• Scripture: II Cor. 5:14
• Broadcast Date: 11/23/2015

LOVE COMPELS US?
II Cor. 5:14

Would you believe that they played golf in the 1920’s? Really, I don’t know when golfing started but I know it is around today, seems like everywhere you turn you see a golf green. Be that as it may in 1920 there was a man, BOBBY JONES, who was the talk of the town so far as golfing was concerned. He was so good at the game that they actually made a film about him entitled, “BOBBY JONES: STROKE OF GENIUS”. WOW!
And on top of that, he was only an amateur, if you can imagine it.
One day a professional golfer asked him why he didn’t turn professional and make a ton of money! Jones answered by explaining that the word amateur comes from a Latin word, ”AMO”, meaning, “to love”. And there was the answer plain and simple, he played golf because he loved the game. That was all there was to it, he played golf because he loved it.
I got to thinking, that is precisely the reason Christians serve Jesus, even die for Him. We don’t serve Jesus to make money, or get fame and fortune—no, we serve Jesus because we love Him. That is exactly what St. Paul did, he gave all to Jesus, even to the point of giving his life, because he loved Him. Listen to Paul as he writes to the Christians at Corinth,
“But the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead;
And that He died for all, that they which live and should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again.”
(II Corinthians 5: 14,15). That word
“constraineth” should be translated
“compels us.” So it can be rendered, “For the love of Christ COMPELS us,”
I surely don’t want to go to hell, but when I gave my life to Jesus, it wasn’t the fear of hell but the love of Jesus that drew me. As a very young boy, the earliest memories of life I have, is my angel mother reading the Bible story at bedtime, tucking me into bed, saying a prayer and giving me a kiss.
She taught me about how wonderful Jesus was, how kind and loving and caring. She taught me about how this wonderful, loving Jesus suffered and died for my sins. You know what, as a little boy I loved Jesus before I knew Him. And then it happened. A Christian Missionary Alliance pastor came to our school house, had revival meetings, and I went forward and accepted Jesus at the very first invitation. I was ten years old when I received Jesus into my life. Now, over 84 years later, I love Jesus more than I ever have and serving Him is the delight of my life!
That is what Jesus was telling us when He said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)
So we serve Jesus, not that we fear hell, but that we love Him.
Friend, if you don’t love Jesus it is because you do not know him.
Open your heart to Jesus, open your heart to the love of God! If you listen, you will hear Him.
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock, if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20).
“COME TO JESUS, HE LOVES YOU!”