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1.) Turn in your Bibles this morning to 1 Corinthians 13:1-8.2.) The title of my message this morning is “Learning Love”3.) When we were kids in elementary school. Many of us when we got a little sweet on someone and we wanted to know if they would be our boyfriend or girlfriend, what is it that we did? We wrote our little sweethearts a love letter. In that letter we said. I love you do you love me? Check yes or no. Do you want to be my girlfriend? Check yes or no. 4.) As Adults, now we understand that was just what we call “puppy love” but even that kind of love was real to us then because that was the love we knew, and as we got older and we began to learn what true love is. Sadly there are many in this world that still don’t know what true love is, and I believe it is impossible for someone to really know love without knowing Christ. 5.) 1 John 4:7-8 says, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” The Bible says that God is love. So in order for us to know what real, true love is, we must come to know who God is because God is love and we can’t give somebody something we don’t have.6.) Have you ever heard the saying? Your love is what your love does. It simply means the kind of love you have for someone is known by what your love demonstrates. If you love this a little, you’ll show a little love for it. If you love this allot then you’ll show allot of love for it. Your love is what your love does. So ask yourself this morning. What kind of love do I show my husband or wife? 7.) An example of this can be seen in Romans 5:8 which says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” The word “commendeth” here means to “show, prove, or exhibit.” So God proved the love he had towards us by dying on the cross for us while we were still his enemies. Christ love was demonstrated by what he did.8.) As we read our text, let’s learn what love is. Let’s begin reading in 1 Corinthians 13:1. 9.) What the apostle Paul is saying here is. If you could speak like an angel in all the languages of men, and you used beautiful words and your speech was excellent, if love isn’t in it. You’re as a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. We can say all kinds of beautiful things to our spouse but if it’s not demonstrated in love then what came out of our mouths was just noise.10.) Illustration: Years ago a large fellowship of Christians got together and they were speaking on the subject of love. Many folks shared stories of their life and favorite Bible passages. One man stood up and read 1 Corinthians 1-8. He said it beautifully not missing a word and everyone applauded because of how well he spoke. A little later an old preacher stood to speak. He was an old man and his voice was rough from years of preaching. He to read 1 Corinthians 13:1-8. His voice and his style weren’t as elegant but nearly everyone in the place began to weep. It was later asked to the man who spoke so elegantly, why he believed there was such a different response to the same message. The man said. I spoke about his love. He spoke knowing his love. 11.) We can speak lots of good words, but our words without our love is the same as being silent. 12.) (Read Verse 2) Here Paul says. If I knew all things and understood all things and could do all things and didn’t have love, then I’m nothing. 13.) (Read Verse 3) You can do all kinds of good works and still not have love. The Pharisees helped people and done things for people not because they really loved them but because they wanted to be seen of men. They wanted people to think they were something. They tooted their own trumpets and received the praise of men and God said they have their reward.14.) He says you can give your body to be burned. You can have allot of religious zeal and not have love. The Pharisees were very meticulous in keeping the law of God but they didn’t know the love of God, and some of them would die and go to hell for the cause of being a religious man but not a right man. God says here you can go to the extreme and even die for your cause, but if you don’t have love, it profits you nothing. 15.) While verses 1-3 tells us of the value of love. Verses 4-8 tell us of the character of love, and since God is love we see the character of our savior is the same as the characteristics of love. To show this kind of love in our life we must be “filled with the Spirit of God because this kind of love is the love of God” not the love of man. 16.) (Read verse 4) The Bible says charity (love) suffereth long - This means love is demonstrating "patient endurance while being provoked.” It means to be "long-tempered". This love is patient and does not retaliate! How many of you have ever had someone just do things and say things to try to make you mad? What we want to do is to get even and get revenge but the Bible says “vengeance is mine saith the Lord.” God knows what’s going on. Leave it to him and he’ll take care of it. You just focus on showing God’s love. 17.) Illustration: In Acts 7:54-60 we see a great man of God by the name of Stephen, who was stoned to death by the Pharisees, and as they were stoning him, he was calling on the Lord Jesus and he cried out with a loud voice, “lay not this sin to their charge.” How was he able to say that? Verse 55 says he was “full of the Holy Ghost.” 18.) Illustration: One of Abraham Lincoln's most outspoken political enemies was a man named Edwin J. Stanton. Stanton called Lincoln a "low cunning clown" and the "original gorilla". He even said this, "It is ridiculous for people to go to Africa to see a gorilla, when they could find one easily in Springfield, Illinois." To Lincoln's credit, he never responded to these insults. Yet, when he was elected President, Lincoln chose Stanton to be his Secretary of War. When asked why, Lincoln said, "Because he is the best man!" Later, when Lincoln had been assassinated, Stanton stood by the coffin which contained Lincoln's body and said through his tears, "There lies the greatest ruler of men the world has ever seen." It was love that suffers long that eventually won this man over in the end. 19.) When people are hurting you and talking about you. It’s going to be impossible to love them from a human standpoint, but if we are filled with the spirit of God. We will be surprised at how we can love even those that seem unlovable, because did not God love us when we were unlovable? 20.) The Bible also says in verse 4 that “love is kind”. This means our love reaches out to people regardless of their race or nationality, whether their rich or poor. Love is not hateful or mean. Instead it is good and respectful. Romans 2:11 says, “For there is no respect of persons with God.” God doesn’t consider one man’s soul more valuable than another man’s. If his love is kind and shown towards everyone, then so should ours. 21.) The Bible says in verse 4 that “love envieth not.” Though envy is jealously, envy also has the idea of being so jealous that you are “heated to a boil from within, and you become so angry that you begin to hate the person.” People get jealous for all kinds of reasons. Usually people get jealous not because their unhappy with you but because they are unhappy with themselves and where they are at in their own life. Paul said in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” 22.) Be content in your life. Remember, it was Eve's jealousy of God that motivated her to take the forbidden fruit. It was jealousy of the king’s men that put Daniel in the lion’s den. It was jealousy that put Joseph was put in the pit by his brothers! The fruit of jealously usually ends up in a sin that is wished for many years can be taken away and forgotten. 23.) The Bible says in verse 4 that love Vaunteth Not Itself - This phrase means "does not make a parade of itself". It does not have to draw attention to itself or to what it is doing. You love people and do things for people because you really love them, not because you want others to see what you do. 24.) Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:1-4 that when we do things for people, we are not to sound a trumpet about it before everyone. People don’t have to know what you’ve done. Jesus said. You do it in secret, and your father who saw it in secret will reward you openly. Would you rather be rewarded by God or rewarded by man. So this kind of love doesn’t make you the center of attention. 25.) The Bible also says in verse 4 that love is Not Puffed Up – This means our love is not arrogant or proud. It has the idea of something that is blown up or inflated. We use the phrase, “his head is swelling.” When we get puffed up, we forget no matter how great our talents and abilities are. It is God who has given it to us. Jesus said in John 15:5, “without me you can do nothing.”26.) The Bible says in verse 5 that love Does Not Behave Itself Unseemly – unseemly means rude. Instead love always treats others with compassion, consideration. When people are rude they think only of themselves. Rudeness has no thought of another’s cares and concerns. Oftentimes it is this one right here that gets us into so much trouble. A wife comes home from work and she’s had a rough day. Husband comes home from work and he’s had a rough day. He see’s she’s not cooking anything. He blurts out “why haven’t you started cooking anything yet” and then my friends the show is on.27.) The Bible says in verse 5 that love Seeketh Not Her Own - True love is never selfish and self-centered, but it is only interested in what will profit and benefit others. What did Jesus say? He said “I came that you might have life and have it abundantly.” He came for you not himself.28.) He said in Matthew 20:28 that he came, “…not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and give his life a ransom for many.” Love always thinks of others first. 29.) Illustration: I heard the story last year about a boy who was playing in the ocean and became trapped in an undertow was being dragged out into deeper water. The father swam out to save his son. He saved his son but yet he died in the process. It was his love for his son not himself that made him do what he did. 30.) Just like it was the love that Christ had for us that kept him nailed to the cross. It wasn’t the sin or the soldiers but it was our salvation. When he was on the cross, we were on his mind. Jesus knew we could never make it on our own, so he demonstrated his love for us by dying on that old rugged cross. 31.) The Bible also says in Philippians 2:3, “…let each esteem other better than themselves.” In other words consider your fellow brother or sister in Christ more important than yourself.32.) The Bible says in verse 5 that love Is Not Easily Provoked – The word “provoke” means to “irritate or arouse to anger.” Love is not easily angered. Have you ever met someone that gets mad all the time over everything? I know we all do sometimes but some people are just easy to make angry. Love doesn’t sweat the small stuff and is willing to yield to the will of another. 33.) The Bible says in verse 5 that love Thinketh No Evil - This means love "takes no worthless inventory".) How often we sometimes we make bad judgments on people. Someone might say. “They’re just doing that to make themselves look good in front of everybody” or for that reason or for this reason. How many a person and a church has suffered because people thought wrongly and evilly of their brothers and sisters in Christ?34.) Love instead gives people the benefit of the doubt. It doesn’t slander or hurt someone. It doesn’t ruin someone’s reputation. People sometimes see things they don’t understand. A story is then conjured up from the pits of hell and now that person has to pay for it and there was nothing going on anyway. If we could get a hold on this many lives and churches would be spared today. Love doesn’t think evil but sees the best in any situation. 35.) The Bible says in verse 6 that love Rejoiceth Not In Iniquity. - Love does not rejoice in sin. Love does not rejoice when another falls into sin! Some like it though because it gives them and the town someone and something to talk about. That’s why we just have to run out and tell everyone about it and make sure burn the phone lines up speaking of it. Love does not gossip or rejoice when another believer falls, but it hurts with them.36.) The Bible says in verse 6 that love Rejoiceth In The Truth – Love and truth are inseparable. Don’t tell the truth and see how much love you get. Husbands and wives be truthful and honest with each other. When we are truthful and honest with one another then we are showing we love, care, and respect one another. One thing that keeps love in a relationship is knowing that there is truth and integrity present. Jesus said “the truth shall make you free.” 37.) The Bible says in verse 7 that love Beareth All Things - Love endures and overlooks the faults in others. The word "beareth" literally means "to cover". Instead of making a show of the failures and faults of others before the entire world, love covers them up and continues to love in spite of those things! We all have faults. Some are big and some are small. Have a love for each other that is able to cover and look over these things in your life. 38.) 1 Peter 4:8 says, “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves. For charity shall cover a multitude of sins.” The word “fervent” here means “stretched out.” In other words have a love that goes far and beyond. Do everything you can to stretch your love out for each other.39.) The Bible says in verse 7 that love Believeth All Things - Love always places the best possible interpretation on everything that happens. It believes that good will win in any situation. Basically, love trusts, love believes and love has confidence in the one being loved. 40.) The Bible says in verse 7 that love Hopeth All things - Love refuses to accept failure. Love always holds out hope that things will work out right in the end. Love always looks for things to be better and to get better. (The little engine that could always can and the little engine that could not, never did.) Husbands don’t give up on your wives. Wives don’t give up on your husbands. You made a vow before God that you wouldn’t. 41.) The Bible says in verse 7 that love Endureth All Things - This is a military term and means that “love does not give up the fort!” It stands its ground and continues in spite of everything that can be thrown against it. It continues in spite of persecution. Love bears the unbearable, believes the impossible, holds on the incredible and never gives up. The word “quit” doesn’t exist in the vocabulary of love!42.) The Bible says in verse 8 that (love) or Charity Never Faileth - When everything else in this world has passed away love will still exist. It is the great constant throughout eternity. There can perhaps be no stronger statement than what God has given us here about love. Love never fails. When everything else is gone there will still be love! It does not give in, give up or give out. Love that is real is love that lasts! ................
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