True Love Series

Alliance Church

Pastor David Welch

“Learning to Love”

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” "By this(mutual love) all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:31-35

Long-tempered Short-tempered

Kind Apathetic or cruel

Supportive of others Jealous of others

Determined to build up others Determined to build up self

Tolerant of the actions of others Provoked by the actions of others

Talks about the qualities of others Talks about their own qualities

Acts thoughtfully Acts shamefully

Seeks to satisfy others Seeks to satisfy self

Forgives and overlooks other’s offenses Tracks other’s offenses

Rejoices in truth Rejoices in evil

Protects all Reveals all

Believes all Questions all

Hopes for the best Expects the worst

Endures difficulty Evades difficulty

Always lasts and never fails Quits

According to Romans 12 unhypocritical love demonstrates itself by…

Abhorring whatever is evil

Clinging to whatever is good

Loving one another warmly as your own family

Preferring one another in honor

Not being slothful or lazy

Being fervent in spirit as if serving the Lord

Rejoicing in hope

Persevering in tribulation

Devoting ourselves to prayer

Contributing to the needs of the saints

Practicing hospitality

Unhypocritical love…

Blesses & doesn’t curse those who persecute you

Rejoices with those who rejoice

Weeps with those who weep

Thinks properly toward one another

• Thinking the same toward one another avoiding favoritism.

• Not thinking too high but thinking that includes the lowly as vital to the whole.

• Not thinking I have all the answers but listening to others opinions

Responds properly to evil

• Never pays back evil for evil to anyone

• Does not be overcome by evil with good.

• Respects others

• Meets the basic needs even of one’s enemies

• Lets God handle the revenge business

• Lives in peace with all men as far as possible.

Submits to earthly authorities

Owes nothing but to love

Loves our neighbors as ourselves

Responds properly to the weaker brother

• Accepts

• Does not judge

• Bears their weakness

Seeks to build up one another

Accepts others as Christ accepted us

General thoughts about love

• God considers belief in Jesus and love for one another priority commands 1Jn 3:21-24

Faith and love! Paul persistently praised the church for their faith in Christ and love for one another. These are the essential elements of a pleasing walk.

• Love always seeks to build other up. 1 Cor 8:1

Whereas knowledge makes one arrogant and self-centered, love seeks to build others up.

• Love seeks to raise others to higher levels of life Eph 2:4-7

It was God’s love that motivated Him to raise us from a state of death and alienation in order to seat us with Christ in the heavenlies. Love is the opposite of competition that tries to be better than others. Love seeks to bring others to an equal level and works to raise them up.

• Love treats others well Rom 13:10

• Love is an eternal debt that sums up the intent of the whole law and is the great commandment. Rom 13:8-10; Gal 5:14; Matt 5:43-47;James 2:8-13

There are so many passages that decree love as the fulfillment and embodiment of God’s law. If you love, you fulfill the law. The Law is an expression of God’s character who is love.

• Love includes emotion Mark 10:21 “Jesus felt a love for the rich man.

Lest we give the impression that this kind of love is soley a n act of the will a decision without emotion. Although this love is primarily a decision of the will it is not without feeling. Jesus felt a love for the rich man.

• Love is the overcoat of character for the Christian “beyond all these things put on love” Col 3

In a comprehensive list of virtues or character to put on or wear Paul concludes with the overcoat of love. “Beyond all these things (like a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you) put on love! Notice there is a sense of personal responsibility implied here. Just as we are to put off the things that drive us apart, we are to put on the things that draw us together.

• Love is to be the guiding factor of our everyday walk Eph 5:1-2 “walk in love.”

• Everything we do is to be done because of our love for God and others.

• Love’s sacrificial nature motivates us to minister to others. 2 Cor 5:14-16

Paul said it was the love of Christ that controlled him, motivated him to minister to others.