Yesterday’s message:
1 Thessalonians 3:11-13, 4:9-12
11 Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; 12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; 13 so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.
9 Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more
Introduction
When the grace of Christ squeezes your heart, what oozes out? Love.
1. Its cause
Why must God cause love?
1.So much like him.
2. Love is so unlike us
3. We tend to relate to others the way we see our relationship with God.
A law orientation in relationships skews them depending on how you view yourself: superior/inferior
2. extent
a. priority on the household of faith
b. general compassion to alleviate human suffering and elevate human need
3. Its practice
Here are three words the bible uses to describe love in action, as a skill:
Love serves
Gal.5:13 Your were called to freedom, only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
We serve others in the pattern of Jesus: The Son of man came not to be served but to serve and give his life a ransom for sinners
Love seeks good
1 Thess.5:14 never pay back evil for evil, but always seek that which is good for one another and for all men.
Rom.15:2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to his edification.
Love builds them up
Rom.14:19 So let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.
Your sense of obligation only extends as far as your reception of God’s mercy for you. Jesus: those who are forgiven much, love much.
4. goal
13 so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.
God uses love to perfect our character.
