Loving Yourself Well

25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” 27 So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ” 28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”

God in scripture puts a high value on life and relationships and teaches us to do the same.

In this recorded conversation between the lawyer and the Teacher, Jesus gives us a range in/measure with which to love our neighbor--”

“…love your neighbor as yourself.”

In this conversation Jesus affirms that with the same love I extend to myself I am to love my neighbor.

With the same love you love you, God affirms you are to love your neighbor.

How does loving oneself look?

Jesus remains our ultimate example of how God calls us to live.

Of Himself, Jesus said

John 14:6 NKJV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Jesus is “the way” to all things God. Jesus is our model.

The Apostle Paul understood this and spoke to the believers in Corinth,

1 Corinthians 11:1 NKJV

1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

This morning, and in our lives, let’s “imitate Christ.”

Scripture is clear to me that Jesus loved His neighbor.

Throughout the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), we hear Jesus being “moved with compassion” and having compassion on those around Him.

Matthew 14:14 NKJV

14 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.

Jesus loved His neighbor so much/to the extent that He broke the religious tradition of His day, ruffling the righteous feathers of the religious elite.

Luke 6:6–11 NKJV

6 Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him. 8 But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Arise and stand here.” And he arose and stood. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?” 10 And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. 11 But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Jesus loved people.

Moreover, John described

1 John 3:16 NKJV

16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

It is clear, Jesus loved people. Jesus loved His neighbor.

What remains to be answered,

How did Jesus love Himself?

In what ways is Jesus’ love for His neighbor indicative/reflective/in alignment with Jesus’ love for Himself?

Self-love

Not the love of oneself that Jesus warned us about—love in excess in the wrong direction.

John 12:25 NKJV

25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Nor the love of oneself that is too little love…love insufficient to see oneself as valuable in God’s eye.

Jesus encourages His disciples as He sends them out to minister...

Matthew 10:30–31 NKJV

30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

(What are our descriptions about how did Jesus live?)

Jesus lived a life and embarked upon a mission pleasing to God. God said as much and constantly reaffirmed His approval of (and for) Jesus through the works of the Holy Spirit as evidence.

In the opening of Jesus’ ministry Jesus got baptized in fulfillment of the scriptures (prophetic scripture) and God responded.

Luke 3:21–22 NKJV

21 When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

Jesus was loved by God. Jesus loved His neighbor.

Jesus also loved Himself well and this is how I think that we know:

Jesus’ actions and speech provide clarity.

(A person who does not love ones self can sometimes be seen creating great (distance) between who that person is and who that person desires to be. I reject what I do not love. This becomes a problem when I loathe my divine identity and I reject who I am in God’s eyes and work to become and love who I can become in my own eyes, in the world’s eyes, in the eyes of those closest to me. Not so with Christ.)

Jesus embraced Himself.

Jesus knew His purpose and died for it.

Matthew 16:21–23 NKJV

21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” 23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

We don’t see Jesus despising God’s purpose for Jesus.

We don’t see Jesus rebuking God for choosing Jesus to have the particular purpose of being the sacrificial lamb.

God through Isaiah put forward the prophecy:

Isaiah 53:7 NKJV

7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.

Jesus makes the tough decision to see God’s will for Him through to the end.

Jesus makes the tough decision to come out on the other side of obedience.

Luke 22:42 NKJV

42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

Philippians 2:8 NKJV

8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus knew His purpose and fulfilled it, even with Jesus understanding that His purpose was to die (so that we would live).

Jesus resisted the temptation to reject the parts of His divine identity/divine life that might be less desirable or more challenging to fulfill.

(Jesus loved Himself well and this is how I think that we know:)

Jesus knew His role and accepted it, even embraced it.

Jesus’ life, though of the utmost significance, was not a glamorous life to love.

Isaiah 53:2–6 NKJV

2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Jesus resisted the taunting that would provoke any insecurities if He had them

Luke 23:36–39 NKJV

36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.” 38 And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS 39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

The criminal created/introduced a contrasting juxtaposition where there was none:

that “the Christ” wouldn’t “go to the cross” and surely not “die on the cross”.

But Jesus was (the Christ) (and is the Christ) and did (die upon the cross for sins/a punishment not His own).

Note: People will try to create in your mind a contradiction, and introduce a spirit of rebellion, to get you loving an idea (and timeline) that is not God’s plan for you.

People usually begin their work with, “If you were really blessed of God…if God were really pleased with you then...”

And taking in the critiques we begin to loathe ourselves in Christ who we once loved.

The problem with people is that they are short-sighted, and narrow in thinking.

Philippians 2:8–11 NKJV

8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

(Jesus loved Himself well and this is how I think that we know:)

Jesus knew His calling and went after it, went for it.

Luke 2:48–49 NKJV

48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” 49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”

When Jesus’ family traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, upon their return home Jesus went missing.

Jesus’ parents, Jospeh and Marry, went looking, finding Jesus in Jerusalem, “...in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them question...” Jesus astonishing the religious leaders.

Mother Mary asked...

…Jesus knew His calling and went for it, even as a boy.

Jesus knew His mission and kept after it.

In scripture we can find Jesus making statements such as...

Matthew 15:24 NKJV

24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

John 9:4–5 NKJV

4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

(Jesus loved Himself well and this is how I think that we know:)

Jesus knew His value but didn’t cash it in.

Matthew 26:50–54 NKJV

50 But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. 51 And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. 52 But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? 54 How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?”

Finally,

(Jesus loved Himself well and this is how I think that we know:)

Jesus knew His God and honored Him.

Luke 4:5–8 NKJV

5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” 8 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

Jesus loved Himself well and didn’t exchange His life for something more suitable.

Jesus knew His purpose and died for it.

Jesus knew His role and accepted it, even embraced it.

Jesus knew His calling and went for it.

Jesus knew His mission and kept after it.

Jesus knew His value but didn’t cash it in.

Jesus knew His God and honored God.

The hardest person to love…is me.

Well, what about you?

What about me?

Reality is: The hardest person to love…is me.

I have the hardest time loving myself and here is why.

It is hard to love “a you” who you don’t know.

I want to argue that it is hard to love “a you” who you don’t know.

(When we have trouble loving ourselves well, it becomes increasingly hard to love others well)

Jesus knew Himself, His life, His God-given identify.

How would you complete these sentences?

I am....

Given we live in a fallen world—born in sin and shaped in iniquity—it is not always clear or immediately clear who I am, who you are.

Hear your Father’s voice. Let scripture confirm His note to you.

Psalm 139:1–18 NKJV

1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. 5 You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it. 7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; 12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You. 13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. 17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.

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