Real Life: The Secret of Love

Dunkirk Baptist Church
Pastor Rick Hancock

The church in Corinth's wisdom was causing conflict.
This church was a mess.
The believers were drawing attention to themselves, no one was being edified.
They were speaking in tongues so loudly and on top of each other there was no interpretation.
They had gifts but no primary evidence of the Holy Spirit; they didn't have love.
Romans 5:6-8 description of God's love for His enemies.

~ The absolute NECESSITY of love - vv. 1-3
- all the gifts from God are nothing if you don't have love.
- all the knowledge you can have is nothing without love.
- having faith that can move mountains is nothing without love.
- being generous with your money is nothing without love.
- Love is more than a motivation it is a character to act in line with God.

~ The character of love - vv. 4-7
- 15 verbs to describe the Christian behavior of love in just these 3 verses.
- patience: keeps the burn low and slow to boil
- kind: "Not only says Good Morning, but makes the coffee" ~ Max Lucado
- does not envy: even the slightest smidgen of jealousy can fester into something bigger.
- does not boast:
- not arrogant:
- not rude:
- is not self centered:
- is not irritable:
- is not resentful:
- does not rejoice in wrongdoing:
- bears all things:
- believes all things:
- hopes all things:
- endures all things:
- never ending:

~ The permanence of love - vv. 8-13

The secret to loving is living loved.
- Ephesians 5:1
- 1 John 4:7,8,19

Created 4 months ago