prove there is a God

creation

maple tree seed

love one another???

John 13:34-35

1 John—this series born

FCC Love One Another Series: The Gospel Creates a Community (1 Corinthians 13)

back to 1 John

unity in the church

causes the heavens to stare (Eph 3:10).

love between brothers/sisters

evidences the children of God (1 John 3:10).

For John, love between believers isn’t a sign of maturity;

it’s a sign of saving faith.

the invisible God is made visible through the love of the people of God

not going to jump into love chapter

wide angle lens

helicopter view

the gospel creates a supernatural community that reveals the truth and power of the gospel

focus is GOSPEL, not on love

in the GOSPEL we experience love

in response we show love to God’s people

thus gospel creates community

natural to love biological family that is like you—gave birth

not natural to love people who are not like you

that’s the point—SUPERNATURAL

when our church loves in a way that defies explanation

confirms supernatural power of the gospel

I want us to be known by our love for one another

community

Christ wants to create a people

not just individuals who believe in Him

we are not saved then decide to be in a club or support group

Christ died for the Church

when you become a Christian

you now belong to your spiritual brothers and sisters

joining a local church is part of your identity

it is not something additional or optional

it is at the very heart of God’s purpose

to form a people that display His glory

other members of FCC are worthy of your love

because IN CHRIST we belong together

if you treat them undeservingly

Jesus Himself stands up to object

puny community

affinity groups happen naturally

FB group Saddleback Leather

similar life experience (stage of life, professionals, farmers, etc.)

similar identity (cowboy, motorcycle, etc.)

similar cause (feed hungry, human trafficking, care for animals, etc.)

Compelling Community

“Single moms gravitate to each other regardless of whether or not the gospel is true. This community is wonderful and helpful—but its existence says nothing about the power of the gospel.”

“if this is the sum total of what we call ‘church community,’ I’m afraid we’ve built something that would exist even if God didn’t.”

pushed in church planting (music, stage of life, side of town)

2 visions of community

gospel-plus community

relationships are founded on the gospel plus something else

humanly speaking

we can tend toward this because it is pragmatic

meaning it works

people gravitate to people just like themselves

how to create a crowd

but does this demonstrate the power of God, or of man???

tiny dumbbells do not show off strength of bodybuilder

love in our church that is natural and effortless hardly shows off the strength of God

BECAUSE we have experienced a supernatural birth and are part of a supernatural community

versus

gospel-revealing community

many relationships would not exist

if it were not for the truth and power of the gospel

where people have very little to nothing in common BUT CHRIST

this is how a lost and dying world can SEE the gospel

“churches of the NT were often built of combustible materials.”

Hebrew and Hellenist

slave and free

rich and poor

Jews and Gentiles

yet there was no instruction to have separate churches (Eph 2-3)

much of the NT is about Christian Jews and Gentiles loving one another

Jews/Gentiles share one thing in common

they hate one another

Jews are stuck up religious snobs

who think they are too good

Gentiles are dirty pagans

who care nothing of God and His law

it’s hard…it’s impossible…but that’s the point

only one fight allowed around here

fight for unity

at FCC, we want to be a gospel-revealing community

not exchanging the glory of diversity for the comfort of similarity

different ages, tax brackets, IQs, sides of town, races, genders, political affiliations, RIGHT HERE

it will take work

but to have everyone the same is easy

gospel-plus communities are easier

can be tempting if impatient

but undermines the truth and power of the gospel and the supernatural community it creates

1 Corinthians 13

big picture—“the goal of our salvation isn’t simply escape from hell, but a community of supernatural love.”

1-3: why you love is crucial

4-7: how you love is vital

8-13: that you love is purposeful

setting is not a wedding

context, context, context

Paul writing to address issues in problem-riddled church in Corinth

12-14 spiritual gifts

tongues is only desirable gift

BUT Paul enlightens and informs them

spiritual gifts are about building up the church body (local church)

YET as important as your spiritual gift is for the benefit of the church

WITHOUT love your spiritual gift is worthless

why you love is crucial

13:1-3 pew Bible # 1140

v. 1: the most impressive speech – love = worthless

v. 2: the most impressive gifts – love = worthless

v. 3: the most impressive personal sacrifices – love = worthless

your motive is as important as your action

you can do the right thing…with the wrong motive…and it turn out worthless

you can do the right thing (spiritual gift)

with the wrong motive (not out of love)

and it turn out worthless

Total Church

“If we are culturally relevant but have not love, we gain nothing

If we preach the finest sermons but have not love, we are resounding gongs.

if we write books about mission and church but have not love, we are just clanging cymbals!

Attendance at meetings, involvement in evangelism, ability to handle the Bible, starting new initiatives, a reputation for being sound (or radical)

all of these, in and of themselves, indicate nothing

unless they are a heart response to the deep, passionate love of God

and emerge out of a deep, passionate love for God.”

motives are the difference between a Pharisee and a Christian

why do you do what you do?

do you love so others will like you more?

do you love so others will see and think better of you?

do you love because you were first loved?

1 John 4:19 “We love because he first loved us.”

do you love as a heart response to the deep, passionate love of God?

is your love for one another flow out of your love from God?

can’t love how we feel like loving

how you love is vital

13:4-7

ἀγάπη

not used much outside of NT

authors of NT gave it its meaning

116 in NT

75 being Paul

love is concrete expression shown when Jesus died for the sins of the world out of love

love is a verb

not an emotion that acts when feels like it (Greco-Roman)

but a commitment to act even when feelings betray us (covenant)

1 John 3:18

your love may be lacking

it sure was in the Corinthians

divisions in the church (1 Cor 3)

suing one another (1 Cor 6)

evidenced in Lord’s Supper (1 Cor 11)

my spiritual gift is better than your spiritual gift (1 Cor 12-14)

thought this series would be good application of 1 John

and perfect for our church unity

God said He would start with me

Love is patient and kind (13:4)

am I leading with patience and kindness???

Paul lists 2 positives of love

then a whole list of negatives

deficiencies of what love is not

since the fall, we may call things love that God does not

or we may not even have love on our mind when we act

Paul reminds the Corinthians (and us) what love is not

test your actions

do you have any of the behaviors listed TOWARD YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS?

is your love [the negatives]?

then your love is lacking

confess and repent

you mean born-again brothers and sisters may act unloving and sin against you???

opportunity for forgiveness

more I mature, more I realize how much God forgave me (cost Jesus His life)

the more I realize His supernatural forgiveness towards me

the more it drives His supernatural love working through me

those who have been forgiven much love much

do you understand how much God has forgiven you in Christ? really!?!

if you are having a hard time forgiving,

look to the cross

if you are unwilling to forgive,

you either have a cold heart that has not been forgiven

or you do not appreciate the depth of God’s forgiveness towards you

even the ongoing act of forgiveness is a supernatural love

not resentful (13:5)

NASB—does not take into account a wrong suffered

“to keep a mental record of events for the sake of some future action—‘to keep a record, to remember, to bear in mind.’ ‘(love) doesn’t keep a record of evil’ 1 Cor 13:5” LN

pretending is not forgiving

it is looking at the sin in all its horror and meanness (not dismissing)

and choosing (not just once) to lay down your rights for justice

even if the person doesn’t ask for forgiveness or even acknowledge the sin at all

forgiveness is hard

forgiveness is even impossible

forgiveness takes a supernatural work

to have supernatural love, we will need supernatural forgiveness

evidenced in 13:7

notice believes and hopes are sandwiched between bears and endures

probably not referring to God

but to one another in the Corinthian church

meaning love believes and hopes the best of others

that may not be your natural tendency but will be your supernatural tendency

give them the benefit of the doubt

your brothers and sisters in Christ here at FCC are not your enemies

like the Corinthians, you may need to be reminded to give them the benefit of the doubt

Satan may have crept in

to where you are suspect about every little behavior

that funny look…may not be their disgust in you…but the chili from last night talking

truly innocent until proven guilty (not other way around)

trust but verify

if we are gonna live as the family of God at FCC

then we need to love (and not love) how Paul describes

if ever feel your love is out of whack, come back to 1 Cor 13

that you love is purposeful

13:8-13

love never ends

loving now is not a waste because you will love for eternity

while have different spiritual gifts

all have faith, hope, and love

faith, hope, and love are characteristic of every Christian, but love is forever

temporary

faith (trusting God for what we cannot see)

Now we walk by faith, but then we will walk by sight (2 Cor. 5:7; cf. 4:18)

hope (confidently expecting God to do what he has promised)

Now we hope for what we cannot see, but then we will no longer need to hope for what we see (Rom. 8:24–25).

YET love never ends

God is love (1 John 4:8, 16)

so all of our effort to love has purpose and meaning

it is a reflection of God’s love and practice for eternity

and our hottest love is towards our brothers and sisters in Christ right here at FCC

The Gospel Creates a Community (1 Corinthians 13)

are you a believer and not part of a local church?

not meant to be alone as a Christian

what kinds of people in your church do you struggle to love?

what church members do you have a past with?

do you avoid them or press in to love them genuinely (Rom 12:9)?

how is God convicting you of your puny natural love?

He wants to show His power in the gospel through supernatural, impossible love