Are You Sure Where You Stand

Do You Control Your Roll

SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 13:1–3 “1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 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, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”

Introduction: Are you Posturing or Aligning

Is there a difference in how someone postures for something verses how they really are about the exact same thing. I want to propose to you that just because someone is posturing that does not mean they are actually aligned in the same manner as they are postured.

What am I talking about here. Let me say it like this. Is your Hearts posture the same as the Alignment of your heart, or is there some type of vice preventing your posture and alignment from being the same.

Some people are able to talk the talk but when it comes time for the rubber to meet the road those two things just do not fall in line with one another. Have you ever printed a test page for your computers printer and the lines just do not fall perfectly in line with the others. This means the posture of the printer is close but the actual alignment is slightly different then the posture so your computer will tell you to shift the markings left or right until things are perfectly aligned.

Anyone can posture themselves as a Christian, but I wonder how many of these postured Christians are actually living IAW the commandments and Laws presented before us by the one and only God. You see God is not just a thought but he is the Moral Law Giver therefore we must align with the one who is the actual author of Moral Law.

1. Love Is a Universal Gift

Everyone is given Love from the Father it is universal and for everyone. It is also universal in that Love is to be given as well. God speaks very clearly on the Subject of Love Now lets look at some of this in just a few minutes.

Love builds - Others/Community (body)

There are two Love commandments, these commandments summarize the way we should follow GOD. We follow Him by Loving just as He loves.

When we Live according to Gods “Christian Community” intended way of living then we Glorify God.

Love is self sacrificing and oriented to Gods Good works.

Love must have warm reguard for and be interested in others not self.

Leviticus 19:18 “18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”

Here in the book of Leviticus we see the teaching spelling out for us that Love does not have vengeance or does not hold grude against anyone. Love surpasses all things when we Love as Christ first Loved us and gave himself for the Church, In that when we were unable to pay the sin debt that the Messiah came and Payed the ransom for you and I. In fact their was a great cost upon you for your sins past, Present and Future, that only could have been satisfied by a Perfect unblemished lamb.

Romans 13:9 “9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.””

Take a minute and pay close attention to this scripture God is showing us things the Love He has which do not align under Him and His authority and purpose in our lives!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Romans 5:8 “8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Here we see a demonstration from God Himself on how we are to Love. God loves us even when we are in sin. When we are rebelling God still loves us. Let me show you, how the greatest example we could ever have how He, Jesus loved.

Lets take a few minutes and look at this a little more indepth. I have a couple of really great stories to share with you today.

John 8:1–11 “1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. 3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. 7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.””

Let me let you in on a little secret here. Jesus did not condemn the women for her actions in stead Jesus Loved her when everyone else wanted to condemn her and stone her to death. Love does not condemn, knowing what we did wrong is where condemnation comes from.

But instead look at what happens here in verse 7-9 of this passage. Everyone begins to leave the area where Jesus was. Look at this Look at this, Jesus loved them so much he just asked them a simple question? Who among you is without sin you can cast the first stone. Jesus could have called out every sin in all of the lives of everyone present but he did not do it…..He instead loved them enough to not spread their business among everyone present.

Today let someone know your business, they will be texting or calling maybe even a three way call and saying “i am not gossiping bur did you hear about so and so they were caught having an affair,” “no I heard they were caught actually in bed together,” “no”, “I am not going to say anythings but I think I am going to ask JO JO they know everything.”

Dont say it but you and I both know someone just like that, It might even be us.

But check this out. If you loved your brother or sister the way Jesus just showed His Love for the women and everyone who was wanting to stone her to death, you would have stopped the conversation as soon as the words “i am not gossiping” came out of their mouth. Are you listening, instead you so enjoy being in the know, you perk up and don’t say a word. When you allow someone to just go on and on your not Loving like Christ Your living like the Devil.

Get mad if you want. I have not done anything but tell you the truth. The scriptures says the truth shall set you free, someone hearing this message needs to be set free from the bondage of the enemy and stop living in lust for the things of this word and start Loving and living for the greater things which can only be found in Christ Jesus.

Are you Posturing like a Christian, or are you Aligned with the Almighty

Ephesians 5:2 “2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”

2 Timothy 1:7 “7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

If we are walking in love then the conversation of Gossip never occurs, We never bring our so called friend before the Judge and Jury to be punished. The Holy Scripture says that we go to them,

Matthew 18:15 “15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.”

Is this spite work here or is this being done in Love? Of course it is being done in Love, if you gain a relationship it has to be done in love, because without love there can be no relationship.

Let me give you this second example so we can really grasp what the word of God is saying to us here.

Lets take a minute and look at what I think would be one of the most difficult times to Love as Christ.

Acts 9:1–8 “1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” 6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.”

Now let us allow this information to sink in just a little bit. In fact lets read verses 1 and 2 again.

Lets establish a few things here so you truly understand what the word is really screaming at us here.

Jesus is all Knowing (Omniscient)

1 John 3:19–20 “19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.”

Jesus is Everywhere (Omnipresent)

Psalm 139:7–10 “7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.”

Jesus is all Powerful (Omnipotent)

Genesis 1:1, 3, 6, 9, 11, Genesis 1:14 “14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;”

“14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;”

The First Letter to the Corinthians b. Love Is the Most Perfect and Only Eternal Way to Worship God, 13:1–13

purity and holiness are major themes