Love and the Christian Life

Introduction

We all have a line that we aren’t willing to cross.

We may not say it out loud, but we have a line that we aren’t willing to cross as it concerns showing our love to others.

Paul being this section of Scripture with an easy statement: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”

However, as he continues to share what it means to have genuine love, he gets more and more radical in how that love should look.

As the passage continues, we all desire the first few verses. However, what line aren’t you willing to cross.

Elizabeth Elliot: Those who annoy and trouble us are part of our assigned portion and lot. God makes the assignments, and he apportions the degree of difficulty in precise measurements.

See people as GOd’s assignments.

CIT: God wants us to love all people with His love.

Body

English Standard Version Chapter 12

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.

1. PAUL TELLS US WHAT TRUE LOVE REALLY IS.

What is genuine love?

Abhor means to hate. We hate evil.

Hold fast comes from the Greek word for glue. We cling or hold fast to those things that are good.

English Standard Version Chapter 12

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. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

STEP #1: Let love guide your relationships.

Brotherly affection: Seeing someone like family. Doing for others what you would do for your brother or sister.

Honor: To ascribe value to something

Zeal: Fervency and eagerness toward the mission.

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Believe that God still wants to move in the people around you.

Don’t get irritable when tribulation comes and hardship causes pain.

Never stop praying.

Give to the needs of saints and show hospitality.

Give generously to others.

Open your homes to others. Rosaria Butterfield said, “Let God use your home, apartment, dorm room, front yard, community gymnasium, or garden for the purpose of making strangers into neighbors and neighbors into family. Because that is the point - building the church and living like a family, the family of God.

Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:37-40)

English Standard Version Chapter 12

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.

STEP #2: Love, even when your actions don’t benefit you.

What do each of these commands have in common? They make you come to an end of yourself. The first set of commands make for good Christian community. They are foundational to any healthy church.

The first step of Christian community is to love the people who love you. There is a supernatural type of love that we have for our church family. It is powerful and strong. The second step is to love when it is hard and it hurts. It isn’t as easy, but it is just as supernatural.

How does Paul specifically command us to love at the end of ourselves.

Pray and hope for the good of people who persecute you.

Rejoice with those who have joy. Mourn with those who mourn.

We get this backwards. Our ears perk up when we hear bad news, because it boosts our esteem a little bit. We also get deflated when something good happens to others around us.

Live in harmony.

HOW WE DO IT #2: Christ emptied and humbled himself by becoming obedient, even to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Phil 2:6-8)

English Standard Version Chapter 12

17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 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.” 20 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.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

STEP #3: Love people who are hateful to you.

How do you treat people who are actively against you? Peaceably. Do not try to retaliate.

If you can, live in peace with people around you.

We shortchange what God wants to do, because we cannot play the long game with people around us.

When people are combative, argumentative, or hateful, instead of retaliating, say to yourself, “I am going to share Jesus with that person.”

It may not be today, this week, or even this year, but I am going to get to know them so that they can come to know Jesus.

We can resolve to wait for the perfect time to share Jesus with others.

Do not avenge yourself, because vengeance is the Lord’s.

We don’t relish this fact, but it should sober us.

We forgive, because God’s vengeance would have been upon us if not for the blood of Jesus, and we share Jesus with others, so that God will forgive them too.

Loving people who actively hate you and speak against you is one of the most difficult things to do in the entire world.

HOW WE DO IT #3: Jesus so loved us. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:8)

Conclusion