"Jesus Love Is ..."

“Jesus’ Love Is....”

1 Corinthians 13:4-13

David P. Nolte

Someone cataloged three kinds of “love.” One kind is the “IF” love. “I will love you (IF you treat me like royalty; IF you give me whatever I want whenever I want it; IF you never do anything I think is stupid!”).

The second kind of love is the “BECAUSE” love. “I love you (BECAUSE you are funny; BECAUSE you are handsome; BECAUSE you haven’t given me grief!”).

The third kind of love is the “IN SPITE OF” love. “I love you (IN SPITE OF your failures; IN SPITE OF your having hurt me; IN SPITE OF your sins!”).

One problem with the “IF” and “BECAUSE” so-called “love” is that should the basis for those loves ceases to be or changes, the pseudo-love dies.

When we consider what Jesus did for us IN SPITE OF the cost; IN SPITE OF our sin; IN SPITE OF the pain we bring Him, we are compelled to say,

“If that isn’t love

The ocean is dry

There’s no stars in the sky

And the sparrow can’t fly.

If that isn’t love

Then Heaven’s a myth

There’s no feeling like this

If that isn’t love.”

There are many Scriptures that showcase His love for us, but the one that seems to say it all is Paul’s definition of love: “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 (NASB).

I want to bundle those thoughts into three headings to describe His love.

I. HIS LOVE IS UNQUENCHABLE:

A. An unknown author wrote:

“Love is the spark that kindles the fires of compassion.

Compassion is the fire that flames the candle of service.

Service is the candle that ignites the torch of hope.

Hope is the torch that lights the beacon of faith.

Faith is the beacon that reflects the power of God.

God is the power that creates the miracle of love.”

B. Solomon wrote, “Many waters cannot quench love, Nor will rivers overflow it.” Song of Songs 8:7 (NASB).

1. Adam Clarke commented, “Neither common nor uncommon adversities, even of the most ruinous nature, can destroy love when it is pure.”

2. His love is pure and our many sins, failures and provocations have not quenched it.

3. His love remains even when it has been tested and tried and challenged, rebuffed and even rejected.

C. Remember:

1. God said, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.” Jeremiah 31:3 (NASB).

2. The Psalmist wrote, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100:4-5 (NASB).

D. It is good to know:

1. There is nothing you have to do, or can do, to make God love you – He loved you before you knew or cared!

2. There is nothing you have done, or can ever do, to quench the flame of His love or to make Him stop loving you.

E. To illustrate unquenchable love: A mother came to visit her boy in Sing Sing prison. The boy had been raised right and was a beloved only son. He married quite young, and temptation came to his life when the young wife was sick and a new-born baby was in their little home.

He was out of work, despondent, and severely tempted. He involved himself with some fellows trying to make some money and broke the law. The crime that he committed was that of receiving stolen goods.

His sentence was four years and three months. Separation from his wife and baby, and the shame of his imprisonment sunk him into despair, it seemed as if he had been plunged into the darkest pit, and as if all hope was gone.