Seven Positive Characteristics of Love
TITLE: "Seven Positive Traits of True Love"
TEXT: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
ETS: The Apostle Paul gives a detailed description of love.
ESS: Love exhibits certain characteristics.
OSS: Christians will gain a new understanding of love and endeavor to live it out.
UW: Characteristics
PQ: What are dome defining characteristics of true love?
INTRODUCTION:
I. TRUE LOVE IS PATIENT (makroyumew= to be of a long spirit, not to lose heart) (VS. 4A).
A. Patient means to be longsuffering, slow to anger, slow to punish
1. Patient with those who need to grow
2. Patient with the imperfections of others
3. Patient when mistakes are made.
II. TRUE LOVE IS KIND (crhsteuoami= to be kind, use kindness ) (VS. 4B).
A. Kindness means Carrying out acts that demonstrate louingkindness. (1 Jo 3:18) “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”
(Pr 31:20) She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
1. Love seeks ways to demonstrate itself.
2. Love goes beyond what is “expected”.
· Example of the Good Samaritan
III. TRUE LOVE DEFENDS (stegw = to protect or keep by covering, to preserve, to cover over with silence )(VS. 7A).
(Pr 10:12) “Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.”
(1Pe 4:8) “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."
A. Love does not attack, but defends.
1. Love attempts to protect and defend.
IV. TRUE LOVE BELIEVES AND COMMITS (pisteuw = believe , be committed unto )(VS. 7B). (1Jo 3:16) “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for th-e brethren.”
A. Love Produces Strong commitment.
1. Like that of the Apostles of old who were committed to Christ even to the point of being martyred.
V. TRUE LOVE TRUSTS (elpizw = trust , hope )(VS. 7C)
A. Trust means assuming the best about Someone, not the worst.
(Heb.5:9) “Beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner.
VI. TRUE LOVE PERSEVERES (upomenw = endure , to preserve: under misfortunes and trials )(VS. 7D).
(Job 13:15) “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.”
(2 Ti 2:10) Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
A. Perseverance means staying loyal in bad times as well as the good.
VII. TRUE LOVE ENDURES - (menw = Abide, continue, dwell, endure,be present, remain, stand, tarry (for),)(VS. 13)
(Ge 29:20) “So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.”
A. ENDURANCE means a refusal to give up or give in.
CONCLUSION:
DATES / PLACES PREACHED: