The Love Of God-1

The LOVE Of GOD-I—1Corinthians 13:1-13

Attention:

Valentine’s Day is upon us, & our society is confused about the meaning of ‘love’, because it can carry a variety of meanings. In our society ‘love’ is most often portrayed thru books, movies, & television in a sentimental sense or a romantic & sexual sense. But it is also occasionally presented in a self-giving manner, which is closest to the biblical reality.

Need:

To know & apply God’s self-giving love, so as to prevent anything less from taking it’s place in our lives.

•“Self-giving”—Giving of yourself for the sake of another or others, rather than for yourself alone.

Paul highlighted the necessity of sacrificial love to the proper outworking of Christian living.

Sacrificial love is essential to true Christianity.

How is sacrificial love essential to the Christian faith?

*Without self-giving love, the implementation of Christianity becomes mere/empty social reform....Which the world eats-up like candy!

Php. 2:12-13—“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear & trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will & to do for His good pleasure.”

1Pet. 4:8—“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

1Tim. 1:5—“Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, & from sincere faith,”

*This entire chapter actually describes & defines agaph love with it’s results.

The following is adapted from a ‘Study Guide for 1Cor. 13’ by David Guzik(2013) at blueletterbible.org :

The ancient Greeks had four different words we could translate as love in English.

i. Eros was a Greek word, which described erotic love. It refers to sexual love. This word is not used in the Greek Scriptures.

ii. Storge was another Greek word for ‘love’. It refers to family love, the kind of love there is between a parent and child, or between family members in general. Neither is word used in the Greek Scriptures. However it’s opposite is used to describe a family member who is hard-hearted toward their kindred, or someone who is unsociable, or ‘without natural affection.’ It was also compounded with the word filov to describe the mutual fondness of love between parents & children & wives & husbands.

iii. Filia is another Greek word for ‘love’ that speaks of a brotherly friendship & affection. It is the love of deep friendship & partnership. It might be described as the highest love of which man is capable, without God’s help.

iv. Agaph is the word Paul uses for love in 1Cor. 13. It is a love that loves without changing. It is a self-giving love that gives without demanding or expecting repayment. It is love that readily reaches out to the unlovable or unappealing. It is love that loves even when it is rejected. Agape love gives because it loves; it does not love in order to receive. Unfortunately men are also said to ‘agape’(‘love’) sin & the world(Jn. 3:19 & 1Jn. 2:15).?•So agape love can be defined as a sacrificial, giving, absorbing kind of love. The word has little to do with emotion; it has much to do with self-denial for the sake of another.”

The umbrella of agaph ‘love’ presented here(1Cor. 13:1-13) is neither romantic or sexual ‘love’(erov), nor is it sentimental(pleasant feeling about someone or thing), nor is it the same as friendship or brotherly ‘love’(filia), nor is it ‘charity’(KJV) for the poor.—John MacArthur

The supreme example of agaph love is God’s agaph love toward humanity & the world, all for the sake of humanity’s & the world’s betterment.

God’s love is agaph love, & it is always a self-giving &/or sacrificial love. It is best understood through God’s exercise of it.

1—As A Christian, the Love of God must...

HUMBLE My SPEECH(:1)

Explanation/Argumentation:(:1)

:1—“Though I speak with the tongues of men & of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

For the purposes of this sermon, ‘HUMBLE’—describes a spirit of deference & submission to God.

Ps. 34:18—“The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.”

Ps. 51:17—“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken & a contrite heart-- These, O God, You will not despise.”

Isa. 66:2—“For all those things My hand has made[creation], And all those things exist,” Says the LORD. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor & of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.”

•‘Contrite’—“Feeling or expressing remorse or repentance; affected by guilt.”

• ‘The beatitudes’ are all about humility in response to God’s desire, in the face of those who disregard God altogether.