get there just in time for the next service at 11 AM.

One day I hustled into the second service, sat in the big preacher's chair right behind the pulpit smiled at the people, and bowed to pray for a few minutes.

That's when I noticed the prelude. Organ music it was. But something was wrong. It was rushing, slurred, off beat or key or something. I looked over to the organist out of one eye and saw Margaret hunched over the keys, obviously drunk.

Now Margaret was an alcoholic. Mostly she handled it well. But lately some things had set her to drinking. And now this.

I was horrified. I looked to her husband's face in the congregation. He was helpless. You see, Margaret got mean when she was drinking. So if he tried to move her, a torrent of abuse was in store.

I looked across the congregation and every face was knowing. Every face said, "Don't look at me! Why do you think we called you here? You're the one getting paid to minister. So minister! You've been to divinity school!"

I looked back to Margaret in her drunken stupor, hunched over the keys slurring out the hymn, A…Mighty Fortresssss Isssss Our Goddddd!" I thought I might get up, walk over to Margaret and say, "That's enough, Margaret. You need to go home. Come on, I'll walk you out." But then I could see her beating me with her pocketbook in front of 81 people.

To make matters worse we had some visitors that day. I glanced panicked at their faces. "Weird music," they were saying to themselves.

So, you want to know what I did? I ignored the whole situation. I got up, greeted the people warmly, asked them to join me in worship of the Almighty, and began to sing at the top of my lungs.

Now usually the singing in country churches is downright doleful. But this day the church was alive with voices. Margaret's playing was so bad the people fairly shouted to overwhelm the organ.

It was incredible! The people knew Margaret was drunk. They overlooked her sins, affirmed her by not walking out, dealt with the problem by almost charismatic singing! And the next day nine of her best friends, myself included, went to her firmly insisting she get help.

She did. And today Margaret still plays the organ there some, is a recovering alcoholic, finds continuous healing in the koininia of that little church. And I tell you, that's one of the most incredible lovings I've ever been a part of! Taking time to know. Affirmation. Dealing with problems. Goal setting.

Kissing Frogs

I close with a song. Do you remember in the fairy tale, How the wicked witch's spell, Changed the handsome prince to a toad? Through the power of her potion, she handed him the notion, That he was lower than the dirt in the road. And though she left him green and warted, Her evil plan was thwarted When there chanced to happen by a young miss, Who in spite of his complexion Offered her affection And broke the wicked curse with her kiss. "Well, you've never been a frog kissin' Then you don't know what you've been missin'. There's a world of opportunity under each and every log. If you've never been a charm breaker, And if you've never been a handsome prince maker, Just slow down, turn around, Bend down, and kiss you a frog!" Come to the healing, my sisters and brothers. Come thrive in this koininia! Come give and receive! Come live the love!

Stephen M. Crotts