Love Speaks the Truth

If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth—only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.

C.S. Lewis

As someone has said, “We must be careful of ‘sloppy agape.’” “Sloppy agape” says, “Oh, I love you too much to upset you by telling you that you are in sin.” Real love says, “You are wrong, and I want to help you get it right.”…

Introduction Dear friends, I greet you in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Today, I want to turn our thoughts to a profound statement from the Apostle Paul found in 1 Corinthians 13:6, "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth." In a world where truth often feels elusive, this passage calls us to embrace the truth with love. Let's explore what this means for our lives, particularly in our walk with God.

Clear Gospel Message

The essence of the gospel is truth. The truth that we are all sinners, as Romans 3:23 tells us, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." The truth that sin leads to separation from God and only through Jesus can we be reconciled with Him. Jesus declared in John 14:6, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." God sent His only Son to bear our sins, to die a death meant for us, and to rise again, conquering death itself. We see this truth in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." Personal Stories or Illustrations

Think about a cellphone left without a charger—it might work for a while, but soon it will lose power and become useless. Similarly, when we allow sin to enter our lives, we become disconnected from God, losing the spiritual power He provides. But through Jesus, the ultimate charger, we can reconnect and restore our spiritual vitality.

As he embraced this truth, I witnessed his heart transforming. Joy replaced despair, love replaced bitterness, and each day became an opportunity to live out God's truth. His life became a testimony to others, inspiring hope and pointing to the source of all truth, Jesus Christ.

Picture a garden where weeds have started to take over. The flowers are struggling to breathe and bloom. When we allow sin into our lives, it chokes our relationship with God just like those weeds. But with Jesus, we can pull out those weeds, clear the garden, and allow our relationship with Him to flourish again.

Today, I urge you to examine your heart. Are you rejoicing in the truth of God's word? Are you living out the truth by following Jesus with your whole heart? This is a decision each of us must face—to accept or reject the transformative truth of Christ. If you've never made a decision to follow Jesus or have drifted away from His truth, now is the time to come home. Jesus is waiting with open arms, ready to forgive, love, and lead you into eternal life. If you hear God speaking to your heart, do not ignore His call. Say ‘yes’ to Jesus today. Begin to rejoice in the truth, live by it, and let God's love shine through you to others. Summary and Encouragement To sum up, true love and genuine faith go hand in hand with truth. Rejoicing in the truth means aligning ourselves with God's word, and allowing it to guide our thoughts and actions. As believers, we'll face challenges, but by standing firm in God's truth, we can navigate any storm. I encourage you to dive deeper into the Word, pray for wisdom, and surround yourself with others who seek to live out the truth in love. As we encourage one another, we reflect the love of Christ to a world in need. Closing Prayer Let us pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for your unchanging truth and love found in Jesus. I pray for everyone here today, that you would open our hearts to your truth and fill us with your love. Help us to live in a manner that rejoices in your word and reflects your grace. May we trust you fully and navigate life with your guidance. In Jesus' precious name, Amen.