Sermon Tone Analysis

Lawlessness vs.

The Love of Christ

Loving others is not only consistent & compatible with being a child of God it is a requirement.

Vital Sign #4- Loving your Brother/Sister

Unlike Cain

Love Defined

Love and Hate are the poles of life.

They are completely and unequivocally opposites.

A child of the devil will hate and murder, a child of God will love and obey God’s commands, seeking to protect and value human life.

“Agape” Love is a noun, it is a verb, it is a feeling, it is and attitude.

It is described as being affection, sincere appreciation for and high regard, concern for one’s well being.

“Love can be known only by the action it prompts.”

Vine’s Expository Dictionary

Affection is only known by the action it prompts

Concern for one’s well being is only known by the action it prompts.

High regard is only known by the action it prompts

Love is only known by the action it prompts.

Love is known to us by the action of Christ.

Men’s action that reveals their love and affection toward another.

Lt Jason Menard of the Worchester, MA Fire Department gave his life on November 13,2019, as he and fellow firefighters searched for a victim, who 911 dispatchers were told was on the third story of a dwelling that was on fire.

Lt. Menard assisted two other fire fighters who were trapped in a stairway, to get to safety but he was unable to spare his own life as a result.

Men and women are still giving their lives as a result of their faith and confession of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Modern day martyrs.

It is wise for us to regularly consider the cost that Christ paid for our redemption so that we may know love.

Love in this sense, Christ like love is defined this way:

It is continuous unselfishness, to be crowned by voluntary death, if death is necessary.

The degree/depth and perhaps the value of Christ’s Love is known to us by His prayer in Gethsemane.

Christ’s humanity and deity is quite evident here.

This was not a thing Jesus the man desired to do, yet He, by the strength and power of the Holy Spirit, chose to obey the Father’s will, and give His life as a ransom for many.

Are you willing to say to God the Father, whatever the cost, whatever it takes for someone to come to know you and to be redeemed, I am willing?

Are we willing to ask the Father to guide us and direct us by His Word and the work of the Spirit to lead us love others in such a way that He will be glorified, no matter the cost?

Our love and worship of God is only known by the actions that it prompts.

In this passage it seems to be that our worship and obedience is shown particularly in our sacrificial actions of love toward the family of God.

Actions of sacrifice

Life-giving sacrifice

James is using an example of in-genuine love here to illustrate spurious faith.

Love can be known only by the action it prompts.

Our love is prompted by what one writer terms, gospel gratitude, that is, out of gratefulness for Christ giving His life, in order that we might have eternal life.

This is not legalism, or salvation by works.

Will you allow the Love of Christ to prompt you to selflessly and sacrificial love others.

If we want this to happen in our lives, then we should ask the Lord God to help us in this area.

Paul recognized the need for God to work in one’s life for their love to grow.

If we are to sincerely, earnestly, and purely love one another, should we not consider what kind of action it prompts us to?

John Elwell warns of “mutilated and fragmentary versions of the Christian life.

Emotionalism, which says the christian life is nothing but a bundle of emotions and we must rely upon our feelings.

This view is nothing but self reliance because feelings are inward actions.

Doctrinalism, which says the Christian life is a series or bundles of doctrines to be understood or stated correctly.

All that is required is for one to be able to verbally explain the doctrine of justification.

Humanitarianism, which makes christianity a series or bundles of philanthropic actions.

Volunteerism.

Bring light and sweetness into a hospital or slum.

Observationism- makes christianity a series or bundles of observances.

Attend this service and participate in communion

a life in which Christ’s truth is blended with Christ’s love; assimilated by thought, exhaling in worship, softening into sympathy with man’s suffering and sorrow.

It calls for the believing soul, the devout heart, the helping hand.

It is the perfect balance in a saintly soul of feeling, creed, communion.

and work.

I want us to take a few moments of reflection and silent prayer.

I would like each of us to ask the Lord to make very clear to us, specific ways that we can show sincere love, and seek to honor others with zeal and passion.