The Value of Love
Notes
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Paul just taught how God has given different gifts to His people in the church
The purpose was to edify Jesus
The goal was to further Jesus among the church and the world
These were simply tools to be used
But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
There’s a better way
A gift is a tool, but there’s a better way to use the tool
David - Strimming weeds
Trained him
Watched him do it
Inspected around the fence posts - weeds and tall grass still stuck high in the air
If hold the strimmer this way, watch what happens when you go after the grass
Same tool - a better way
Paul spoke of the tools God used - no let me show you a better way to use those tools
Charity - Agape - highest form of word usage in the greek
The word is not a self-gratifying type of “love”
Satisfy a desire at the cost of anyone or anything else
The word is not a fondness type of “love”
Ruffles Sour Cream & Cheddar - £20+ a bag
This word is deep, abiding love that moves one to action
Robert Murillo - Joy, his wife, helping and caring for her husband in illness
God describes this love like this:
The Father for the Son
John 17:26
And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
God’s love for people
John 3:16
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.
His love for His own
Jn 14:21
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Perfectly cherished in the Lord Jesus
2 Cor 5:14
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
Eph 2:4
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
It is commanded
Jn 13:34
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
1 Jn 2:7-8
Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
It seeks the welfare of others
Rom 15:2
Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
It is Godlike and a part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in the yielded life of the believer
Gal 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
It is a decision
Based on the will not emotions or feelings
It is costly
John 3:16
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.
It demands the care and welfare of the loved one
Regardless whether the welfare involves hurting or healing - it always involves helping
Have you ever tried to value something?
Antique lock - because it has a certain symbol on it, it makes it’s value soar!
When one sees God’s love, with His finger on it, the value soars!
I remember when I wanted to sell a baseball card. I looked it up in a price guide and saw that it was worth $20. Brought to a sports shop that bought and sold baseball cards - he looked at it and offered me $5. I was devastated! I had my hopes on using that money for something else, but the value that that shop owner placed upon it was not what I desired.
Without the decisive love of God, gifts become empty, of little or no value.
Arithmetic - multiply by 0 = 0
Love is the multiplier that brings value to the gift
Communication without love
Communication without love
Speak different tongues
1 Cor 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.
Though - is in the subjunctive mood - IF
Truth to hurt someone intentionally instead of seeking the welfare
Eph 4:15
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
I have to translate this - here it is
Spanish church - most from Mexico - they like to get involved into what they say
Translator who was interpreting for me with enthusiasm - almost made me want to say, here’s my outline, I’ll sit down and just watch you preach!
Even if I spoke the language of the angels
Without love the interpretation lost it’s value
Banging gong or clanging symbol
“Tongues,” without love, become a mere discordant, obtrusive, and annoying noise, almost entirely without significance.
See and speak divine truth
1 Cor 13:2
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.
The gift of seeing God’s truth and relaying to others is of no value when there is no love
Balaam
Num 22:1-13
And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho. And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me: Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed. And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak. And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee? And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying, Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out. And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed. And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the Lord refuseth to give me leave to go with you.
Num 23:5-12
And the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak. And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab. And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, Out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, And come, defy Israel. How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? Or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied? For from the top of the rocks I see him, And from the hills I behold him: Lo, the people shall dwell alone, And shall not be reckoned among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob, And the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, And let my last end be like his! And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether. And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth?
Balaam had no love for the children of Israel
Num 31:16
Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.
Mat 7:22-23
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Comprehension without love
Comprehension without love
Understanding and knowledge
1 Cor 13:2
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.
Understand all mysteries
the ability to put things together from Scripture that we don’t fully see yet
In the OT - Zacharias - knew the Scripture and understood that God was to let him see the Saviour, Jesus Christ
All knowledge
Know the Bible
There are some that know the Bible and can quote it like few else can, but there is no love with it
Faith
Miracle-working faith, has absolute confidence in God and being in God’s will, and sees God remove the obstacle from the path
Judas Iscariot
Matt 10:1-8
And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
Judas saw God work through faith, but there was no love
Corrie Ten Boom - A Nazi prison guard who slowly and cruelly put her sister to death
Offered his hand in forgiveness
She stood there paralysed for a moment, but then the love of Christ moved her heart
Jesus had forgiven her - she can also forgive
She had never felt the love of God so powerfully as at that moment
Compassion without love
Compassion without love
Human
1 Cor 13:3
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.
To give away mouthful by mouthful
Feed by putting little bits into the mouth
Feeding an infant
Red Lobster - Thanksgiving
Power over someone else - power trip
Martyr
It is possible for one to take pride in the fact that one is suffering, even if it is for the truth
Some just want the attention even if it is for a hate-filled ideology like a communist agenda or a false god
Paul could understand this because he was a pharisee that was willing to hunt Christians, even to the peril of his own life
When a gift is used without love, it has little or no value - it is multiplying by 0
A life that makes an impact is driven by love.
Why would we not give this love?
Jesus has loved me! Jesus has loved you!
Bowl with M&Ms - Small amount - snack size
Add a little more - individual size
Add more - Big
Add bunch -
Open the roof fill this place with M&Ms, and continue letting it fill and spill over into the eastern panhandle, flood the whole region, cover our country, fill the oceans, and flood the world.
The songwriter Frederick Lehman described it this way:
The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell.
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell.
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled
And pardoned from his sin.
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song.