Love That Lasts

Love That Lasts (1 Cor. 13:1-13) Agape {ag-ah'-pay}Gk. “the love of God”: Is a choice, not a mere feeling (Matt.5:43-44, 6:24, 10:37, Luke 10:27, John 13:34-35) Is anupokritos {an-oo-pok'-ree-tos}Gk. = sincere, unfeigned, without hypocrisy (Rom. 12:9; 2 Cor. 6:6) Is honest (Rom. 12:9; Eph. 4:15, 1 John 3:18) Give/Shows respect Demonstrates compassion (1 Pe. 3:8) Is charitable/benevolent (1 John 3:17)

misery looks like.”

Speaking of Agape love, Saint Augustine once said, “What does it look like? It has hands to help others, feet to hasten to the poor and needy, eyes to see and want, ear to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love

Often requires courage to demonstrate Casts out fear (1 John 4:18) Involves warm affection, deep commitment and self-giving It is given unconditionally and unselfishly, expecting nothing in return (1 Cor. 13:5) Is most powerfully expressed in giving up one’s life for another (John 3:16;15:13; 1 John 3:16) Comes “from above” (James 1:17) Is a “fruit” of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) Is a gift from God that expresses His very own nature (2 Tim. 1:7; 1 John 4:7) Is more valuable than other gifts (1 Cor. 13:1-3 & 13) Should be the motive for all our actions (1 Cor. 13:1-3; 16:14) It is how we should “walk” (Eph. 5:2) Should come from a “pure heart” and a “good conscience” (1 Tim. 1:5)

Is what a Christian should be rooted and grounded in (Eph. 3:17) Begins externally, coming from God, moves internally, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, and is then expressed externally, by us! (1 John 4:16, 2 Tim. 1:7) An active and beneficent interest in, and concern for, the well-being of another

but we like a bag the

Anne Ortlund, in Up With Worship, says that the average church is too much like a bag of marbles – we scratch against each other and make a little noise, really don’t affect each other much. She says the church should be more of grapes that mesh together, producing a sweet-tasting wine because of interaction.

Motivates us to serve others (Gal. 5:13) Sets aside personal feelings and desires in order to address the best interests of others, without questioning their worthiness to receive it (Rom. 5:8) Is wanting what is truly best for this other person and committing yourself to provide it (Ruth 1:8-9) Is the most frequently used term for “love” in the Greek Scriptures, appearing nearly 150 times. Is determined goodwill, that goes on offering itself, even when rejected Is loyal (Love “of the Spirit”, Rom.15:30, Gal. 5:22, Col. 2:2, “knit together”; Col. 3:14 “bond”; see also 2 Tim. 1:16-17; 2 Cor. 8:7 “binds”); and loyal love often begets loyal love (Prov. 8:17, 1 John 4:19) Is demonstrated on a day by day, moment by moment basis (Prov.17:17) Newspaper columnist and minister George Crane tells of a wife who came into his office full of hatred toward her husband. "I do not only want to get rid of him, I want to get even. Before I divorce him, I want to hurt him as much as he has me." Dr. Crane suggested an ingenious plan "Go home and act as if you really love your husband. Tell him how much he means to you. Praise him for every decent trait. Go out of your way to be as kind, considerate, and generous as possible. Spare no efforts to please him, to enjoy him. Make him believe you love him. After you’ve convinced him of your undying love and that you cannot live without him, then drop the bomb. Tell him that you’re getting a divorce. That will really hurt him." With revenge in her eyes, she smiled and exclaimed, "Beautiful, beautiful. Will he ever be surprised!" And she did it with enthusiasm. Acting "as if." For two months she showed love, kindness, listening, giving, reinforcing, sharing. When she didn’t return, Crane called. "Are you ready now to go through with the divorce?" "Divorce?" she exclaimed. "Never! I discovered I really do love him." Her actions had changed her feelings. Motion resulted in emotion. The ability to love

is established not so much by fervent promise as often repeated Allan Petersen

deeds. - J.

Involves action/effort/sacrifice(Luke 6:35, John 15:12-13, 21:15-19, 1 John 3:16-18, 1 Thes. 1:3, Heb. 6:10, Eph. 5:2 & 25, 1 Cor.13:4-5) Often involves faith (Eph. 6:23) Is often based on the realization of the individual value and dignity of each person Is often based on the realization of the value and importance of maintaining relationships (John 6:65-69) Is patient (1 Cor. 13:4) Bears all things (1 Cor. 13:7; Eph. 4:2) Is chresteuomai {khraste-yoo'-om-ahee} Gk. = kind, mild, spontaneously good, gracious (1 Cor. 13:4) Does not envy (Is not jealous) (1 Cor. 13:4; Rom. 13:13; Gal. 5:26; Song of Sol. 8:6) Does not seek to harm another (Rom.13:10) Is the fulfillment of the law (Rom. 13:10) Is not boastful or conceited (1 Cor. 13:4) Instead, it seeks to edify/build up others (1 Cor. 8:1; Eph. 4:16) Is not aschemoneo {as-kay-mon-eh'-o} Gk. = Does not act improperly, is not rude (1 Cor. 13:5) Compels us to keep His Commandments (John 15:10; 2 Cor. 16:14; 1 John 2:5; 5:3; 2 John 1:6) Is not provoked (1 Cor. 13:5) Are you willing and able to simply not engage when others attempt to provoke you? Does not keep account of wrongs (1 Cor. 13:5)

their reminded of

It is said that in the Polynesian Islands, it is customary to keep something to remind yourself that you were wronged. People will hang something up on wall or up next to the door of their house, so that they will always be the hurt that they experienced. Do you do something similar?

Stanton and Abraham Lincoln: No one treated Lincoln with more contempt than did Stanton. He called him "a low cunning clown", he nicknamed him "the original gorilla" and said that Du Chaillu was a fool to wander about Africa trying to capture a gorilla when he could have found one so easily at Springfield, Illinois. Lincoln said nothing. Lincoln made Stanton his war minister because he was the best man for the job and he treated him with every courtesy. The years wore on. The night came when the assassin’s bullet murdered Lincoln in the theatre. In the little room to which the President’s body was taken stood that same Stanton, and, looking down on Lincoln’s silent face, he said through his tears, "There lies the greatest ruler of men the world has ever seen." The patience of love had conquered in the end. Of all of the human qualities that make men in any sense like God, none is more divine than forgiveness. (Proverbs 19:11, Eph. 4:32, Col. 3:13) Covers a multitude of sins (1 Pe. 4:8; Prov. 10:12) Finds no joy in unrighteousness (1 Cor. 13:6; Ps. 119:136) Rejoices in the truth (1 Cor. 13:6) Believes all things (1 Cor. 13:7) Hopes all things (1 Cor. 13:7) Endures all things (1 Cor. 13:7) Never ends (1 Cor. 13:8; Rom. 8:35-39) Along with hope, is something we must not be ashamed to demonstrate (Rom. 5:5) Activates faith (Gal. 5:6) Is a requirement for a Christian, not an option, for it is the mark of a Christian (John 13:35) If we demonstrate love we prove that God is in us (1 John 4:16) It is out of such love that we should speak the “truth” (Eph. 4:15)