Love Is The Chain The Binds

Love Is The Chain That Binds (#709 in Songs of Faith and Praise)

1 John 4:7-11

"I Love" by Tom T. Hall

I love little baby ducks, Old pick up trucks, Slow moving trains, and rain. I love little country streams, Sleep without dreams, Sunday School in May, and hay, And I love you, too.

I love leaves in the wind, Pictures of my friends, Birds of the world, and squirrels. I love coffee in a cup, Little fuzzy pups, Bourbon in a glass, and grass. And I love you, too.

I love honest open smiles, Kisses from a child, Tomatoes on the vine, and onions. I love winner’s when they cry, Loser’s when they try, Music when it’s good, and life. And

I love you, too.

Now I don’t believe that’s a real good definition of True love.

Some members of the Family here at Atlanta Road had this to say about love.

Security – Like a warm blanket wrapped around you on a cold night.

A Yearning to put yourself out for what you love.

A warm feeling that you get every time he/she enters your thoughts

A Decision to make my wants and desires second to his/her wants or desires

A Unique Friendship

And My Favorite 1 Corinthians sums it up – Patient, Kind, Longsuffering, etc.. You know all that junk.

Our invitation Song today says in the 5th verse Love is the golden chain that binds?

But the Greeks had four words for love.

So what one is the one that binds?

I. Eros – A Brass chain.

From a distance it looks good but in reality it is cheep.

A. Eros is love based on physical attraction.

B. Eros says: "Show me a man or woman, and if he or she is beautiful by my standards, I will love him or her, and by loving him or her will appropriate the value that he or she embodies to myself for my enjoyment.”

C. "Dear John: Words cannot express the deep regret I feel at having broken our engagement. Will you please come back to me? Your absence from my side leaves a void, which no one can ever fill. Please forgive me and let us start again. I love you. I love you. I love you. Your ever adoring, Susie

P.S. Congratulations on winning the Big Lotto.

D. The Bible does not use the word Eros. –

However, it does not neglect this aspect of love.

1. In marriage, it is commanded and beautiful.

I Corinthians 7:2-3 let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. Let the husband fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband.

2. Out of marriage it is ugly and sinful.

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

F. Eros is a binding chain and is important but not the Chain that binds.

II. Storge (Stor – Gay) - the red chain.

A. Storge is love based on family ties, blood relation.

B. It is only used in the negative sense in the New Testament.

2 Timothy 3:2-4 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control; they will be cruel and have no interest in what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.

C. Storge is seen in

1. Affection between parents and children, brothers and sisters

2. The phrase "blood!’ is thicker than water."

3. Brothers and sisters feeling mad at each other throughout the year and still showing up for the family reunion.

D. Storge is binding but it is not the tie that binds.

III. Phileo- the silver chain.

A. Phileo represents tender affection, "I like you."

B. This is the love of friendship.

1. There are differences between the love that we have for friends and the love that we have for mankind.

2. We can still love the church here at Atlanta Road and have a party and only invite certain members.

3. Jesus loved all of his disciples but had a special relationship with Peter James and John.

4. Jesus spent his leisure with Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, not with Herod and Caiaphas.

5. We choose our close friends by what we have in common, what we like, and who doesn’t get on our nerves.

C. Phileo is binding but is not the chain that binds.

IV. Agape is the golden chain.

A. Agape is the decision, commitment to treat other people right.