There Is No Law Against Love

I Am the Flag of the United States of America

I am the flag of the United States of America. My name is Old Glory. I fly atop the world’s tallest buildings. I stand watch in America’s halls of justice. I fly majestically over institutions of learning. I stand guard with power in the world. Look up and see me. I stand for peace, honor, truth and justice. I stand for freedom. I am confident. I am arrogant. I am proud. When I am flown with my fellow banners, my head is a little higher, my colors a little truer. I bow to no one! I am recognized all over the world. I am worshipped, I am saluted. I am loved, I am revered. I am respected, and I am feared. I have fought in every battle of every war for more then 200 years. I was flown at Valley Forge, Gettysburg, Shiloh and Appomattox. I was there at San Juan Hill, the trenches of France, in the Argonne Forest, Anzio, Rome and the beaches of Normandy. Guam, Okinawa, Korea and KheSan, Saigon, Vietnam know me. I’m presently in the mountains of Afghanistan and the hot and dusty deserts of Iraq and wherever freedom is needed. I led my troops, I was dirty, battle worn and tired, but my soldiers cheered me and I was proud. I have been burned, torn and trampled on the streets of countries I have helped set free. It does not hurt for I am invincible. I have been soiled upon, burned, torn and trampled in the streets of y country. And when it’s done by those whom I’ve served in battle, it hurts. But I shall overcome, for I am strong. I have slipped the bonds of Earth and stood watch over the uncharted frontiers of space from my vantage point on the moon. I have borne silent witness to all of America’s finest hours. But my finest hours are yet to come. When I am torn into strips and used as bandages for my wounded comrades on the battlefield, When I am flown at half-mast to honor my soldier, Or when I lie in the trembling arms of a grieving parent at the grave of their fallen son or daughter, I am proud.

There is no law against love Galatians 5:22-25

The Lord’s Supper has been called the heart of what a Christian should do in their life. This is a time that we move beyond theology, doctrine, past practice or program and enter a personal encounter with our risen lord Jesus Christ. We could call the Lord’s Supper the greatest of all sacraments because it is a time that we experience the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the precious presence of Jesus Christ.

Love is the first fruit given to us in this passage and some have said that it is the fruit of the Spirit and the rest of these fruit are a display of that love. To start we need to ask what love is. In our way of saying the word love is very different. I love my wife to I love my girlfriend, my brother or my mother. What does it mean I love America, my dog, pizza, car house, to have my back rubbed or New York. I want us to discover this morning what love is that is found in GAL 5:22. We can love something but no like it. Things that we love are government, church, sinner but we may not like them.

How are we at receiving or giving love? 1. Many think that love is a feeling. It comes like a knot in your stomach or an ocean of emotion. Love should produce a feeling. In the comic Peanuts, Linus says “She is so cute. I used to see here in S. S. class and stare at her. Some times I would see her smile, but now I hear she attends another church. That will change your theology in a hurry.” Feelings can make us do things that we would not normally do. 2. Some think that love is out of our control. Like the song “I can’t help falling in love with you.” We might hear some one say, “I fell in love, I cannot help that I am in love or I just do not love her any more.” We contrast this feeling to what Jesus said, “We are to love one another.” We are in control of whom we love.

I want to make three statements about love and then talk about 5 steps we can take to love people in the right way.

I. Love is a matter of choice. Col. 3:14 “And over all these virtues put on love. Love is a choice. It is something we have control over.