Love? How?
October 3, 2018 Morning Service
Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK
Rick Boyne
Message Point: God tells us how to love each other.
Focus Passage: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Introduction: Ted was not what one would call the teacher’s pet--he was Turned off by school. Very sloppy in appearance. Expressionless. Unattractive. Many looked down upon him Even his teacher, Miss Thompson, enjoyed bearing down her red pen -- as she placed Xs beside his many wrong answers.
Christmas arrived. The children piled elaborately wrapped gifts on their teacher’s desk. Ted brought one too. It was wrapped in brown paper and held together with Scotch Tape. Miss Thompson opened each gift, as the children crowded around to watch. Out of Ted’s package fell a gaudy rhinestone bracelet, with half of the stones missing, and a bottle of cheap perfume. The children began to snicker. But she silenced them by splashing some of the perfume on her wrist, and letting them smell it. She put the bracelet on too.
At day’s end, after the other children had left, Ted came by the teacher’s desk and said, "Miss Thompson, you smell just like my mother. And the bracelet looks real pretty on you. I’m glad you like my presents." He left. It broke her heart and she started to see him in a new light. The next day, the children were greeted by a reformed teacher -- one committed to loving each of them. Especially the slow ones. Especially Ted. Surprisingly -- or maybe, not surprisingly, Ted began to show great improvement. He actually caught up with most of the students and even passed a few.
Time came and went. Miss Thompson heard nothing from Ted for a long time. Then, one day, she received this note:
Dear Miss Thompson:
I wanted you to be the first to know. I will be graduating second in my class.
Love, Ted
Four years later, another note arrived:
Dear Miss Thompson:
They just told me I will be graduating first in my class. I wanted you to be first to know. The university has not been easy, but I liked it.
Love, Ted
And four years later:
Dear Miss Thompson:
As of today, I am Theodore Stallard, M.D. How about that? I wanted you to be the first to know. I am getting married next month, the 27th to be exact. I want you to come and sit where my mother would sit if she were alive. You are the only family I have now; Dad died last year.
Miss Thompson attended that wedding, and sat where Ted’s mother would have sat
Miss Thompson did only a little thing by wearing that perfume and bracelet.
But the love she made known beginning with that act had a profound impact upon Ted.
And if such a small act of love can have this kind effect just imagine the kind of effect a great act of love such as the Sacrifice of Christ can have on us and the people around us. It changes us every time we are exposed to it. Remaking us in the image of Christ. The image of sacrificial love. It is a love that can change others through us. From Keith Bowman’s Sermon: What is Love?
I. Love is supreme (vss 1-3, 13)
a. Greater than tongues
b. Greater than prophecy
c. Greater than knowledge and faith
d. Greater than outward displays
II. Love is selfless (vss 4-7)
a. Patient, kind, & Not jealous
b. Does not brag; isn’t arrogant; doesn’t act stupid
c. Isn’t selfish; doesn’t provoke to wrath; doesn’t keep a grudge
i. "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13 NASB)
ii. "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. "But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. (Matthew 6:14-15 NASB)
d. Isn’t happy with evil, but loves the truth
e. Is full of hope and optimistic
III. Love is steadfast (vs 8 -12)
a. Prophecy, tongues, and knowledge will go away
b. Love will stand forever
Application/Invitation: How do you love? Do you love with words only? What do your actions say? If you keep score; if you are always right and never say “I’m sorry”; if you are always correcting others; if you never have a nice thing to say; if you are always bragging; are you really loving? "In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12 NASB)
