Authenticity of Love

Introduction

Introduction:

Love, it has been said, has many faces. People see it in all sorts of shapes and sizes. I think it is interesting to note that sometimes we see it more clearly, not through the eyes of adults, but through the eyes of children.

A group of professionals posed the following question to a group of 4 to 8-year-olds: “What does love mean?” The answers they got, as one researcher said, “were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.”

“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.” Chrissy – age 6.

“Love is what makes you smile when you‟re tired.” Terri – age 4.

“Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.” Danny – age 7.

“Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.”Bobby – age 5.

“Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday. Noelle – age 7.

“Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.” May Ann – age 4.

2“When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.” Karen – age 7.

“You really shouldn‟t say “I love you” unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.” Jessica – age 7.

“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.” Rebecca – age 8.

“Love” as seen by Frank Pittman and a bunch of kids” Smart Marriages Mar. 12, 2002

This morning following our Valentine’s Banquet celebration, we recognize the secular holiday this week of Valentine’s. May I say I am thankful for those of you that have experienced love, are experiencing love, or may not have experienced love in light of what the secular holiday calls for, but I am thankful for the love that is instilled in us in Christ and the love we have for one another, our extended family, God’s church here at Mt Zion. Amen.

That is exactly what we want us to talk about today, a different love, a more meaningful love, a deeper love that we have for each other because of the type love Jesus instills in us.

Interestingly, its worth considering the one God appointed who wrote our text this morning.

Some theologians call Paul the apostle of faith. Peter is the apostle of hope. James is the apostle of good works and John the beloved was the apostle of love.

You can be turning this morning in your Bibles and hold your finger on 1 John. Go to the back of your bible and there is 1, 2, 3 John, Jude & Revelation. Do not confuse John for John the Baptist, but it was John the Beloved that wrote John, 1,2, and 3 John and the Revelation.

What is interesting is this same John the Beloved was also called in his earlier life, along with his brother James, the Sons of Zebedee as the “sons of thunder.”

Mark 3:17 “17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”;”

Scripture tells us that Jesus had “set His face toward Jerusalem.” He was traveling with the disciples and He sent some ahead for preparations in His travel and the Samaritans would not receive Him. Listen to James and John’s comments:

Luke 9:54–56 (NKJV)

54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”

55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.

Two sources shared that they, James & John could have been called “Sons of thunder” due to their intense natures, but another dictionary shared that it could have been due to their volatile nature.

What caused a man to go from one recognized as Boanerges, a son of thunder to one that was called the beloved, and wrote of the deep love of Jesus and the love we are to express one for the other?

John wrote 1 John as a circular letter to the churches near the end of the first century in a time of great persecution. As you know John himself was persecuted. Imagine being on the Greek Island of Patmos and I have seen the Island of Patmos.

He’s all by himself and yet dealing with isolation, rain, wind burn, blistered lips and totally shut off from social interaction. We know that John was later released and served as a pastor in Ephesus in his last years. He was the last disciple and lived to an old age serving the Lord. This is the last letter written sometimes between 85-100 AD.

Listen to this and I believe we will understand what transformed John’s life.

1 John 1:1–4 NKJV

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

John experienced joy and love in Jesus Christ and was never the same. I want to learn of this love from this changed man, don’t you? Turn in your bibles to 1 John 4:7-12.

1 John 4:7-12

1 John 4:7–12 NKJV

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.

Prayer

Message

In the 6 verses we study today the word “love” is mentioned 13 times. Love is the theme of our time together today.

I am convinced in every fiber of my being that the greatest influence, in other words, the greatest evangelical tool the church has at its disposal today is love. I title the message today on this weekend before Valentine’s, the authenticity of love. Dearly beloved, there is no match for the power of real love expressed in people today. People are looking for authentic love, real love and everyone desires real love.

Interestingly of those 13 times the word “agape” is the form of love used. There are two other forms of the word love in the Greek that more tie to the recognition of others at Valentines, phileo and eros.

When little children give out Valentine’s cards at school to classmates or teachers that type of love is phileo, which means a brotherly or comradely type of love. Initially in a relationship as we think of that romantic loves is the love described as eros love, that love or attraction between man and woman in courtship.

This morning the love we discuss is agape love. Agape was a word that was coined in the early church as a new word describing the unconditional love we have for one another that is not stemmed from us, but from the Lord that resides in us. There are terms over time we use like the word, “neat”, “cool”, or “awesome” that carry a broad paintbrush of thought in such terms. I heard someone yesterday refer to someone as a baller, which means they are a successful person.

The word agape was a new word on the scene of the early christian. Agape love is the love that Jesus has for you. A love that is not conditional. There is nothing you did that earned His love. He loves you for you and He loves you just as you are and there is nothing you can do or I can do to cause Him to lessen His love for you in any way.

The Answer is Love

In biblical times, love prior to Christ and the birth of the early church, love was selfish and conditional.

https://steinsaltz.org/

Gittin 90a-b: Grounds for Divorce (March 11, 2016)

A Mishna appears on this, the last daf in Massekhet Gittin, that deals with one of the most basic questions about divorce. According to Jewish law, what are considered reasonable grounds for divorce? The Mishna brings three opinions on this matter: Beit Shammai rules that a man can divorce his wife only if he found a devar erva – a promiscuous situation.Beit Hillel permits divorce even in a case where the wife hikdihah tavshilo (literally “burned his food”).Rabbi Akiva says that he can divorce her for any reason – even if he found another woman who he finds more attractive.

If your wife burned your meal or became less attractive over time, the Jews for example wrote laws, easy exit strategies if you will if they wanted to give a writ of divorce for their wives. The point is that people’s love was very conditional and selfish in nature. John lived in a society that had experienced this type of love.

John had written about having a brotherly love for one another.

1 John 2:7-11, John speaks of being in the light.

1 John 3:10-24 refer to being a child of God

and this morning he discusses that love is the measure of our relationship with the Lord.

Dearly beloved, the answer is love. We recognize a pastoral warmth in John’s writings. John guided by the Holy Spirit almost by testimony states, “beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God.” John could have almost said, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, do you want to know the change that came about in my life, “Jesus loved me, this I know.”, for the Bible tells me so.” John did not have to sing that little jingle. John wrote in that first chapter what he experienced first hand, “I am the recipient of that love and it is the answer we all need., it all the answer I needed.” That love, that agape love, that unconditional love meaning that nothing I did caused me to earn or to be due that love, but just a love because Jesus loved me, caused me to experience His love.

Theologians refer to this commandment, “let us love one another” as the 11th commandment. We know that the ten commandments are motivated by love, a love of God and a love for our fellow man.

20 X John states “love one another.”

1 John 3:11 NKJV

11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,

1 John 3:23 NKJV

23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

Lets’ skip to verse 12 for a moment:

1 John 4:12 NKJV

12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.

God’s Word states that no one has seen God and the reason God has not been seen is that God is Spirit (1 John 4:2) The Lord is fleshed out in you and me. In the first part of 1 John 4, John speaks about the spirit. Specifically, he mentioned testing the spirits to see if they are of God or not.

Please note there are two manners in testing the spirit-love and truth.

1 John 4:1–3 NKJV

1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

Remember in our introduction time when the Samaritans would not allow Jesus to stay in Samaria and how He responded to James and John?

Luke 9:55 “55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.”

Why is our love for one another the answer to what the world needs now, love, sweet love?

Our spirit of love to the world is a testament that the love of God resides in us. Our love points people to the Lord. Amen?

Love is the spiritual flashlight in our lives that point people to Jesus

The Author of Love

Let’s notice the author of love in us.

7b. “and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8. “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

Let’s understand who the author of love is. Simply put, God is love.

Love is His very nature and the acts of love is His way of expressing Himself.

Christian and non-Christian alike have the ability to love because we are born in the image of God. Within the bounds of the most heinous vile individual is some goodness and that goodness can be recognized in the ability to love. God’s amazing grace instills love in us. Now understand an important truth, the unbeliever reveals an incomplete type of love, but any ability to love in us is birthed by God.

Truth & love are the two greatest gifts we have to offer to the world as Jesus gave them to us. Our love tanks are sourced in the Lord. Think of it as a spring that flows and let’s admit it, sometimes our love tanks are almost like the dam burst and other times its like a slow drip faucet.

Your love tank is your greatest measure of your relationship with Jesus. Look back at 7b-8 with me:

Remember, I spoke earlier that our spiritual flashlights are love that point people to Jesus. Then the question is -how many lumens of love are you giving off?

Furthermore, John addressed from a different vantage point back a chapter.

John shares that another way we manifest our relationship with God are as His children. Children that are obedient or rebellious, but furthermore, whether we are legitimate children of God. In other words, not false prophets.

1 John 3:10 “10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.”

Understand something clearly here. When Christ saved you, He saved you from past, present and future sins. There will be times we do not practice righteousness and we know that His righteousness was imputed to us to cover us over. Furthermore, we will all have our times that we love those about us, but we really do not like them at the moment. There are times we want to give someone a piece of our minds. As pastor, I love everyone here, but there are times all of us can be very unlikable.

Here is what I do want to be clear about. When that hate for a brother or sister in Christ becomes chronic I want you to know you have a spiritual problem.

God’s Word states “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. And we know that word “know” means in the sense of intimately. You may know of God, but you do not really know God. In fact, love is a direct correlation to how intimate at the time you are with Christ.

Let’s be clear in why we need to understand that the answer is love, by the fact we know who the author of our love is and why it is so paramount.

Remember God is spirit in 1 John 4:2. Again, like the wind, we can not see the wind, but we see the evidence of the wind blowing. We see the change the wind makes when it blows. We see leaves move and we see barns blown down and entire condominium towers blown down at the beach during Sallie.

What we learn is that God’s love is manifested in us to a lost and dying world.

Speaking of manifesting, look with me at verses 9-10.

The Assimilation of Love

1 John 4:9–10 NKJV

9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

The greatest act of love ever demonstrated to us was the cross. The word manifested means as well demonstrated.

Paul wrote:

Romans 5:8 NKJV

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Oh listen dearly beloved, we did nothing to deserve God’s love. In fact, we deserve judgment due to our sin, missing the mark.

Scripture teaches that if we fail in one commandment, we are guilty of all the commandments.

God sent His one and only Son as the propitiation for our sins. That means Jesus paid the ransom, paid the atoning sacrifice on our stead, in our place.

Chris Tomlin

Amazing Love

I'm forgiven because You were forsaken I'm accepted, You were condemned I am alive and well, Your spirit is within me 'Cause You died and rose again Amazing love, how can it be? That You, my King would die for me? Amazing love, I know it's true It's my joy to honor You In all I do, I honor You

When Jesus went to that cross to bore the sins of the world, note He died and was in the tomb three days and on the 4th day He arose to life anew. Why the hope of the resurrection is so vitally important?

You enjoy a new day when you come to know Christ. You have within you Jesus that wells up within you the ability to love.

Oh dear church, what is the answer of the day? When we hear such cynicism of a wayward world, a coldness to the things of God, irreverence of the church and the things the people of God stand for?

It’s not because the church has not administered the right witnessing tool, or used the correct evangelistic tract, or the fact that the people are weary of the work of the Lord in the world. Could it be that we have lost our first love?

I close with verse 12:

1 John 4:12 NKJV

12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.

I remind you, no one has seen God. God is Spirit. God lives in us. And, if He lives in us, that love will be seen in us. That love needs to exude from us. And lastly, God’s perfected plan is that the world would know Him through us exercised in truth, yes, but manifested in love. Let’s pray.