| Sermon By Rev. Mark E. Vatcher |
| The Lords Church.org Ministries Website All rights reserved 2005-2008 |
Where does Love come from? What does it mean to us? Some would say that
love is just another emotion in a long list of emotions we feel from minute to
minute, hour to hour, day to day. Should love be included with other emotions
like; anger, sadness, happiness, fear? Do we hold the same value of love as we
do other emotions? No one longs to be in fear of something. We do not look
forward to having sadness or hatred fill our hearts. People long to love and be
loved. Why? Because we have been created, with the same nature as God, God
created us in His image, and God is love.
The Lord spoke in (1st John 4:7-8) saying, “Beloved, let us love one another, for
love is God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does
not love does not know God, for God is love.” It is one of the most precious gifts
that God has given us. Let me share with you a wonderful quote, from Nancy
Reagan, about what love is.
Love means giving one's self to another person fully, not just physically. When two
people really love each other, this helps them to stay alive and grow. One must
really be loved to grow. Love's such a precious and fragile thing that when it comes
we have to hold on tightly. And when it comes we're very lucky because for some it
never comes at all. If you have love, you're wealthy in a way that can never be
measured. Cherish it.
We all long to experience love, and we all desire to have a relationship that is
unconditional, unselfish, full of joy, never ending; this desire and example of love
comes only from God.
(Corinthians 13:4-7) “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or
proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it
keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but
rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is
always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”
It is sad to say, but until now in my own marriage, I have only seen this type of
love, on a few occasions. I am a people watcher, I enjoy studying how couples
interact with one another and the ones that truly love each other, as God
intended, stand out like a sore thumb. They are impossible to miss, because they
have a joy about them that is so rare, others can not help but to notice. Their
relationship is the example of 1 Corinthians 13 in action.
Love manifests itself in many different ways. Love is; tenderness, devotion, self-
sacrifice, acts of service to God, affection, desire, kindness. The foundation of
this type of love is God. Through God’s example the emotion of love is being
radiated on all people. God wants each and every one of us to experience this
type of love, here on earth, because of His love for us.
Our goal during our Christian journey should be to manifest these fruits of the
Spirit, in our daily lives, to everyone around us. Whether it is our spouse,
children, family, friends, strangers or even our enemies. We should be sharing
the love of Christ with everyone by our example.
The Lord said in (Matthew 5:46) “For if you love those who love you, what reward
have you? Do not even the tax collectors do so?” He is telling us that He gives His
love to all and expects us to do likewise. We are able to share our love through
service, kindness, and tenderness of heart to our family, friends, strangers, and
yes even our enemies. (Romans 12:20) “Therefore if your enemy is hungry, feed
him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; That is love! Love has no boundaries; it is
priceless but yet it is free to give without expecting anything in return.
What do you think the Bible means by the verse (Matthew 6:19-20) “Do not lay up
for yourselves treasures on earth, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”
This verse is about giving, not receiving. We are to give of ourselves sacrificially,
loving others, even though they do to deserve our kindness.
We have very limited time here on earth, to earn the crowns, that we will be
throwing at Jesus’ feet. Once we are called home, and leave this earth, there will
be no other opportunities for us to help the needy, to love the unlovable, to show
non-believers the love of Christ. Our work will be finished. What we do here and
now, on earth, will be our reward for all eternity. We need to spread Gods love out
wherever we go, leaving a piece of it with each and every person we come in
contact with. It could be as easy as, holding the door for another person, giving
money to the needy, or simply saying God bless you to a stranger.
God’s plan is for us to love one another as Christ loves you, unconditionally.
(Matthew 5:43-45) “you have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor
and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse
you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you
and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes
His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the
unjust.”
That’s pretty clear, that God loves us all both the good and bad, but here is the
difference, God’s chosen ones, must share this love to show those who do not
know Jesus what love is. We must let Gods love flow out of us, and as we do, His
loving kindness and tender mercies will call others to repentance.
love is just another emotion in a long list of emotions we feel from minute to
minute, hour to hour, day to day. Should love be included with other emotions
like; anger, sadness, happiness, fear? Do we hold the same value of love as we
do other emotions? No one longs to be in fear of something. We do not look
forward to having sadness or hatred fill our hearts. People long to love and be
loved. Why? Because we have been created, with the same nature as God, God
created us in His image, and God is love.
The Lord spoke in (1st John 4:7-8) saying, “Beloved, let us love one another, for
love is God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does
not love does not know God, for God is love.” It is one of the most precious gifts
that God has given us. Let me share with you a wonderful quote, from Nancy
Reagan, about what love is.
Love means giving one's self to another person fully, not just physically. When two
people really love each other, this helps them to stay alive and grow. One must
really be loved to grow. Love's such a precious and fragile thing that when it comes
we have to hold on tightly. And when it comes we're very lucky because for some it
never comes at all. If you have love, you're wealthy in a way that can never be
measured. Cherish it.
We all long to experience love, and we all desire to have a relationship that is
unconditional, unselfish, full of joy, never ending; this desire and example of love
comes only from God.
(Corinthians 13:4-7) “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or
proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it
keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but
rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is
always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”
It is sad to say, but until now in my own marriage, I have only seen this type of
love, on a few occasions. I am a people watcher, I enjoy studying how couples
interact with one another and the ones that truly love each other, as God
intended, stand out like a sore thumb. They are impossible to miss, because they
have a joy about them that is so rare, others can not help but to notice. Their
relationship is the example of 1 Corinthians 13 in action.
Love manifests itself in many different ways. Love is; tenderness, devotion, self-
sacrifice, acts of service to God, affection, desire, kindness. The foundation of
this type of love is God. Through God’s example the emotion of love is being
radiated on all people. God wants each and every one of us to experience this
type of love, here on earth, because of His love for us.
Our goal during our Christian journey should be to manifest these fruits of the
Spirit, in our daily lives, to everyone around us. Whether it is our spouse,
children, family, friends, strangers or even our enemies. We should be sharing
the love of Christ with everyone by our example.
The Lord said in (Matthew 5:46) “For if you love those who love you, what reward
have you? Do not even the tax collectors do so?” He is telling us that He gives His
love to all and expects us to do likewise. We are able to share our love through
service, kindness, and tenderness of heart to our family, friends, strangers, and
yes even our enemies. (Romans 12:20) “Therefore if your enemy is hungry, feed
him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; That is love! Love has no boundaries; it is
priceless but yet it is free to give without expecting anything in return.
What do you think the Bible means by the verse (Matthew 6:19-20) “Do not lay up
for yourselves treasures on earth, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”
This verse is about giving, not receiving. We are to give of ourselves sacrificially,
loving others, even though they do to deserve our kindness.
We have very limited time here on earth, to earn the crowns, that we will be
throwing at Jesus’ feet. Once we are called home, and leave this earth, there will
be no other opportunities for us to help the needy, to love the unlovable, to show
non-believers the love of Christ. Our work will be finished. What we do here and
now, on earth, will be our reward for all eternity. We need to spread Gods love out
wherever we go, leaving a piece of it with each and every person we come in
contact with. It could be as easy as, holding the door for another person, giving
money to the needy, or simply saying God bless you to a stranger.
God’s plan is for us to love one another as Christ loves you, unconditionally.
(Matthew 5:43-45) “you have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor
and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse
you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you
and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes
His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the
unjust.”
That’s pretty clear, that God loves us all both the good and bad, but here is the
difference, God’s chosen ones, must share this love to show those who do not
know Jesus what love is. We must let Gods love flow out of us, and as we do, His
loving kindness and tender mercies will call others to repentance.
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