The Acid Test Of Love!

THE ACID TEST OF LOVE?

LOVE THE HARD TO LOVE PEOPLE! LOVE NEVER FAILS!

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

I. HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO DEFINE LOVE?

A. Of all the words in the dictionary, the most poorly defined word is LOVE.

B. LOVE:

Deep affection, fondness.

Sweetheart, beloved one, delight in, admire, like very much, passion for something.

C. Then there is what some call a "LOVE-HATE RELATIONSHIP?"

This is two people involving ambivalent or conflicting feelings for each other.

1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

II. JESUS ASKED PETER A POWERFUL QUESTION: LOVEST THOU ME?

What you love --- you will find time for --- ?

A. Seems Peter had been boasting how much more he loved Jesus than the rest?

B. Yet Peter chided, corrected and debated with God’s son more than any other disciple.

C. Peter denied the very son of God 3 times? 3 times he is asked?

John 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou

knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?

Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me?

And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

D. FEED: SHEPHERD NOT A COWBOY!

To take care of, to guide, lead, defend, to be a shepherd for HIS LAMBS.

E. Could our love be measured by how we feed others?

F. JESUS SAYS FEED:

1. MY LAMBS --- young, tender, mild gentle.

2. MY SHEEP --- bashful, timid, thick woolly coat

G. IN ENGLISH LOVE CAN MEAN MANY THINGS?

Puppy love? Friend? Brother? Marriage?

IN THE BIBLE THERE ARE THREE LOVES:

1. EROS --- appeal to the eye,to the five senses, desire for pleasure.

2. PHILEO --- brother, friendship, to like, to be fond of,

3. AGAPAO ---ardently, supreme, perfect,

H. PETER HAS HAD TO ANSWER 3 TIMES, YES, LORD, I LOVE YOU.

LORD --- YOU KNOW.

I. WE FIND JESUS’ DEEP LOVE IS IN COORELATION WITH OUR LOVE.

Proverbs 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

III. LOVE HAS A WRITTEN GUARANTEE --- LOVE CAN NEVER FAIL.

A. We have a written promise and assurance that love will never fail.

LOVE, KEEP LOVING, AND NEVER MOVE AWAY FROM LOVE INTO BITTERNESS, HATRED OR STRIFE!

1 Cor. 13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge,

it shall vanish away.

1 Cor. 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

B. There is only one successful way to get rid of an enemy, make him your friend.

C. You can give without love,

but you can never love without giving.

D. Love is an action word, it is much more than a strong emotion!

E. AS PAUL HAS HIS PEN IN HIS HAND AND IS MOVING UNDER THE MIGHTY ANOINTING OF GOD’S SPIRIT, PAUL WRITES THE TWO GREATEST CHAPTERS IN THE BIBLE ON THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS.

1 Corinthians 12 and 1 Corinthians 14 are master pieces dealing with the SPIRITUAL GIFTS WITHIN THE CHURCH.

F. For some reason, we believe the anointing, as Paul closes Chapter 12, he writes one of the most POWERFUL CHAPTERS OF THE BIBLE ON THE BEAUTY OF REAL LOVE.

BETWEEN CHAPTER 12 AND 14, PAUL’S PEN FLOWS TO THE SUBJECT OF LOVE.

G. WE CALL THIS THE LOVE SANDWICH, FOR GOD’S GIFTS ARE LIMITED WITH OUT THE PROPER ATTITUDES SUBMITTED IN LOVE.

H. GOD’S WONDERFUL SPIRITUAL GIFTS LOOSE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IF THEY TRY TO OPERATE WITHOUT THE REALM OF LOVE.

IV. WHAT IS THE GREATEST ACT OF LOVE?

LOVE IS THE SUPREME VIRTUE!

A. Sometimes where there is love you might see someone holding hands?

B. Some might think the kiss is a great act of love?

Ask Samson about Delilah’s kiss?

Ask Jesus about the kiss Judas gave in the garden?