What Does Love Look Like?

Good Morning and welcome. I pray everyone survived Bushwacker Days 2023. Summer is off and running and what a joy it is. Camp is also off and running and we have another group leaving this afternoon to return on Wednesday then our third group leaving on Thursday for a few days. What a blessing to have all of these kids going to camp. As you saw in the video camp is a wonderful time, a time to focus on Jesus and we pray many more decisions to follow Jesus come as a result!

Lets Pray

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What does love look like?

Last week we began our Bait of satan series with a look at love. We looked at I John 4:7-21 and used that along with other scriptures to debunk several baits or lies about love.

We defined love as agape love.....God’s love.....the kind of love that sent Jesus to the cross to pay for your sins and my sins and the sins of the whole world, past, present and future

This week we finish our look at love and will wrestle with what does love look like?

If you would turn to I Corinthians 13 that is going to be our main text for today. Like last week we are going to go down through verse by verse and look for what God has for you this morning

Before we begin, I will be reading from the KJV. In the KJV Agape is translated charity instead of love. I am not sure why but that is what it was translated but the original Greek word is Agape which is love....God’s Love so as you hear charity think love.

I Corinthians 13:1-3

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“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”

Without Love You Are Nothing

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God through Paul comes out swinging. Look at what God says is nothing

speaking in tongues....a spiritual gift

prophecy....spiritual gift

Faith to move mountains…all understanding....all knowledge

Give all you have to the poor

Give your body to be burned

If you have all that and not love you are nothing…pointless....useless.......

It is not about the works but the love.....the personal, intimate, deep relationship with Jesus!

no love = nothing

We looked at why last week

God is love!

No love = no God

Love is so important to God and to us His children

Those who are saved!

Again not the worldly…weak…fleshly love....this is not an emotion but a choice

This is not an all accepting all inclusive love as the world defines those terms.

The world says if you love you MUST accept others sinful lifestyles

The world says if you love you must be inclusive of things the Bible calls an abomination

but God’s love that none should perish but all COME to repentance

We love those who sin

We love sinners

We love the lost

We love the LBGTQ whatever other letter you want to throw on there

We love the addict

We love the adulterer

We love the person in love with money

We love the greedy

We love the arrogant

We love the materialistic

We love all people but with God’s love that demands we share the truth with them about Jesus and stand upon the Word of God and only the Word of God

Love is not acceptance

Love is not tolerance

Love is truth

Since that is the case and truth I am so thankful that God tells us what love is in the next few verses!

What does love look like?

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1 Corinthians 13:4-7

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“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”

I want to walk down through the characteristics of love this morning

Charity Suffereth Long

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suffereth long comes from Greek verb that means to be long-spirited, forbearing, patient, bear long, be long suffering, have long patience, patiently endure

This is a choice.......

This is not an emotion

This is not something you fall in and out of

This is a state of mind

A way of looking at people and making the decision to suffer long

Forbear

Endure

This is not easy and for sure is not comfortable

This will cost you

This will open you up to become frustrated and hurt

It is only possible via God who is Love!

Sometimes....most of the time…we humans…Christians make things way too hard.

We over complicate things

God gave us His Word

Look no further than Jesus and follow His example

It really is that easy

Jesus countless times suffered long

Look at the Garden

Look at His entire ministry

It is 2023 and God is still suffering long because not everyone has come to repentance

When suffering long

forbearing

enduring

hurts you and costs you and is uncomfortable

look to the cross

Jesus did that for you

You can choose to suffer long

God goes further

notice the comma

and is kind

this comes from Greek verb show oneself useful, act benevolently

benevolently according to Websters 1828 dictionary means in a kind manner, with good will

Not only do you have to suffer long

forbear

endure

but you must do it benevolently

with good will

That means no one can know you are suffering long because you are also kind

Many will choose to suffer long but it almost always has something attached

They better appreciate this or me

They are going to owe me big time

What goes around comes around they will get theirs

That is not love

That is not benevolently suffering long

Church you suffer long with kindness because that is exactly what Jesus did for you!

If you suffer long without kindness and good will

you are back to verses 1-3

nothing

useless

pointless

no heavenly good

Charity vaunteth not itself

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Vaunteth comes from a Greek verb to boast; vaunt

websters 1828 vaunt to boast, to make a vain display of one’s own worth

Social media posters beware

You don’t love so you can brag or post about it

God knows

The person you love knows

Anything beyond that is sinful

Don’t boast

don’t make a vain display of one’s own worth

There is even a word for this

Humblebrag. This is actually in the new Websters dictionary online

Humblebrag is a verb that means to make a seemingly modest, self-critical, or casual statement or reference that is meant to draw attention to one’s admirable or impressive qualities or achievements

Our society is so far removed from God this is actually in the dictionary!

Worse yet it dominates the lives of most Americans

Even worse than that it is ever present in Christians and the church!

If you brag your heart is wrong!

If you humblebrag your heart is wrong!

No wonder some who are lost run from Jesus

His followers love in order to brag

aint no one wants that

Not Puffed Up

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Greek verb inflate, make proud

Exaggerate

Inflate

Make proud

Doing something minor and blowing it way out of perspective

You SHOULD help old ladies cross the street

You SHOULD return carts in the parking lot

You SHOULD open and hold doors for your momma and bride and others

Even sinners do that

You are SUPPOSED to be long suffering

YOU are SUPPOSED to be kind

You are SUPPOSED to be humble

Don’t inflate it

God saw it and that is enough!

Envieth Not

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Greek verb to have warm feelings against, covet, desire, be jealous over

God is love

God is pure

Your love is God’s love as a Christian

God’s love through you must be pure

Not coveting what someone has or doesn’t have

Not desiring to be like them

Follow Jesus and be who He created you to be

Christians have no room in their lives for Jealousy

All good gifts come from the Father according to James 1:17.

Who are you to be jealous of the Father’s gift in someone else’s life?

Delight with them not look to steal from them!

Doth not behave unseemly

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Greek verb to be unbecoming

Don’t act a fool

Don’t be rude

Don’t be mean

I have news for you if you have to start a statement with no offense or end a statement with well it is the truth

You are more than likely behaving unseemly

We are to speak truth and truth alone but in love and grace and mercy

If you say no offense that means you KNOW what you are about to say is going to be said in a way that is offensive

If you end with well it is the truth you said the truth in a way that was meant to be hurtful

God doesn’t need your words

God doesn’t need your attitude

God doesn’t need your anger

He is big enough on His own

He doesn’t need you

He will work through you but only if you let the scriptures speak

Sure someone may ask questions and need you to allow the Holy Spirit to teach through you but never in a manner that has to be qualified with no offense or well it is the truth

That is you being mean and unseemly

Seeketh not her own

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Greek verb worship, be about, desire, endeavor, seek after

I have some news for you

The only good in you is God

Jesus Himself said so

Mark 10:17-18

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“And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.”

This is also taught in the Old Testament

Jeremiah 17:9

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“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

You

Me

All of creation is evil without God

The only way to God is through Jesus

The only good in you is God

What do you have to seek of your own?

There is no self-seeking in God’s Love so if you are self-seeking in how you love

you are not loving with God’s love but your love

Is not easily provoked

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Greek verb to exasperate, to irritate, to rouse to anger

Many of us in this room and watching online are easily provoked

Easily exasperated

Easily irritated

Easily roused to anger

Church if you love that should not be the case

Proverbs 15:1

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“A soft answer turneth away wrath: But grievous words stir up anger.”

Not easily provoked

This is work

This is done through the Holy Spirit living inside of you

So many of you, myself included, should be convicted of this many times a day

Be honest with God

Ask God to show you if you are easily provoked and how to surrender that to Him

The devil wants you easily provoked because then the love of Jesus does not get poured out upon the lost

The devil wants you easily provoked so there is not unity in God’s house and Jesus’ body the church

The devil wants you easily provoked so he can distract you from what is really going on in the world

When you are easily provoked you are doing the work of the devil not God!

Thinketh no evil

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Greek verb take an inventory of, conclude, esteem, impute, suppose

Christian this means you

Don’t take inventory of evil

Don’t conclude evil

Don’t esteem evil

Don’t impute evil

Don’t suppose evil

Having nothing to do with evil

Don’t fellowship with evil

If it is on your TV change the channel

If it is on your radio change the dial

Music and entertainment are so powerful

satan deceives through music everyday

It goes deeper

thinketh no evil

You get cut off in traffic....thinketh no evil

Someone does or says something mean or rude…thinketh no evil

Someone comes in here to church looking for Jesus and is dirty and smelly and addicted and loud thinketh no evil

II Corinthians 10:5

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“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

Take all of those thoughts and bring them into captivity to the obedience of Christ

Take your thoughts and match them up against the Bible

If they agree keep them

If they go against the Bible, no matter how much you like the thought, cast them away.....get rid of them

Thinketh no evil

Rejoiceth not in iniquity

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Iniquity is from a Greek noun meaning injustice, wrongfulness, unrighteousness

Most would say pastor I don’t rejoice in iniquity

let me see your spotify or pandora play list

Let me see your recent netflix watches

Let me look at your browsing history

Let me look at your social media

Our world rejoices in iniquity all day everyday

It is woven into all aspects of society

Is it woven into you and your home?

Church you must not take iniquity lightly

You must be willing to stand against iniquity and let me assure you that will cost you something

That will make you uncomfortable

That will mean missing out on

gatherings

or concerts,

or tv shows

or music

because it rejoices in iniquity so if you take part in it so do you

Rejoiceth in the truth

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Truth is from a Greek noun meaning truth or true

God’s Word is absolute truth

God’s Word is the only source of Truth

Jesus is Truth

Do you truly rejoice in the truth

Not just the parts you love and fully understand

but the parts that cut deep

the parts that convict so heavily it drives you to your knees in prayer and tears

the parts that you love the opposite of truth

You can’t pick and choose what truth to apply and what truth to reject

Reject truth reject Jesus

Beareth

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Greek verb suffer, endure patiently

Believeth

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Greek verb to have faith

Hopeth

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Greek verb expect or confide

All Things

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Greek adjective all, any every

You do not have a choice here this morning.....well actually you do

You always have a choice

accept

or

reject

That is the only choices

You either hear God’s Word proclaimed and accept it or you reject it

Same with Jesus you either accept Him as your true Lord and Savior or you reject Him

No participation trophy or points for effort

accept or reject

Church if you are saved

If Jesus and the Holy Spirit live inside of you

You MUST love others as Jesus loves you

All things

Any thing

Every thing

All people

Now as I said this love Agape love is God’s love and placed in your heart by the Holy Spirit

Romans 5:5

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“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

Church

Christians how and why you love shows your heart and allegiance

If you belong to God

The Holy Spirit places His love inside of you

You will see love as described here in I Corinthians 13 in your life

You can’t love like God on your own

His love comes through as you obey

Listen

What we have talked about the last 2 weeks are not suggestions

I John 4:8

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“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”

That is truth

You must love with Agape love if you know God

James 4:17

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“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

God is love

You now know God’s love

What it is

Why it is there

What it looks like

What it sounds like

To not do it for you is sin!

Loving others as God loves you is a process

I Corinthians 13:11

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“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”

Christian maturity

Sanctification

You will not be fully mature

You will not be fully sanctified until heaven or Jesus’ return!

However you are to leave childish things such as loving others with your love

worldly love

fleshly love

believing the lies of satan about love

If you only come to church on Sundays or

Only go to your secret place here and there

Your growth will be minimal at best and non-existent at worse

God created us for community

For fellowship

For doing life together

We must love on another with Agape love

We must love Nevada with Agape love

We must love the world with Agape love

As this song plays if you need to accept Jesus come

If you need to confess to God sins or shortcomings come

If you need to give Him a burden because you realize it is not yours to carry but God wants to carry it for you come

This time is between you and God

If He is calling come!

STOP OBS

Invitation song

How He Loves Crowder