A Pure Love for Jesus Only — Ajay Chakravarthy — January 21, 2024
https://rlcf.church/media/sermons/a-pure-love-for-jesus-only River of Life Christian Fellowship 1306 N Lincoln Avenue Loveland, Colorado - 80537, USA
Summary
The central goal of Christian instruction is to cultivate a pure love for God and others, which must remain uncontaminated by other loves. The speaker warns that in the last days, this pure love for God risks being diluted by loves for self, money, and pleasure. He illustrates this by contrasting the superficial desire for temporary fixes with the necessity of embracing the 'living water' offered by Christ, which leads to eternal life.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
What is the goal of our instruction?Paul tells Timothy that the ultimate goal of instruction is love coming from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.1 Timothy 1:5
Lovers of self rather than lovers of GodIn the last days, people will become lovers of self, money, and pleasure rather than lovers of God, diluting our pure love for Him like pouring water into coffee.
Wanting ears tickled by teachersPeople will turn away from sound doctrine in the last days, accumulating teachers who cater to their own desires and self-centered lives.
A seemingly hopeless situation in SamariaComparing a fever to someone dead for four days, Jesus seeks out unexpected and seemingly hopeless people, leaving Judea to pass through Samaria.
The gift of living waterJesus tells the Samaritan woman that if she knew who He was, she would have asked Him for living water that springs up to eternal life.
Asking for water to make life more comfortableThe woman asks for this living water simply so she will never thirst again and won't have to make the long walk to the well, wanting to keep her self-centered life intact.
Honesty about her broken conditionWhen Jesus tells her to call her husband, she admits she has had five husbands and is living with someone else, prompting Jesus to praise her honesty.
Worshipping the Father in spirit and truthJesus reveals that true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, and finally tells the woman that He is the Messiah.
Forsaking the fountain of living watersJeremiah points out that God's people have forsaken Him, the fountain of living waters, and hewn out broken cisterns that can hold no water.Jeremiah 2:13
The younger son squandering his inheritanceThe younger son demands his inheritance early, travels to a distant country, and squanders everything on loose living and self-centered pleasure.Luke 15:11
Sailing into a storm against Paul's warningIgnoring Paul's warning that a voyage would bring great loss, the centurion and crew sail on because a south wind initially makes everything look successful.
The severe famine and coming to his sensesAfter the prodigal son spends everything, God allows a severe famine to hit, driving him to feed pigs and eventually come to his senses to return to his father.
Returning to the first husbandHosea describes how Israel will pursue lovers, fail to catch them, and ultimately decide to return to her first husband because it was better then.Hosea 2:7
Do you love me?Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Him, leading a broken Peter to sincerely profess his love despite his past failures and self-confidence.John 21:17
