Thoughts from Pastor Dave

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This article originally appeared in the September 2005 Gold Canyon Lifestyle

Public Display of Affection
Pastor Dave Abbatacola

I grew up attending and eventually met my wife at a Christian camp in Wisconsin. I’m sure the camp had many rules for the hundreds of children who still attend this camp north of Green Bay, but one rule in particular stands out. “No Public Display of Affection ” Week after week camp administrators would stress the all important rule of no touching other campers in an affectionate manner. No kissing. No holding hands. No hugging. You couldn’t even interlock pinky fingers. NO P.D.A. As I grew in maturity, stature and deeper love with my eventual wife, I would occasionally rebel. I am rebellious by nature so I relished breaking the PDA rule with this lovely blonde. Whether we would stroll down the path, walk to the beach or head to the dining hall hand in hand, we heard the horrified cries of indignant kids yelling: “Hey, No P.D.A., No P.D.A. ” I love breaking some rules.

I wonder if the Apostle John heard similar cries of outrage when he publicly displayed affection for Jesus? Imagine seeing a roomful of men - manly men - fisher men - blue collar men - sitting around talking, eating, reclining, and one young man leans over and uses the chest of Jesus as a pillow. A man so comfortable with his own identity, masculinity and in his relationship with Messiah, that he feels comfortable enough to lay his head on the heart of God. A public display of extreme affection and love for Jesus.

I know John was not always like this. He was not sensitive by nature and certainly lacked tenderness at times. On one occasion, he actually looked down on a whole village of lost, dying and needy people and his first thought was not to do a missions-project. He didn’t immediately launch into a prayer and intercede on behalf of the people. His heart didn’t break for all the lost and sick people living their lives in a futile attempt to find happiness and satisfaction. His first thought was: “Hey, Jesus, you want me to call down fire from Heaven and burn all of them to a crisp?” Wow, what compassion

Jesus also had a nickname for John and his just as equally hard older brother.
The name was not Softy, Girly-Man or Wimpy. Jesus referred to them as Sons of Thunder Do you know people like this? They enter a room with the same gentleness of a thunderstorm. They are the kind of people you keep away from visiting the infirm at their hospital room because their only advice would be to “shake it off”. They are like James and John - somewhat lacking in the mercy quotient.

How, then, does John go from wanting to nuke a village to leaning back on the breast of Jesus and listening to the heartbeat of God Incarnate? How does he go from a Son of Thunder to a Professor of Love, writing books of the Bible with themes like “God is Love” and “love one another” ? Two simple things helped to transform and melt away the heart of John so that he was not ashamed of Jesus and he didn’t care who knew and who saw how much he loved Jesus.

First, in coming to discover who Jesus truly is - he also came to discover who he himself was - the disciple Jesus loved. John, with all his faults, failings, misgivings, and pre-conceived misconceptions and weaknesses - was loved by Jesus. God came to earth and chose John because He loved John. He slowly came to realize that Jesus really and truly loved him. People who are not ashamed of the gospel know this bottom shelf truth: God loves me so much.
Second, John was transformed by simply spending time with Jesus. Jesus sought him out and asked him to follow. Jesus called him closer and gave him responsibilities. Jesus taught him and showed him how to live and how to love and how to reach out. John began to grasp love and how to love as he spent day after day after day after day with Jesus.

I need to change, I am rebellious by nature. I love to occasionally break the rules. I lack sensitivity and can be harsh. However, the more I grasp the truth that I am loved unconditionally by the God of the Universe and He stoops to my level and wants to spend time with me and calls me to intimacy with Him.
The more I dive into His Word and listen to Him speak through the Bible the more I get to know Him. The more I hear truth and the more time spent with Him, I will change and become more of a lover like Jesus and John.