Love God, Love People - 05/16/2021

Give Thanks (The LORD and Pastor Holmes)

Opening Prayer

Bible Confession

I. INTRODUCTION:

Saints of God, I have a question for you; what is your motive behind the things you do? Selah!

This challenging question came to me a few weeks ago when the devil was trying to tempt me to focus on outward things like performance, crowd response and appeal, and being good enough.

Yeah, he tried come to me like the UPS man! Trying to get me to sign off on a package for fear, a package for anxiety and a package for overwhelming pressure!

The devil is a LIAR and the father of LIES!

Saints, the devil came to steal, kill and destroy. Jesus came to give us abundant life!

Satan knows if he can get you to cooperate he’ll have you signing off on all kinds of foolishness!

This is what came up in my spirit after the devil tried to get me to focus on me, “In anything you do, be motivated by the love of God!”

That inner-witness led me to this scripture in Colossians 3:23.

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the LORD, and not unto men;”

This is in reference to your “attitude of service”.

Up to then, I hadn’t share any of that with Lady Kay. But a few days later, I think we were in the kitchen when she said, We should do everything from God’s love.

When she said that, it was my confirmation that I needed to bring this message forth.

The title of today’s message is, “Love God, Love People”.

II. BODY

1. THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT

MATTHEW 34-40 KJV (V. 37-40 red)

The Holy Bible: King James Version Chapter 22

34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.

35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Jesus is basically saying, if you get these two commandments right the rest of the law will be easy.

Why? Because you’re motivated by love and have essentially taken the influence of man out of the picture, because your heart is fixed.

Saints of God, there are 613 laws in the Old Testament. People who are committed to religion and not relationship may be concerned about covering all of these laws; and would likely condemn anyone that are not observing or are at least familiar with these laws.

THIS IS CALLED LEGALISM

LEGALISM - strict, literal or excessive conformity to the law or to a religious moral code.

2. THE INTEGRITY OF LOVE

1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-13

The Holy Bible: King James Version Chapter 13

13:1 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.

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, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 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.

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 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.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

A. LOVE REGARDING WORKS:

v. 1 - It really doesn’t matter what you’re saying or how good it sounds, if you don’t have love, you’re just blowing smoke and making noise!

v. 2 - Even if someone operates in all the gifts, according to the word, THEY ARE NOTHING!

v. 3 - You can feed everyone in America and sacrifice yourself at the stake, without love you gain nothing.

B. THE CHARACTER OF LOVE:

v. 4 - vaunteth (doesn’t brag); puffed up (not arrogant)

v. 5 - unseemly (rude); seeketh not her own (will not forsake you, not seeking the limelight); not easily provoked (rich in compassion, enabling the end-user to be more concerned about the spirit behind the one that’s provoking - demons drive, the Spirit leads)

v. 6 - Love follows truth, not sin.

v. 7 - It doesn’t matter what you throw at love, it can take it! Love is like a TIMEX, “It takes a licking and keeps on ticking”!

v. 8 - Charity will never cease because God is love; and we will reign with Him forever.

C. LOVE CONCERNING KNOWLEDGE AND MATURITY:

v. 9 and 10 - Speaks of one that is immature or underdeveloped in life and in spiritual things.

v. 11 and 12 - These scriptures actually compares with v. 9 and 10; and is like comparing an adolescent to and adult. The expectation is certainly higher, but there are still some adults out there that don’t won’t to put away the toys! (Look at your neighbor and say, “Is he talking about you?”

v. 13 - With love, faith can’t work and hope won’t matter, because you’ll be left hopeless without love.

3. COMMANDED TO LOVE:

JOHN 15:12-15

King James Version Chapter 15

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

III. CONCLUSION

JOHN 21:14-17 (Cross reference to John 15:12-15)

King James Version Chapter 21

14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

IV. SERVICE WRAP-UP

LIFT YOUR HANDS AND GIVE GOD PRAISE

ALTAR CALL (Salvation, Re-dedication, Holy Spirit)

PRAYER FOR CONGREGATION

PRAY FOR PASTOR HOLMES

LADY KAY - PRESENTATIONS

CONFESSION OF FAITH

ANNOUNCE TODAY’S MEETINGS: PRAISE TEAM

BENEDICTION