Abundant Grace (2)
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Things happening and we think that things are falling apart
Adversity is good for us - it conforms us and molds us
There are doors open that God is giving opportunities
2 Corinthians 8:1–8 (KJV 1900)
1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
6 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.
7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Jesus wants us to abound
People are searching for truth
Abundant love
There is no greater
Abound in love
1 Thessalonians 3:12 (KJV 1900)
12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
Make you
A passionate fervent love one for another
People should know that you love your church family
Ephesians 3:18 (KJV 1900)
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
Ephesians 3:19 (KJV 1900)
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Ephesians 4:2 (KJV 1900)
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Angry
Mad
That is the opposite of the fruit of the spirit
Lowliness
you are irritated when you think youre better than someone
putting up with one another in love
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
What are you doing to add to the body
every body part
effectual = effective
every part making increase
When there is a church that will love one-another with abundant love of Christ ,
that is a church that will be empowered by the Spirit
Colossians 2:2 (KJV 1900)
2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
How do we understand abundant Love
We will love other Christians when we learn of God’s unconditional love of God.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God will always love you
If we truly understood God’s love we would love
When we think of someone and it bothers us; we are not comprehending God’s love
Perfectionism hurts people
trying to make a spouse measure up
Trying to make children measure up
Perfectionism is a very dangerous and it causes
flaws
Inconsistencies
Anger
speaking evil
cutting people off
They treated me _________
8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
you endure people
people have come to this church and they endure
Hymns
Bible
Can’t love because they are performing themselves and they don’t feel love because when they mess up they dont feel loved
14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
16 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.
If you cannot say you love everyone here you aren't right with God
If you have aught against anyone in the church you are not right with God
Anger
How do we understand this love
The cross is what helps us comprehend God’s love
Perceive the love
We aught to lay our life down for the brethren
Abundant Love
Abundant Giving
Paul went to Macedonia
1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
You can give legalistically
This was a special giving motivated out of love for the needs of others
When we love we give
Do you give to people
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.
Giving to help people
Given to them a grace from God to give
Sacrificial Giving
Deep poverty
This was not popular to be a Christian
2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
2 Corinthians 8:3 (KJV 1900)
3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
Supernatural Giving
Beyond their power
Joyful Giving
2 Corinthians 8:2 (KJV 1900)
2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
“Abundance of their Joy”
2 Corinthians 9:7 (KJV 1900)
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
Joyful
Willing Giving
Natural
Love made them willing to give - abundant
Excited Giving
I gave last week
Give among yourself
God brings the resources when we love
When we love we eagerly give to oneanother and to the Lord’s work
4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.