Celebrating Valentine Day, It's all about Love

William Stout

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Who is St. Valentine?

A bishop who was martyred in 269

While under house arrest of Judge Asterius, and discussing his faith with him, Valentinus (the Latin version of his name) was discussing the validity of Jesus. The judge put Valentinus to the test and brought to him the judge's adopted blind daughter. If Valentinus succeeded in restoring the girl's sight, Asterius would do whatever he asked. Valentinus, praying to God, laid his hands on her eyes and the child's vision was restored. Immediately humbled, the judge asked Valentinus what he should do. Valentinus replied that all of the idols around the judge's house should be broken, and that the judge should become a Christian and be baptised. The judge obeyed and, as a result, freed all the Christian inmates under his authority.

Valentinus was later arrested again for continuing to evangelize, and for marrying Christian couples and otherwise helping Christians and was sent to the emperor Claudius Gothicus (Claudius II) himself. Claudius took a liking to him until Valentinus tried to convince Claudius to embrace Christianity, whereupon Claudius refused and condemned Valentinus to death, commanding that Valentinus either renounce his faith or he would be beaten with clubs and beheaded. Valentinus refused and Claudius' command was executed outside the Flaminian Gate February 14, 2

Valentine, was motivated to help Christians, especially couples in love.

Help[ed them by marrying them so that they would not continue in Sin

Motivated by love. The Genuine love, which leads to commitment.

Love for God, Love for God’s Ways, Love for God’s people.

Loved them even to his death

Love is the foundation of Christianity

Apart from love there can be no salvation ()

B. Apart from love we cannot know God ()

Apart from love we cannot know God ()

1 John 4:8 NKJV

8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

All the law and commandments hang on love:

C. All the law and commandments hang on love:

Matthew 22:36–40 NKJV

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Love God

1. Love God

Love people

2. Love people

All of the other good things in the world are nothing without love

All the religious works are nothing without love

B. Wisdom and money, fail without love

Wisdom and money, fail without love

1. Consider the examples of the word

Consider the examples of the world

2. How many miserable people are wealthy?

How many miserable people are wealthy? (some people have left fortunes to their pets)

3. Poor people are also miserable without love

Poor people are also miserable without love

So many people mistake love for lust

others confuse love with companionship

Still others define love by what is in it for themselves

C. Yet no one who lives in love is stuck in despair

Yet no one who lives in love is stuck in despair

1. Many examples of people without wealth who are filled with life and love

Many examples of people without wealth who are filled with life and love

i. Grandma, Mother Teresa, etc.

Grandma, Mother Teresa, etc.

So, what is love?

Love is not an act performed by people for momentary pleasure

1. People do not “make” love; in fact, if they have not already made a commitment of love through marriage, all they are making is sin.

People do not “make” love; in fact, if they have not already made a commitment of love through marriage, all they are making is sin.

2. Love is not the feeling you have toward a new pair of shoes you enjoy.

Love is not the feeling you have toward a new pair of shoes you enjoy.

3. Love, when it is really love is so much more

Love, when it is really love is so much more

4. God is love

God is love

God embodies the very essence, and all of the attributes of love. He is the living and eternal expression of Love

B. Attributes of love:

Attributes of love:

Patient

i. It is very easy for us to forget, once we are saved, just how long the Lord was patient with us.

It is very easy for us to forget, once we are saved, just how long the Lord was patient with us.

2. Kind

Kind

i. Have you considered God’s kindness toward you while He was patiently waiting?

Have you considered God’s kindness toward you while He was patiently waiting?

ii. Jesus reminds us He is kind to the unthankful and the evil

Jesus reminds us He is kind to the unthankful and the evil

Now if God can be kind to the lost, why should we be rude?

iii. Now if God can be kind to the lost, why should we be rude?

Now if God can be kind to the lost, why should we be rude?

How often I catch myself stumbling in this very area. Love is kind.

3. Not envy, not promote itself

Does Not envy, not promote itself

i. Pride is an opposite of love. Self promotion is not love.

Pride is an opposite of love. Self promotion is not love.

ii. True love is always secure, and needs not puff itself

True love is always secure, and needs not puff itself

4. Love is not rude

Love is not rude

i. It is true that political correctness has been taken to a ridiculous extreme: but that is no excuse to be rude

It is true that political correctness has been taken to a ridiculous extreme: but that is no excuse to be rude

ii. We can speak the truth in love, even when we disagree.

We can speak the truth in love, even when we disagree.

5. Not seeking its own way

Not seeking its own way

i. So, Burger King is not love!

So, Burger King is not love!

Why do we always want our own way?

ii. We all want it our way, but love wants it God’s way

We all want it our way, but love wants it God’s way

iii. God’s way is the only way that everyone can win in love.

God’s way is the only way that everyone can win in love.

6. Not easily provoked

Not easily provoked

i. Aren’t you glad that God isn’t easily provoked?

Aren’t you glad that God isn’t easily provoked?

ii. Glad that Jesus does not wake up in a bad mood?

Glad that Jesus does not wake up in a bad mood?

iii. Love is difficult to provoke – (although it is possible)

Love is difficult to provoke – (although it is possible)

Are you easy to provoke? Do you have a hair trigger? A bad disposition?

Are people afraid to approach you? Are you grouchy? Do you bit people’s head off?

If so, that’s not love.

7. Thinks no evil

Thinks no evil

8. Does not rejoice in iniquity

Does not rejoice in iniquity

i. How many of us “rejoice in iniquity” in our entertainment choices?

How many of us “rejoice in iniquity” in our entertainment choices?

ii. Movies, music, friends?

Movies, music, friends?

Are you amused by “iniquity”?

9. Rejoices in the Truth

Rejoices in the Truth

i. Jesus is the Truth

Jesus is the Truth

ii. The Truth transcends the facts

The Truth transcends the facts

10. Bears, believes, hopes, endures, all things

Bears, believes, hopes, endures, all things

Love keeps going, through all things, sickness and in health, richer or poorer, good and bad

Love keeps believing good things - faith

Love never loses hope.

This is a very important point: sometimes it seems much easier to show “love” based on this criteria to complete strangers than it is to those in our own home.

Why? It is easy to put on the facade of “love” for a short time on Sunday morning, or while we have company.

But keeping this attitude day in and day out, is another story.

11. Love never fails

The people closer to us also know how to “test” our resolve to “love”

But Love, Bears all things, believes in all things, hopes in all things, endures in all things.

Love never fails

IV. God is Love ()

God is Love ()

If we do not love, we do not know God

If we live in love, we live in God

Although we live in a fallen world, we can choose to live in Christ

We may be in the world, but we don’t need to be of it

If God so loved us, we ought to love one another ()

1 John 4:11 NKJV

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

A. Apart from love there can be no salvation (Jn 3:16)

B. Apart from love we cannot know God (1 John 4:8)