Pastor Jon Burgess
June 30, 2019 - W1926

Part Two - The Greatest Commandment

Matters Of The Heart

Pastor John Burgess

June 29 & 30, 2019

[The Brown sisters and the Worship team opened with a powerful song with lyrics: “Dear Church, Remember me…Tell Somebody About Jesus and the Things He Has Done!”]

Welcome, New Hope! Wow, so powerful! That's exactly what we'll be talking about as we finish the Matters of the Heart series.

New Hope Oahu is a church called to share with our neighbors what it means to be a follower of Christ; but do you ever feel that telling people about Jesus (who saved us) is too complicated?  We attend conferences, hear sermons, and read books only to ask again, “How do we tell the world about Jesus?”  Maybe, we should start by talking to Jesus and listen to what He has to say. What would happen if during the last six months in 2019, each of us told just one person about Jesus? This building would not be large enough for all who would come to Christ! 

One day, I was on Christmas Tree Hill in Kaimuki, praying over the 980,000, or so, people, on this island, that God would stir their hearts and bring a revival. I also asked Him to break my heart with the things that break His heart, andI began to feel God’s heart for the lost! And I asked, “God, where do I start?” 

It was almost immediately that God answered my question because just as I turned around, I saw a man hurt, sitting next to his mangled bike, so I stopped and asked, “What happened?”  And he said, "Well, I was riding down the road, and my bike chain broke and it flipped.  That's why my legs are all bruised up, and I'm just resting before I walk my bike to work.”  So I asked, “Can I pray for you?"  He said, "Yeah."  So I just knelt right down and prayed for his legs.  And I asked him, "Are you hungry? Someone just gave me a whole bushel of oranges and they’re in my car.” He said, "Yeah, actually, that sounds really good."  So I ran down the hill, got some oranges, and brought them back to him.  

I used that opportunity to introduce myself and told him that I would continue to pray for him because it was no coincidence that we met—that I believe in the God who answers prayer! So I said, “I’ll be praying that your day gets a whole lot better.  And I believe this wasn't an accident that you and I met!"  It was that simple to share the love of Jesus with a stranger!

When we're really getting God's heart, we will understand that all of our excuses and reasons don’t really amount to a hill of beans! God could have had me live anywhere in the world, but He has me right here by divine design—not circumstance or coincidence!  So, it's good to ask ourselves some searching questions: “Why am I here?” “What am I supposed to do while I'm here?”

1. Who Is My Neighbor?  

Moving from Excusive Love to Inclusive Love. 

Exclusive: It’s only for me and for those I know and like.

Inclusive: Is for everybody.  Jesus died for everybody, and that’s the kind of love He calls us to, and illustrates it with a very interesting story: 

Luke 10:25-29 NIV says, “²⁵ On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ²⁶ ‘What is written in the Law?’ He replied. ‘How do you read it?’  ²⁷ He answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ²⁸ ‘You have answered correctly,’ Jesus replied. ‘Do this and you will live.’  ²⁹ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’”

The person of the law was looking for loopholes when he asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” Are your neighbors only those in your immediate circle?

In the culture of the Good Samaritan, the Jews didn't have anything to do with the Samaritans; they would actually go the long way around just to avoid being seen talking to a Samaritan!  So when Jesus decides, very purposefully, to make the Samaritan the hero of the story, you could just imagine the crowd is aghast, saying, “That's just ridiculous! Why would you even say that?”  

Jesus has just redefined the expression of love: Love is not just loving those who agree with me, but loving those who oppose me! And a neighbor is no longer someone just like me or does the same things that I do. No, a neighbor is now even my enemy! And by making the enemy the hero, Jesus is answering the question: “Who is my neighbor,” for everybody listening because if we're not careful, we could make the same mistake! 

For the last few week, we have been studying what it means to give God our whole heart: Our intentions are good, but unless we give God all our emotions, all our soul, all our thoughts, with all our strength, our heart will be divided; our actions will not reflect the love of God!  But when we put our love of God into action for the benefit of others, then we are actually showing how much we love our God. Love is not a feeling; it is action!

Jesus tells a parable of a Good Samaritan (a Gentile who was looked down upon by the Jews) and a man on his way to Jericho on a treacherous road, called the Red and Bloody Way, where robbers and thieves would beat and steal from anyone they could!

Luke 10:30-33 NIV says, “³⁰ In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³² So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.”

2. What Kind Of Neighbor Am I?  

Moving From Indifference To Making A Difference In The Lives Of Those Around Me.

Luke 10:34-37 NIV says, “³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ ³⁶ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” ³⁷ The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

The opposite of love is not hate—it is indifference (without emotion and care for a person). To love a person is to be generous, but wise, not foolish!  When you see a person in need, do the right thing—what the Holy Spirit would have you do. You and I must have the flame of the Holy Spirit working within us so that we would have that same passion as the Good Samaritan who helped a person no matter how inconvenient—that’s what Christ did for us!

Do we really extend the love of Jesus to those of a different race, political affiliation, or religion?  Do we extend the love of Jesus to our physical and virtual neighbors?  Can we love those that we disagree with their lifestyles?  Do we heed the call to take The Church outside of the church into the community?  When we put our strength to action with our heart, thoughts, and soul focused on loving Jesus, then we know we are wholly serving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves.

This past Friday, our amazing Frontline ministry took the church to Waikiki at the Blue Note Jazz Club with secular and worship music, right in the heart of a secular venue. Our Canoe Club takes Jesus to the beach; our physical ministries takes Jesus to the streets of Honolulu via The Aloha Outreach on Thanksgiving; and on the 4^thof July, will deliver over 1500 meals to the homeless and hungry needing a touch of Jesus.  Our ministries take the Gospel to Nepal, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, and other countries, desperate to know The Lord. All it takes is for just one person to reach one—to share the love of Jesus Christ!

What About Our Virtual Neighbor?  Pastor Garrett Mizunaka is our Online Campus Pastor. New Hope Oahu streams live through the cameras on stage to over 3,000 people in 48 states, who watch our services online via the Internet, as well as, 23 countries outside the United States.  Over 30,663 people were online with us in just the first six months of 2019, and over 603 people accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior online. You will also see a host of things, such as, a new chat, an innovative way to connect, new ways to interact like interactive lower thirds. You can access Pastor Wayne’s classic messages, testimonies, skits, sketches, and messages via YouTube. Pastor Jon and Pastor Garrett started New Hope Now, an after show for online users only, a way to interact and build relationships with the more than 3,000 people within our virtual church, who consider New Hope their church home, even if they are not on this Island.  If you are interested in finding out more about how you can join our team, text on your mobile phone “nextdoor” to (808) 842-4242. 

New Hope Oahu is a church of different cultures and people with varying gifts and strengths…

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 NIV says, “⁴ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. ⁵There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶ There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. ⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”

We are to reach out to our virtual neighbor because there are so many people—it takes all kinds to reach all kinds, and God will use each person according to their gifts!

QUESTIONS TO PONDER:

1. How do you know if you love God with all your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength?  
2. Who are your neighbors that you know, that you will pray for this next week?
3. Who are your neighbors that you don’t know personally, but will pray for and speak to about what Jesus has done for you?
4. Which virtual or physical ministry would you be interested in serving, and want to build a relationship within?