View Resource Online
Lesson 5: Love – Bang Bang – Clang Clang
1 Cor 13:1-3
13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
KJV
· Today we are finishing up a series, that I have really enjoyed teaching. This has been a very important series, which followed the “Getting To Know Him Series”, we have been doing on Wednesday night. To Know Jesus means that we will take on some of His attributes and the highest attribute on His list is Love.
· The main question that I have used through out the study is, “how did Jesus show Love?” The ultimate goal of any Christian is to love like Jesus and so we would need to study the gospels to see how he showed His Love.
Love Is The Nature Of God
1 John 4:8, 16
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
KJV
· Love is the nature of God. If you don’t have Love then you don’t know God. John is basicly saying the same thing Paul said in 1 Corinthian 13. No Love, then you are just noisy and incomplete.
· Taking on the nature of God is key to our completeness in Him.
· 1 John begins out by dealing with false prophets who are denying that Jesus was the flesh of God. John says, “Try their Spirit to see if they are of God.” When we get to verse 7 we find that John is saying that Love is the key to knowing who knows God.
· He begins by telling us try the Spirit, and then he spends the rest of the chapter dealing with Love. John says that it’s clear that they are not speaking by the Spirit and the way I know this, is they are denying the nature of God which was in Jesus Christ…LOVE
· When you deny love to someone, you are denying them the true power of the Cross. God is Love…Jesus died because of love…Everything we do, must be done through Love…
· When we deny love we are taking away their chance to experience the cross of Christ. ***We are not saved so that we can speak in tongues, prophesy, heal etc…We are saved so that we can show others the way to the cross***
Love Is The Attribute of God
1 John 4:12
12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
NIV
· John saying that we may not see Him face to face in the flesh, but when we have Love, we are taking on the attributes of God which turns our outward appearance of flesh into a manifestation God’s power.
· People will know that you have been with Jesus, because of the love you show toward others.
1 Cor 13:12
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.
NIV
· Paul says, it’s a poor reflection without love, but when I have love, then I shall have a face to face expression of God.
· Sinners will only see the partial things of God when we don’t have Love. The way we reach the sinner, we have to show them love, because it is love that reflects the attributes of God.
· Again, I will say, that the best way to be holy is to Love, because our goal is to be like Him and John clearly states that God is LOVE!
Love Shows Who You Follow
John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
KJV
· Jesus is telling the disciples that if you don’t love one another, then you can’t be my disciple. Jesus is telling us, “Love is what I am, it’s what I do.” If you don’t have Love for each other, then you are just bang bang – clang clang…
· It is a proven fact that people leave churches because the lack of Love.
· If we love people as Christ loved people then there will not have to be much convincing, because Jesus said, “by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples”.
Love Shows That We Walk In The Spirit
Gal 5:22-26
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
KJV
· Paul is telling the Gentile church in Galatia that the law is good, but the Spirit can do what the law could never do. The law can guide you to live righteous, but the Spirit makes you righteous.
· In dealing with this in verse 13 – 26 he concludes by saying that the fruit of the Spirit is love… Now I know that he uses a whole lot of others things, but we are in a series on love so I want to deal with just this word.
· Paul says, if we live in the Spirit, let’s walk in the Spirit. Don’t just say you’ve received the Holy Ghost, show that you have the Holy Ghost.
· He finishes the chapter up by saying, don’t be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, or envying one another.
· The Spirit is not going to seek glory for yourself, nor is it going to provoke the brother or sister of the church. It’s not going to envy…The Spirit sounds much like Love…
· That’s because it is love…God is Love and that Spirit we take on is of God…
Brotherly Love Is The Beginning
Rom 12:9-10
10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
NIV
Heb 13:1
13:1 Keep on loving each other as brothers.
NIV
Gal 6:10
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
NIV
· The Scripture tells us that we should love each other…yeah that may be hard, but you have to love the person that sits on the other side of the church. It’s part of being a family of God.
· If you can’t love people of the faith, how can you love sinners?
Love Your Enemies
Matt 5:43-48
44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
NIV
· This one is hard. You mean I have to love my enemies. That person that took advantage of me…Yep!
· Love has no boundaries. If you are going to be complete in Him, you must love the way he loved and that even means loving those who may despitefully use you.
Conclusion
· Love is powerful. It has the power to change this church into a revival church that will tap into it’s full potential.
· I challenge you to begin looking at your life and asking the question. Do I love the way Jesus loved?
