Face to Face, Pt. 4: Loving and Abiding | Pastor Jacob Sheriff
Mark 12:28-34 (ESV)
Humans as God’s Image: Representation and Rule in partnership
God wants to bless and rule the world through humans. How does God resolve sin and destroy evil without destroying the sinful and evil humans he loves?
God binds Himself to humanity in Jesus Christ, taking upon Himself the weight of our sin, “carrying our iniquities,” forgiving our transgressions, our turning away, by dying on a cross for us.
Romans 5:8 (ESV) but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Humanity gets the choice: do I believe in Jesus and receive a restored relationship with God? Or remain turned away in my sin?
2 Corinthians 5:14–21 (ESV) 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
“The brain functions that determine our character are most profoundly shaped by who we love…In the human brain, identity and character are formed by who we love.” ~ Jim Wilder
“Our brains draw life from our strongest relational attachments to grow our character and develop our identity. Who we love shapes who we are.” ~ Michel Hendricks
Ephesians 3:14–19 (ESV) 14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
John 15:4-5 (ESV) “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
“Mutual Mind” — two minds tuning their thoughts together, synchronicity
1 Corinthians 2:11–16 (ESV) 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. 14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
“When two brains establish a mutual mind state we sense the other person ‘gets it’,’ ‘understands,’ ‘is genuine,’ and even ‘knows me.’ Mutual mind states work by using mirror neurons. These neurons are activated when they ‘see’ something that resembles their activity in another mind…Mutual mind states are generally developed face-to-face from gestures, facial expressions, voice tones, synchronized energy levels, and mirrored feelings…mutual mind states run faster than conscious thought. Without mutual mind states people do not share the same reactions, motivation, and direction.” ~ Marcus Warner and Jim Wilder
John 15:5 (ESV) “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
“Developments in modern brain science have made it clear that any model of transformation and character change must be anchored in the development of a love bond with God and His people.” ~Jim Wilder and Marcus Warner