Love And Relationships

Champions for Christ Cowboy Church

Message: Love and Relationships- October 9th, 2016

Opening verse: 1 John 4:19 – “We love because he first loved us. “(NIV)

Since the fall of Adam and Eve, there has been a struggle between woman and man, and man and God.

In life, to be loved is one of the most desired human need. Love can cause us to climb mountains, cross seas, and do the unthinkable. When we don’t have love, the same mountains seem unclimbable, seas are uncross able, desserts are so barren and every turn seems to pose a detrimental situation.

Corinth Church

One example of failing love was in the Corinth church. It is a prime example of how we can either exemplify or not exemplify a manner which pleases God. When Paul dictated this letter to the church of Corinth, there were problems with jealousy, divisiveness, sexual immorality, and inferior structure methods. He was trying to bond the church members and show them that love is the way to grow the church along with acting in Christ’s way.

In this section of the book of Corinthians, Paul explains what love is and what it is not.

Let’s review some of these thoughts about love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8;13- New International Version (NIV)

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8 Love never fails…13 And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest is love.

Love is patient

– Proverbs 14:29 – “Whoever is patient has great understanding….”

Definition = the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering

Why do we struggle? Some of us are born or taught impatience.

1. We get easily angered or impatient with others.

2. All desire to be prefect and demand perfection from others around us.

3. We are all perfectly imperfect.

4. Perfection exists only in God!

5. We should love our Christians, not our own worldly visions and perfections!

Love is kind

Kindness is characterized by goodwill, friendliness, and tenderness.

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Fellowship in the church?

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Important to be sensitive to needs, preferences, and pains

 -A kind person is ready and able to help others and to do so with sympathy and consideration.

 -Godly love will make a person kinder.

 -Not Christian-like to be loving and unkind at the same time.

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If you are having unkind thoughts and tendencies, Ask the Lord to fill us with His love so that we might be kinder, more forgiving people for His glory.

Love does not envy

Proverbs 14:30 “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones”

• The word envy in Greek means “do not zeal” or “to be heated or to boil over with envy, hatred, or anger.”

o God’s love is selfless, not selfish.

o In contrast to God’s command, the Corinthian believers were ranking some spiritual gifts, as more important than others and envying those who had the “best” gifts.

 In chapter 12, Paul points out that the different gifts are meant to serve one another and build up the church.

 Not one person has all the gifts.

• Each child of God has at least one.

• Love demands that each gift be used to serve others rather than self.

o When we crave what someone else has rather than being grateful for what God has given, we only hurt ourselves.

 Instead of envying others, we are called to love them.

Love does not boast

o Boast means to “brag or point to oneself”

o Should be focused on the loved one, not love itself.

 Magnify others, focus on their needs, offer help with no thought of repayment or recognition.

o Paul had many choices to boast but chose not to.

 -He worked gratis, or with no salary.

o The actions of the Corinthians are sometimes evident among today’s believers.

 Rather than live with kindness and patience,

-many promote division within the church,

-criticize church leaders,

-brag of their enlightened attitude toward sin,

-and bring lawsuits against fellow Christians.

o A Christian who exhibits Godly love will not boast.

o Boasting is unloving and sinful.

o Philippians 2:5- “Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus.”

“It does not dishonor others-

o Dishonor means to bring shame or disgrace to them.

o Matter of respect or disrespect.

 Ephesians 5:33 – However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”