THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT
PROGRAM AIR DATE: 1-31-21
LESSON TITLE: GIVING ALL DILIGENCE - LOVE
WELCOME
GOOD MORNING, AND THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR THE STUDY OF GOD'S LIVING WORD! WE ARE GLAD YOU ARE WITH US THIS MORNING TO GIVE THIS TIME TO THE THINGS OF GOD. HOW BLESSED WE ARE TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS TO PUT GOD FIRST AND TO LIFT HIGH HIS HOLY NAME. SO LETS ALL DO OUR BEST THIS MORNING TO GIVE GOD THE GLORY AND PRAISE HE DESERVES. AT THIS TIME MAY WE START OUR PRAISE TO GOD BY TALKING WITH OUR FATHER IN PRAYER. BOW WITH ME PLEASE!
PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE'RE SO THANKFUL FOR THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY OF LIFE - FOR THE MANY GREAT BLESSINGS THAT YOU GIVE US FOR WE KNOW THAT ALL GOOD GIFTS AND PERFECT GIFTS COME FROM YOU. AND FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU'LL HELP US AT THIS TIME TO GIVE YOU OUR VERY BEST AS WE WORSHIP YOU AND HELP US TO CONTINUE EACH AND EVERY DAY TO LIVE IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE ARE FOUND PLEASING IN YOUR SIGHT AS WELL AS BEING LIGHTS TO THIS WORLD. WE THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT OF JESUS AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS ARE ONLY POSSIBLE THROUGH YOUR GRACE, LOVE, AND MERCY. IN CHRIST NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE FOR IN THIS LIFE? UNFORTUNATELY, MOST OF US HOPE FOR THOSE THINGS THAT ARE PASSING. HOWEVER, THERE IS A HOPE THAT IS ETERNAL IN NATURE. WITH THAT IN MIND, IT'S TIME TO JOIN IN OUR FIRST SONG OF THE MORNING, SO WON'T YOU PARTICIPATE WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING TOGETHER, "MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS!"
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW YOUNG OR OLD WE ARE, WE ALL LOVE TO RECEIVE GIFTS. NO DOUBT ALL OF US LOOK FORWARD TO BIRTHDAYS, HOLIDAYS AND SPECIAL TIMES OF THE YEAR AS WE KNOW WE WILL GET SOME PRESENTS AND BE ABLE TO OPEN THEM UP IN SURPRISE. AS WE THINK ABOUT THE GIVING AND RECEIVING OF GIFTS, LET ME ASK A FEW QUESTIONS FOR US TO CONSIDER. WHEN IS THE GIVING AND RECEIVE OF A GIFT COMPLETE? IS IT WHEN IT IS GIVEN, IS IT WHEN IT IS RECEIVING, OR IS IT WHEN IT IS OPENED AND RESPONDED TO? NOW APPLY THIS TO ALL THAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US. GOD CREATED US, GAVE HIS SON TO DIE ON THE CROSS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, AND THUS HE HAS OFFERED US ETERNAL LIFE IF WE ARE WILLING TO OBEY WHAT HE COMMANDS. SO, GOD HAS DONE HIS PART! HE HAS OFFERED THE GIFT OF PROMISES AND BLESSING AS HIS FAITHFUL CHILDREN. BUT WHEN IS IT ALL COMPLETE – NOT UNTIL WE RESPOND! YOU SEE, IF WE ARE TO TRULY RESPOND TO THE THINGS OF GOD WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE GIFT, OPEN IT AND RESPOND TO IT AS REQUIRED. THEN AND ONLY THEN HAS THE PROCESS BEEN COMPLETED AND THE FINAL OUTCOME BEEN ACCOMPLISHED – BECAUSE GOD HAS DONE HIS PART AND WE HAVE FULFILLED OURS. HOW HAVE YOU RESPONDED TO THE GIFT OF GOD? KEEP IN MIND THAT THE SALVATION OF YOUR SOUL COUNTS ON YOUR RESPONSE! AS PAUL SAID IN 2 CORINTHIANS 9:15, "THANKS BE TO GOD FOR HIS INDESCRIBABLE GIFT!"
IN JUST A FEW MINUTES IT WILL BE TIME TO BEGIN OUR MAIN STUDY OF THE DAY. AS FAR AS OUR SERIES, TODAY WE WILL BE CONTINUING OUR DISCUSSION ENTITLED, "GIVING ALL DILIGENCE!" THE SPECIFIC LESSON OF THE DAY WILL DEAL WITH THE, "LOVE!" SO, PLEASE STAY WITH US THIS MORNING AND AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME I WILL BE LEADING US IN THIS STUDY FROM GOD'S WORD. NOW LET'S JOIN TOGETHER IN OUR SECOND SONG OF THE DAY. THE NAME OF THIS HYMN, "UNTO THEE O LORD."
LESSON
BY RAY SULLINS
THANK YOU SO MUCH GOING FOR CONTINUING WITH US THIS MORNING AS WE NOW GO TO GOD'S WORD AND STUDYING ANOTHER LESSON AMONGST THE CHRISTIAN GRACES THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT NOW FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AS WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GROW TOGETHER IN THOSE THINGS THAT IF WE ARE DILIGENT IN THE BIBLE HERE SAYS IN THE BOOK OF 2 PETER CHAPTER 1 THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY GROW THEREBY BUT ALSO TO BE THOSE WHO ARE RECIPIENTS OF THAT GREAT REWARD; THE PROMISES THAT ARE AVAILED - EVEN THE ENTRANCE OF HEAVEN ITSELF. AND SO IT IS A BEAUTIFUL TEXT AND HOPEFULLY IT'S BEEN CHALLENGING US TO THINK ABOUT ALL THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE SPECIFICALLY CAN FOCUS ON. THOSE CHARACTERISTICS AGAIN THAT WILL HELP US TO BE WHAT GOD WANTS US TO BE. AS YOU MIGHT RECALL WITH ME WITHIN THOSE CHARACTERISTICS WE HAVE SEEN FAITH AND VIRTUE THERE IN VERSE FIVE. KNOWLEDGE IS ALSO MENTIONED. SELF-CONTROL. PERSEVERANCE, AND GODLINESS THERE IN VERSE SIX. WE'VE ALSO SEEN THE IDEA OF BROTHERLY KINDNESS LAST WEEK. AND AS WE CONTINUE HERE WITH OUR LAST DISCUSSION FROM THIS SECTION THE LAST THING MENTIONED IN VERSE SEVEN IS IT THAT WE ADD TO OUR BROTHERLY KINDNESS LOVE. ONE OF THE NEAT THINGS THAT WE FIND HERE WITHIN THIS TEXT IS IF WE WERE TO BACK UP AS WE CONSIDERED LAST WEEK BROTHERLY KINDNESS. THAT CONCEPT OF BROTHERLY KINDNESS REALLY AGAIN COMES FROM A GREEK WORD THAT IS TRANSLATED A TYPE OF LOVE. YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD BEFORE THE IDEA OF PHILEO. AND PHILEO IS AT THE ROOT OF THIS WORD THAT IS CALLED LOVE THROUGH KINDNESS. AND REALLY WHAT THE CONCEPT THERE MEANS IS IT MEANS TO BE A LOVE OF A BROTHER IN A KIND SENSE WITHIN THAT CONTEXT. AND SO IT'S QUITE A BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE LAST LOVE THAT IS MENTIONED BECAUSE WE HAVE PHILEO ON THE ONE HAND WHICH REALLY REFERS TO HOW WE TREAT A BROTHER SPECIFICALLY OR THE LOVE SHOWN TO A BROTHER IN RESPECT TO THE IDEA OF MAYBE EVEN A FRIENDSHIP LOVE. ANY LOVE OF THE WORLD WOULD BE A PHILEO LOVE WHERE YOU HAVE TWO PEOPLE WHO LOVE EACH OTHER OR EVEN THE IDEA OF A FAMILY LOVE. BUT THEN THE LAST WORD WHEN IT SAYS TO BROTHERLY KINDNESS WE ADD LOVE - IT THEN USES THE WORD AGAPE. AND AS MOST OF US KNOW THAT'S THE MOST COMMON OF THE GREEK WORDS THAT REALLY IS USED THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE IN THE GREEK LANGUAGE BUT SPECIFICALLY THROUGHOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT MANY TIMES. REALLY ALMOST COUNTLESS TIMES THIS WORD AGAPE IS USED. SO ON ONE HAND WE HAVE THIS FRIENDSHIP LOVE THAT REALLY ENCOMPASSES THE WAY WE ACT OR TREAT ANY AND ALL. BUT THEN WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED AGAPE LOVE WHICH REALLY HAS MORE TO DO WITH A BROTHERLY LOVE - IN THE SENSE OF A DEEP WILLINGNESS TO BE THOSE WHO CERTAINLY HAVE CHOSEN TO BE BENEVOLENT AND TO CARE FOR THOSE WHO ARE OUR BRETHREN. AS WE EVEN SEE WITHIN ONE COMMENTATOR SAYING THAT IT IS A TOLERANCE AND A BENEVOLENCE IN THE SENSE OF TOLERANCE. SO SOMETIMES WE DO GOOD AND WE TREAT OTHERS GOOD BY AGAPE LOVE AS BRETHREN EVEN THOUGH MAYBE THEY HAVE MISTREATED US AT TIMES OR DONE THINGS AGAINST US. AND SO REALLY IT IS THAT LOVE THAT GENERALLY IS DESCRIBED AS WE WILL SEE THAT IS REALLY ABOUT NOT ONLY WHAT GOD IS BUT WHO GOD IS AS A GOD OF LOVE AND THEN THE LOVE THAT WE SHOW TO OUR BRETHREN IN A VERY ACTIVE BENEVOLENT WAY. NOT JUST TO FRIENDS OR THE WORLD PHILEO BUT AGAPE; A DEEPER BROTHERLY BENEVOLENT TYPE OF LOVE - A SPIRIT OF REALLY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CHOOSE TO TAKE. IN OTHER WORDS I LOVE MY BRETHREN BECAUSE THEY ARE MY BRETHREN AND WE SHARE SOMETHING IN CHRIST. WHERE AS PHILEO LOVE MIGHT BE BECAUSE OF RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH SOMEONE - A FRIEND WITHIN THE WORLD. TO HELP US UNDERSTAND THAT THEN THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT IN PASSAGES THAT I THINK WILL HELP US IN OUR OVERALL DISCUSSION.
IF YOU LOOK THERE WITH ME IN THE BOOK OF JOHN, MOST LIKELY THE NEXT BOOK IF YOU WERE THERE IN SECOND PETER CHAPTER 1, MAYBE JUST A PAGE OR TWO OVER IN YOUR BIBLE. BUT THERE IN THE BOOK OF FIRST JOHN NOTICE WITH ME WHAT IS DISCUSSED IN CHAPTER 4 OF FIRST JOHN. THERE'S A LOT OF LOVE THAT IS DISCUSSED AND ALMOST EVERY CASE IN THIS SECTION IT IS TALKING ABOUT THE AGAPE LOVE. AND SO THEN IT IS INTERESTING AS WE LOOK DOWN TO VERSE EIGHT IT SAYS - THAT WE LOVE AS GOD LOVES BECAUSE GOD IS LOVE. GOD IS AGAPE LOVE. HE IS THAT GOD THAT HAS A WILLING DESIRE BY CHOICE TO BE BENEVOLENT TOWARDS BRETHREN OR THE FOLLOWERS IN THAT CASE OF HIM. AND THAT IS THAT AGAPE LOVE - THAT LOVE THAT EVEN TOLERATES AND PUTS UP WITH A LOT BUT YET IT CONTINUES TO GIVE AND GIVE AND DO AND DO AND BLESS AND BLESS. THAT IS THE LOVE THAT GOD SHOWS US. WITHIN THAT SAME TEXT HE GIVES THE TRUE SENSE OF HOW WE KNOW THAT LOVE. IF YOU'LL NOTICE THERE IN VERSE NINE CONTINUING HE SAYS - IN THIS THE LOVE OF GOD WAS MANIFEST TOWARD US THAT GOD SENT HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON. AND WE KNOW THAT IN VERSE 10 IT TELLS US THAT WE FIND THAT THAT SON WAS GIVEN AS A PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS. HE WAS GIVEN TO US AS THAT SACRIFICE; THAT REDEEMING QUALITY FOR OUR SINS. SO HE DIED ON THE CROSS. SO WHAT IS THE IMPLICATION OF THAT AGAPE LOVE? GOD THE FATHER WAS WILLING TO GIVE HIS SON TO DIE FOR YOUR SINS AND MY SINS. WE WOULD ALL SAY - WOW! WHAT LOVE WAS DEMONSTRATED IN THAT ACTION. AND WE KNOW AS WELL THAT WOULD BE THE CASE BECAUSE JESUS AT ONE POINT IN THE BOOK OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN CHAPTER 15 VERSE 13 SPOKE OF THE FACT THAT A GREATER LOVE DOESN'T EXIST THAN ONE TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE EVEN FOR A FRIEND. EVEN FOR A FRIEND. LET ALONE SOMEONE WHO IS AN ENEMY OR ANOTHER WHOM REALLY MAYBE WE DON'T LIKE. YOU SEE GOD GAVE HIS SON FOR ALL INCLUDING SINNERS. THE COLOSSIAN LETTER, THE PHILIPPIAN LETTER, MANY OF THE LETTERS TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THAT THERE WAS SIN IN THE WORLD. THE ROMAN LETTER TALKS A LOT ABOUT THE SIN THAT WAS IN THE WORLD. BUT YET THEN WE ALSO LEARN THAT WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS CHRIST DID WHAT? DIED FOR US THERE IN THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS. SO WHAT A BEAUTIFUL AND ENCOURAGING LOVE THAT WE READ HERE AND WHAT MANNER OF LOVE! WHAT MANNER OF LOVE! THAT'S WHY NO DOUBT JAMES SPEAKS ABOUT THE FACT OF THE LOVE THAT IT IS BESTOWED AND EVEN BACK IN THE BOOK OF JOHN WHERE WE ARE NOW IF WE WERE TO GO BACK TO CHAPTER 3 OF JOHN WHERE WE LOOKED AT A MOMENT AGO HE SAYS WHAT MANNER OF LOVE THE FATHER HAS BESTOWED ON US THAT HE WOULD MAKE US CHILDREN THROUGH HIS DEATH OF HIS OWN SON WHO WAS SENT TO THE EARTH TO SUFFER AND TO DEAL WITH A GREAT TRIALS THAT ARE FOUND WITHIN THE FLESH. AND SO HERE WE BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND I HOPE THE IDEA OF THIS AGAPE LOVE. THE DEPTHS. THIS IS NOT A SIMPLE LOVE OR A LIGHT LOVE. A FLIPPANT LOVE OR AN ATTRACTION LOVE. IT IS A DEEP HEARTED LOVE. IT WOULD CAUSE ONE TO WHAT? DO ANYTHING FOR ANOTHER OR FOR A BROTHER. NOW BEFORE WE ACTUALLY LEAVE THIS SECTION I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THAT WITH ME BECAUSE ACTUALLY THE TEXT TELLS US THAT. AGAIN IN CHAPTER 3 OF FIRST JOHN IF YOU BACK UP THERE HE'S TALKING ABOUT BY THIS WE KNOW LOVE. HOW DO WE KNOW AGAPE LOVE? BECAUSE HE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US. WHO? JESUS - AND WE ALSO WOULD WANT TO LAY DOWN OUR LIVES FOR THE BRETHREN. WHAT IS REAL LOVE? NOT JUST ABOUT ENEMIES AND I JUST ABOUT OTHERS OR ABOUT FRIENDS BUT WHAT REAL LOVE IS THAT WE ARE WILLING TO LAY DOWN OUR LIVES FOR OUR BRETHREN. THE SAME WAY JESUS LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US. AND BY THE WAY - ARE WE NOT ALSO DESCRIBED AT TIMES IN THE SCRIPTURE AS THE BRETHREN? OR THE BRETHREN - THE FELLOW BROTHERS AND SISTERS - FELLOW HEIRS OF US SALVATION IN RELATIONSHIP TO SUCH THINGS OR EVEN IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE FATHER AND JESUS BEING THE SON AND YOU AND I BEING SONS OF GOD.
NOTICE VERSE 17 THOUGH. IT GIVES AN EXAMPLE. HE SAYS - SO HOW IS THAT LOVE DEMONSTRATED? HOW IS THAT BENEVOLENT SPIRIT OF A LOVE THAT REALLY IS NOT ONLY IN A SENSE SACRIFICIAL BUT AS BENEVOLENT AND AS BY CHOICE DONE EVEN THOUGH SOMEONE MIGHT NOT BE ALWAYS WHAT THEY NEED TO BE. VERSE 17 SAYS - BUT WHOEVER HAS THIS WORLD'S GOODS AND SEES HIS BROTHER IN NEED AND SHUTS UP HIS HEART FROM HIM HOW DOES THE LOVE OF GOD ABIDE IN HIM? SEE THE POINT IS IT DOESN'T. YOU DON'T LOVE...YOU DON'T LOVE YOUR BROTHER AS IS REQUIRED. YOU DON'T EVEN LOVE GOD. WHEN YOU DON'T LOVE YOUR BROTHER AND IF YOU SEE YOUR BROTHER HAS NEEDS, BENEVOLENT NEEDS, AND YET YOU DON'T DO NOTHING. NOW THAT'S THE CONTRAST THAT IS BEING MADE. WE SHOULD BE WILLING TO DIE FOR OUR BRETHREN AS GOD DIED FOR US. BUT THEN HE SAYS BUT YET YOU WON'T EVEN HELP OR SHOW LOVE BY HELPING YOU'RE BRETHREN. YOUR BEING ASKED TO DIE FOR THEM AND YOU WON'T EVEN HELP THEM WITH WHAT IT IS THAT THEY HAVE NEED OF. AND THEN THE CONTINUING VERSE 18 THERE IN CHAPTER 3 OF FIRST JOHN IS A VERY FAMILIAR VERSE. AND SO I WILL ADD THAT SO YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT. AND HE SAYS THAT MY LITTLE CHILDREN LET US NOT LOVE IN WORD OR IN TONGUE BUT LOVE IN DEED AND IN TRUTH. IN OTHER WORDS WE DON'T JUST TALK ABOUT IT - WE DO IT. WE SEE THE NEED IN OUR BROTHER WE HELP THAT BROTHER. WE EVEN SACRIFICE. DO YOU REMEMBER IN THE BOOK OF ACTS CHAPTER 2 WHEN HE SAID THAT THERE WERE NEEDS IN THE CHURCH AFTER THE CHURCH WAS ESTABLISHED ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST. AND IT SAYS THAT EVERYONE SOLD POSSESSIONS AND EVEN LANDS SO THEY MIGHT MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE AROUND. BENEVOLENT NEEDS TO SHOW WHAT? LOVE TO THOSE WHO WERE AROUND THEM. NO WONDER THEN WE BEGIN TO SEE HOW LOVE IS DESCRIBED AS NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT IS A LITTLE IMPORTANT BUT IS REALLY THE FOUNDATION OF EVERYTHING. WE KNOW THAT TO BE THE CASE NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF WHAT IS SAID HERE THAT ONE HAS TO LOVE AS GOD HAS LOVED - BUT ANOTHER VERSE THAT I REALLY LIKE IS FOUND BACK IN THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS. AND WHEN PAUL THERE WAS TALKING TO THE CHURCH AT COLOSSAE HE'S DEALING WITH THE CONCEPT OF LOVE. AND GUESS WHAT HE SAYS ABOUT LOVE IN VERSE 14. HE SAYS ABOVE ALL OF THESE THINGS PUT ON LOVE. BUT NOW I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THE CONTEXT WITH ME. IN THE CONTEXT IN VERSE 12 HE HAS JUST SPOKEN ABOUT THE ELECT MAN. THE ELECT MAN IS THE CHOSEEN MAN OF GOD THE ONE WHO NOT ONLY KNOWS GOD BUT IS EQUIPPED OR CLOTHED THEMSELVES WITH GOD. HOW DO WE KNOW THAT? HE SAYS AS THE ELECT MAN OF GOD - HOLY AND BELOVED - PUT ON - PUT ON WHAT? TENDER MERCIES; KINDNESS, HUMILITY, MEEKNESS, LONG-SUFFERING, BARE WITH ONE ANOTHER, FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER, AND IF ANYONE HAS A COMPLAINT AGAINST ANOTHER EVEN AS CHRIST HAS FORGIVEN YOU YOU ALSO MUST DO. HE JUST SAID ALL THESE GREAT CHARACTERISTICS INCLUDING FORGIVENESS AND LOVING AND KINDNESS AND MERCY - ALL THE THINGS WE ACTUALLY READ ALSO BACK IN THE BOOK OF SECOND PETER CHAPTER 1. BUT NOW HE SAYS WHAT IN VERSE 14? BUT ABOVE ALL THESE THINGS - ABOVE ANY OF THESE CHARACTERISTICS PUT ON LOVE. AND THEN HE ADDS WHICH IS THE BOND OF PERFECTION. THE BOND OF PERFECTION. SO IF I'M ABLE TO START WITH LOVE GUESS WHAT LOVE DOES? IT HELPS ME TO DESIRE TO BE MERCIFUL AS GOD IS MERCIFUL. IT HELPS ME AS IT SAYS HERE TO BE KIND AS GOD IS KIND. TO BE WHAT? TO BE HUMBLE AS GOD. IT HELPS ME TO DEMONSTRATE THE CHARACTERISTIC OF FORGIVENESS AS CHRIST FORGAVE AND EVEN FORGAVE US. THEREFORE PERFECTION IS IN LOVE BECAUSE IT IS THE GREATEST THING. IT IS THE MIGHTIEST THING - AS EVEN FIRST CORINTHIANS, THE GREAT LOVE CHAPTER, CHAPTER 13 VERSE 13 SAYS - OF FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE - WHAT IS THE GREATEST? LOVE. THAT AGAPE LOVE. THAT LOVE THAT SAYS THIS IS MY BROTHER. I'M GOING TO DO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING BECAUSE I LOVE. AS GOD HAS LOVED ME I AM GOING TO LOVE HIM. AND IN FACT VERSE 15 GOES ON TO SAY - THAT'S HOW WE KNOW SOMEBODY RULES IN THE HEART OF THE FAITHFUL. WHEN THEY LOVE - THE PERFECT LOVE - THE BOND OF PERFECTION - THAT LOVE THAT BINDS - THAT LOVE THAT BRINGS US TOGETHER AND SAYS THAT WE ARE ONE AND WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE FOR EACH OTHER AND WE'RE GOING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES. WHATEVER IT TAKES TO BE A CHILD OF GOD AND TO BE FOUND FAITHFUL IN HIS SIGHT.
AND SO I CHALLENGE US AS WE THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS PERTAINING TO LOVE - TO KNOW WHAT IT IS - TO KNOW WHAT IS THAT IS REQUIRED BY LOVE. BUT I'D LIKE TO END BACK IN FIRST JOHN AND CHAPTER 4. THERE'S A STATEMENT THAT IS MADE NEAR THE END OF THAT CHAPTER THAT SPEAKS - HOW CAN YOU LOVE GOD? AGAPE LOVE GOD WHOM YOU'VE NOT SEEN AND HATE A BROTHER WHOM YOU HAVE SEEN? IN OTHER WORDS, YOU LOVE GOD YOU'VE NEVER SEEN GOD AND THEN YOU CLAIM TO LOVE YOUR BROTHER BUT YOU DON'T HELP YOUR BROTHER. YOU DON'T SHOW AGAPE LOVE TO THAT BROTHER AND YOU REALLY ARE SHOWING HATRED THEREFORE - YOUR CONDEMNING YOURSELF. DO YOU SEE THE ACTION REQUIRED IN LOVE? LOVE IS NOT SOMETHING WE FEEL ALONE. IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE THINK ABOUT. IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS ABSTRACT. LOVE IS SOMETHING THAT IS DEMONSTRATED. AND SO THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT I AM ASKING YOU THIS MORNING. HOW ARE YOU DEMONSTRATING THAT BENEVOLENT LOVE OF GOD? THAT DEEP LOVE? THAT TOLERANT LOVE? THAT DELIBERATE LOVE BY CHOICE. THAT LOVE THAT LOOKS TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS AND STRIVES TO ACCOMPLISH. OUR YOU DEMONSTRATING THAT TOWARD YOUR BRETHREN IN YOUR DAILY LIFE AND SECONDLY IF YOU ARE DOING THAT - PRAISE BE TO GOD - BECAUSE YOU ARE THEN LOVING GOD BY LOVING OTHERS AS HIS COMMANDED. YOUR OBEYING HIM IMPROVING HOW MUCH YOU LOVE HIM BY BEING AGAPE LOVE TO OTHERS AND SHOWING THAT AGAPE LOVE TO OTHERS. SO TODAY MAKE SURE THAT YOUR LOVE IS AS THE LOVE OF GOD - FOR AS GOD IS LOVE WE ARE LOVE AND THOSE WHO LOVE WILL RECEIVE THE REWARD YOU AND I KNOW WHAT THAT REWARD IS THAT REWARD IS - ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN SOMEDAY. SO MAKE SURE THAT TODAY AND EVERY DAY YOU LOVE AS GOD LOVES AND THAT YOU ALWAYS GIVE HIM YOUR VERY BEST BY GIVING YOUR BEST TO YOUR BRETHREN.
CLOSING COMMENTS
MAY I AGAIN TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY. I HOPE OUR TIME TOGETHER HAS BEEN AN ENCOURAGEMENT AND THUS A BLESSING TO US ALL.
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE INVITED BACK TO JOIN US EVERY FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS TIME OF WORSHIP BEFORE GOD! BUT FOR NOW, LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY'S LESSON? MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR A CD/DVD OF THIS PROGRAM? POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR CORRESPONDENCE COURSES? NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:
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ISN'T IT WONDERFUL TO SERVE A GOD OF LOVE AND TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO DEMONSTRATE LOVE AS WELL IN OUR DAILY LIVES. MAY WE BE TRUE EXAMPLES OF LOVE IN THIS WORLD, THAT OTHERS MIGHT SEE GOD IN US AND DESIRE TO SERVE THE GOD OF LOVE AS WELL.