The Way of Love (1 Corinthians 13:8-14:1)
Gary McManus, 05/22/2022Part of the God's Love; Beyond Belief series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
May 22, 2022 1 Corinthians 13:1-3,13, 14:1
You can’t give away what you don’t have.
1 Cor 14:1: “follow the way of love”
We could speak, know and do wonders.
But if we don’t love—it means NOTHING.
The New Living Translation:
“Let love be your highest goal!”
Tthe way of love IS love.
What are the greatest commandments?
Love. . Love God and love your neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39)
Get it? Relationships!
We can’t love unless we have God’s love.
We’ve got God’s love. (John 3:16)
We’ve got God’s love. . but. . . do you get it?
Meditate on God’s love for you. Have you done that?
Start anywhere you like. Many begin with creation.
Many begin with creation-- they have noticed some things in creation that are pretty marvelous.
From sunsets and sunrises to the oceans or the mountains, or even 353 species of parrot and/or “goose bumps”. Creation is a marvel of love.
Out of the majesty of God. . .comes love.
Our God loves us in and through his creation.(see Romans 1:20)
The next greatest love event in God’s activity is Jesus Christ. John 3:16; Max Lucado wrote an entire book on this verse.
(NLT) “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
God loves you and here is the proof. . .Jesus.
How much did God love the world?
God loved the world so much that God gave.
God gave His son.(Jesus) . .knowing what we would do to him. Jesus told a story to illustrate, Matthew 21:33 ff.
God sends His son anyway. . .
Notice that the son must be sent away from the father.
Jesus’ first step of love was the step he took out of the Heavenly Father’s presence—face to face.
Jesus had other options (the devil’s temptations)
in Matthew 4:1ff and Luke 4:1ff
Max Lucado, Ephesians 5:2 (the Message) to read this way:
Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant.
He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us.
We often leave it to poets and songwriters to express this kind of love for us.
“When a Man loves a woman”, lyrics by Percy Sledge.
The song borrows Bible images.
The song states that love changes our behavior.
We’re taught how to care about people, courtesy, even compassion.
But it doesn’t sink in until love gets a hold of us.
See the film, “Fireproof”. Ephesians 5:2 . Amen.
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