"Nearly Bankrupt of Love"
Author: Dr. Neal Gray
Passage: 1 Corinthians 13:1-7, KJV
Purpose: Love. A nice thought. But genuine love is not shown as much as we might like to think. Our love account is not as full as God would like. May He help us.
INTRODUCTION
Opening
Why would I call this sermon, "Nearly Bankrupt of Love"?
Because, compared to how...
* Christ Jesus loved, and,
* The Bible says I should love, and,
* How I envision myself as a truly loving Christian, then,
...I AM NEARLY BANKRUPT OF LOVE.
Oh, DON’T THINK ME TOO NAIVE. I know how to get along in this religious world of ours, how to keep in step with the accepted norms of behavior wherewith I can still say that I truly love others.
But, but, BUT...compared to Jesus, to the instruction of Scripture, and to my best ideals of the genuine Christian life...then I am BANKRUPT.
Scripture
Our Scripture is the first half of "the love chapter," 1 Corinthians 13:1-7.
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.
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.
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.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. (1 Corinthians 13:1-7)
AGAPE LOVE
Introduction
The love spoken of here with the KJV term, "charity," means a special kind of love, "agape" love.
Self-Giving Divine Love
Agape love is self-giving love. There is NO THOUGHT TO RECEIVING ANYTHING in return for the love given. It is "SELF-LESS" LOVE.
Pure. Unmotivated. Clean. Causeless. Without cost.
Most of our society has never experienced agape love. They neither have received it nor given it. They don’t know what it is. Most of our fellow countrymen, neighbors, and even our relatives have never felt the wonderful feeling of being loved "just because I love you."
==> Self-giving love. Do I have it? Do I give it? I fear I’m nearly bankrupt of this kind of love.
Mother’s and God’s Love
When I think of agape love, only two persons come to mind, namely...
1. Mother, and,
2. God.
A mother’s love for her child is the best form of agape love I have ever witnessed in this earthly life. She asks nothing from the child. She expects to do all of the work. She takes the whole responsibility. And she lavishes her clean, pure, self-giving love upon her baby. Yes, that baby is the fruit of her womb, a part of her; nevertheless, she loves that baby with agape love.
And God. For us, we know God’s love in Christ Jesus. Like the mother, Jesus gave Himself for us. Scripture makes is clear that He did: "The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me," (Galatians 2:20b). Jesus bids us to take the love that He has--freely, without cost.
"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely." (Revelation 21:6b)
Give? Freely? The Almighty Sovereign Lord gives of His love to even us. Do I have His love? Yes.
"We love Him, because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19)
Do I love Jesus? Yes, but I didn’t love Jesus out of myself because...
"We love Him, because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19)
Do I reflect and share it among others? I think so, at least a little. It is not so much from me, my heart, my soul--but from Him. Truthfully, I AM NEARLY BANKRUPT of this important love-sharing, love-giving asset.
True Believers Give Agape Love
And yet, the clear teaching of the Word and the Holy Ghost of God is that true believers love others EVEN AS JESUS LOVED. You know the Scriptural verses for this. The simplest and most important comes from Jesus:
"A new commandment I give unto you: That ye love one another; AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, that ye also love one another." (John 13:34)
It is not a new commandment to love your neighbor. It is not a new commandment to love others as you love yourself. But the NEW COMMANDMENT is this: love one another as I have loved you.
Do I love you as purely and as fervently as Jesus loves you? If you ask me, shall I answer as St. Peter answered Jesus, "You know that I love you," all the while both Jesus and Peter knew that Peter meant, "I have a deep and fond affection for you"?
==> Shall I call myself a follower of Jesus? Shall I say and more importantly, behave as, "I have a deep and fond affection for you," when JESUS TELLS ME THAT I AM TO LOVE YOU AS HE LOVES YOU? Nearly bankrupt. God help me.
Self-Sacrifice
What is genuine love again? Self-sacrifice is among the qualities of love.
Giving of all your self, of your time, of your money. Shall I ask you to give your life for me? Will you ever ask me to die for you?
I never asked Jesus to die for me. But He did. He gave the ultimate self-sacrifice because He loves me. He loves you, too.
Of course, Jesus knew that beyond the grave was glory that is real and eternal and wonderful and marvelous. You and I don’t "know" by experience; but where is my faith in Jesus’ assurances?
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, there ye may be also." (see John 14:1-3)
I should sacrifice everything, in the name of Jesus, FOR YOU! Bankrupt?
Spiritual Gifts and Powers
Shall I brag to you now about the spiritual gifts that God has given to me? Will you be impressed by my potent powers?
Is there any thing I can do that can take the place of agape, Christ-like, new-commandment love?
* Will my preaching and prophesying satisfy you?
* Does my keen knowledge of Scripture along with worldly knowledge do the trick for you?
* Is my faithfulness sufficient to bring you joy?
* Can my willingness to write a big check to the church for programs elevate my status?
==> I think that "yes" is the answer to these questions. But if I have not love... if you don’t sense and feel and freely receive my heartfelt agape, Christ-like, new-commandment love for you, then I know that you and I have a lacking relationship.
LOVE’S QUALITIES
Introduction
The writer of this epistle writes in the first person early in the chapter, "Though I...." In verse four he shifts to the third person with a personification of love, "Charity...."
It is as if Paul is admitting that even he doesn’t love to the full.
Two Positive Characteristics of Love
What does true love for another person look like? There are positives that love does, and negatives that love avoids.
Two positives first:
* Charity suffereth long, and,
* Is kind.
When we look at love, "charity," we see that it is patient. Suffers long.
I know that I grow tired and frustrated on waiting. Traffic lights, lines in banks, replies in the mail, and so on.
But mostly I suffer not long with people. Oh, to be sure, God is granting me patience with people--but not fast enough! After awhile, the only "people" we know are church folk. Their slowness to grow in grace, in knowledge, in obedience to OUR OWN PUFFED UP STANDARD of what is holy and right and acceptable; well, their slowness to conform is weary to me. And to you.
A lack of patience, a lack of this aspect of genuine love, pollutes any kindness I may have been willing to show.
Am I alone? I see how low my account is...nearly bankrupt, in truth. God help me. And you, too.
Eight Negative Characteristics Love Avoids
Eight negative behaviors avoided:
* Charity envieth not
* Charity vaunteth not itself
* Is not puffed up
* Doth not behave itself unseemly
* Seeketh not her own
* Is not easily provoked
* Thinketh no evil
* Rejoiceth not in iniquity
These are not church folk. Who is envious and puffed up? It can’t be! No one at church seeks their own, becoming provoked when they don’t get their way. Surely it doesn’t happen in the Church of Jesus Christ; we are to be presented to Jesus, "a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing," (see Ephesians 5:27).
Not anyone we know, least of all myself, will think any evil of anyone. We and I are all "holy and without blemish." Aren’t we?
The love I read about in the Holy Word of God does not exhibit the characteristics that I find in myself from time-to-time. Love? Purely? As Jesus loved?
==> Chapter 13, the "love chapter"? More like, Chapter 13; the heart’s court of conviction and bankruptcy.
Five More Positive Characteristics of Love
Five more positives:
* Rejoiceth in the truth;
* Beareth all things,
* Believeth all things,
* Hopeth all things,
* Endureth all things.
Perhaps I’ll be a bit easier on myself. On you, too. Rejoicing, believing, hoping are fairly easy things now. My head is "above water" in these areas.
But bearing all things, enduring all things? Tragic. Difficult. Impatient. Rather than bearing and enduring with agape love, the tendency is to scream out, "Lord, get me out of this!"
God replies, "Glory in your tribulations, knowing that tribulation works patience," (see Romans 5:3). And again, "Take joy in your trials," (see James 1:2-3).
Agape love? Christ-like love? Scriptural love? New-commandment love? Who, me?
==> Give me the easy ones, you keep the tough ones. Let me show you the ways I love you that I have a little comfort with; forget the other ways that complete the love-picture. Ah...but that’s not what my Lord wants from me.
CONCLUSION
A New Thing-- LOVE
This month, (early January, 2002), I was praying to the Lord:
"Lord," I said, "You know that I like new things. And I know that You are a new-things God, that You are doing new things in this world. What new thing, Lord Jesus, should we add at Your church, here at Baltimore-Parkville Church of the Nazarene? What new thing will help us to serve You better this year?"
==> With the speed of the Spirit, He said to me: "LOVE ONE ANOTHER."
Grow in Love
Friends, I have the easy stuff figured out. THE DIFFICULT THINGS AWAIT.
I know how to come to church. I know how to tithe. I know how to read the Bible, how to pray. I know how to preach, how to visit, how to administer the church.
But LOVE ONE ANOTHER with true agape love, AS CHRIST LOVED?
Love those who are unlovely to me? those who treat me badly? those who don’t measure up to my standard of holiness?
Love them with patience, not putting myself above them, thinking no evil about them, speaking nothing unkind about them?
The difficult things for me to grow in AWAIT MY WILLINGNESS; to allow God to teach me to love as He loves. The DIFFICULT THINGS AWAIT YOU, TOO.
But the command is clear: LOVE ONE ANOTHER as Jesus loved.
Finally, I say again, compared to how...
* Christ Jesus loved, and,
* The Bible says I should love, and,
* How I envision myself as a truly loving Christian, then,
...I AM NEARLY BANKRUPT OF LOVE.
==> Which of us will be willing to rebuild out of bankruptcy? God help us.
AMEN.
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