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The Greatest of These Introduction: There is much talk about love but a lot of the time that is all it is, talk. I have noticed that those people that talk about love the most are often the ones that show the least amount of love. We need to understand God’s love for us and the love we are to have for each other. I) Evidence For the Need For Love, Romans 1.31 A) Love diminished when man rejects God 1. Killing of babies due to unwanted pregnancies is about 1.5 million a year; abuse of children had not declined with the legalization of abortion, murders, divorces are all signs of a lack of love. 2. Many people turn to drugs, sex, violence as a means to obtaining some form of love. a. Soldier comes back from war and wants to know if his parents love him enough to accept him back after he has been injured. II) Importance of love, 1 Corinthians 13.13 A) Love will never pass away 1. Faith and hope will end but love will not, even in heaven there will be love. 2. It does not diminish with time, does not wear out or grow old. B) Without love we are nothing, 1 Corinthians 13.1-3 1. All gifts of tongues, prophecy, understanding, knowledge and faith; without love is nothing. 2. Even if you do many good works such as; feed the poor, sacrifice your self for others but have not love it profits nothing. C) Love is not easy, Matthew 5.43-48 1. Love your enemies, the Jews limited their responsibility of love to their neighbors. 2. It is hard to love people you do not like, to love those that may harm you or your love ones. 3. To be perfect means complete—our capacity grows as we become more and more like God. 4. The standard is seen in Romans 5.8. Would you teach someone the gospel if they had killed your child? 5. 1 John 4.16; 4.7-11 the example of Homer and Gomer in the Old Testament. a. God did this for us. D) It is a test of being a disciple, John 13.34-35 1. A new commandment – the standard had changed, Mark 12.28-34 2. It is the difference between valid and vain worship. 3. Our love for each other and for them is what people will see first. a. Many will not initially care if the congregation is scripturally organized, or if we do or don’t have a piano, but they will care if we have love for each other. III) Application A) Remember we are loved by God, John 3.16 1. A lot of people do not understand this. 2. See people with poor self image, suicides, self destructive, angry B) Think before you act and re-act 1. 1 Corinthians 16.14 have love for others around you. 2. Do not be afraid to show that love C) Loving is something you do regardless of how you feel 1. Myth: Love I s just how we feel and we can not control it. 2. Love is not based upon feelings, Romans 12.17-21 3. God commands us to love our enemies, and to love one another. a. Our feeling will follow our behavior. D) Speak the truth in love, Ephesians 4.15 1. Be right and be loving.
D.T. @ Westside Church of Christ 08.05.07 |