Part 2: Walking In Love

Introduction

Last week we began a series on “The Abundant Life” and the first message was on Walking in the Spirit…Over the next several weeks, we are going to look at the fruit of the Spirit and break it down into individual messages.

Now,

The fruit of the Spirit is the fruit that comes from God Himself. It’s this fruit that shows that we are connected to the vine mentioned in John 15...

John 15:1 AV

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

John 15:5 AV

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

We looked last week at how the fruit of the Spirit is contrasted with the works of the flesh.

All works of the flesh are done by a person’s own efforts, whether they are saved or lost. However, the fruit of the spirit is produced by God’s own Spirit and only in the lives of those who belong to Him through faith in Jesus Christ.

Now, something I want to talk about for just a second here and I mentioned it briefly last week was in the beginning of the chapter, Paul is writing concerning the law and grace. These people were confused, some believed that grace was nothing more than a license to live any way they want, or a license to sin, while others, mixed law and grace, and added works to grace.

Both of these are grossly erred and are not the truth.

It is one thing to overcome the flesh and not do evil things, but quite something else to do good things. The legalist might be able to boast that he is not guilty of adultery or murder, but can anyone see the beautiful graces of the Spirit in his life?

The question isn’t, does the law forbid this or that? but how will my action affect the glory of God, my testimony before men, and my personal sanctification?

The contrast between works and fruit is important. A machine in a factory works, and turns out a product, but it could never manufacture fruit.

Fruit must grow out of life, and, in the case of the believer, it is the life of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:25 AV

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

When you think of “works” you think of effort, labor, strain, and toil; when you think of “fruit” you think of beauty, quietness, the unfolding of life. The flesh produces “dead works” (Heb. 9:14), but the Spirit produces living fruit.

And this fruit has in it the seed for even more fruit.

Love begets more love! Joy helps to produce more joy! Jesus is concerned that we produce “fruit … more fruit … much fruit” (John 15:2, 5), because this is the way we glorify Him. The old nature cannot produce fruit; only the new nature can do that.

Tonight, we are are going to look at the first aspect listed of the fruit of the Spirit, as we look at the thought of “Walking In Love”...

1 John 3:16 AV

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

1 John 4:16 AV

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

1 Peter 4:8 AV

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

Think about this, Madalyn Murray O’Hair - the most well known atheist in the history of the United States wrote the words...

“Somebody, somewhere, love me.”

At least six times in her 2000 page diary that was found after her disappearance and ultimately, her death.

Obviously, her commitment to atheism didn’t provide her with the love she needed. Neither did money, success, fame, or being a household name all over the nation, and indeed, the world.

Every one of us, in one way or another, are looking for that same kind of love. We all ask if there is somebody, somewhere, who will love us.

Here’s the good news: there is someone, somewhere, who loves you – it’s God!

The Meaning of Biblical Love

Defined In Language

In our text tonight, the Greek word translated love is “agape” which refers to a strong, sacrificial love.

Agape love is the love that God had for us when He sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins! Agape love is the love that motivated Christ to walk up Calvary’s hill, knowing that it was for us, knowing that some would reject him, and lay down His life as the ultimate sacrifice for sin!

Agape love is the deliberate effort, made with the help of God, to never seek anything but the best for others, even if they seek the worst for us!

Defined In Scripture

God is love

1 John 4:8 AV

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

God’s love is everlasting

Jeremiah 31:3 AV

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Everlasting means, “from vanishing point to vanishing point.”

God’s love for you and I reaches from vanishing point to vanishing point!

John 13:1 AV

Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

Hey, so much of what we see today is nothing more than an emotional love, but the fact is, emotional love wears off, it wears out, it grows old, but let me tell you brothers and sisters, Biblical love doesn’t do that!

The Message of Biblical Love

1 Corinthians 13:1–8 AV

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 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, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

Let’s break these characteristics of love down tonight and look at them individually...

Love is patient (slow to anger)

The word patient in Greek means, “A long time to boil.” - I think that’s a pretty good definition, don’t you?

Love practices being patient. The term “suffereth long” is a reference particularly to having patience with people.

One of the greatest examples of this, outside of our Lord tonight, is found in Acts 7 when Stephen displayed godly, patient love to his persecutors.

Acts 7:59–60 AV

And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Love is kind

Just as patience will take, or endure, anything from others, kindness will give anything to others.

To “be kind” means to be “useful, serving, and gracious.”

Love without kindness is like springtime with no flowers, like fire with no heat.

Ephesians 4:32 AV

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

This part of love should characterize all of our relationships! It starts at home and extends to the church and to the lost!

Love is not jealous

Love does not envy, which means that love is content with what it has.

Jealousy is one of the vilest sins that we harbor in our hearts! It was Eve’s jealousy of God that motivated her to take the forbidden fruit. It was jealousy that put Daniel in the lion’s den. It was jealousy that put Joseph in that pit! Yet, Godly love does not get jealous, rather it is pleased when others do well!

Love does not brag

Literally, the phrase “vaunteth not itself” means “does not make a parade”.

Love does not brag! It does not draw attention to itself or to what it is doing.

Love is not arrogant

It’s not puffed up, but it realizes that all it has and all that it is has been given to it by God. No matter how great our talents or how spectacular our gifts, everything we are is the result of divine grace.

Love doesn’t behave unseemly

Love is never rude, but it always treats others with compassion, consideration and respect! Love controls the emotions. It is not friendly one day and rude the next. Genuine love always makes Jesus look good! Love is gracious!

Love doesn’t seek its own

True love is never selfish and self-centered, but it is actively interested in what will profit others. It never looks at itself first, but it always considers another ahead of itself.

Philippians 2:4 AV

Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Love is not easily provoked

1 Peter 2:23 AV

Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

Love does not harbor evil.

Love doesn’t keep records on evil…Let me put it this way, you’re either a scorekeeper or a grace-giver!

The Manifestation of Biblical Love

Biblical love is manifested!

Our love is displayed through giving

Give your time

I read a story of this teenage boy who was tired of reading bedtime stories to his little sister. He decided to record several of her favorite stories on tape and told her, “Now you can hear your stories anytime you want…Isn’t that great!” The little girl looked at the machine and then looked up at her brother and said, “No, it’s not got a lap...”

So many times, we try to substitute things for our time, but they just don’t work...

Give your forgiveness

1 John 4:20–21 AV

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

God’s love was displayed through giving

John 3:16 AV

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Conclusion

Christ put such an emphasis on love as a motivator for action that He said the world will know we are His disciples if we have love for each other…John 13:25…My prayer tonight is that it can be said of each of us, and as a church, that we love each other and that we so love the world that we will take them the Gospel...