Not Our Own Series

Well… I just wanna welcome everyone here to Embrace… at all 5 of our campuses.

My name is Adam…

and I’m one of the pastors here…

And as always… we are thrilled that you are here…

And today… it is obviously Valentine’s Day right?

Which is an exciting day for some of us…

And for others of us… it’s maybe kinda stressful…

Like where exactly… are we… in this dating relationship…

or what in the world should I buy for my wife.

Again… it’s just kinda stressful.

And for others of us…

This day… it maybe just makes us…

wanna gag a little bit.

It’s like Valentine’s Day… is right up there

next to… getting a root canal…

Am I right… all you single ladies? (move hands)

Again though… it is Valentine’s Day… and because it is…

I think we’re actually required… to talk about Love.

I think it’s required that we do…

And I just have to say… that all of you… are in luck today…

because I’m actually an expert on love.

I mean… You can call me the Love-Machine… if you want to.

My wife does.

And I think that’s the biggest lie… that I’ve ever told.

No but really… for the next 2 weeks…

we’re gonna talk about love…

and so… for today… to start things off… it’s probably a good idea…

to address… and to talk about…

what love is.

Now if you were to ask 100 people… the question of… what love is…

You’d probably get 100 different answers right?

I mean… some people would say that love is feeling…

It’s just a feeling that we feel.

And some people… would say that love is a parent…

cleaning up puke…

Have you ever been there?

Some people… would say that love is a battlefield…

Other people…would say that love is…

watching a sappy movie with your significant other.

And when it comes to our culture…

Our culture would be quick to say that… love is accepting.

And some would say… that love… is just whatever you want love to be.

And I know for me… when I think about love myself…

The very first thing that comes to mind is… love making.

Hashtag: boomshakalaka.

Ya know… and I’d be lying if I said otherwise.

And you’re not supposed to lie in church.

But this week… I asked my kids what love is…

And my oldest son Hudson… said:

Love is more than like… it’s love.

Which I thought was deep…

And it’s like write that down.

And my son Wilson…

said love… it’s when you hug and kiss someone.

Which is true buddy… and you’d better not

do that until at least you’re 35.

And my daughter Grayson said.

Love is when you love someone.

And all I know about her… is that I’m just so thankful…

that my daughter already… she’s only 5…

She’s already decided to become a nun.

I mean… she’s gotta date Jesus…

And even Jesus… better watch himself.

No but seriously… when you ask the simple question… of what love is…

You’ll most likely to get a different answer…

from each and every person that you ask.

But for this 2 week series…

Our intent isn’t to talk about…

what we have to say about love…

Instead my hope for us… is to find out… what God has to say…

about what love is.

Now… in the Bible… we come across a guy named Paul…

Paul’s a leader in the church…

And he wrote a bunch of letters… to different churches…

Which now make up like half of the New Testament today.

And in one of those letters…

he’s writing to the church in a city called Corinth…

and in the midst of his letter to them…

He begins to talk with them about what love is.

Like what true love is…

Like what God has to say about love.

Now if you’ve ever been to a wedding… like ever in your life…

You’ve most likely heard these verses before…

Because I think that they’ve been read…

at every wedding that’s ever taken place...

in the history of weddings. Right?

Like if you didn’t read these verses at your wedding…

I hate to tell you…

But you’re actually not married.

It wasn’t for real.

No but seriously…. Paul’s explaining love…

And here’s what he has to say about it…

He says that love is patient. Love is kind.

Love isn’t rude… and it doesn’t seek its own advantage.

It doesn’t keep record of complaints.

Love puts up with all things, trusts in all things,

hopes for all things, endures all things.

Sound familiar?

And so we read these verses at weddings…

and it’s like the most romantic thing ever right…

And we think: “my wife… I’m so excited…

She is gonna be so patient… and kind.