Looking for Love (1 Corinthians 1:18-25)
Gary McManus, 04/23/2023Part of the DCC Basics series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
Ever wonder WHY the fact of Jesus’ crucifixion was
a stumbling block and considered a folly—foolishness?
Think back to your early school years and what you learned about Greek and Roman Gods.
Any die? Any gods come back to life? No and no.
A god willingly die and for the love that god has for
humanity and creation?
None of the Greek or Roman Gods loved all of humanity.
Foolishness or the most beautiful story ever heard?
Remember the country song entitled “Lookin’ for love?”
Anyone looking for love in America 2020? 2023?
Well, not on websites the Pastor considered.
DCC website sermons:
Mercy series, more sought
God’s Word is Life, more sought
God’s Love; Beyond Belief:
--maybe eight of the 49 get 4% of the downloads.
YouTube?
--more folks seek hope and less anxiety
--a devotional video has millions of views
and it is about God’s love, but it isn’t in the title:
“A Letter from God”
Pastor read a Web blog on “why I gave up faith.”
--not the teaching
--not the Pastor
--not an argument, disagreement, ministry emphasis
They gave up faith because of the people at the
church.
Of course, in some cases, it is the mindset of the person losing faith.
Some don’t attend church because they don’t attend
church. Are Americans looking for love?
(Do we know what love is?)
Pastor returned to the book:
“What’s the least I can believe and still be a Christian?”
Wrong question. Is the content of our beliefs what makes us Christian or is it relationships (love)?
Not until p. 73 of the book does the reader get to
Jesus’ priorities—relationships, right?
The greatest commandments.
(Matthew 22:36-40, Mark 12:29-31)
God wants to be with us even if we’re not sure
that we want to be with God. That is God’s love.
God came to US in a way we would understand.
God gave in a way we could receive.
Jesus came below the Messiah radar.
Servant Messiah? A Messiah of love?
A Messiah of mercy?
Why didn’t Jesus carry a sign saying “God loves you”? Because the Lord wants us to WANT a relationship with the Lord? The Lord wants us to ask, seek, knock.
(Matthew 7:7-8, Luke 11:9-10)
John Lennon (The Beatles) wrote a song in 1967
entitled, “All you need is love.”All you need is God.”
(1 John 4:8) And we love (1 John 4:19) BECAUSE He first loved us.
Hebrews 5:11-12: you have become dull of hearing. . . .you need someone to teach you again the first principles of God’s word.
Jesus’ words spoken 2,000 years ago. . .still relevant. . .still answers our hearts. . .with the way back to our Heavenly Father. . .God loved us first, in Jesus. Amen
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