Christian Love
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Christian Love
Christian Love
Let love be without hypocrisy
Christian love should be authentic (not fake, but reliable, trustworthy)
Not for personal gain
Not for others to applaud us
Not so others will be indebted to us
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13:4-
Christian love should be objective rather than subjective
Subjective love - based on preference, feelings, opinions
Objective love - based on the central truth that all people bear God image so, all people have value and worth.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
anyone can be a whoever
anyone can be a whosoever
Christian love should cultivate growth
Lives of others - speaking the truth in love to others concerning their need for a savior, and the hope that is found in Jesus
Our own lives - hating the sin in our own lives because it is not beneficial to ourselves or others, but rather harmful.
Christian love is not selfish, but self-less...
John Piper gives a great illustration about our selfishness in light of scripture...
The physical force of gravity pulls everything to the center of the earth. In order to break free from earth-centered life, thousands and thousands of pounds of energy have to push the space shuttle away from the center. There is also a psychological force of gravity that constantly pulls our thoughts and affections and physical actions inward toward the center of our own selves and our own homes.Therefore the most natural thing in the world is to neglect hospitality (love and compassion to others). It is the path of least resistance. All we have to do is yield to the natural gravity of our self-centered life, and the result will be a life so full of self that there is no room for hospitality. We will forget about it. And we will neglect it. So the Bible bluntly says, "Stop that!" Build a launching pad. Fill up your boosters. And blast out of your self-oriented routine. Stop neglecting, and start practicing...
Paul now give examples (like a proverb) of how Christians love...
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Next few verses show real discipleship…starts with brotherly affection.
Seeks to bless those outside of the body of Christ
Seeks to honor and imitate Jesus
Christian love seeks to benefit those within the body of Christ.
Christian love seeks to benefit those within the body of Christ.
Our two most gathered times with family-
Next few verses, really discipleship…starts with brotherly affection.
Thanksgiving/Christmas - This is the time we are more focused on family
We visit Parents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles
We watch the parade or a football game
We share stories of school, work, hobbies (hunting)
We share a meal, play a game…there is a special closeness (blood)
Share growing up and going to grandparents for holidays.
Paul has said, we are one body…we are family (by Jesus’ blood)
Christ has redeemed us, and because He has we have a special bond/closeness that breaks all gender, ethnic and cultural barriers…brothers/sisters
The world we live in today tells us that this can not happen. There are too many differences between us. You will never experience what I go through because of your lifestyle, color, background.
But when we come together as a “Church”. People of God, He does what the world states can not happen.
Just as our natural families hopefully help care for and nurture us, and seek our benefit, our spiritual family should seek to benefit others in the family of Christ.
How do we seek to benefit our brothers and sisters?
Verse 10- Outdo one another in showing honor
Everyone enjoys when they are served/honored.
As Christians, do we enjoy honoring/serving others more than being served/honored?
28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Are we seeking to serve, or to be served?
Are we seeking to serve, or to be served?
28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
How can I serve my family, friends, co-workers?
How can I serve my church, my community?
Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit.
Verse 11- Not Slothful in Zeal - Negatively he is saying be diligent, responsible, work
“Not to be lazy with enthusiasm or passion.”
Be Fervent in Spirit - Literally “boiling or bubbling over with passion”, be passionate
Do, but don’t just do, be passionate in your doing
Do you serve because you should or because you genuinely love?
Christianity is not a methodical routine absent of warmth, but we should be a passionate people...
Where does this passion come from and what causes it to endure, even in our suffering, in persecution and tribulation.....Our hope.
Matthew Henry “The joy and peace of believers arise chiefly from their hopes. What is laid out upon them is but little, compared with what is laid up for them; therefore the more hope they have, the more joy and peace they have,”
What is laid out upon them is but little, compared with what is laid up for them; therefore the more hope they have, the more joy and peace they have,
Christians should desire and labor after an abundance of hope.
So Paul says as you serve in this hope, three things to hold to in verse 12
1. Rejoice in the future promise of a restored world.
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
2. Endure in the midst of suffering and challenges.
Just as the 1st Century Church suffered; just as brothers and sister around the world suffer; we are going through a period in our country that will challenge us and push us in our faith.
21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
3. Be constant and devoted to prayer for guidance/strength
We live in a time that needs to see Jesus more than ever.
Does your live reflect Him?
Does your actions reflect Him?
Does your love show Him?
ESVContribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”We do not just “look out for our own”Seek to show hospitality In the Greek, this one word shows the idea that is trying to be conveyed in the way it is written.The word hospitality is literally made combining the greek words for stranger and friend...This is it, using our resources to benefit those around us, to form relationships that allow us to share the goodness of God’s grace.We share in life experiences helping others see through gospel lenses...We weep with those who weep…pointing them to ChristWe rejoice with those who rejoice…pointing them to ChristWe don’t rejoice when they weep or weep when they rejoice…we are empathetic and we celebrate and mourn alongside them.As we love objectively, we see the value and worth in the outcast and those who feel un-lovable.I will give an elementary example here....sitting with the kid who has no friends at lunch.Maybe they smell badMaybe they have a weird voiceMaybe they pick their nose…and eat itBut God is calling us to love them, to invite them to sit at our table, to buy them lunchWhat about those who who have wronged us?I want to make a distinction here....how did they hurt you?They said something about my momma, they parked in my spotOR..they raped me, they sexually abused me as a childThere is a distinct difference...I say this because I read this week about a girl who was molested by a man in her church, and the church responded by telling her (as a child), that she had to forgive and forget and made her verbally tell her abuser she was sorry, and hug.The church has a responsibility to report this kind of horrible crime against other image bearers of God and in no way is Paul saying here…just over look their sin.I think that is why next time, we start to discuss governing authorities and why they are beneficial and what their God given purpose is…to protect those who are wronged.Paul is not calling us to sweep things under the rug here and move on like nothing happened…but he advising us on how to to respond to evil acts committed against us.Repay no one evil for evil but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.The law of Talion - an eye for an eye was prevalent in this time, and really this is mostly our attitude today.If someone hurts me, I need to hurt them back…maybe even worseThis could be physical harmThis could be financial harm (money, property, job)This could be familial harm causing divorce family problemsPaul says, that is not who you are called to be…but ratherLive Peaceably - Sometimes distance is best There might be situations where for your safety, or because of the tremendous hurt that you move on with your life and avoid someone.This doesn’t mean that you can’t pray about how God would have you respond to what has happened in order to heal and even pray that God would remove the bitterness you have in your heart.Never avenge yourselfAgain, this doesn’t mean that if a crime has been commited that it isn’t reported.This doesn’t mean that if two members of the church are fighting that the elders of the church shouldn’t get involved and even put into place discipline if needed.Paul is urging us not to try to get revenge, not to take matters into our own hands becauseIf you are like me, when I am emotional, when I lash back out, when I try to take matters into my own hands, it is anything but honorableAs a parent, there is this realization that you have eyes watching you....all the time. You have ears listening… to much more than you think.Paul is saying, it isn’t worth ruining your testimony, it isn’t worth ruining relationships, and it definitely is not worth defaming the name of God.It is so much easier to read than it is to do, but He says let God have it…Vengence is His. This doesn’t mean there won’t be justice.God’s Justice will be had in one of two waysThe person will repent, and they will trust in the sacrifice of Jesus who died and was punished for their sin, and my sin, and your sin…so there is justice.Or they will continue to live without repentance, continue to reject Jesus and will face the wrath of God eternally in Hell.The question is not if there will be justice, but which kind of justice are you praying for?On the Contrary, if he is hungry feed him…heap bruning coals on his head.Paul says here that a self-less, objective, cultivating Christian love will seek to benefit, even our enemies.That we can show them the love of Christ, and cause them to consider, to think about the kind of love that is given to someone who absolutely doesn’t deserve it.This is the type of love we are called to give, because it is the type of love we have been given