Love Compels Us

2 Cor. 5:11-21 NIV

Jose Guzman lives in California and in March of this year while having a BBQ, his house caught on fire. Fox News had a story about Jose not because his house caught on fire, but because he ran past firefighters to go back into his house and rescued his dog that was inside.

Jose told reporters that he would do it again for anyone that he loved, whether it was family or a dog. Jose showed a clear example of how love compels us to face our fears.

In the scripture today we could see that God’s law commands us to share about Christ with others, but the greatest message is that God’s love should be what compels us to share Christ.

Let’s see the two main themes that God wants us to see from these scriptures today.

  1. Our mission is to share about Christ and His gift of salvation to others.
    Matthew 28:19–20 (NIV84): Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

    1. Verse 13 tells us that we should do it for Christ’s sake.
    2. Verse 18 and 20 tells us that we have been given this ministry and we are to be ambassadors for Christ.
  2. Our motivation should be the love of Christ compels us to share with others.
    1. Verse 14 tells us that love should compel us. There is a strong connection between love and give.
      John 3:16 (NIV84): For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. God loved us so much that it compelled Him to give His son for our salvation.
    2. Verse 12 tells us that it is a matter of the heart. If our heart is right with God, it will motivate us.

What is your decision today? Will you fear men or God? Will you be motivated by your own desires or God’s desires?

Matthew 10:28 (NIV84): Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Casting Crowns has a song that should reflect our mission and motivation in life and that is: I’m a nobody telling everybody about somebody that saved my soul.