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TRANSCRIPT
Love Never Fails (1 Corinthians 13:4-‐8a)
Preface • Talk about abortion today
• Lead with grace (Romans 5:20) The Problem • We really don’t understand love.
• John 13:35 says we will be known as Jesus’ disciples if we love one another. • But churches split; the number of divorces is the same inside the Church as it is outside;
people in the Church don’t share their pain with each other for fear of being judged. • We don’t know how to love. The Solution • Many words are used for love. God defines only one for us: agape.
• 1 Corinthians 13:4-‐8a—Love…
o Suffers a long time; pain and hardship § Being loving is different than being patient—patience is short term; love
encompasses time. § Genesis 12:2-‐4—God promised Abraham that he would be the father of a
great nation. He was 75 years old at the time. § Hebrews 6:15—Abraham, after he “patiently endured,” obtained what
God promised. § Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac is born; 175 years old when
Abraham died. § Abraham patiently endured for at least 25 years, but really 100.
o Is kind, tender
§ Even when someone is harsh toward us and causes us to suffer, we are called to be kind.
o Does not envy
o Does not parade itself and boast
o Doesn’t get puffed up with pride
§ “All of these are about me!” Love is about the other person.
o Does not behave rudely
o Does not seek its own way
o Is not provoked § I’m in control. I choose to love you, and there is nothing you can do about it. Your
behavior doesn’t dictate how I act toward you.
o Thinks no evil—how you view the object of your love § It’s often very subtle: “They don’t deserve my love,” “I don’t feel like loving
them,” “I’m tired of trying.” § Love is wanting God’s best for them. Anything less is rooted in sin.
o Does not rejoice in iniquity
§ The root word is the same as righteousness but made the opposite: unrighteousness.
§ In very subtle ways, we often rejoice in someone’s unrighteousness. It could be congratulating a young man after he spends the night with an attractive woman (iniquity), or wanting to be included in the gossip (iniquity), and many other subtle forms.
o Rejoices in the Truth § Knows what is true, is not a doormat, speaks the truth, rejoices in truth, knows
that God is Truth
o Bears ALL THINGS
o Believes ALL THINGS
o Hopes ALL THINGS
o Endures ALL THINGS § We bear and endure because we believe God is who He says He is and that He
loves us. § We have hope because we know what God has done for us through Christ. § We can bear and endure because we believe and have hope.
• This kind of love never fails. Even if the object of our love rejects us, we become more
like Christ. • This love cannot fail. • This kind of love is not easy! • But they will know we are His disciples if we love one another. • Love isn’t easy, but it’s also not optional.
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