Intro: Growing up, my mom was notorious for her cooking. As kids, we would often examine mom’s cooking carefully. Many times she added who knows what. We became experts at evaluating what mom had added. We’d say mom made enthusiasm meatloaf: she put everything she had into it. But sometimes she left things out. For example, I remember when she made pizza without adding any tomato paste or sauce: she used ketchup and molasses. Somehow, it wasn’t quite the same! Often, if you are eating something, you can taste right away if an important ingredient has been left out.
Who would think of making bread without adding yeast? We know the bread would not rise. At Easter, Ronda made some special cookies that were to rise up and be hollow in the middle. Something went wrong with the recipe and the cookies were flat!
Last week Bishop Miller shared with us the need to minister to the needs of one another. Yet, we can do that and still be missing one very key ingredient. Look with me in 1 Corinthians 13.
READ chapter
It is possible to minister to the needs of one another without love. Many churches try to function with programs, but without love. But this morning I want to remind us of the need to love one another. Shall We Pray!
I. Love is seen
A. Through Action - Lest we forget, love is an action word. We are not talking about love this morning as a feeling, but as an action. I don’t want to know how you “feel” about your brothers and sisters in Christ, I want to know what you are “doing.” Here in 1 Cor. 13 it tells us what love looks like. Let’s look at what it tells us.
Love is patient -
Love is kind -
Love does not envy -
Love does not boast -
Love is not proud -
Love is not rude -
Love is not self-seeking -
Love is not easily angered -
Love keeps no record of wrongs -
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth -
Love always protects -
Love always trusts -
Love always hopes -
Love always perseveres -
Love never fails -
B. Through Example - When we look at all the qualities of love, we realize that many of the ones we thought really loved us fall short in some area. Let’s realize that none of us are perfect. The more we get to truly know someone, the more we will see their flaws. Yet, the fact of our humanity does not mean that we can’t love! Let’s have realistic expectations of others. Let’s show love, and let’s allow others to show us love, without expecting that any one individual is going to meet our every need.
Let’s talk about the perfect example of love. Look with me in the gospel of John, chapter 15.
Look at verses 12 & 13 - My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
When we think about the example Christ set for us, we see his love was so great, he was willing even to lay down his life for those he loved. Do we really love one another like this?
Some of us might say, sure we’d die for one another if we had to.
# - pope - heart transplant - give the pope a my heart - feather - give the pope a my heart, BLOW
We can say we would die for one another - and maybe we would - but are we willing to live a life of love toward one another?
C. Love is seen through expression -
What does it mean to love one another? We talked about characteristics of love from 1 Corinthians 13. Now, let’s talk about what it really looks like in our day to day experience. I want to do something a little different this morning. Let’s share with one another what it will look like as a body when we love one another. How, as brothers and sisters in Christ, can w show love to one another? Let’s not give vague terms, but specific examples.
--allow time to share --
In some ways this is similar to the one another passages Bishop Miller shared with us last week. Let me share 6 ways the scripture talks about us showing love to one another. I used the letter “H” to list them:
*Harmony - when we love, we will live in harmony with one another.
Rom 12:18 - If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Rom 14:19 - Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
- Satan brings strife to destroy the body of Christ
*Humanity - When we love, we will acknowledge our shared humanity
Rom. 10:12 - For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him
Phil 2:3 - Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
- we have no reason for pride, but should accept one another without prejudice
*Honor - When we love, we will be people of honor and integrity
Luke 19:17 - Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. `Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’
Prov. 19:1 - Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.
- are we people who show our love for God and one another by leading lives of integrity
*Help - when we love, we help one another
Rom 15:1-2 - We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.
Gal 6:2 - Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
1 John 3:17 - If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?
- we are to be a people who help where we can
*Humility - when we love, we will not be proud
James 4:10 - Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Colossians 3:13 - Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Phil 2:3 - Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
- let’s not be proud, but lift up one another
*Hospitality - when we love, we show it by opening our homes to one another
Rom 12:16 - Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
1 Peter 4:9 - Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
Acts 2:46 - They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts
- let’s show love by opening our homes to one another
II. Love is Known by the Change it brings in our lives
When we think about love, let’s remember that love is not just a feeling, it is an action as well. We have a choice to make. We can either choose to love, or we can choose to not love. Either way we have a choice to make.
A. To not love - if we choose to love ourselves and live for ourselves, let’s realize that scripture addresses this selfishness.
1 John 2:15 - Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. - when we choose the love of the world over the love of God, we realize that we do not have the love of God in us.
1 John 4:20 - If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
- if we choose not to love, let’s realize there is no way we can claim any type of right relationship to God. We can be good Christians and not love.
B. To love - if we choose to love one another, what does that show the world?
1 John 4:12 - No-one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
John 13:35 - By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
When we love as we ought, we show Christ to the world.
Concl: That is our task as Christians, to love in such a way that the world sees Christ living through us. Matt 5:16 - In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Gal 5:14-16 - The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
The whole concept to the scriptures are to love God and love one another. Yet, if we choose not to love, we will tear each other apart. To love as we ought, we need to draw upon the power of the Holy Spirit.
Who will you choose to love today? Who do you need to reach out to? What will You do? PRAY
