Sermon Tone Analysis

Pray

Loving others can be extremely difficult at times.

Even people we generally like can sometimes be difficult to love.

The main reason we run into difficulties in loving others is sin, both ours and that of those we try to love.

It is important to always remember… especially in those times when a brother or sister is difficult to love that humans are fallen creatures.

Apart from God and His power, we are selfish, and loving ourselves comes much more naturally than loving others.

But love is not selfish; it seeks the best for others (1 Corinthians 13:5; Philippians 2:3).

Battling both our own selfishness and sin tendencies and dealing with the selfishness and sin tendencies of others can make love a chore.

Another reason it can be difficult for us to love others is that we sometimes misunderstand what true love is.

We tend to think of love as primarily an emotional response.

The problem is that we cannot always control our emotions.

We can certainly control what we do because of the emotions, but too often the emotions themselves just happen.

But the kind of love God calls us to have for others is the same kind that He has for us.

It is agape love, the essence of which is sacrifice.

God’s love for us is a sacrificial love, the kind that sent Him to the cross for our sins.

He didn’t save us because we were lovable; He saved us because His love caused Him to sacrifice Himself for us.

Do we love others enough to sacrifice for them, even when they are not lovable?

Loving others is a matter of the will and the volition, not the emotions.

Remember our definition of agape from last week?

When the word “agape” is used in the Bible, it refers to

A pure, willful, sacrificial love that intentionally desires another’s highest good.

Part of the difficulty of loving others is that we often try to do it on our own, in our own power, whipping up feelings of love where there aren’t any.

Anyone been there?

I have… I’ve spent a lot of time there actually.

And it never feels right.

And there is a reason for it.

It’s hypocritical.

“Play acting” the part of the loving person is hypocritical.

When our hearts are really cold toward him or her.

We must understand that we cannot love apart from God.

It must be a miraculous work of God in us to do this.

This brings us to our passage today… which begins with Romans 12:9

Before we go any further, let’s make sure that we know what genuine love looks like, shall we?

And where, do you know, is the best place to find a good description of genuine agape love?

Yes, 1 Corinthians 13.

We’ll read the verse 1-7 chapter begins by showing us how critical love is to our living out our Christian existence.

All our fervor, all the application of our spiritual gifting, all our generosity is worthless if we do not agape.

Then Paul identifies the markers or the characteristics of genuine (sincere, not hypocritical, not fake, not pretend) love.

Keep in mind those things we just read… about genuine agape love, and let’s go back and read our passage today.

Mind you, the bible speaks in 16-18 different passages about us agape-ing one another.

We’re just touching on a few.

Also keep in mind that our passage in Romans 12 has as it foundation genuine agape love.

Romans 12:9-13

We’ll break this down thought by thought… all of it under the umbrella of agape love for one another.

First, “love must be genuine” (v.

9).

We’ve talked about this already.

The Greek word is, “ani- poe- kritos”, it means the antithesis of hypocritical, not fake, not pretended… sincere.

As we have learned already… this kind of love has little to do with sentiment, but a lot to do with determination, commitment, decision.

Let me repeat our definition of agape love...

A pure, willful, sacrificial love that intentionally desires another’s highest good.

Paul continues...

This love abhors evil.

This literally means that one who is loving genuinely finds morally objectionable behavior repugnant.

This form of the word evil speaks of acts or behaviors that are hurtful in their influence.

This is talking about behaviors that are bad, hurtful, grievous, harmful, lewd, malicious, and wicked.

This word refers to behaviors that cause others anguish or pain.

One who is loving detests that kind of behavior… not practices it.

Instead one who loves with a genuine agape love clings to behavior that is good… things that are morally excellent and admirable; actions that benefit the other.

That is what this verse is talking about.

Verse 10...

This literally says that we are to, dearly and devotedly (like your immediate family), love one another with an affection naturally befitting the relationship between brothers.

In other words, to treat your brother or sister in Christ as if they were a part of your immediate family.

It means “to like” another person and to want what is best for that individual.

And the Paul says that, in that brotherly love, we are to OUTDO one another in showing honor.

Now, you and I both know that competition often arises between siblings.

This word “OUTDO” speaks of that “competition.”

Paul tells us to “OUTDO” and what that word means it to be ahead of others… to be the first one to show your brothers and sisters in Christ honor.

The word honor means the state of being highly respected.

Honoring each other in this way makes the person feel valued.

And remember… this is all under the influence of a love that is not fake, a love that is genuine.

So, really you could say that genuine love is being a devoted friend.

Next verse.

Verse 11...

This really speaks about the energy and the impetus behind our actions.

It identifies the attitude by which we should be doing these things… loving, holding to what is good and running from, detesting evil, harmful actions, being a devoted friend, loving like family those HERE at UpRiver Bible Church.

Verse 11 tells us that we should not be reluctant to love like this.

We should instead be eager to love like this.

In fact, the word “fervent” means to be inflamed… to boil over with eagerness to honor, serve, love one another… AS TO THE LORD.

This is not a concept that is foreign to Scripture… this doing our lives as if what we are doing is to the Lord.

It is to be the way we approach life...

Especially in our relationships.

Wives to their husbands...

With our bosses...

Again, in relationship with one another, as brothers and sisters in Christ...

And we’re to do with heartily...

As we love one another genuinely, as we serve one another, as we honor one another, we do so because we are serving our KING.

Jesus!

Living this way helps us with our emotions.

Let’s look at verse 12.

This verse tells us that are to feel happiness and joy (rejoice) in the general feeling that our godly desires will be fulfilled.

Hope first in being a child of God, hope in our salvation through Jesus Christ, hope that in being obedient to Christ’s commands His plan will be fulfilled, hope that as we love this way Christ is glorified and that the world around sees that Jesus is REAL.

That’w what it means to rejoice in hope.

We are also to be patient when things don’t go as we had hoped.

The word “patient” means to persevere… to keep going even when it’s hard.

We don’t stop loving, even when others don’t respond the way we think or know they should.

We are patient when we are going through troubles whether its physical, mental, social, or economic adversity.

We keep loving, we keep honoring, we keep serving… all for the sake of Christ, all for His glory.

And we are not to stop praying.

Now, this prayer is a specific kind of prayer.

It means “petition.”