Love

The joys we can have as we know the Lord.

And we try to do little things and to be involved in His church.

!

Late on Thursday when he said that's it and all, he finally admitted that he shouldn't do this.

He listened to Jen and I think Charles had been talking to him.

I know I had been talking to him.

And finally the doctor told him, no, you shouldn't be working this weekend.

You shouldn't do that.

And Charles told me, well, I'm so sick.

He said, I can't go and speak on Sunday morning.

And I guess that left me.

So I don't know whether I was the last choice, but I'm the only one you've got this morning.

So here we go.

I woke up in the middle of the night a couple nights ago.

And it couldn't have been more than that because I haven't known more than that that I had to do this.

But with a song just in my head.

And it was the middle of the night.

And I didn't have a pen and paper.

And I went back to sleep.

And I woke up in the morning.

I knew that I'd had a song during the night.

But I still can't remember what it was.

Okay.

But it gave me the idea that what I should do this morning.

In my reading lately in the Bible, I've been in 1 Corinthians.

And if any of you know 1 Corinthians, if we get to the 13th chapter,

it's something just after I came to know the Lord that a friend pointed out to me.

They called it the love chapter.

Okay.

And when we read it, as I will here in a second,

I think you'll agree with that analogy.

And now I will show you the most excellent way.

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.

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.

If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,

but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient.

Love is kind.

It does not envy.

It does not boast.

It is not proud.

It is not rude.

It is not self-seeking.

It is not easily angered.

It keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil,

but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects,

always trusts,

always hopes,

always perseveres.

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.

For we know it,

for we know in part,

and we prophesy in part.

But when perfection comes,

the imperfect disappears.

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.

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.

And now,

these three remain.

Faith,

hope,

and love.

But the greatest of these,

is love.

When I read that,

and I have many times,

it reminds me so much,

of responsibilities that I should have.

In a loving way.

To be able to share in a loving way,

and to treat people,

properly.

The Bible,

the whole book,

to me,

is a love book.

It is filled,

with love.

God's love.

For us.

Okay.

I could ask you a question,

and I don't know whether I,

want an answer,

but think about this.

How are you going to get into heaven?

Is it because you love Jesus?

Is that how you're going to get into heaven?

Or is it because Jesus already loved you?

And I think it's got to be both.

Okay.

We can't just,

we can't do it alone.

Okay.

There's no way we can get into heaven,

without Jesus,

without God leading the way.

And God sharing,

his love.

I was happy,

the last song that Cindy played this morning.

Okay.

How deep the Father's love,

for us.

How vast,

beyond all measure.

Okay.

Love.

Never fails.

God's love.

The verses I just read,

already stated that for us.

Okay.

Love is there.

Always.

God's love never,

ever,

goes away.

But we have to remember,

as we read his word,

as we sit in a pew,

as we go about,

our day-to-day lives.

Is that we,

have a responsibility,

to share God's life,

with everybody that we know.

Okay.

I mean,

think of yourselves.

Okay.

if somebody,

hadn't shared,

God with you,

where would you be today?

Okay.

It is God reaching out to us,

with his love,

that allows us,

to love others.

It,

it actually,

tells us,

it's a responsibility,

we have,

to share.

Okay.

There goes my length.

I knew it was going to happen.

I've never worn,

one of these before.

Now I've got to remember,

how to put it back on.

I'll try this.

Where did I get it?

Is that still working?

Yes.

Okay.

Not that that would,

distract me,

but now I'll have to find,

where I wanted to go.

I have,

such a long list,

of things that I did here.

There's my notes,

for this morning.

Okay.

I,

almost thought,

that I was unprepared,

to come and speak,

this morning.

But you know,

I love,

Jesus.

I love the Lord.

He loves me.

And to be,

have the opportunity,

to talk about that love.

How can you be unprepared?

If it's here,

it's already there.

I just have to,

get it out.

I think of many things.

I asked,

I asked Colleen,

to refresh my mind,

about a story,

she told me,

years ago.

And,

a couple people in here,

will probably remember,

the name,

Jane Goodman.

Did anybody know Jane?

Okay.

Jane was from Girvin.

Her husband,

Ernie,

ran a little garage there,

farm,

did some things.

A character.

So was Jane.

But Jane loved the Lord,

and she loved teaching Sunday school.

Okay.

The little kids,

she'd bring them in,

and why not.

And there was a favorite song,

she had.

It was,

Jesus Loves Me.

And I'm sure,

we all know that song.

We've all heard it,

many times.

Okay.

Well,

the kids in the class,

year after year,

listened to Jane.

Jesus Loves Me.

Jesus Loves Me.

And they sang the song,

and Jane always led them.

Jesus Loves Me.

This I know.

Okay.

And the kids all got to know the song.

What was the name of the song?

Jesus Loves Jane.

Because that's the way she sang,

she said,

she poured it,

Jesus Loves Me.

So,

the kids,

actually,

would say,

Jesus Loves Jane.

Okay.

So when you sing a song like,

Jesus Loves,

put your own name in it.

Jesus Loves Brian.

This I know.

Jesus Loves Memphis.

Jesus Loves Judy.

Put it in your hearts.

Know

the love of God.

It's there.

It's there for us.

That's

how deep the Father's love for us.

Okay.

He sent his son.

His son died.

Okay.

For us.

God's love was there.

He died.

To save a wretch.

Like me.

Or like you.

Okay.

To give us

eternal life.

Wow.

Wow.

I wanted to.

Four different verses

came to mind

as I was

thinking about

talking about love.

One is in Matthew.

Matthew 22

Matthew 22:39

verse 39.

I just have to find

39.

Okay.

It's just before that.

Okay.

I'm going to start at 37.

It says

love the Lord your God

with all your heart

with all your soul

and with all your mind.

This is the first

and greatest commandment.

And the second

is like it.

Love your neighbor

as yourself.

So it reminds us

that what

what are we to do?

Love.

We got to love the Lord.

The first four commandments

deal with love.

The love of God.

Loving our parents.

Respecting them.

Love.

Okay.

The two greatest commandments.

The first one

love the Lord your God.

And the second one

just like it.

Love your neighbor

as yourself.

It just

tells me

that love

is that important.

The next one

I don't have to look up.

Okay.

I've got it marked here.

It's from the book of John.

It's in chapter 3.

Anybody figured it out yet?

And how about

verse 16 and 17?

I like to throw 17

into it as well.

But John 3.16

starts out

verse 16.

For God so loved the world

that he gave his

one and only son

that whoever believes in him

shall not perish

but have eternal life.

For God did not send

his son into the world

to condemn the world

but to save the world

through his son.

He loved us

that much

that he would

send his

only son.

I have an only son.

Some of you do too.

But even if it's not

your only son

if you have a son

can you imagine

intentionally

sending your son

to die

for somebody else?

I can imagine it

but boy

it

it almost

horrifies me

to think of that

to

to let

to send myself

and have

me

die for somebody

that would be alright

but not my son.

The love God

must have for us

that he would allow

that to happen.

Okay

this is going to run away

on me again.

The

how about Romans

Romans 5:8

chapter 5

verse 8

but God

demonstrates

his own love

for us

in this

while we were

still sinners

Christ died

for us.

Christ died

for me

just over

2,000 years

ago

long before

I was ever

here

but he knew

that I was

coming

and he knew

that I needed

saving.

I didn't know

I didn't know

until

I was going to say

a couple years ago

but when I

start thinking

it's

more than a couple

it's almost

half my life

ago

when I realized

how much

he loved me

and what he

wanted me

to do.

And the last

verse I'm going

to go to

is in

Mark.

It is

one of my

favorite verses

in the Bible

I have

used it

for years

when Colleen

and I

were in

camp ministry

we spoke

all over

western Canada

really

at different

churches

and what not

but this

is a verse

that I used

an awful

lot

then

and it

is

Mark

Mark 10 · chapter mention

chapter 10

starting

at

verse

13

and it

says

people were

bringing

little

children

to Jesus

to have

him touch

them

but the

disciples

rebuked

them

when Jesus

saw this

he was

indignant

he said

to them

let the

little

children

come to

me

and do

not

hinder

them

for

the

kingdom

of God

belongs

to such

as these

I tell

you the

truth

anyone

who will

not

receive

the

kingdom

of God

like a

little

child

will

never

enter

it

now

this

next

little

verse

touches

my

heart

all

the

time

it's

and he

says

and he

took

the

children

in his

arms

and put

his hands

on them

and blessed

them

he took

the children

in his

arms

he gave

them a

hug

okay

can you

imagine

that

I can

I can

almost

feel

it

okay

Jesus

giving me

a hug

okay

a hug

is one

of the

greatest

expressions

of love

that I

know

okay

it can

it can

reach really

right to

my soul

okay

I give

you a hug

when I

meet you

and I

greet you

and it's

because

I love

you

not

I try

to love

you as

much as

Christ

but that'll

never

work

I'll never

get

that good

at it

but

it's the

way

God

wants it

he wants

us to

know

that yes

we have

to love

him

but

the only

way we

can do

that

is because

he first

loved us

and he

loved us

so much

he gave

his son

for us

Jesus

loves

me

can you

put your

own name

in it

Jesus

loves

less

and

Gary

and

Simon

put our

own

names

on it

okay

let's

take

hold

of the

love

that

God

wants us

to have

and then

let's

remember

to share

that love

okay

be a

glowing

example

okay

they say

you don't

light a

light and

put it

under a

bowl

be the

light

shine

brightly

let

everybody

know

okay

how are

you today

I'm better

than I

deserve

how come

because

Jesus

loves me

okay

he died

for me

but

it's his

love

for me

that makes

it all

possible

remember

I'm going

to give

you homework

I want

you guys

to think

this week

about the

love that

God really

has for

you

okay

and do

you reciprocate

that love

all the

time

I don't

I try

to

but

let's

remember

look at

there are

so many

stories

the Bible

like it

says

is full

of it

you can

go back

to Moses

I think

God sort

of showed

his love

for the

Israelites

as he

led them

out of

Egypt

and protected

the Red

Sea

everything

that happened

God's

love

for us

to save

us

let's

remember

that love

as we go

through this

week

okay

thank you