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The Amish Voice 3
ILLUSTRATION:
There is an old saying which says, “Give him enough rope and he’ll
hang himself.” Somehow, some Christians feel that God’s love gives
them enough rope (license) to explore the sins of the world. Listen to
this example of one who took advantage of God’s love.
My name is Sidney the Sheep. I had the good fortune of belonging
to the Good Shepherd. He treated me with great respect and
provided me with the finest care.
I really had it made. He made me to lie down in green pastures.
And when I got thirsty, He led me beside quiet waters. When I felt
bad inside, He restored my soul. I could always count on Him to
lead me in the right path—a path of righteousness.
Sometimes, life got really scary as I faced the shadows of death.
But my Good Shepherd stayed with me and brought comfort to my
troubled heart. He kept me secure against the enemies who
surrounded me. Life with Him has been wonderful.
He has promised to help me—even when I stray from His side. I
could kick myself (with each of my four legs) when I allow myself
to be drawn to the other side of the fence. The grass just looks
greener at times. But as I sample the grass, I quickly realize that I
have been deceived! When will I ever learn to trust Him for
everything that I need?”
Have you tried the world’s green pastures? Then you have also come
to realize, or will shortly, what Sidney did: looks can be deceiving!
2. LOVE IS SERVING OTHERS (v.14).
A believer is free in Christ: he is set free of all law, restraints, and
works. He is under nothing, absolutely nothing but Christ. He lives in
Christ, moves and has his being in Christ. The love of Christ is his
law and restraint. Why? Because Christ loved the believer, served and
gave Himself for the believer, and the believer knows it. Therefore,
the believer loves Christ with all his heart and life. He wants to please
Christ and do all he can to serve Him. And this is just the point: how
can the believer serve Christ? By doing exactly what Christ did:
loving and serving others.
“
By love serve one another” (Gal. 5:13b).
A person who loves does not act like a lord over people; he . . .
serves and helps
shows kindness and gentleness
expresses concern and care
demonstrates sympathy and empathy
The person who truly loves identifies with a person, gets down where
he is, even below where he is, and ministers to him. Love serves—
always reaches out to do whatever it can for the other person. Love
never withdraws from the other person, feeling that he or she . . .
does not deserve the effort or help.
is not worth the effort or help.
is less than what he should be.
is too derelict, immoral, uneducated, unrecognized, below
others.
“Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but
to minister, and to give his life a ransom for
many” (Mt.20:28).
ILLUSTRATION:
What motivates your service to others? Keep your thoughts close to
the heart as you listen to this story:
A young woman in New York held what was considered a splendid
position in a school attended by children from wealthy homes.
Suddenly she gave it up and went to teach in one of the most
squalid districts on East Side. “These East Side kiddies have so
little,” she explained. “School is the one bright spot in their lives.
I feel almost like a fairy godmother when in their midst. The
children in my other school had everything. They even were
[brought] to the schoolroom door by nurses and chauffeurs.
There was no ‘kick’ in it for me.”
Such confessions as this prove that Jesus was right when He
stressed the fact that the joy that comes from helping others is the
richest reward one can experience in life.
3. LOVE IS NOT OFFENDING, BUT CARING FOR ONE’S
NEIGHBOR (v.14).
It must be admitted:
If a person cared for everyone else as much as he cared for
himself, he would need no law. He would be living and doing
exactly what he should.
This is the reason love fulfills all the law. Love does not take
advantage of other people. Love will not use other people to fulfill
one’s own purpose, greed, or lust. Love will not hurt someone else
any more than we would want someone to hurt us.
Love involves some very practical acts that are clearly spelled out in
Scripture (1 Co.13:4-7).
QUESTIONS:
1. What circumstances tempt you to wander from the Good
Shepherd?
2. Give some examples of abusing the liberty that God has given
you. What is needed in your life in order to correct this problem?
3. What restraints has God provided for you to stay true to Him?
QUESTIONS:
1.When is it easiest for you to serve? Is it supposed to be easy to
serve? Why or why not?
2. What motivates you to serve others? Are there wrong motives
for serving? What are they?
3. Who are some people who serve you? What motivations do
they have to serve you?