The Top Priority in the Midst of Chaos

This teaching on love draws primarily from the Letter to the Hebrews. You will be reminded of 5-ways to cultivate the love of God in and through your life. Please read and share this message with others!

Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

Hebrews 13:1….

Let brotherly love remain. (LSV

Keep being concerned about each other as the Lord’s followers should. (CEV)

LOVE is the top priority for living in these difficult days. Jesus said “the love of many would grow cold” because “lawlessness” (law & order) would give way to moral relativism, anarchy and the perversion of justice.

CHAOS is a state of complete disorder and confusion. From Ancient Israel’s religious history, chaos is perhaps best described at the end of the Book of Judges 21:25, “ In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Into this religious moral chaos, God raised up Samuel to reluctantly usher in the Davidic Kingdom, which would become a foreshadow of the Messianic Kingdom. Unfortunately, the Israelites had rejected Elohim as their King. God has always dominated chaos with His creative power to bring order and beauty and goodness. His redemptive love charges into the chaos to create and restore us to himself. The love of God demonstrated on the cross for His sinful enemies is the ultimate statement of godly love (Romans 5:8).

Chaos Theory is simply defined (in mathematics, physics, economics, politics etc.) as “the qualities of the point at which stability moves to instability or order moves to disorder” (D. Straussfogel, C. von Schilling, in International Encyclopedia of Human Geography, 2009). The challenge of “chaos” is there is little to no predictability what catalyzes the instability or disarray. The smallest actions can create gigantic reactions. “The Butterfly Effect” notion streams from this theory.

However, I would propose the answer to the reality of “chaos theory” is “Cross Theory”. The proven truth of the love of God demonstrated on the cross is the POINT at which chaos is defeated by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When the God’s people carry their cross into their world instability and disorder of every kind must move aside for the stability and will of the kingdom of God. The smallest, seemingly inconsequential random acts of calculated love can make a huge differences in individuals, communities and nations. Jesus compared the kingdom of God to a tiny “mustard seed” which grows into a huge tree that becomes a nesting place for birds of the air. Hebrews 12:28-29, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”

We can’t control chaos or the kingdom of God, this is humility. However, we can “pick up” our cross and release forgiveness. The patriarch Joseph, by the grace of God, was able to absorb all the wrong toward him and land on the unshakable ground of God’s goodness to speak forgiveness to his family and his enemies. The worst manifestations of evil are fought with Christ’s forgiveness. The goodness of God will triumph in forgiveness against fear and evil, “But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place?As for you, you meant evil against me, butGod meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to keep many people alive. So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them” (Genesis 50:19-21).

The greatest climate threat is not global warming but a creeping glacial “ice age” of moral indifference to the pursuit and practice of godly love. The deep darkness of fear is wrapping itself around the earth with the chilling sounds of war, famine and plagues. The counter insurgency of the kingdom of God is the courageous love of the Father in His people burning like a warm campfire in a deep dark forest. Our love for one another and even enemies, will demonstrate and draw people out of the terror shadows of this world into the light and salvation of Jesus.

“The end of all things is at hand”, Peter said, “…above all, love one another for love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:7-8). The ‘top priority’ is to figure out how to release the forgiveness of God into our world to heal the brokenness of humanity. The key is accepting the forgiveness of God for our own sins. Paul said to the early church, “forgive one another, just as Christ has forgiven you.” The forgiveness of Christ is the most powerful moral transformative remedy available to treat the pandemic of hate in our world. On the cross, Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Everything around you and I, is trying to quench love, discourage  sacrificial obedience for the things of God and well being of others..  A spirit of division, hatred, anger and violence is trying to divide families, communities, states and nations.  As followers of Jesus,  we must pull together and keep the warm fire of God’s love burning in our hearts toward one another. 

A quick survey of “love” in Hebrews reveals a quick anatomy of the nature of love required in these days of upheaval, shaking and the polarization of wickedness and righteousness in the earth.

Wisely said, “Love is the accurate estimate and adequate supply of another’s need!” We fulfill the Great Commandment when we help each other bear the burden of our unique cross.

The Book of Hebrews reveals 5-ways to continue to feed the fiery love of God in your heart and for those around you:

• Obedient Love Attracts Joy: Hebrews 1:9– “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of joy above Your companions.” Jesus is the Chief Apostle and High Priest of Love. The love of Jesus attracts the anointing of the Holy Spirit and joy. Doing what is “right” because of God’s love attracts the Holy Spirit to our relationships, to our work and to our words. Joy, an exuberant lifestyle, is the fruit of loving obedience. It is not enough to hate lawlessness, we must love righteousness. Good men must serve the will of God in the midst of this lawless generation.

            ACTION: Right now,  Ask the Heavenly Father to fill you with His Holy Spirit of love and power.  Do you focus more on what is wrong in this world or do you spend more time focusing on “good news” and  actually helping others? Personally, this battleground is always a hot  war zone for me.

• God Remembers and Rewards Loving Servants: Hebrews 6:10– “For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having served and by still serving the saints.” The Father watches us work. In fact, He will reward us for our work fueled by His love. Every time we are gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and merciful toward others magnifies the NAME of the Father and qualifies as acceptable worship! Psalm 145:8, “The Lord is gracious and compassionate; Slow to anger and great in mercy.”

ACTION: Demonstrate grace, compassion, patience and mercy to someone today.

• Love Anticipates Need and Increases the Labor Pool for God’s Work: Hebrews 12:24-25 — “and let’s consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds, 25 not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near”. Love can be encouraged or discouraged. The word for “encourage” has the sense of “provoked or stimulated or stirred.” We can “stir” the coals of God’s love in one another to help each other!

ACTION: Find someone in the next week and get together to encourage one another to serve God.

• Love Embraces the Arena Discipline as the Main Path to Transformation: Hebrews 12:6 — “For whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He punishes every son whom He accepts.” The Fathers gentle whisper, urgent shout or rod of correction confirms His love for us as sons and daughters. Bastards don’t listen or realize consequences are meant to change behavior for the better. Bastards avoid discipline. The true maturing children of God listen, embrace warnings and highly value necessary correction as a demonstration of the Father’s love.

ACTION: If your dad or mom or a mentor is in your life…Call them and talk about how they disciplined you or how they experienced discipline.

• The Equity of Love is the Presence of Jesus Christ: Hebrews 13:5– “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you,” Money is not the root of all kinds of evil, however, the “love of money” courts all kinds of evil. Our detachment from the idolatry of materialism is a continual act of love and trust in the provision and character of our Heavenly Father! Materialistic idolatry is using people to get things. Good stewardship is using things to love people.

ACTION:  Ask yourself the question, “what do I really need, what can I sell, what can I give away to help someone?”

Finally, The Love of the Father sent His Son who gave His life as a ransom for us. May the Holy Spirit help us reciprocate that same love to those around us. 

John the beloved follower of Jesus said, “We love because He first loved us”.