Not Your Love For Jesus, But His Love For You
Text: Matthew 22:34-36 In the name of Jesus. Amen. When I was a youth, I attended a church retreat—hundreds of energetic teens gathered together, full of enthusiasm and religious excitement. One evening, during a session, the speaker stood on stage and shouted into the microphone, “I want to hear it loud and clear: who loves Jesus?” The room erupted with cheers. Hands shot into the air. Voices shouted. There was a buzz in the air. All of a sudden, one side of the room started a chant, “We love Jesus, yes, we do! We love Jesus, how about you?” Our side, clearly challenged, yelled back even louder, “We love Jesus, yes, we do! We love Jesus, how about you?” Then the other side answered with thunderous applause and voices even louder than before. The game was on. The goal: who could shout the loudest for their love of Jesus? Right then, as we prepared for our next chant, a youth leader walked over and leaned in quietly, “Next time, don’t say ...
