Wednesday PM Service | What's Love got to Do With It? | Steve Denham

All right, nothing else. We'll get started.

Let's just open with a prayer. Word of prayer.

The only Father I just, I give you this evening.

Lord, it says we open your word. Father, I just pray that you

take my jumbled thoughts and just put them into a word that

people can understand. Father that you just, you speak

through me. Father, I just I, I, I, I look

at your word and I just my desire is to be your servant

Lord, to use me however you, you see fit.

Lord, I just thank you for this time and this opportunity to

just to, to be with, with my brethren in this church.

Lord, they, they are an encouragement to me.

So just bless this time in Jesus name, Amen.

So is mistaken, as I went through this, we're first John

1 John 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3, seven through 24 at the end of the chapter.

So I'm just going to read that and then we're just going to

kind of break it down. So first John chapter 3, verse

1 John 3:7

7, little children, let no one deceive you.

He who practice righteousness is righteous, and just as he is

righteous, he who sins of the devil.

For the devil has sinned from the the beginning, and for this

purpose the son of of God was manifest, that he might destroy

the works of the devil. Who has ever been born of God

does not sin, for he is the seed, for his seed remains in

him, and he cannot sin because he has been born of God.

Verse 10. And this children of in this the

children of God and the children of the devil are manifest.

Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor

is he who does not love his brother.

For this is the message that you've heard from the beginning,

that we should love one another not as Kane who was of wicked,

was of the wicked one and murdered his brother.

And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and

his brothers was righteous. Do not marvel, my brethren, if

the world hates you. We do.

We know that we have passed from death to life because we love

the brethren. He who does not love his brother

abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is is

a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life

abiding in him by this. We know love because he had laid

his life down for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for

the brethren. But whoever has this world's

goods and sees his brother in needs and shuts up his heart

from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

My little children, let us not love in the world or in tongue,

but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are

the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.

For if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts.

And knowing all things, beloved, if our hearts does not condemn

us, we have confidence towards God and whatever He asks we

receive from Him because He has kept His commandments and and do

those things that are pleasing in his sight.

And this is his commandment that we should believe in the name of

his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us

commandment. So in verse 7 he starts out that

little trailer will let no one deceive you who practice

righteousness or he who practice righteousness is righteous for

just as he is righteous he has he who sins is of the devil and

the devil is sin from the beginning for the purpose of the

son of God was manifest that he might destroy the works of the

devil. Whoever is born of God does not

sin for his seed remains in him and he cannot sin because he's

been born of God. So this sets up the idea of the

children of God. Dear John states who redefined

who is the child of God or the child of the devil through the

actions of love and righteousness.

This is the message from the beginning.

John 1334 through 35 says a new commandment I give to you that

you love one another as I have loved you and also love one

another. By this we know that you are my

disciples if you have loved one another.

And again in 1512 through 13, this is my commandment that you

love one another as I have loved you.

Greater love has no one has has no one that than this to lay

down his life for his friends. So these commandments begin to

take root in our lives as as we study them and as as we grow as

Christians. This the love of God is is is

that thing that should take root and it says it kind of says in

there. So we are both of God.

Hang on, take your lives when we are born of God, we cannot sin.

You know the perpetual life of of sin.

We cannot sin continually is what I'm trying to say You know

we make mistakes and we do things but that perpetual life

of that we lived in the past. You know, we all have that past

where what was most important, the things that we did, the

things that we, we choose to do for ourselves.

And that's where that sin comes in.

But as we, as we grow and as we, we see God, we put those things

behind us and the sin of our lives begins to fade away.

And those mistakes that we make, we, we ought to go to God.

We take them to him. We, you know, put them before

him. So we don't live in that in that

life of continual sin because that I said that love of God

begins to dwell on US. Verses 10 and 12.

Let's see here and this the children of God and the children

of the devil are manifest. Whoever does not practice

righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his

brother. For this is the message we've

heard from the beginning, that he should love one another, not

as Cain who was wicked or one who'd murdered his brother.

And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and

his brother was righteous. So these are the foundations of

our, of our faith. When this kind of love is

manifest in our life, we know we are a child of God and but her

are these others. Cain, you know, not as Cain.

He murdered his brother. Why?

Because his works were evil. You know, Cain was, was self

motivated. He not, I hear something the

other day. Cain was, was such a bad man.

He at the very beginning he killed 1/3 of the population of

the world, I mean, or 1/4 of it. But I think, you know, Cain

strived to do what was right, but it was his gift was that of

what I could give, you know, out of well, I want to give, but

it's not it's not going to cost me too much.

Where he sees his brother Abel give of the first fruits.

That which is comes from from the heart that come that those

are the righteous acts that we we seek to to show.

And the world hates that the world hates that we are giving

of, of our best, you know, we, I don't want to put it, you know,

I keep what is mine and I give if as long as it doesn't hurt me

too much or it, it, it doesn't take away from what I have and I

can still go along in the world, that's what I'm willing to give.

But as Christians, we we desire to to give of what we have to

give from what God's called us to do.

You know, this seems a clear and defined life.

We walk a fine line. The Pharisees were righteous,

but they didn't have any love and love without righteousness

makes 1A partner with the devil and is almost it's all in the

motivation. Both sides are self motivating,

seeking only to show how great I am.

You know, we have that fake gooey love that makes you think

that what are they up to? You know, when people show you

that love and it's just, you know, you know, Victoria and I

were talking about it is just that, that intoxicated state of

mind that we, we show love towards one another.

But it's you're truly seeking something from somebody else.

I think that's where we got this stuff, Vic.

Excuse me? Yeah.

The, the, the, the child of God has to has a balance in this

righteousness. We have to balance our lives and

those things around us and we have to balance that love

towards others. We don't want to put ourselves

out there to a point that we can be taken advantage of.

But there are that that steps that I don't want to say it.

We need to be we need to be vulnerable in in certain

aspects, but just move on. John 313 do not marvel, my

brethren, if the world hates you.

Matthew, I didn't get to Matthew 20 verse 22 someplace and it'll

Matthew 20:22

be and you will be hated for all my name's sake, but he who

endures to the end will be saved.

John 1714 I've given you them your word and the word was hated

them because they were not of the world, just as I am not of

the world here. Jesus had warned his disciples

that this would come when we stand in the gap, we stand in

that gap. We declared the love and the

light of Christ darkness will come against us and some of us

are shocked when this happens, but it's truly a part of life

and the calling that we are given.

You know we early on in our Christian lives.

We we want to be bold for our faith.

We want to go out and we have that that new spark.

I remember times back in Denver going out and doing St. ministry

and you have that desire to do that.

But then when that persecution come comes against you, is that

that the enemy begins to tear down and chip away at that

faith. You know, if we are not

continually filled with that spirit, we tend to shy away from

from from doing that. And that just, a lot of that

just comes from the maturity of, of being a witness for God, for

standing in that. And as, as we go on through

this, you'll see that it's, it's not just us as individuals, but

it takes the whole body of Christ to be able to do this.

You know, I can't do anything on my own.

I mean, I can do all things through God who strengthens me.

But it's the individuals in the body of Christ that actually

that, that, that strengthen me because they, they're standing

behind me and supporting me. It's like raising Moses arms in

the in the battle, you know, I, I trust and I, I, I, I rely upon

the the body of Christ first. John 314.

We know that we have passed from life to death because we love

the brethren. He who does not love his brother

abides in death without this love of salvation.

Without this love, salvation can be questioned.

John begins to lay out the working of this love.

The brethren is the body of Christ.

Do we pursue fellowship with other believers?

Even we are battered by unloving brothers and sisters.

Still I seek the fellowship with the body.

I do have family and that's important.

But when it comes down to it, this is family.

This is the one that I can trust.

You know, the, the, the people that in the church that I have

met and I've come across the ones that can look past my

failings and see my heart. You know, the, when we, we

stumble in our, in our daily lives, who's the first person

people to tear us down? Our family members, you know,

they're just, they're Oh yeah, you, you, you, you call yourself

a Christian, but look what you've done or, or you've done

this and you know, and it's hard because we want to minister to

our family and we want to show that the life of Christ that it,

it's really hard to show love to some people sometime.

And it's, it's hard to show love to those that have such a hatred

towards God or think they know God.

And I'm OK, I don't need to hear your message because me and God,

my my brother's famous sayings as me and God got a got a plan,

You know, we, we, we've got an idea.

We've got a pact. You know, I'm good.

You know, we have an agreement. So it it, it's really hard to

to, to minister those people. Charles Spurgeon says this.

Do you love for the do you love them for Christ's sake?

Do you say to yourself, that is one of Christ's people.

This is the one who bears Christ's cross.

That is the one of the children of God.

Therefore I love him and take delight in his company.

Then that is the evidence that you are not of the world.

You know, we could look at them and and and love them.

You know that again, it's, it's some of those family members.

They, they, they drive us hard, but we still have to love them.

You know, we still have to minister to them in some way.

You know, sometimes it's God gives you that there's you

you're not going to make any headway in that.

But till he actually comes out and says that, continue to love

them as Christ loves loves you. David Guzik says being a

Christian is more than saying I am a Christian.

There are in fact some who claim to be Christians who are not.

How can you know if you're one of these?

John's reply has been constant and simple.

There are three tests to measure the proof of a genuine Christian

the truth test, the love test, and the moral test.

If we believe in the Bible, if. If we believe in what the Bible

teaches is true, if we show the love of Jesus to others and and

if our conduct has been changed and is becoming more like Jesus,

then our claim to be a Christian can be proven true.

You know, I just again, it's all not necessarily out of outward

appearance. That's the easy thing to to do.

We can we can look the part. Yeah, we could be the actor on

the stage and and look like the perfect Christian, but what is

it? What's truly going on in our

hearts and in our own lives? You know what it what once we go

home and we shut that door is, is what I'm saying up here truly

being acted out in my life. You know, for many years that

wasn't the case. You know, God begins to work

and, and do things in my life that I, that I see.

And again, a lot of that comes back to those interactions that

I have with the body of Christ. Nothing teaches me more.

I have the scripture, I have, I have my prayer life, I have all

these things, but it's that interaction through the body of

Christ that really teaches me how to be a better Christian.

316 By this we know love because he laid down his life for us,

and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Excuse me, So what is love? I know we've all heard this

before, but what if we define love the wrong way?

Then we then we have either a pass or failed grade.

Excuse me, we have the Eros. Love.

That was the one word was one word for love.

It described how we might guess from the world itself.

Erotic love, It refers to that sexual love.

Then there's the storgay, which was the second word for love.

It referred to a family love, the kind of love that is between

a parent and a child, between a family members in general.

Philea is the third word for love.

It is spoke of brotherly friendship, a fresh affection as

love. It is the love of deep

friendship and partnership. Flay of love might be described

as the highest love, what is capable without God's help.

Yeah. And I I see, let me rephrase

that. I have seen this type of love

being acted out in in in the church more than I do agape love

because it's easy. We go to a church and it's

becomes a Country Club. You know, we, we have our, our

groups and our friendships and, and I, I've been in many

churches where you have your little cliques.

You know, you have this group that gets together and then

they're all friendships. But I'm sitting over here on

this side of the church and I can't be in your group because

we have nothing in common. You know, we should have Christ

in common, but, but, but we don't because we're just here

because it's a Sunday afternoon and, or Sunday morning.

And what else are we supposed to be doing?

We we, we go to church and we have food and fellowship and

then we go our part our ways and we forget about you for the rest

of the week unless you're in my sewing circle or my fishing

circle or or whatever. But agape is the fourth word for

love. It describes love that loves

without changing. It is self giving love that

gives without demanding and expecting repayment is love so

great that it can be given to the unlovable and unpeeling.

It is the love that even with when it is rejected, agape love

gives and loves because it wants to.

It does not demand or expect repayment for the love given.

It gives because it loves. It does not love in order to

receive. And this is the love that Christ

showed He he gave of himself, that it was no nothing in

return. We can confuse love and wind up

being hurt. You know the word love has

gotten men into trouble more times than anything it comes

from. It comes out freely with a

selfish desire, but loves, but true love.

The example that God laid out. Romans 568 But when we were

still without strength, in due time Christ died for the

ungodly. For scarcely of a righteous man

will one die, yet perhaps for a good man, someone who could even

dare to die. But God demonstrated his own

love towards us and that while we are still sinners, Christ

died for us. You know that that ultimate

gift, that of of laying one down one's life down for another.

Jesus death was not necessary the ultimate demonstration of

love, but it shows us that love shows us that that love it is

finished. That last gasp, the life up to

that point, you know, that was love.

You know, did Christ went to the cross for our sins and he died

and paid that price. He didn't need to, you know, he

prayed that that cup would pass, that something else can be done,

but he can, He finished it. He went through it to that, to

that very last breath. In a in a sermon titled The

Death of Christ for His People, Charles Spurgeon drew three

points from this great sentence. How great must have been our

sins, how great must have been his love, and how safe the

believer in the love of Christ. The security we have in Christ

should translate to others in our lives.

Jesus prayer for the disciples before he went to the cross

showed his heart, showed the love of Jesus to others.

And if our conduct has been changed and is becoming more

like Jesus, then our claim to be a Christian can be proven true.

You know, it's just every time I read through these things and,

and, and, and see that and begin to understand that even more.

I mean, I don't think there's any greater concept in the, in

the whole Bible, but the, the love of God towards us.

I mean, from the very beginning, you know, in the beginning, he

created the heavens and the earth.

Why? Because he created a people that

would have fellowship with him to, to love him where we went

off the rails because sin entered the, the earth.

And that whole time he's been working to bring us back to

that. I mean that there's no greater

love than that. I don't know.

I don't know where I went wrong with that, but I did.

Excuse me, John, 17, 16 through 18.

They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth.

As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

We may never come to the point of actually dying for someone,

but the sacrifice should be the same.

Is my life more important than another?

Am I willing to do whatever it takes to further the gospel?

These are heavy concepts, but to put it simply, we must excuse.

But to put it simply, we, we must excuse us from the

equation. I'm not part of it.

We, he calls us to do these things.

We are not of the world, we are of Him.

My needs are not important, and we must meet the needs of the

church and the people around us. If, if God has blessed us out of

the abundance, we should bless others.

There are so many who need help, but I've seen this body step up

and meet the needs and that's encouraging.

We talked about ministering to others in many ways, but as the

saying goes, talk is cheap. Our hearts must be open.

The needs are more than financial or worldly goods.

These are important, but you have to be cautious in that you

know, we've today's society wants to take advantage of the

church. You know, we are called to, to

meet those, those deeds and, and benevolence and the, the, the

person, the homeless person on the street or the, the, the

person that walks through that door.

But we need to enter in these things in prayer.

We can't just hand out money or, or things to people without

truly being in a prayerful life. Because again, there's, there's

so many people that take advantage of the church

nowadays. I mean, how many of these people

out here on the streets, they're panhandling are making, you

know, 6 figures a year. You know, there's some of these

guys, they look like they don't have a dime in their pot, but

they're making, you know, a couple $100,000 a year.

So you just do things as God leads.

David Guzik says this. What is the limit to this kind

of love? The only limit is the one that

love itself imposes when giving to a person.

If meeting is perceived or immediate need does him harm

instead of good, then loving thing to do is not to give him

what he asked for, but instead to give him what he really

needs. Chapter Lewis says it is easier

to be enthusiastic about humanity with a capital H than

it is to love individual men and women, especially those who are

uninteresting, exasperating, depraved, or otherwise

unattractive. Loving everybody in general may

be an excuse for loving nobody in particular.

And finally, first John 319 through 21.

And by this we know that we are the truth, and shall assure our

hearts before Him, for our heart condemns us.

Great God is greater than our heart and knows these things.

Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence

toward God to know that we are of the truth and stand right

before Him. That can be a heavy burden.

Am I doing all that God commands?

Am IA vigilant prayer warrior? Or in this context, am I loving

the brother that in all that I have, That assurance is

essential? We need to know I am truly

saved. Am I walking with the Lord?

Did my bad day stumble me and pull me out of the grace of God?

You know they all have those things did did what I did.

Is that truly? Am I still walking with God?

God knows our hearts have those. We may have those convictions of

the heart, but God is greater than our heart.

First Corinthians 4-5 through 4 For I know nothing against

myself, yet I am not justified by this.

But he who judges me is the Lord.

Therefore, judge nothing before the time until the Lord comes,

who will both bring it to light the hidden things of darkness,

and reveal the counsels of the hearts.

Then each one praises will come from God.

You know, our perfections and misdeeds are outward and

foolish. God is watching the intent and

the dedication that we have towards His children against

Spurgeon says this. He says sometimes our heart

condemns us, but in doing so it gives a wrong verdict and we

have the satisfaction of being able to take the case to a

higher court. For God is greater than our

heart, and know knoweth all things.

Romans 816. For the Spirit himself bears

witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

In these things we have all confidence in God and our hearts

should be at peace, which leads to a prayer life that is filled

with hope. First, John 3/22 Whatever we

ask, we receive from him because we keep His commandments and do

those things that are pleasing in His sight.

As we become in that intimate communion into that into

communion, our hearts and our desires change.

We no longer seek after worldly goods and wisdom, but the things

of God. Don't get me wrong, God does

care about our wants and our desires, but how important do

they become as life grows closer to His heart, we see the needs

of others being met his hand in the life of that person or the

blessing for that one. But when I least expected God

comes along and fulfills one of my needs.

It's my focus is not on me but on others and God will use

somebody in my life Now one of the the greatest blessings that

that I've we've had in our lives.

Victoria and I, many years ago, we were both down with, with our

knees out. You know, I had both my knees

gone, Victoria had an ACL out and here we are.

We're stuck on a couch for 3-4 weeks and we've always been busy

and about doing things for other people.

Then all of a sudden we can't do anything yet.

But the church came together and we have people that are coming

in, bringing us meals. People are coming in and

cleaning our house, grabbing our laundry, taking out and doing

our laundry. And yeah, it's the thing that

kept coming to mind was be still and know that I am.

Lord, You know, we're trying to, we, we sat down, we just spent a

lot of time in prayer and study and watch God really move.

And sometimes we don't want people to bless us with certain

things. We want it.

We want to be able to be the one that's doing everything very

best. But just on a side note on this,

allow people to bless you, allow them to come into your life and

to give you those blessings because it's it's an honor to do

that for other people. And if we rob them of their

blessings, yeah, it's whatever. That's that's just kind of a

side note on that. But So what does the Lord's

praise, Lord's Prayer say? It says not my will, but your

will be done too many years. I've worried about so many

things and I've released my grip and purpose to serve him and

that weight is being lifted. You know, as I as I, I, I step

forward and, and I want to do these things for God.

The the weights and, and the worries and are are being lifted

up. I'm not so worried about what

the future holds anymore, you know, because I can't.

It's whatever God wants, wherever He wants to use me, use

me. And then finally first John 323

through 24 And this is His commandment, that we should

believe that in the name of the Son of Jesus Christ and love one

another as He gave us commandment.

Now He who keeps His commandments abides in him and

in him, and he and him. And by this we know that He

abides us by the Spirit whom God has given us.

Finally, John brings the idea of keeping his commandments in full

circle, circle and states them I'm in Matthew 23 through 3037

through 39. He says Jesus said to him, you

shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all

your soul, and with all your mind.

This is the first and great commandment and the second is

like it. You shall love your neighbors

yourself. These two commandments merge and

become one. Our belief in Jesus is the key

to it all. Our eyes are fixed upon him and

we abide in him. The Romans 8-9 But you are not

in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God

dwells in you. Now, if anyone does not have the

Spirit of Christ, he is not his. You know, to sum all this up,

you know I have seen a lot happen.

I've, I've, I've been a part of this church body for I don't

know how many years. Atlanta knows it's been a long,

long time, but we've seen a lot of good things happen and we've

seen a lot of bad things happen. But I can, I can say sure for

sure today in this church body, love abounds here.

You know, there's, there's a there's a love of this core

group of believers that I've never experienced in my entire

life as a Christian. Take confidence in him and abide

because I feel loved here and I know you guys love each other

and and I'm grateful for that. Let's pray Heavenly Father, I

just thank you that we can come to you and, and know your love

as as we we seek you, you you fill us with your spirit.

You give us direction, Father, I pray that we we can go forth and

continue to, to love this community and know it's the

heart heart of our pastor and his and his wife to to minister

to this community. Father, I pray that we can be a

useful tool here, that we can grow as as a body, if not in

numbers, Lord, but in love for you and for those around us.

Lord, thank you for this evening and this time.

I pray safety as we as we travel home from here tonight, Lord,

and thank you for all these things and praise in Jesus name,

Amen. That's all I got.