Ep 470 | Love - Chris Jones 7/24/22

Our lesson is simply entitled love.

In fact, we're going to be focusing on First Corinthians,

the 13th chapter and we're going to read just a few verses.

What I'd like to do is I'd like to break down Verses 4 through

8. We often read the chapter of

love as it is called and as we read this and we talked about

it, we typically talk about the context.

We talk about the end of the chapter.

By love, will never cease. We talked about various things,

but what I want to do this morning, Because I want to focus

of how these definitions. The attributes of Love, apply to

you. And me, I think that's really

important. How do they act out in our lives

today? Not just how it applied to them,

but how does it apply to us? This moment and as a way of

introduction like to read from Hebrews the sixth chapter and

verses 1, the Bible says therefore leaving the discussion

of the elementary principles of Christ.

Let us go to on to Perfection not laying again, the foundation

of repentance. It's from dead works of Faith

towards God and I hope by the end of this lesson.

This verse will make sense to you.

What it means is that we're not going to talk about the very

basics of Christianity, but we're going to go on to

Perfection when it go on to completion and I think loves one

of those ways that we do that. If you would turn your Bibles

over to 1st Corinthians, the 13th chapter and verses for like

to read these verses as a way of kind of focusing.

What we're about to do. First Corinthians 13, starting

in verse 4. Love suffers long and is kind

love does not envy. Love does not parade itself, is

not puffed up. Does not behave itself.

Does not behave rudely, does not seek its own is not provoked,

thinketh no evil does not rejoice in iniquity, but

rejoices in the truth Bears, all things believes all things,

hopes all these endures, all things love Never fails.

And so these are the attributes. I'd like to break down to be

completely honest with you. I don't think I'm going to get

through them all. It's a lot of information here

to be talked about but I I want everyone to know at the end of

this I want to give a little test to us.

It's a love test. Now don't be alarmed.

I'm not gonna hand out papers. I'm not going to answer you, ask

you to give me answers, but I am going to give you a test and I

want you to answer it within yourself.

Do you? Show love as a Christian and so

the first characteristic of love says that love suffers long.

Well, the tells us a great wealth of information.

First of all, it tells us that love is patient.

The patient's is a very difficult thing to have

sometimes especially when you're going through hard times, but it

also has a deeper meaning, it means to be long tempered that's

a word. We don't really use an English

being long temper. What does that mean?

Mean, well, it's the opposite of what it means to be

short-tempered, we know what it is to have that person in our

life that short-tempered right. You don't want to go ask him a

question. You don't want to go around him

because well, he's short-tempered, he's gonna get

mad, you know. Have you ever seen somebody like

that? That really short-tempered.

They tried to show you something.

I know a number of people at work like this, they show you

something that just expect you to remember the 30 steps and he

just showed you and when you ask them a question to get all

irritated at you, The first characteristic of love says that

it is long tempered. It's the opposite of this.

It is patient with people. Remember that verse in Matthew

18? 22 it says how often should we

forgive our brother? Remember that verse that little

Parable? Jesus gives Peter said well I

have four shot, forgive my brother seven times.

Jesus said no, Seventy Times Seven, he goes on and gives a

parable. They simply means that we had to

forgive people numbers of times and limited amount just like

Christ forgives us, our God, forgives us and say how hard it

is when somebody does something ill against us to forgive them.

It's hard, isn't it? I don't know about you but when

somebody does something that I feel that is unjust and and it

hurts my feelings, it is hard to be long tempered.

But the Bible says that Christians are long tempered we

consider, we weigh the facts. We endure, no matter what is

going on or surrounding us. We are patient.

James says, like this and I love James, James is such a practical

letter. I love how direct and blunt

James writing is James Wanted for says, but let patience have

her perfect work that ye may be perfect, and complete lacking

nothing. See love is absolute patience.

And so with that comes kindness and all the other attributes

we're about to talk about. So the very first attribute of

love is kind of an encompassing idea of everything else that's

about to follow. So the question is are we

patient? When we're in a situation that

is beyond our control, you know, I was trying to think of a real

good example of this. Think of a concentration camps

during World War 2. You can kiss, all you could say

well those people had long-suffering.

Well yes that's true. That was very difficult for

those people to go through that. but what this is talking about

is, when you're in that situation, you choose To be

long-suffering you choose how you behave.

You don't get mad or frustrated, No Matter What man does to you,

no matter how they treat you. This is the characteristic of

love and I think out of all the ones that we're going to speak

about this is probably one of the most difficult ones who

achieve because it requires a great deal of self-control.

These verses go on and it says that love is kind.

Now I've heard this idea that Christians had to be kind and I

to be honest with you, I started trying to think of examples and

I started looking up definitions and I was like, well what does

it really mean to be kind, does it mean trying to please other

people? Is that what kindness is?

Well, no. Does it mean that we need to

give gifts or to do good things to people, expecting something

in return? Is that what kindness is?

I don't think so. So what does it mean to be kind?

What does it mean to have the characteristics of love of

kindness? Well, it means to be mellowed.

Hints love is not sharp tongue. Love is soft-spoken and it is

considerate of people. Now I want to Define what I mean

by this, because I really struggled with this, with myself

of trying to find what it really means to be kind.

And I think a lot of times we mix kindness up with being the

nice guy, and let me explain this being the nice guy.

That's the person that really does.

Nice things for selfish reasons. He's the person that won't tell

you when you're doing something wrong because he would be afraid

to hurt your feelings. The relationship.

He's the person that maybe we'll give a gift expecting something

in return. He's the person at work.

That always is Buddy buddies with everybody but you can tell

he's in sincere. In other words it comes from a

selfish act. That is not what Paul is

speaking about here. What are you speaking about?

Is the opposite Kindness is something we do because we

choose to do it. It is not done because it

benefits Us in some way we do it because it's the right thing to

do. So what does that mean?

What means that when we pay somebody a compliment we mean it

when we go and help somebody move or help somebody do this or

that, whatever it maybe we don't do it expecting something in

return. That's kindness.

Now that's a hard thing to do because it requires being

patient. Doesn't not the greatest example

of this is the Good Samaritan. Even call that parable of Jesus

giving about the Good Samaritan. Now there's a whole wealth of

information is lessons on lessons.

You can talk about here, but there was three men who walked

by this man, that was suffering. The first one, paid no attention

to him. The second said that he examined

it enough to kind of know what was going on and chose not to

help and he went on, but what the third guy do?

Well, you helped him. He picked him up.

He took him to an end. He gave money, he said, take

care of this, man. Here's a lump sum of money.

If it requires more money, when I get back, it doesn't matter.

Do what you can to help this, man.

Now, that's real kindness. He had preparation.

He was ready to do, right by God.

And he expected nothing in return.

Matthew 7 verses 12, he says therefore whatever you want man

Matthew 7:12

to do to. You do also to them for, this is

the law in the prophet. That's the golden rule of

Christianity, treat other people as you want to be treated treat

people with kindness because that's the attribute of love.

He goes on and I think out of all the lists that he gives

here, this is probably the worst one and he says love does.

Not envy. Now, if you're sitting here

today, you think you can be a little envious of somebody just

a little bit and still be a Christian.

I have another thing coming for you What does it mean to Envy is

jealousy, bitterness. Its hatred of prosperity of

other people. That's literally what means to

be envious. Now doesn't sound like those are

things that a Christian should be is, does it not it's the

opposite of contentment? People who feel this way, we'll

never find happiness. I can promise you that there was

much psychology around this idea and they will never be content

and that's the idea of being a Christian is being content.

Whether we're poor or Rich, no matter what I want in life is

where to be content and so we as Christians are not envious.

See the problem with being Envy it's we start looking externally

as set of internally and when we start looking at other people,

we start evaluating what their prosperity and things like this.

There's a problem there's a fundamental problem with this.

We're not comparing Apples to Apples.

I'm not you, you're not me. We're not the same people we

did. We weren't raised the same.

We don't come from the same background.

We don't have the same network. We're different.

And when we start looking to other people to solve our

problems that we'll only if I had this only, if this happened

we run into a real problem because that's kind of the root

of where jealousy comes from. James says it like this Jamie

says and 3 verse 16 says, for envy and self-seeking exist,

confusion and every evil things are there and how true of a

story that is Romans 1 and 29. Listen to this, I love this

because this is what God thinks about being Envy.

The envious Romans 129 says being filled with all

unrighteousness. He's listening off of a list of

sins here. All unrighteousness sexual

immorality wickedness covetousness, maliciousness full

of envy Do you know what the next word is murder?

The very next word is murder. God sees no different from us.

Being full of envy and murdering someone.

There is no difference in God's sight.

Well, let's give it an example of this, and then we'll move on.

We all remember that story back in the Old Testament of Cain and

Abel, right? Cain became jealous of his

brother and it welled up in him. He was looking externally trying

to figure out. Well, why am I not Prosper?

Prospering like my brother is why don't I have those things?

Why don't I have favored in God's sight, he knew what he

should be doing when you read and you kind of study that help

came knew what he should be doing.

He fact he had a conversation with God and he wasn't satisfied

with what God had to tell him. God.

Basically, you know, you look within stop looking without the

Bible says that his countenance fell, he became long face, he

became sad And boiled up a bitterness jealousy, and came to

a point that he murdered his brother.

There's pause and think about that for just a moment.

I'm close with my family, I don't know about you, but I'm

close with my brothers. I could never imagine being so

jealous of somebody else's Prosperity that I would murder

them, especially my brother He goes on and he says, love does

not parade itself. That is that love does not

boast. Love does not boast or brag

about itself really. This is the outward appearance

of the next point which is the idea of Pride.

So this is pride boiled up to the point that you think other

people should hear what you have to say and see your

accomplishment. That's what it means to be

boasting or to be bragging. It is the opposite of humility.

It's the complete opposite. Humility means to understand

your shortcomings and to overcome your pride.

I don't know if you've ever done that before, sit down, and

really evaluated yourself, and said, Where's my shortcomings?

Where's my problems? You know, it's really easy to

point a finger at somebody like this is it.

Well, you got this problem. You've got that for all.

I see that but I tell you it is much more difficult to point

your finger up yourself and see your own faults.

Because you have to admit, you are wrong, and that's a hard

thing for us to do. And so Paul says that love is

not boastful, does not brag it evaluates itself and it realizes

his shortcomings. And when you do that, let me

tell you, it's nearly impossible to brag.

Humility means to be powerful, but in control, I pause and

think about this Christians and all of their being bring their

mind, the body, their actions, everything about us.

We bring in subjection. Not only to ourselves but to

God's word. If you think that's an easy

thing to do, you got another thing coming, it's hard to

change your mindset, it's hard to change your language.

It's hard to change your behavior, it's not easy.

Christians are really some powerful people.

If you look at it that way, Jesus being the most powerful

person to ever exist yet, he was the humblest person, harmonious

human being that will ever be Humility.

Is control over what you have and realizing your shortcomings.

Proverbs 16:18, says Pride goes before the destruction, a

Proverbs 16:18

haughty spirit before the fall and true.

That is James. Once again, one of my favorite

letters. James 4:16.

James 4:16

Says but now, your boast, your boast, in your arrogance, all

such boasting is evil. Boasting is an evil thing and it

is not what God wants for you. And I It's when our pride builds

up and it explodes in an outward appearance.

And you know, these people every time you talk to him, they'll

tell you about their prosperity, you have met those people.

No matter what's going on, they'll find a way to fit in

hola. I landed this till, oh, I did

this. So I got in with this person ol,

I sold this famous person shook their hand.

They'll do something to tell you about the great works.

Because they think they're so important.

The Bible says love does not parade itself.

That is that love does not brag the root of this is the next

point that Paul makes it says love is not puffed up, that

means literally to blow oneself up.

It is pride at its root. The word refers to in an

inflated concept of One's Own importance.

That's really what it is. You think yourself more

important than what you are. That's Pride.

That's what it means to be. Puffed up.

Hey, so the Bible says here, that love does not do that.

That is not our characteristic. So not only does the Bible can

dim the outward appearance of boasting or Pride but it also

condemns the inward feeling of pride.

Listen to what Romans 12 and 3 says in the middle there, he

says, not to think of yourself more highly than you want to,

and that's true. We need to take a hard look at

ourselves. When we start thinking, we're

special, or we start thinking, we got everything figured out or

that we start thinking that, you know.

Look at me. We have another thing coming.

Like I said, this is the source of where bragging comes from.

Think about it from this perspective. these people had

spiritual gifts because Paul is talking to a congregation and

these people had, you know, the power of tongues the power of

knowledge, the power of healing, all these spiritual gifts, And

some did it? And Paul is telling them look,

especially Geo to those who have spiritual gifts.

Don't be proud of it. Don't think of yourself more

highly than you ought to. I'll bring that in today just

because we're educated just because we're no more of the

Bible are just because we know more of life does not mean that

we should think of ourselves higher than we ought to we're

all the same in God's sight. An example of this, in the

somebody I work with some time ago, I'll never forget this guy.

It was a co-worker once he'd walk around with his chest.

Puffed out his shoulders back, his nose slightly in the air and

every time he spoke to you he just spoke down to you.

If you have met somebody like that, just nothing.

Everything that comes out of their mouth.

No matter how innocent it makes sound was always talking down to

you as he was better. And it was no small thing in the

office. Everybody knew this guy.

In fact, he himself joked about him being prideful if you don't

know me, I'm a very curious person.

I like to ask questions and so I must have added up one time and

I decided I was going to go ask him why he was like this and so

I got them alone. I said, why do you why are you

so prideful? Why are you like this?

What's the point? I'll never forget this response.

He said, I act this way because I deserve respect and that's

what he thought of himself. I deserve respect.

Here's the fact. The man was not respectable,

that's why no one showed him respect.

And if you're walking around with pride in your life, let me

tell you. People can see it and they

understand it. And you will not be respected in

Man's eyes or in God's eyes, but we walk around with pride.

The Bible goes on here and it says does not behave itself,

Ruth, Lee. This is a big one because I've

ran into this. I'll tell you I came from the

world 15 years ago and I've had some mean, things done to me

before I became a Christian, but the most hurtful things that

have ever happened to me came from my fellow Christians.

Being rude. What does it mean to be rude to

be rude? Love does not conduct yourself

in a way that is contrary to. What is acceptable?

So, it's a little bit more than just plain being rude.

It really means not to do something that is to the

contrary to what is acceptable by most people.

Now that plays out in various of ways in our life, it simply

means to be unseemly. It is disgraceful.

Dishonorable disrespectful. It is somebody who doesn't care?

What? Others think?

I remember a story that a preacher told me one time and I

hope this is not a I really do. I don't think so if anybody in

here but I hope it's not us. I'm not going to give names, I

don't want anybody to know what I'm talking about, but this

preacher was holding a gospel meeting.

And a bunch of the Brethren decided Saturday morning, they

were going to get together and go to the Cracker Barrel.

They were all going to have coffee together and they would

just going to have a good time. So the big old long table of all

these men got together and they all have coffee.

Now, this place was absolutely packed.

Evidently there were a number of people who decided not to show

up to work that happens from time to time.

And so these young lady was the only one of the only server

there and she was running around with her head cut off like a

chicken. She was trying to get plates

out. She was trying to fill coffee.

Now, here's the sad part of the story, and Elder of this

congregation was sitting at this table.

And he didn't think his coffee was getting filled fast enough

and he called this young lady over and he, let her know what

he thought about his coffee, not being filled.

She went away crying and left. Whatever he said hurt her so

much as she broke down in tears and left.

Listen, Matthew 5:14 says, you are the light of the world.

Matthew 5:14

A city that is set on a hill. Cannot be hid. you know, the sad

part of that story is That man ruined his opportunity to save

that soul. Because he was rude.

And how sad it with us when we are rude.

And when we behave in an unacceptable manner, Because we

think more highly. Or whatever.

The reason. How sad that is when we hide our

light, we hide our faith. And there is no way that young

lady thought he was a Christian because he was rude.

I'll move on here and it says in these verses says does not seek

its own that, is that love is not selfish.

Selfish person is not conduct. A seven person is only concerned

about his own pleasures and his own desires and its own

gratification. He doesn't care about other

people. He doesn't look to other people

love on the other hand, considers the wants and needs of

others. That's do, we consider the wants

and needs of the people around us.

Do we put other people first before ourselves?

Are we that type of person that doesn't really care what people

think? I've heard many people, I'll be

honest with you, I used to be that way.

I don't really care what people think, we should care what

people think we shared should care how people perceive us.

We should care about us being selfish or not selfish.

This generation that you and I lived on live in is the me

generation. Everything about the generation

that we live in right now. Everything on TV all the

advertisements, all the philosophies is all about me.

That's the world we live in. We're taught this from a little

kid. What do we tell our children?

Go get the best job. Go get the best education.

Go get the best car. The best house, the best things.

Me, me me you're receiving so bad that the bank's advertise

credit cards for vacations. Think about that going into debt

to go on a vacation. That's a me generation and it's

a sad thing that happens to people.

You never happened a little early on in this letter here and

Corinthians the 6th chapter. We would call just a little

while before this the Brethren were suing one another and it

got so bad that they were going into the community and a

community recognize that these brother were having all kinds of

conflict. And what did Paul tell them?

And some he said stop being selfish.

Maybe take the wrong maybe as they say knuckle under who cares

and move on. The world sees what you're

doing. Sees that you're being selfish.

And that's not right. That's not considerate, and

that's not okay. Love, considers the actions.

And the of light that love considers, the actions of itself

in light of what the world thinks about it.

Love does not seek its own next lie.

I'm going to speed this along here nextly.

The Bible says that love is not provoked.

That is that love does not get angry easily.

Now, here's another hard thing because I know a lot of people

get angry very easily. Have you ever seen someone that

is mad all the time? They just walk around angry

frustrated, something with the enema, just irritating.

It seems like they have a chip on their shoulder, doesn't it?

I think there's something special.

They are bitter. And no matter how small of

wrongdoing that is done. They are frustrated by it.

And see the Bible says that we are.

Not like that. When wrongdoing happens to us,

we don't become bitter over it. We don't become angry and

frustrated over it. We have a different attitude, we

have a different demeanor. Have you ever seen a 60 year old

man? This is the story that reminds

me of this in line at a, I don't know.

Walmart or something like that. Well, I seen at one time this

man at Walmart, I think he was 60 65 years old.

I don't know exactly how old he is.

But he was standing in line. He was yelling at this person

behind the cash register because he thought they should be able

to change the price of something as if they had that power.

Now, here's a man that supposed to be tempered aged supposed to

be mature. Have all those things that when

company age, right? But he demonstrated.

None of them, man. He was mad as Nels at this

person. He was going off.

Let me tell you something about anger.

Anger is not something you inherit as my cat has 23 toes.

No, no. Love is something you learn.

And just as fast as you learn to be angry and learn to get

frustrated, you need to unlearn it.

And that is hard to do and it is not easy.

But the Bible says that love is not easily provoked.

I want to make one point on this, and the reason why I think

it's so dangerous for us to get frustrated, be better, and to

get angry at things. What is the most powerful weapon

in the world? Think about it for a moment.

Did you say the nuclear bomb? That's what I said.

Let me tell you there's a weapon more powerful than nuclear bomb.

And that's our tongue. It's the most dangerous thing.

That man, man has It has moved and reshaped this world multiple

times. It has killed more people than

anything else and it is more dangerous than anything you

could ever imagine. And when you get angry and when

you're bitter, when you walk around for chip on your

shoulder, guess what? You're going to build that

weapon wrong and you're gonna hurt somebody in ways that you

don't want to hurt someone, we need to be mindful the way that

we talk the way that we act, because it has impact on this

world and on one another We thank you for listening to our

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