LOVE IS god OR GOD IS love


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SERMON SERIES: SOUL MANAGEMENT SERMON: LOVE IS god OR GOD IS love? 3-3-19

OPENER: We overuse the word “love”. I tell Hazel, Jared, Court, Sarah “I love you.” But, I also “love” my outfit today! I love the new signs in the Kid’s Department! And I love “Fixer Upper”. So, how do I express my undying love to my children and my love for Chester’s Hot Fries all in the same sentence? I’m not the only one who overuses the word “love” though. It’s a common habit in our society and culture today. We are obsessed with love. Love is what life is all about, it seems. We love romantic movies and candlelight dinners. We love smells, we love cars, we love toothpaste, we love shoes, we love feelings, we love fresh flowers. OUR SOULS YEARN AND SEARCH AND LONG FOR LOVE. Maybe this is why the definition of love has gotten a little bit lost in the mix. LOVE, I BELIEVE, IS THE SINGLE GREATEST NEED OF THE HUMAN SOUL. But, if we are honest, we are not entirely sure what it is. Is it chemistry? Is it emotion? Is it commitment? Is is self-sacrifice? Passion? Instinct? A choice? A philosophy? A myth? JOKE: Å couple are on a date at a fancy restaurant. The woman tells the man to say something to her that will get her heart racing. He replies, “I forgot my wallet.” I. GOD IS LOVE I want to look at the key to understanding and experiencing love. That key, simply is that God is love. It is knowing, believing, and living in the love of God. It is experiencing God’s love and learning to love as He loves. 1 John 4:7-21 (NLT) Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have

eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first. If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers. God designed our souls to know and to live in His love. Just like our souls need stillness, as Pastor Keshia spoke about and our souls need stability as Jesus as our anchor that Pastor Brendon spoke about last week. Our souls find security and happiness and identity in God’s love. GOD DEFINES LOVE. HE IS THE SOURCE OF LOVE. GOD IS THE ONE WHO CREATED LOVE. II. LOVE IS OUR GOD The problem is that people who claim to know God have not always been the greatest representation of God’s love. Some people who say they represent God or act in the name of Jesus have done horrible things. Many people who claim that God is love are also outspoken in their judgment and criticism toward those who don’t agree with them or who don’t live up to their standards. Partly because of these misrepresentations of God’s love, many people choose to disassociate human love and divine love. So, rather than saying, God is love. Let’s just make love our God. Saying...”Love is God, Man! Let’s just love each other. Make love not war! Everyone love each other! Be cool!

Let’s just smoke the herbs of the earth and wear tie-dye! God? Jesus? Bible? Organized Religion? No, love is what’s important, because love is our God!” It is incredibly convincing and attractive to say love is God. To make life about love, to put our hope in love and to elevate love above everything else. Imagine if everyone would just love each other. Imagine what this planet would look like? Love would meet the needs of the poor. There would be no war! It would regulate injustice and share the resources of the world with everyone! Love should work...right? Except, it hasn’t. Despite our world’s fixation with love, despite the peace movement, the civil right’s moment, despite thousands of poems, songs, movies, books and speeches about love, we still find ourselves surrounded with lots of hatred. WHY DOES THE PHILOSOPHY THAT SAYS “LOVE IS GOD” NOT WORK? BECAUSE IT IS A PHILOSOPHY THAT IS DISCONNECTED WITH GOD. IT IS AN IDEAL THAT DEFINES ITSELF. WE DON’T REALLY KNOW WHAT LOVE IS BECAUSE THERE IS NO STANDARD OR DEFINITION.

EXAMPLE: Imagine a conversation with a friend who is committed to this philosophy: You ask, “Who is God?” Friend, “Love is God.” “So who is in charge?” “Love is in charge.” “Okay, who defines love?” “Well, love defines itself.” “No, it doesn’t. Love is not an intelligent entity. It can’t do that.” “Well, I don’t know man, I just think love is....” “You think? So are you defining love? Does that make you God?” “I don’t know. It’s wired that you would say it like that.” “Well, you are defining love. So that makes you in charge.” “Well, not me.... just like, my friends.” “Okay, so you and your friends are God?”

IF LOVE IS GOD BUT WE ALL GET TO MAKE UP OUR OWN DEFINITION OF LOVE, THEN ULTIMATELY WE ALL ARE GOD. WHERE EVERY ONE IS DOING LOVE BY THEIR OWN DEFINITION, THEY LIVE BY THEIR OWN IMPULSES AND THEIR OWN FEELINGS. “THIS IS LOVE TO ME. SO I’M GOING TO DO IT.” THIS LEADS TO CHAOS AND LAWLESSNESS. LOVE IS GOD SOUNDS GOOD, BUT EVENTUALLY IT LEAVES YOU LOST AND CONFUSED. God wants us to flourish. He wants us to enjoy our lives. And he wants those around us to enjoy their lives as well. That is why it is important that we define love correctly. GOD IS LOVE. GOD INVENTED LOVE. SO GOD GETS TO DEFINE LOVE. As we learn to live in his love, our souls will find themselves at home, at rest, and at peace. SAY! III.WHAT DOES GOD’S LOVE LOOK LIKE? 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (esv) Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. In verse 7, Notice the emphasis here - “ALL”. In other words, there are not exceptions. PAUL IS SAYING THAT AT ALL TIMES AND IN EVERY SITUATION LOVES DOES THESE FOUR THINGS- BEARS, BELIEVES, HOPES AND ENDURES Jesus said......Matthew 5:43-44 (NLT)“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!

It’s easy to love those who love you. That’s what Jesus told his disciples in his famous Sermon on the Mount. But it takes a divine love, a supernatural love, to love those who do not love us back. Yet, that’s the kind of love that will change the world. It’s the only kind of love that will bring lasting satisfaction and health to our souls.

IV.FOUR THINGS LOVE ALWAYS DOES/THAT DEFINE AUTHENTIC LOVE 1.LOVE BEARS Bear - Greek word for roof. Literally means “put a roof on”. It has the idea of covering something or keeping something confidential. It can also mean to put up with something. Love is a roof or a cover. Love protects, shields, and conceals the weaknesses of others. 1 Peter 4:8 (NLT) Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. THIS DOESN’T MEAN WE IGNORE SIN. IT MEANS WE DON’T USE PEOPLE’S FAULTS AND FAILURES TO EXPOSE OR SHAME THEM. WE PUBLICLY COVER THEM AND PRIVATELY RESTORE THEM. ILLUSTRATION: Some people are roofs but they have a lot of skylights. Example: Jones’ daughter Julie. These skylight Christians have good hearts, but they are exposers, not coverers. They build skylights into every conversation because somehow the scoop makes them feel better about themselves. We don’t have to do that, though. We can be so secure in God’s love and our identity that we don’t have to give people glimpses into other people’s business. We can be a safe place for hurting people, a place where they can find unconditional love and support - both public and private - while they get back on their feet.

We want to have a few skylights ourselves, but we want to marry someone who is a solid roof. We want our kids who are solid roofs. We want our best friends to be solid roofs. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT LOVE BEARS ALL. IT COVERS AND PROTECTS AND KEEPS CONFIDENTIAL EVERYTHING ENTRUSTED TO IT. Note: We aren’t talking about keeping secrets here. There is a time and a place to take certain things to higher authorities or to call attention to issues that are creating danger. WE SHOULD BELIEVE IN PEOPLE SO MUCH THAT WE HELP THEM BEAR THEIR FAILURES AND COVER THEIR WEAKNESSES UNTIL THEY ARE HEALED. All of us are works in progress. All of us have faults and failures. And all of us at some point wish we had people in our lives who are solid roofs.

TODAY!!! Make a decision to stop exposing people’s faults and weaknesses. Guard your tongue.

2. LOVE BELIEVES Believe - to look for the best. It doesn’t mean you don’t see the worst, it just means that in the middle of the worst time in someone’s life, you remember the best, celebrate the best and believe the best. The definition “believes all things could be summed up in one phrase: “He or she didn’t mean that.” EXAMPLE: On Monday morning, when your co-worker throws you under the bus in front of the boss. You need to say, “He didn’t mean that.” I know it looked like he meant it, and everyone else thinks he meant it, but I choose to believe the best. He wasn’t thinking, he had a bad morning, he hasn’t had his coffee yet. He must be facing something difficult at home. ILLUSTRATION:

Sometimes people who respond like that drive us crazy! “I know he punched me in the face. I know he kicked my dog, but he loves dogs. And I bet he is feeling sorry right now. You know the person just got manipulated. You know that they just got worked over. And how do they respond, “They didn’t mean it!” We think, Hey, pull your head out of the sand. You just got manipulated. You need to defend yourself. WHERE DOES THE DESIRE TO DEFEND OURSELVES AND JUSTIFY OURSELVES AND PROTECT OURSELVES COME FROM? IN REALITY, IT’S A LACK OF GOD AWARENESS. IS GOD, GOD OR NOT? DO WE TRUST HIM TO TAKE CARE OF US OR NOT? We either let God be God or we take it upon ourselves to right every wrong and defend every injustices. Some of us are the self-appointed guardians of our rights, privileges, dignity and pride. We think that if we get walked all over, if we get taken advantage of, we lose something. ILLUSTRATION: If you do this, you will spend your life in a holding pattern looking back at the situation from every angle, trying to figure out how to eat the advantage, how to get your pride back, how to prove your point YOU WILL NEVER GET AHEAD FLYING IN CIRCLES. YOU WILL NEVER GET OVER SOMETHING ULTIL YOU LET IT GO. TODAY!!! Decide to not be offended. Don’t pick up offense. didn’t mean it.”

Say, “He didn’t mean it. She

Or maybe you have been holding on to an offense. TODAY!! Lay it down and say, “He didn’t mean that. That was said in haste or ignorance or pain. They really are not that kind of people.”

Can you imagine what our marriages would look like? What our families would look like if we included this phrase in our every day language? Can you imagine what our churches would look like? REAL LOVE - AUTHENTIC LOVE - IS NOT ALWAYS EASY. BUT THIS IS HOW REAL LOVE FUNCTIONS ALL THE TIME. NO EXCEPTIONS. NO DISCLAIMERS. NO PRENUPS.

3. LOVE HOPES Hope - It means that love holds on to eventual development. LOVE RECOGNIZES THAT WHERE WE ARE IS NOT WHERE WE ARE GOING TO BE. ILLUSTRATION: When we see someone struggling, we take a snapshot of how is is now , caption it, and file it away as your forever definition of him. We label him and limit it him. But God doesn’t. And God doesn’t label or limit you either. Take a video, not a picture, because God has him on a journey. Things will change and there is a good chance that he will be ahead of you in some areas, and at that point you will be glad you stayed humble. FOR LOVE TO BE LOVE IT CAN’T WORK ONLY WHEN PEOPLE ARE POLISHED AND PROPER AND PERFECT.

4. LOVE ENDURES To endure means you don’t retaliate or reject. You don’t say, “I’m done with you. You crossed the line and I’m out OF here.” Love doesn’t write people off. It doesn’t give people the silent treatment. Note: The Bible isn’t saying we ignore sin or hurt or pain. It isn’t saying that we never confront. There is room in love for communication, confrontation and restoration. LOVE WILL BE TESTED. LIFE ISN’T PERFECT AND NEITHER ARE WE. NO MATTER HOW STRONG THE BONDS OR HOW PASSIONATE THE COMMITMENTS, THE PEOPLE WE LOVE WILL LET US DOWN AT TIMES.

God’s love is the only force strong enough to endure all things. Jesus never hit a breaking point. He never said, “You hurt me one too many times. With his dying breath on the cross, Jesus asked God to forgive his executioners. LOVE HAS NO LIMITS. LOVE ENDURES ALL THINGS.

CLOSING: You don’t live and walk in this kind of love just by focusing on love. Just by putting more self-effort in loving others. We focus on Jesus. As we read earlier in 1 John chapter 4,........It says that God made his love manifest in Jesus. If God is love and if God manifested his love through Jesus, then the answer for our need for love is Jesus. WE NEED TO LOOK TO JESUS. SPEND TIME WITH JESUS. LEARN FROM JESUS. AND BE LOVED BY JESUS. I want to look like Jesus, live like Jesus and love like Jesus. I am a long way from 1 Corinthians 13. But my desire and my prayer is that my soul find its shelter and definition and purpose in God’s love. If you found a church made up of people like that, a church that doesn’t just preach love and then live like hell during the week, but a church that is committed to living and loving like Jesus - wouldn’t you want to be a part of it? Let’s be that church. Let’s be those people.

FOUR THINGS I WANT YOU TO DO- STARTING THIS WEEK: 1. Be a roof for other people. Do not expose, but protect, cover other’s faults. Do not exposed them. Guard your tongue. Quit cursing others. This stifles the move of the Spirit among us. Even if it is in your home. Illustration: Children of Israel talking about Moses in their homes. Complaining. Almost kept them from the promise. 2. Believe the best in people. Forgive. Put the phrase into your everyday life. “He didn’t mean that.” “She didn’t mean that.” Offense is something you pick up. Lay it down. It is stopping your growth, blocking your blessing and growing bitterness in your heart.

3. Hope for people’s progress. Realize that everyone is a work in progress. Who they are today will not be who they are in the future. Everyone can change. If you have labeled someone. Remove the label. 4. Don’t write people off. Love endures. Keep loving. Don’t give up on people. Jesus never gave up on you!