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All About Love
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Pete Briscoe of Bent Tree Bible Fellowship did a series on 1 Corinthians 13. 
Here is a recap:

1 Cor 13  (New International Version)
13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is
patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now
these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
NIV

 

Love Waits Patiently
Love is patient  Makrothumeo  Makros=A long time, prolonged restraint.  Thumos=Having a long fuse.
Having a long fuse and waiting a long time.
Pray for a long fuse -- John 15:12

 Love is kind.
To be kind, you must be active.  There is difference between knowing & showing.  Our decisions, even the small fleeting ones, tell a lot about us.  1. See the person, not the problem.  Something happens to us when people pay attention to us.  2. See the ministry, not the theology.  3. Seize the opportunity by getting dirty.  Be kind to some of God’s other kids.
 

 Love does not envy.
What:
  Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.  Jealously is protecting what “I” have.  Envy is desiring what “they” have.  David broke Commandments 5-10 in his relationship with Bathsheba.  Prov 14:30, “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones”. 
So What:  God is a jealous God, but not an envious God.  Ex. 20:5, Is 44:6 & 13-19
God isn’t envious because he knows he has the best thing.  Value the best thing over a good thing.
Now What:  Be content.  Gal 5:19-20, 22.  Value Christ above everything else.


Love Puts Others First.
What:
  Love actively puts others first.
1.        Choosing not to brag. – Stop talking about yourself
2.
        Refusing to inflate ourselves.
3.
        Allowing others to be center stage. – Stop promoting yourself
4.
        Renouncing self interests.  – Stop pleasing yourself
5.
        Resisting retaliation.  – Not easily irritated.  Willing to give up.
6.
        Keep no records of wrongs.  – Let God keep score.
          
Forgiveness – give freely whether other party sorry or not.
           Reconciliation -- given when repentance is seen!
So What:  How did Jesus demonstrate this?   Jesus constantly thought about the Father.  He always told who he healed not to tell anyone.  2 Corinthians 5:19   God nailed our scorecard to the cross.
Now What:  Flesh depends on self reliance.  Christ in you can do this.  Follow the example of Christ.


Love Rejoices in Truth            Ephesians 4:11-16
Love rejoices with the truth.  Differences between a river and a canal.  A river is formed by water following the path of least resistance.  A builder charts a course for the canal and it goes there regardless of cost or pain.  There are River people and Canal people.  The differences are their desire and ability to tell the truth.

River People

Canal People

Value peace more than truth

Risk discomfort for the truth

Delight when failure is heard

Delight when truth is told

Hide the truth about yourself

Offer the truth about yourself

Prefer to be ignorant of the truth

Desire to know full extent of the truth

Passively ignore the things not OK

Knowingly reveal the things not OK

Ephesians 4:11-16 – We grow in Christ when we receive the truth.  River people have tendency to attack when confronted.  Canal people endure the pain that the truth brings, but love becomes stronger.
 

Love Always Protects     Mark Saunders
Human Love = We love because someone is lovely or someone is loving me.
God’s Love = We love because of who He is.  Panta (Always, All Things) Stegei (Always protects)
God’s love can carry us through anything and covers us (protects us) from all things.  God wants us to love one another the way he loves us.
True Love Always
God’s direction to us, love always and anyways.  Carry people in love.
Ps 61:      Listen to people’s needs.
                Lead them to the Rock.
                Let them rest in us.
Cover people in love – like a roof.  Be a shelter and shield.  A wing for people to hide under.
1 Peter 4:8  Love covers over a multitude of sins.

Love Always Trusts            Pete Briscoe
Various commentaries say about this verse:
Love never loses faith, Giving a favorable interpretation about everything, Believing the best about everyone.
Study of Thomas in John 11:16, 14:5 and 20:24
Giving someone:

Benefit of doubt

Benefit of Grace

Benefit of Love

I choose to believe you wouldn’t do that.

I choose to believe you didn’t mean that.

I choose to keep believing in you despite that what you have done.

We need to allow Jesus to love others through us.

Love Always Hopes         Pete Briscoe
Col 1:3  'the Faith and Love that springs from the hope stored up for you in heaven.' 
Good News is that we desperately need a Savior.  Jesus is there for us.  He was crucified and shed his blood so our sins are erased.  He rose from the dead after three days and gives us abundant life.  Good News leads to hope.  We have hope, an inheritance that brings forth faith in Christ and love for other people.  Love for others comes from this hope.

Love Never Fails     John 15:12   Pete Briscoe
Sign gifts will cease when Jesus returns; but love will always last.  If love lasts forever, it is worth fighting for. 
Hosea 3:1-3  Demonstrate love always.  Show your love to others.


 

 

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