WHAT IS TRUE LOVE
I want to talk to you today about the ultimate gift, what do you think it is?
To me the ultimate gift is love.
Jesus talked about love a lot in His earthly ministry, The word love is mentioned 153 times in the new testament and 122 times in the old testament for a total of 275 times.
The dictionary describes Love as,,,,
A deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person, such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a sense of underlying oneness.
Love is compassion for your fellow man or woman.
Love is not defined by the act, but by the character of God within the act
Love precludes hypocrisy and play-acting.
Love is unselfish; not based on self-need or want.
Love is not conditioned on reciprocity or calculation of repayment.
Love doesn't care who gets the credit.
Love is active; not merely passive or theoretical; love doesn't loiter.
Love believes, trusts and expects God to overcome all things.
Love is directed toward people; not things, ideas, doctrines or principles.
Love of neighbor desires them to have everything you have, and more.
Love precludes resentment, covetousness, and judging another.
Love seeks to commend, not condemn.
Love is not conditioned on the lovability or action of the recipient.
Love is not fickle; it is unchanging and limitless
Love precludes despair at the loss or absence of the person loved
Love precludes favoritism and aversion.
Love does not engage in comparison it is compassion.
Love is not possessive, seeking to own or control another person.
Love does not find its identity or life in the one loved.
Love is the antidote to fear and paranoia - I Jn. 4:18
Love seeks the highest good of the other, with no thought of benefit to
oneself.
Love involves self-denial, self-renunciation, personal sacrifice, humility
Love is willing to suffer slights, hurts, abuse.
Love builds others up, nurtures, edifies; it is constructive, not destructive
Love seeks to avoid grieving or offending another - Rom. 13:10; 14:15
Love precludes partiality, preference, distinction, exclusivism; it is
universal and equal
Love prompts one to take the initiative to be the first to act - (Matt. 7:12)
Love dissolves the emotional blocks which keep us from sensitivity to others
Love allows one to be free to be man as God intended man to be.
LOVE IS GOD AND GOD IS LOVE.
Scripture verses: Luke 23: 32-49
32And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. 33And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. 34Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do………………..
LOVE OF ENEMIES
In The Grace of Giving, Stephen Olford tells of a Baptist pastor during the American Revolution, Peter Miller, who lived in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, and enjoyed the friendship of George Washington. In Ephrata also lived Michael Wittman, an evil-minded sort who did all he could to oppose and humiliate the pastor. One day Michael Wittman was arrested for treason and sentenced to die. Peter Miller traveled seventy miles on foot to Philadelphia to plead for the life of the traitor.
"No, Peter," General Washington said. "I cannot grant you the life of your friend."
"My friend!" exclaimed the old preacher. "He's the bitterest enemy I have."
"What?" cried Washington. "You've walked seventy miles to save the life of an enemy? That puts the matter in different light. I'll grant your pardon." And he did.
Peter Miller took Michael Wittman back home to Ephrata--no longer an enemy but a friend.
That is true love lets read on…..
35And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. 36And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, 37And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. 38And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
That is also true love, to feel compassion for someone else. Lets read on…..
43And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
44And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
In that time when the darkness was over all the earth, you noticed it doesn’t say just Jerusalem it said all the earth. All the earth was in darkness for three hours in that time God the Father was showing His love toward us by putting our own sin debt on His only Son. So we didn’t have to pay the price.
Jesus paid it for us, He loved us to much to leave us in sin.
Lets read on…….
46And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. 47Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. 48And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. 49And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.
LOVE OF GOD
A certain medieval monk announced he would be preaching next Sunday evening on "The Love of God." As the shadows fell and the light ceased to come in through the cathedral windows, the congregation gathered. In the darkness of the altar, the monk lighted a candle and carried it to the crucifix. First of all, he illumined the crown of thorns, next, the two wounded hands, then the marks of the spear wound. In the hush that fell, he blew out the candle and left the chapel. There was nothing else to say.
Praise the Lord, the story doesn’t end here.
On the third day he rose from the grave.
A-men Amen And amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you would turn to.
Mark 16
15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
19So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Chapter 13
13:1 If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don't have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.
13:2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge;... more
And I did know you and foreswear to you before you were born.
Kept my vow to come after you should you become lost.
I still remind you that you can do no wrong as you journey back to knowing us... more