Love That Will Pass The Test Series

(Mark 11:12-14) “On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. 13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.”

(I Corinthians 3:11-15) “For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

(Galations 5:22-23)” But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Introduction: In Mark chapter 11 we read the story of Jesus cursing the fig tree to die. He was moved to indignation because the tree appeared to be fruitful from afar. However, as Jesus further investigated the tree there were no figs--Only leaves that camouflaged as fruit.

In the same way, as Christians, we have leaves of religiosity that hide areas that we’re not actually bearing fruit. However, there will come a day when every believer will stand before Christ and give accounts of our works and fruits--down to the very motive. At that time, Jesus will separate the leaves and fruits in our lives.

For the fruit, we will receive a reward.For the leaves we will lose rewards. In this sermon we will talk about the fruit of love.

Without the Genuine Fruit of Love….

1. Our Words are meaningless

(I Corinthians 13:1) “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”

2. Our Gifts are useless

(I Corinthians 13:2) “If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”

3. Our Sacrifices yield no return

(I Corinthians 13:3) “And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.”

How to bare love that will pass the test…

(Proverbs 4:23) “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

1. Understand the love is a Choice and an Action.

(Colossians 3:14) “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

(I John 3:18) “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”

2. Accept God’s Love.

(Romans 5:8) “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

(John 13:34-35) Jesus said, “A new commandment I give you: Love one another! As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

3. Put others needs Before your own.

(Philippians 3:2) “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”

4. Realize that love is a Process.

(I Corinthians 13:4;8) “Love is patient…Love never fails”

5. Walk in a spirit of Forgiveness.

(Ephesians 4:8) “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you”

(I Cor. 13:5) “does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered.”