INTRODUCTION: WELL, HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY SUNDAY, AS TODAY IS THE SUNDAY BEFORE VALENTINE’S DAY. OH, AND DON’T BE TOO QUICK TO RUN OFF AS WE HAVE A SPECIAL GIFT FOR YOU ALL AS A REMEMBRANCE OF SPENDING VALENTINE’S SUNDAY HERE AT BETHANY.
VALENTINE’S DAY, ALSO KNOWN AS SAINT VALENTINE’S DAY, HAS AN INTERESTING ORIGIN. IT INITIALLY BEGAN AS A CHURCH HOLIDAY ON FEBRUARY 14TH TO HONOR MARTYRS OF THE FAITH—SAINTS WHOSE NAMES WERE VALENTINE OR VALENTINUS. THE FIRST RECORDED VALENTINE’S NOTE WAS SENT BY A PRISONER NAMED VALENTINE, WHO WAS IN LOVE WITH A GIRL. THESE HEARTFELT NOTES DATE BACK TO THE MIDDLE AGES.
WHILE THE MEANING AND CELEBRATIONS OF VALENTINE’S DAY HAVE EVOLVED OVER TIME, IT REMAINS A SPECIAL DAY TO EXPRESS LOVE TO THOSE WE HOLD CLOSE.
AS WE CELEBRATE THIS DAY, LET’S REFLECT ON SOME BEAUTIFUL BIBLE VERSES THAT AFFIRM THE ESSENCE OF LOVE:
1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-8 “LOVE IS PATIENT AND KIND; LOVE DOES NOT ENVY OR BOAST; IT IS NOT ARROGANT OR RUDE. IT DOES NOT INSIST ON ITS OWN WAY; IT IS NOT IRRITABLE OR RESENTFUL; IT DOES NOT REJOICE AT WRONGDOING BUT REJOICES WITH THE TRUTH. LOVE BEARS ALL THINGS, BELIEVES ALL THINGS, HOPES ALL THINGS, ENDURES ALL THINGS. LOVE NEVER ENDS.”
1 CORINTHIANS 16:14 “LET ALL THAT YOU DO BE DONE IN LOVE.”
1 JOHN 4:8 “ANYONE WHO DOES NOT LOVE DOES NOT KNOW GOD, BECAUSE GOD IS LOVE.”
1 PETER 4:8 “ABOVE ALL, KEEP LOVING ONE ANOTHER EARNESTLY, SINCE LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS.”
COLOSSIANS 3:14 “AND ABOVE ALL THESE PUT ON LOVE, WHICH BINDS EVERYTHING TOGETHER IN PERFECT HARMONY.”
1 CORINTHIANS 13:13 “SO NOW FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE ABIDE, THESE THREE; BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.”
JOHN 15:13 “GREATER LOVE HAS NO ONE THAN THIS, THAT SOMEONE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.”
JOHN 13:34-35 “A NEW COMMANDMENT I GIVE TO YOU, THAT YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER: JUST AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, YOU ALSO ARE TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. BY THIS ALL PEOPLE WILL KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES IF YOU HAVE LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER.”
GALATIANS 5:13-14 “FOR YOU WERE CALLED TO FREEDOM, BROTHERS. ONLY DO NOT USE YOUR FREEDOM AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FLESH, BUT THROUGH LOVE SERVE ONE ANOTHER. FOR THE WHOLE LAW IS FULFILLED IN ONE WORD: ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’”
JOHN 3:16 “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.”
1 JOHN 4:19 “WE LOVE BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US.”
WHETHER YOU’RE SINGLE OR IN A RELATIONSHIP, REMEMBER THAT GOD’S LOVE IS UNCONDITIONAL AND INDESCRIBABLE. LET THESE SCRIPTURES ENCOURAGE YOU TO CELEBRATE LOVE, FOR VALENTINE’S DAY CAN BE CELEBRATED BECAUSE OF GOD’S GREAT LOVE. SHARE THESE VERSES WITH THOSE YOU HOLD NEAR AND DEAR!
AND OF COURSE, THERE IS OUR TEXT OF THE DAY
1 PETER 4:7–11 THE END OF ALL THINGS IS NEAR. THEREFORE, BE CLEAR MINDED AND SELF-CONTROLLED SO THAT YOU CAN PRAY. 8ABOVE ALL, LOVE EACH OTHER DEEPLY, BECAUSE LOVE COVERS OVER A MULTITUDE OF SINS. 9OFFER HOSPITALITY TO ONE ANOTHER WITHOUT GRUMBLING. 10EACH ONE SHOULD USE WHATEVER GIFT HE HAS RECEIVED TO SERVE OTHERS, FAITHFULLY ADMINISTERING GOD’S GRACE IN ITS VARIOUS FORMS. 11IF ANYONE SPEAKS, HE SHOULD DO IT AS ONE SPEAKING THE VERY WORDS OF GOD. IF ANYONE SERVES, HE SHOULD DO IT WITH THE STRENGTH GOD PROVIDES, SO THAT IN ALL THINGS GOD MAY BE PRAISED THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. TO HIM BE THE GLORY AND THE POWER FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN.
TRANSITION: SO THIS MORNING, I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM THE BIBLE ABOUT LOVE.
I. WHAT OUR TEXT TELLS US ABOUT LOVE
a. OUR TEXT TELLS US THAT BEFORE WE CAN LOVE HORIZONTALLY, WE MUST BE ENGAGED VERTICALLY
i. WE MUST BE CLEAR-MINDED AND SELF-CONTROLLED.
ii. IT IS ONLY AFTER THIS THAT WE CAN BE LOVING TOWARDS OTHERS.
b. CLEAR-MINDED
i. HAVING A SOUND MIND
ii. THE IDEA IS THAT OUR MINDS ARE BALANCED IN OUR WALK AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST
iii. BALANCE IS NO MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHEN ONE IS TRYING TO LEARN TO RIDE A MOTORCYCLE.
1. BALANCE ON A MOTORCYCLE IS ACHIEVED WITH MOTION AND FOCUS
2. WHEN YOU ARE OVING FORWARD AT SUFFICIENT SPEED YOU ARE ABLE TO BALANCE ON THE CYCLE EASILY
3. BALANCE IS MAINTAINED WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING MORE TO WHERE YOU ARE GOING THAN WHERE YOU ARE.
iv. FOR THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, PART OF OUR LOVE FOR CHRIST IS FOUND IN OUR BALANCE WITH HIM
1. FIRST, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD. TIS COMES IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, BUT EACH WAY WE MOVE FORWARD SHOULD BRING US CLOSER TO HIM.
2. SECOND, WE NEED TO BE LOING TO WHERE WE ARE ULTIMATELY GOING, NOT WHERE WE ARE, ONE OF THE EASIEST WAYS I FOUND TO LOSE MY BALANCE ON A MOTORCYCLE WAS TO LOOK DOWN AT THE TIRE. BUT THE EASIEST WAY FOR ME TO MAINTAIN MY BALANCE ON A MOVING CYCLE WAS TO LOOK FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD.
3. OH, ANDI ALMOST FORGOT, IT WAS EASIER TO KEEP MY BALANCE, ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING IF I KEPT MY KNEES IN CLOSE TO THE CYCLE – STREAMLINED
v. WHEN APPLYING THIS TO OUR WALK AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST:
1. BEFORE WE CAN LOVE ONE ANOTHER, WE HAVE TO BE MOVING FORWARD IN OUR LOVE FOR CHRIST.
2. BEFORE WE CAN LOVE ONE ANOTHER, WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT WHERE GOD WANTS US TO BE IN OUR LOVE FOR HIM
3. BEFORE WE CAN LOVE ONE ANOTHER, WE NEED TO BE STREAMLINED IN OUR JOURNEY – GETTING THERE WITH THE LEAST DISTRACTIONS AND RESISTANCE
vi. ONCE OUR VERTICAL DIRECTION IS STABLE, THEN
1. I CAN LOVE OTHERS BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED ME
2. I CAN LOVE OTHERS EVEN THOUGH THEY DID NOT LOVE ME – REMEMBER WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS CHRIST DIED FOR US, AND GREATER LOVE HAS NO MAN THAN TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR ANOTHER.
STUART BRISCOE TELLS THE STORY OF THE ASTRONAUT BOUND FOR THE MOON WHO WAS ASKED, ‘HOW WILL YOU GET OFF THE MOON?’ HE REPLIED, ‘WE FIRE ROCKETS AND WE TAKE OFF IN OUR LITTLE MODULE.’ ‘BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF IT DOESN’T FIRE?’ HE SAID, ‘THEN WE’RE STUCK.’ ‘HOW LONG WILL YOUR LIFE-SUPPORT SYSTEM LAST?’ ‘SIX HOURS.’ THE REPORTER THEN ASKED, ‘MAY I ASK YOU WHAT YOU WILL DO FOR THE LAST SIX HOURS?’ ‘SURE,’ HE SAID. ‘I’LL WORK ON THE ENGINE!’
JUST LIKE THE ASTRONAUT WE NEED TO KEEP WORKING ON THE VERTICAL LOVE AND RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH GOD IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THE HORIZONTAL RELATIONSHIP HE ASKS US TO HAVE WITH OTHERS
II. LOVING HORIZONTALLY
a. OUR KEY VERSE SAYS A LOT ABOUT LOVING HORIZONTAL!
b. THE LOVE OF A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST IS TO BE MUTUAL.
i. LOVE EACH OTHER
ii. LOVE FOR EACH OTHER IS THE DISTINGUISHING CHARACTER OF THOSE WHO FOLLOW CHRIST
1. BEING WILLING TO RECEIVE THE LOVE OF OTHERS AND YET NOT GIVE IT IS SELFISHNESS
2. SELFISHNESS HAS NO PLACE IN THE LIFE OF A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST
a. TO ACT LIKE JESUS IS TO ACT UNSELFISHLY
c. OUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER IS TO BE “DEEPLY”
i. THE WORD MEANS TO STRETCH OR STRAIN, TO STRETCH OUT, EARNESTLY AND WITHOUT CEASING
ii. IT IS USED OF A HORSE AT FULL GALLOP OR AN ATHLETE STRAINING AND STRETCHING FORWARD TO BE THE FIRST TO BREAK THE TAPE
iii. TO LOVE HORIZONTALLY IS HARD WORK, AS WE WILL SE MORE OF A LITTLE LATER.
d. OUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER IS TO BE THE FIRST THING WE DO FOR ONE ANOTHER BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE
i. THE PHRASE IS “ABOVE ALL”
ii. IT MEANS BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE
1. IT IS A MARKER OF POSITION – BEFORE OR IN FRONT OF
2. IT IS A MARKER OF A POINT IN TIME – BEFORE OR EARLIER THAN
3. IT IS A MARKER OF PRECEDENCE OR IMPORTANCE – MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL
PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS KIND OF LOVING FOLLOWS THE PATTERN SET BY JESUS
MARK 12:28–34 ONE OF THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW CAME AND HEARD THEM DEBATING. NOTICING THAT JESUS HAD GIVEN THEM A GOOD ANSWER, HE ASKED HIM, “OF ALL THE COMMANDMENTS, WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT?” 29“THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE,” ANSWERED JESUS, “IS THIS: ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL, THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE. 30LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ 31THE SECOND IS THIS: ‘LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ THERE IS NO COMMANDMENT GREATER THAN THESE.” 32“WELL SAID, TEACHER,” THE MAN REPLIED. “YOU ARE RIGHT IN SAYING THAT GOD IS ONE AND THERE IS NO OTHER BUT HIM. 33TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ALL BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES.” 34WHEN JESUS SAW THAT HE HAD ANSWERED WISELY, HE SAID TO HIM, “YOU ARE NOT FAR FROM THE KINGDOM OF GOD.” AND FROM THEN ON NO ONE DARED ASK HIM ANY MORE QUESTIONS.
e. WHEN WE LOVE IN THIS MANNER, THIS LOVING COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS
i. PROVERBS 10:12 HATRED STIRS UP DISSENSION, BUT LOVE COVERS OVER ALL WRONGS.
ii. NOWHERE IN SCRIPTURE DO WE FIND WHERE LOVE EVER CONDONES SIN. GOD WITH THE GREATNESS OF HIS LOVE NEVER DOES THAT.
iii. OUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER CAN OVERLOOK IRRITATING HABITS, AND FORGIVE OTHERS WHO HAVE HURT US – AS OFTEN AS NECESSARY
iv. BELIEVERS HAVE THE ABILITY TO FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER AS CHRIST FORGAVE THEM.
v. THINK OF YOUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER AS A SHOCK ABSORBER THAT BOTH CUSHIONS AND SMOOTHS OUT THE BUMPS AND IRRITATIONS CAUSED AT TIMES BY OTHER BELIEVERS
WELL, IF IT IS REALLY POSSIBLE TO DO ALL OF THAT IN LOVING ONE ANOTHER DEEPLY, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE?
III. WAYS TO SHOW LOVE TO ONE ANOTHER – THERE MAY BE MORE, BUT LET ME GIVE YOU 5 THAT I SEE IN OUR TEXT
a. PRAYING: PRAYING FOR GUIDANCE AND COMPASSION AS YOU EVANGELIZE WILL STRENGTHEN YOUR RESOLVE. PRAYING FOR YOUR ENEMIES WILL PREVENT HARDNESS OF HEART DURING DIFFICULT TIMES.
b. SACRIFICE: SACRIFICE PUTS THE NEEDS OF ANOTHER AHEAD OF YOUR NEEDS. IT MAY BE SIMPLE OR GREAT, BUT IT ALWAYS NEEDS TO BE DONE HUMBLY.
c. SHOW GRACE: SHOWING GRACE TO OTHERS BY FORGIVING IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE FORGIVENESS JESUS GAVE US. WE PROMISE TO FORGIVE EVERY TIME WE PRAY THE OUR FATHER.
d. GIVING OF TIME, TALENT AND TREASURE: ALL WE HAVE WAS GIVEN TO US BY GOD. WE ARE MERELY STEWARDS OF THE TIME, TALENT AND TREASURE THAT WE HAVE. OUR PURPOSE IS TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN US TO ADVANCE HIS KINGDOM.
e. SHARING THE GOSPEL: SHARING THE GOSPEL IS THE HARDEST PART FOR MOST PEOPLE, BUT IT’S THE BEST WAY TO SHOW CHRISTLIKE LOVE.
SO WITH THE COMING OF VALENTINE’S DAY, WHY DON’T YOU TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO CHECK YOUR VERTICAL AND YOUR HORIZONTAL LOVE LIFE.
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE REMINDER OF THIS, SO AT THE END OF THE SERVICE I NEED YOU TO COME UP TO THE FRON BECAUSE I HAVE A GIFT FOR EACH OF YOU. AND BRING THOSE TICKETS.
THEN IF YOU DO NOT MIND, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A GROUP PHOTO FOR OUR FACEBOOK PAGE,
Valentine;s Day
