OceanSide church of Christ

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The Greatest of These is Love (2)
by: Dalton Gilreath

I.              Introduction

A.   Love is very misunderstood in today’s society.

                                          i.    It is uttered with a feeling of infatuation

                                        ii.    It is spoken in connection to what we like

                                       iii.    Yet, love is so much more as found in scipture

B.   Jesus demonstrated love by dying on the cross (Rom 5:8)

                                          i.    He painted a picture throughout His life as well

1.    He washed the disciples feet

2.    He prayed God’s will be done over His own

a.    Jesus did not like the idea of being crucified

b.    Jesus wasn’t governed by “like” but “love”

                                        ii.    In between washing feet and the cross, Christ gave a “new commandment” (John 13:34)

1.    Loving one another was not new at all

2.    What was new was “as I have loved you”

a.    Christ painted the apostles a picture of love

b.    We must understand this love and apply it today

II.            Love suffers long (1 Corinthians 13:4a)

A.   Love means I am willing to accept suffering brought about by another

                                          i.    Love does not retaliate although the flesh desires it

                                        ii.    No excuse justifies hurting the person who hurt us

B.   In the garden Peter attempted to kill for Christ (Matt 26:52-53)

                                          i.    Jesus explained to Peter that He could retaliate but chose not to

                                        ii.    He could have called ten thousand angels but chose death for us

1.    Jesus truly suffered long

2.    Why? Because He was governed by “love” and not “like”

C.   We often react to people based upon the way they treat us instead of the way God says love would treat them

                                          i.    We are like the monkey who mimicked baby Preston at the zoo (youtube video that went viral)

1.    For example, if my waitress is nice to me I find it easy to be nice back

2.    If my waitress is rude I find it easy to be rude back

                                        ii.    We must not be monkey’s living powerless lives of copying others

III.           …and is kind

A.   We might think, “Ok Paul I won’t do anything next time someone hurts me”

                                          i.    Paul might respond, “You wish it was that easy”

                                        ii.    We must not only avoid retaliating but respond with a kindness

B.   In Jesus’ sermon on the mount He describes how to be kind to our enemies (Matt 5:43-38)

                                          i.    We must bless them

                                        ii.    We must do good to them

                                       iii.    We must pray for them

1.    Notice, being good to those who are good to us is not all love is

2.    Love is about doing good to others when they don’t do good to us (1 Pet 2:18-24)

                                       iv.    Paul would put it as overcoming evil with good (Rom 12:19-21)