Love Series

July 18, 2020

Our scripture for the next 9 sermons begins and concludes with this statement, “You will RECOGNIZE them by their fruits.”

Context

Jesus was wrapping up the Sermon on the Mount. He had just told the crowd to beware of false prophets who walk around in sheep’s clothing, but are in fact, ravenous wolves….. “You will RECOGNIZE them by their fruits.”

I believe the same directive should be applied to ALL who call themselves Christians. Not every person who claims that title is a sheep in the pasture of God.

Many are ravenous wolves whose only desire is to injure, maim and destroy. It is import for us to realize that not all sin is irreligious. Satan is thrilled when we dress sin up in the robes of religion and piousness {Pharisees – Matthew 23}. How do you tell?

“You will RECOGNIZE them by their fruits.”

• selfish and self-centered and jealous for the praises of men

• reject the Truth and disguise disobedience with religious zeal or “new light”.

• greedy

• proud and arrogant and boastful

• envious and jealous

• cause strife and division and love to argue

• deceitful and untrustworthy

• vindictive and malicious and critical and judgmental

• gossip and make false statement about others

• rude and disrespectful and bigoted and biased and shows partiality

• inpatient and easily angered and unkind and cold-hearted and harsh and severe and unyielding

“You will RECOGNIZE them by their fruits.”

• 1 John 3:10-11 - This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. 11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

Don’t just listen to the words that come out of a “religious” person’s mouth --- watch what he does / treats people / lives his life.

That brings us to the 1st piece of evidence in a life that is being transformed into the image of Jesus --- LOVE

On the outside someone might have all the characteristics of a great “religious” person, but Jesus says if they don’t love people the way God loves people, they misrepresent Him because God loves people.

• 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 - If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love…. It is:

• patient

• kind

• does not envy

• does not boast

• not proud

• not rude

• not self-seeking

• not easily angered

• keeps no record of wrongs

• does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth

Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails….

Love reflects the very nature of God. What Love IS God IS. God’s love for us flows out of His nature of love. He doesn’t love us anyway – despite ourselves. His love is not conditional. His love does not fluctuate based on what we do. He just LOVES us. Period. Full stop. How do we know this is true?

• John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

• Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

• 1 John 3:16 – This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

• 1 John 4:7-10 - Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

So, if LOVE IS what God IS, then what should be the evidence in the life of those who claim to follow Him?

• Matthew 22:37-40 - Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."