1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:04,160 Crossing Family I am so happy that one of my best friends in 2 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:07,120 the whole world, Matt Cameron, the pastor at River Hills 3 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:10,960 Christian Church in Loveland, OH, is bringing the Word this 4 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:12,600 week. Matt and his beautiful wife, 5 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:15,840 Lindley, have two energetic sons, Will and Levi. 6 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:19,960 Matt is a third generation preacher who is passionate about 7 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:22,680 reaching a lost, which is evident in his preaching. 8 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:26,640 He's been a speaker at our Uncommon Men's Conference and is 9 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:29,600 a featured speaker at youth camps and summer camps all 10 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:32,960 across the United States. He loves the upcoming generation 11 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:36,640 and he is dedicated to raising them up to be leaders in the 12 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:38,760 church. Matt loves to fish and cheer for 13 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:41,000 the Oklahoma Sooners, which we won't hold it against them. 14 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:44,760 But I cannot tell you how important his friendship has 15 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:47,960 meant to me, not just in my marriage, but also in my 16 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:50,280 leadership and in my walk with Jesus Christ. 17 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:53,120 We talk together almost every single week, and it is my 18 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:56,640 profound honor to have him preach to us this weekend. 19 00:00:56,800 --> 00:01:00,240 So would you put a big crossing welcome together for Matt 20 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:05,120 Cameron? Thank you, Thank you. 21 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,360 I got to tell you the honor is all mine. 22 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:11,640 To be here this weekend, it is such a blessing. 23 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:15,240 Clayton is my best friend. I know he said I'm just one of 24 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:16,920 his. I think he did that to be nice 25 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:19,160 to all the other preachers that you bring in. 26 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:23,560 But we know who number one is. Those should have been funnier 27 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:25,280 than that people. Come on, help me. 28 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:28,520 Hey, it is so good to be at The Crossing. 29 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:32,280 I love this church. I love so many people on your 30 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:36,160 team, so many people that are on staff, so many difference makers 31 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:38,960 and people that I've gotten to know from being here so many 32 00:01:38,960 --> 00:01:43,320 times over the years. And I have to tell you what I 33 00:01:43,320 --> 00:01:47,000 tell everybody about The Crossing, and that is if there 34 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:51,080 was any other church that I would be wanting to be a part of 35 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:56,400 besides my church, it's here. Like, you guys have such an 36 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,160 unbelievable impact on your region. 37 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:03,240 I love the vision of making this the hardest region to get from 38 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:06,480 hell from or hell, hell from on planet Earth. 39 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:08,240 And I just. I hope. 40 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:12,920 Yeah, absolutely. I hope you realize what a gift 41 00:02:12,920 --> 00:02:16,440 it is to be a part of this church and to realize the 42 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:21,040 blessing that God has given you to be a part of this and to make 43 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:25,680 a difference because of it. And so today I just want to 44 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:29,120 welcome all of our campuses, welcome those of you inside and 45 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,320 online. We've been in this study of the 46 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:35,800 book of First Corinthians for quite a while, and today we get 47 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:40,480 to perhaps the most well known chapter in the book, 1st 48 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:42,760 Corinthians 13. If you have your Bibles, you can 49 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:47,760 go ahead and turn there, but I'm guessing this is a chapter that 50 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:51,840 so many people have heard, but maybe you don't fully understand 51 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,600 it and maybe this would be helpful for you. 52 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:56,680 Have you ever had one of those times in your life where you 53 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,240 thought you knew something like you thought you really 54 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:02,880 understood it and then later on you realize, oh, I didn't fully 55 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:07,080 grasp what that was all about? My guess is many of you think 56 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:09,080 you know your pastor Clayton pretty well. 57 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:13,520 I get to say that I've known him probably longer than most people 58 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:15,200 here. He has some family and some 59 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:18,400 people that knew him growing up. But for most of you, I've known 60 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:20,560 Clayton a long time. We became best friends when we 61 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:24,360 were 18 years old, our first night in Bible college together. 62 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:29,400 And one thing that you probably do know about him is when 63 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:33,880 Clayton goes all in on something like he goes all the way in, 64 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,680 like there is no halfway with Clayton Hensel. 65 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:40,920 He's all gas, no brakes. And when we were younger, we 66 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:43,520 used to go see movies, like go to the theater and see that. 67 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:45,960 I know that's not like as big of a thing anymore. 68 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:48,600 But in those days, this was this was a really big deal. 69 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:51,040 And when we go see a movie, Clayton would think that he 70 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:54,680 needed to become the main character like this is this is 71 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:57,280 who I am for the next few days, sometimes weeks. 72 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:00,600 And so we went and saw this movie one time called American 73 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:02,680 Outlaws. I haven't seen this in 20 years. 74 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:04,920 So I don't know if that's a movie I can recommend or not. 75 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:07,840 Don't remember everything of it, but it's like this modern day 76 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:11,360 western with Jesse James. So we go see this movie and 77 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:13,720 Clayton afterwards, he's like, we need to go to Walmart. 78 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:15,840 And we're like, why do we need to go to Walmart? 79 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:18,000 He goes, we got to we got to become Jesse James. 80 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,040 Like we got to go get cap guns and do this whole thing. 81 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:24,120 And so here we are, 18 year olds going in the toy aisle at 82 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:26,360 Walmart and going and buying cap guns. 83 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:28,320 And Clayton like bought everything that they had. 84 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:31,880 Like he bought the plastic belt. He had like two different 85 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:35,160 revolver cap guns that he could spin around and does this whole 86 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:37,680 thing. And so I know kind of nerdy for 87 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:39,880 18 year olds, but hey, it's Clayton all the way in. 88 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:43,400 So we come back to the campus, our small Christian College in 89 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:46,960 Joplin, MO, and he tells the guy that's driving the car, he's 90 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,080 like, stop here. Matt and I are going to get out. 91 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:54,280 And so we get out and we start just, you know, firing our cap 92 00:04:54,280 --> 00:04:56,600 guns like we're in the wild, Wild West and we're about to 93 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:59,640 take over a Stagecoach. Like we're rolling down the 94 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:01,320 hill. We're doing this whole thing 95 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:03,400 just idiots. And so we go through the whole 96 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:06,720 deal, get to our dorm. It's curfew at our college. 97 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:09,760 And Clayton's still wearing his whole get up, like walking 98 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:12,600 around the halls and shooting and just, you know, he's a 99 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:15,040 cowboy now. And so we go through all this, 100 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:19,840 we get called down to the lobby of our dorm because the campus 101 00:05:19,840 --> 00:05:24,240 patrol like the the rent a cop, like the the people that are 102 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:26,480 that's not true. Sorry. 103 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:28,840 That just came out from the overflow of the heart. 104 00:05:28,840 --> 00:05:31,800 The mouth speaks. But this guy who's not like a 105 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:35,040 real police officer, just whatever you want to call him, 106 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:41,240 he calls us in And Clayton, your pastor at 18 years old comes in. 107 00:05:41,280 --> 00:05:44,680 I mean, Wyatt Earp, Jesse Jamestown, he's twirling his 108 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:48,040 guns around, and this guy's trying to be so serious. 109 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:51,680 And he's like, Sir, please. We've had reports of shots fired 110 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:54,840 and Clayton just popping caps just, you know, flinging him 111 00:05:54,840 --> 00:05:57,680 around. And I have to try to hold it 112 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:01,160 together because this dude's taken his job so seriously. 113 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:04,960 But Clayton's taken so seriously that he is now Jesse James, you 114 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:07,560 know, and just going through. So anyways, that story has 115 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:10,480 nothing to do with my message, but I just thought it'd be fun 116 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:15,720 to tell a story about Clayton. But you come to 1st Corinthians 117 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:20,440 13, and from a literary viewpoint, this might just be 118 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:23,640 the greatest chapter Paul ever wrote. 119 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:27,320 We've all probably heard it at weddings before. 120 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,560 And so let's read it together. I'll read it and you can just 121 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:33,480 kind of follow along. First Corinthians 13 he says, If 122 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:36,960 I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, 123 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:39,960 I'm only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 124 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:44,040 If I have the gift of prophecy, and can fathom all mysteries and 125 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:47,680 all knowledge, and have faith that can move mountains, but do 126 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:52,040 not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the 127 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:55,440 poor and give over my body to hardship, that I may boast but 128 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:58,320 do not have love, I gain nothing. 129 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:02,080 Love is patient. Love is kind. 130 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:07,000 It does not envy, it does not boast, It is not proud, it does 131 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,920 not dishonor others. It is not self seeking, it is 132 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:13,680 not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. 133 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:17,680 Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. 134 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:22,680 It always protects, always trust, always hopes, always 135 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:25,880 perseveres. Love never fails. 136 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:28,760 But where there are prophecies, they will cease. 137 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:30,960 Where there are tongues, they will be stilled. 138 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:33,440 Where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 139 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:37,080 For we know in part, and we prophecy in part, but when 140 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:40,440 completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 141 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:44,160 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a 142 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:48,440 child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the 143 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:52,240 ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a 144 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:56,960 reflection, as in a mirror. Then we shall see face to face. 145 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:01,680 Now I know in part. Then I shall know fully, even as 146 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:04,280 I am fully known. And now these three remain 147 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:09,080 faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is 148 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:12,400 love. We pray with me, Heavenly 149 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:18,240 Father, we know that Your Word tells us that God is love. 150 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:23,720 We know that Jesus said greater love has no one than this, that 151 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:27,160 a man would lay down his life for his friends. 152 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:31,040 You tell us in first John that this is love, not that we loved 153 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:36,120 God, but that he loved us and sent his one and only Son as the 154 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:39,840 atoning sacrifice for our sins. And Lord, today I pray that you 155 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:44,760 would help us to understand how wide, how long, how high, how 156 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:50,320 deep is the love of Christ. Lord, fill each and every one of 157 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:55,320 us with that type of love. And all God's people said Amen. 158 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:01,320 When you look at a passage in Scripture, you got to figure out 159 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:04,600 where it fits. And so First Corinthians 13, 160 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:07,280 it's one of those that all of us have probably heard before. 161 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:11,600 But where does it come? It comes right after chapter 12 162 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:14,320 as all this discussion about spiritual gifts. 163 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:19,120 And look at the very last verse of First Corinthians 12, verse 164 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:21,520 31. Look how it ends now eagerly 165 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:26,560 desire the greater gifts and I, we'll show you the most 166 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:31,120 excellent way. The most excellent way that Paul 167 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:34,320 is going to show us is the way of love. 168 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:39,080 Love is one of those words that we use for everything, right? 169 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:42,840 Like I love my mom, I love my wife, I love my boys, I love hot 170 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:44,960 dogs. You know, like we used it for 171 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:47,360 everything. And it doesn't always mean the 172 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:51,320 same thing. The Greek word for love in this 173 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:55,080 passage is the word agape. You know what's interesting to 174 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:59,000 me? That the word agape was one of 175 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:02,600 the rarest words used for love in ancient Greek literature. 176 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:08,400 Yet when you open up your New Testament, it's used the most 177 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:13,200 frequently for love. You see, when we say I love you, 178 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:17,400 often we mean I love me and I want you. 179 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:20,560 Most people, including Christians, seem to think of 180 00:10:20,560 --> 00:10:24,600 love as nice feelings, warm affection, maybe romance, maybe 181 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:30,440 desire. But agape love this God, love 182 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:34,440 this unconditional love is a self giving love, love that 183 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:37,880 demands something of us, love that's more concerned with 184 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:42,960 giving than receiving. And the sad truth is it's as 185 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:47,720 rare today in the modern church as it was in Corinth. 186 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:52,960 You remember in John chapter 13, Jesus is coming to the end of 187 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:54,760 his life. It's Thursday night, the night 188 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:57,160 he will be betrayed and arrested. 189 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:01,440 And before that happens, he's in the upper room and the disciples 190 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:03,960 are having an argument with one another about who's the 191 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:07,120 greatest. And Jesus begins to notice 192 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:09,480 something about his disciples. And do you remember what he 193 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:11,920 does? He goes and takes off his outer 194 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:13,440 garments. He wraps a towel around his 195 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:17,680 waist and picks up a basin and he begins to wash his disciples 196 00:11:17,680 --> 00:11:19,400 feet. But if you look at the very 197 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:23,040 beginning of that chapter, it tells us an insight about Jesus. 198 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:27,280 He says when he noticed his disciples were having this 199 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:30,640 discussion and that their feet weren't washed, he now showed 200 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:33,560 them. And it uses this phrase the full 201 00:11:33,560 --> 00:11:39,880 extent of his love. He tells him after he watches 202 00:11:39,880 --> 00:11:42,560 him go and do likewise. In fact, if you go down just a 203 00:11:42,560 --> 00:11:47,280 couple more verses in John 13 verses 34 and 35, Jesus says a 204 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:51,360 new command. I give you love one another as I 205 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:53,680 have loved you. So you must also love one 206 00:11:53,680 --> 00:11:55,040 another. And don't miss this. 207 00:11:55,760 --> 00:11:59,640 By this everyone, the entire world will know you are my 208 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:03,160 disciples. If you have love, one for 209 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:08,280 another, but love is missing from a lot of churches. 210 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:11,640 The church in Corinth had its issues. 211 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:15,640 They were loud with spiritual activity, but very quiet when it 212 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:18,280 came to love. And so that's why I think Paul 213 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:23,400 begins chapter 13 saying if I speak in the tongues of men or 214 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:28,360 angels but have not love, what I'm just a resounding gong or a 215 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:31,800 clanging cymbal, I can make a lot of noise. 216 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:37,360 I'm not making a difference. I'm doing nothing continues in 217 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:39,200 verse 2. If I have the gift of prophecy 218 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:42,880 and can fathom all mysteries and knowledge, and if I can have 219 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:46,920 faith that can move mountains but do not have love, I am 220 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:50,720 nothing. Listen, you can be gifted but 221 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:52,600 empty. Don't miss that phrase. 222 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:56,360 I am nothing. Verse three. 223 00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:59,560 He continues one more time. He says if I give all I possess 224 00:12:59,560 --> 00:13:02,680 to the poor and I give over my body if I make the ultimate 225 00:13:02,680 --> 00:13:07,560 sacrifice to hardship, that I may be boast but do not have 226 00:13:07,560 --> 00:13:11,640 love. I gain nothing, I do nothing. 227 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:17,040 I am nothing, I gain nothing. What Paul's doing here is he's 228 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:20,800 speaking in hyperbole. It's an over exaggerated way of 229 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:23,200 stating something in order to prove a point. 230 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:26,120 It's like saying hey listen, these shoes are worth like 231 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:27,920 $1,000,000. They're not. 232 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:30,840 They're not at all, but we say those type of things. 233 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:33,960 And what Paul is doing is he's using these exaggerated 234 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:37,680 statements about the greatest things you can do in following 235 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:42,840 Jesus, and he says all of it is meaningless without love. 236 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:49,920 In fact, throughout history, it's proven to be difficult for 237 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:54,200 the church to be loving. It's easier to be Orthodox than 238 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:56,560 loving. It's easier to be active in 239 00:13:56,560 --> 00:13:59,880 church activity than it is to be loving. 240 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:04,080 And I would submit to you that the longer the church is around, 241 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:07,960 the harder it is for it to remain loving. 242 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:13,760 Don't believe me? Look at the church in Ephesus in 243 00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:19,320 a the the place that Paul spent more time than any other church 244 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:22,440 he went to. And yet you remember what Jesus 245 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:26,240 says, Revelation chapter 2, the first church mentioned in the 246 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:29,600 Book of Revelation. He tells them this in verse 4. 247 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:34,080 Yet I hold this against you. You have forsaken the love you 248 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:37,960 had at first. So don't miss what's happening. 249 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:44,880 Chapter 13 in First Corinthians is the pinnacle, the central 250 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:48,240 chapter of Paul's lengthy discussion on spiritual gifts. 251 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:51,880 Clayton started it last week. In chapter 12, we get to chapter 252 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:53,680 13. Next week we'll close this 253 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:57,840 discussion out. But I want you to hear me having 254 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:00,720 a spiritual gift doesn't make you spiritual. 255 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:04,560 That's not how it works. You can you can miss the whole 256 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:06,240 thing. In fact, one commentator puts it 257 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:08,440 this way. The Corinthian Christians were 258 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:11,640 not walking in the Spirit. They were selfish, self 259 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:15,480 designing, self willed, self motivated, doing everything 260 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:18,920 possible to promote their own interest and welfare. 261 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:22,160 Everyone was doing his own thing for his own good with little or 262 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:25,880 no regard for others. The Corinthians did not lack in 263 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:31,080 any gift, but they were terribly deficient in spiritual fruit 264 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:35,640 because they were not walking in the source and power both of the 265 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:40,240 gifts and the fruit. Among the many things those 266 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:45,360 believers lacked, the most significant was love. 267 00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:53,560 I would be willing to say that First Corinthians 13, the 268 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:57,360 original intent of all of the descriptions that Paul gives 269 00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:01,760 about love were to counteract things that he's already brought 270 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:05,120 up in the book. All these issues, all of these 271 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:08,800 problems, he's using First Corinthians 13 and saying love 272 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:11,720 is the antidote to all of these things you've already dealt 273 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:13,360 with. Can I go just through a few of 274 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:17,040 them for you? When Paul says love is patient, 275 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:20,680 do you remember the Corinthians who were quick to take each 276 00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:25,440 other to court in First Corinthians 6 or in in First 277 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:28,840 Corinthians 8 when you had the people that were impatient with 278 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:30,280 those who were weaker in the faith? 279 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:33,720 Hey, just come along. No patience bears with others 280 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:36,840 instead of demanding something of them. 281 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:40,480 First Corinthians 6-7 remember what Jesus or what Paul told 282 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:42,520 him. He says why not suffer wrong? 283 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:48,480 He says no love is patient, love is kind and yet you had in the 284 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:52,200 Chapter 11, you had the wealthy who were humiliating the poor 285 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:58,160 people during the Lord's Supper. Paul tells him kindness looks 286 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:01,920 for ways to include others. In fact in First Corinthians 8 287 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:04,319 verse 1, he says knowledge puffs up. 288 00:17:04,839 --> 00:17:10,119 But what? But love builds up that love 289 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:13,280 does not envy. Yet they had this envy fuel 290 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:16,839 division the the the opening pages of his letter. 291 00:17:16,839 --> 00:17:19,800 What do they say? I follow Paul, I follow Apollos. 292 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:26,960 Yet with love that doesn't envy, we rejoice in others giftedness 293 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:30,800 and their callings instead of competing for attention and 294 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:32,920 finding who do we like better than others. 295 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:36,720 No, love does not boast. Yet the Corinthians bragged 296 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:40,560 about wisdom and eloquence and last week we even saw that they 297 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:43,080 were bragging about their spiritual gifts. 298 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:48,320 But true spirituality doesn't need a spotlight, it boasts in 299 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:51,240 Christ alone. Remember how Paul started in 300 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:54,840 First Corinthians 131? He said, let the one who boast, 301 00:17:54,880 --> 00:18:00,520 boast in the Lord. We could go through every single 302 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:05,680 characteristic, but what you will find is that what Paul is 303 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:11,080 saying to these people, this guy's love is what does all of 304 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:14,080 this and you're missing the most important thing. 305 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:16,960 So what does it look like for you? 306 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:23,360 Like let's get personal for a moment and ask ourselves, what 307 00:18:23,360 --> 00:18:25,360 does love look like in our lives? 308 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:28,640 Love is patient. Are you? 309 00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:32,960 You find yourself frustrated when people don't move at your 310 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:35,760 pace. Maybe you snap at your kids 311 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:37,280 because they take too long getting ready. 312 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:41,120 Or you roll your eyes at a Co worker who just doesn't get the 313 00:18:41,120 --> 00:18:43,560 task done the way that you thought it should be done and 314 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:45,280 the pace that you thought it should be done. 315 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:49,840 Love is kind. Are you? 316 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:55,760 I don't know about you, but for me, I can find myself using 317 00:18:55,760 --> 00:19:00,120 sarcasm at times instead of being kind to people. 318 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:04,760 Maybe you find yourself being too harsh and cold instead of 319 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:08,720 compassionate and loving. Maybe you found yourself in a 320 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:12,400 situation where a hurting friend comes up and says something to 321 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:14,360 you and your first response is what you should have known 322 00:19:14,360 --> 00:19:17,440 better. Might not be the kindest thing 323 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:20,560 to say. Love does not envy. 324 00:19:22,360 --> 00:19:24,920 But if you're like me, sometimes you might resent other people's 325 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:29,440 success, wondering why it happens to them and not you. 326 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:33,720 Maybe you find yourself scrolling through social media 327 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:38,920 and a friend gets engaged and you're going why not me yet? 328 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:44,200 Or maybe it's friends that got pregnant and you're wondering 329 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:46,640 why God hasn't given that gift to you, but he gives it to them 330 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:48,560 and they're not near as good as you are. 331 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:56,000 Love does not boast. But man, I sure see a lot of 332 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:59,600 people trying to make sure everybody else knows how great 333 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:01,360 their life is going on social media. 334 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:04,360 Anybody ever noticed that? Not about you, but other people. 335 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:07,560 Other people are really good at making sure you see the places 336 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:10,920 they're going, the upgrades they made to their house, how good 337 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:14,320 their kids at sports. You know, I have AI have my 338 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:18,480 oldest son is 15 years old and he he became the varsity 339 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:20,760 quarterback. As a freshman in high school 340 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:23,800 this year, stole the job from a junior in high school is 341 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:25,440 awesome. You know, it was really cool. 342 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:28,200 Like we were excited for it. It's great. 343 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:32,840 But here's the thing, if you go to my social media feed or 344 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:35,200 anyone in my family social media feed, guess what? 345 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:40,520 You won't find any highlights of the interceptions that he threw. 346 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:43,080 None of them. The kid threw 12 of them this 347 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:44,760 year. Like you're never going to see 348 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:46,520 him, but you'll see all the touchdowns. 349 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:49,280 You'll see all of those things. Why is it like that? 350 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:52,720 Because man, we sure love to self promote. 351 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:57,280 Love is not proud. If you're like me, maybe you 352 00:20:57,280 --> 00:20:59,840 find yourself believing that you're better than someone else, 353 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:03,960 that you're above what someone else is doing. 354 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:08,200 Maybe you find it in yourself when you refuse to admit you're 355 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:12,120 wrong to your spouse. Maybe prevent pretending that 356 00:21:12,120 --> 00:21:14,280 you're too busy when someone asks you to come help him do 357 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:18,000 something. Love does not dishonor others, 358 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:22,480 but maybe you find yourself tearing other people down in 359 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:29,120 order to lift yourself up. Love's not self seeking, but do 360 00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:31,080 you ever find yourself Go well, what's in it for me? 361 00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:40,040 What do I get out of it? Love's not easily angered, but 362 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:43,160 maybe if you're like me, there's times when you find yourself 363 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:45,840 reacting before you spend time reflecting on what just 364 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:49,120 happened. You know, the Bible tells us to 365 00:21:49,120 --> 00:21:53,480 be slow to anger, and yet there's times when I can have a 366 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:55,600 little bit of a quick temper, and maybe you're like that as 367 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:59,040 well, that love keeps no record of wrongs. 368 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:06,000 Should I go there? There's a There's a tendency for 369 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:07,600 us to bring up the past, isn't there? 370 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:14,960 Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. 371 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:22,720 It always protects, always trust, always hopes, always 372 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:27,560 perseveres. Love never fails. 373 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:33,720 Then Paul moves into First Corinthians 13 starting in verse 374 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:38,160 8 and he's beginning to close out what he's saying about love 375 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:41,440 and he says, but there where there are prophecies, they will 376 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:43,120 cease. He's calling back to how he 377 00:22:43,120 --> 00:22:46,280 started this chapter where there are tongues, they will be 378 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:47,680 stilled. Where there is knowledge, it 379 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:50,240 will pass away. Verse 80 saying all of these 380 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:55,600 things are going to go away for verse 9, for we know in part we 381 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:59,560 prophecy in part, but when completeness comes, when Jesus 382 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:02,880 returns, what is in part disappears. 383 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:07,200 We long for that day, don't we? Right now we don't get to see 384 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:09,760 the full picture. We don't understand everything 385 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:12,800 fully, but like we just kind of look like as if we're looking in 386 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:15,720 a mirror. But one day Jesus will come back 387 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:17,120 and what's in part will disappear. 388 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:18,680 And then he uses this illustration. 389 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:21,720 Verse 11 says, when I was a child, I talked like a child. 390 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:24,320 I thought like a child. I reasoned like a child. 391 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:28,240 But when I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 392 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:31,840 Verse 11 is not some random metaphor that Paul just throws 393 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:35,280 in there. It's Paul's critique of childish 394 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:40,680 faith. Childish faith prioritizes self 395 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:44,480 over love. I told you I have a 15 year old. 396 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:49,120 I also have a 12 year old who is in 7th grade and my boys, I, I 397 00:23:49,120 --> 00:23:51,240 will tell you, I love the phase of life we're in. 398 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:54,320 It's crazy having a high school or anyone that's with me in that 399 00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:55,520 and a middle school at the same time. 400 00:23:55,760 --> 00:23:57,960 Like it's wild. I spent the majority of my 401 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:01,680 career in youth ministry with high school and middle school 402 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:04,480 students and now I'm like, man, now I have them like this is 403 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:06,280 tough. I wish I would have had them 404 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:07,960 when I was in ministry. I would have understood a whole 405 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:11,960 lot more. But anyways, as my boys got have 406 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:16,800 gotten older, you know what I find myself, I find what I care 407 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:18,440 about is a whole lot different for them. 408 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:21,200 When they were younger, I was just so excited to hear him say 409 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:24,240 words the first time. Like when they can finally say 410 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:26,760 something clearly and you hear your kid for the first time say 411 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:30,360 I love you daddy. When you take their first steps, 412 00:24:30,360 --> 00:24:32,680 when they go through all of these things and all of their 413 00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:35,120 firsts are amazing. It's awesome. 414 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:39,480 You know what I care about more now that my boys are older? 415 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:43,880 Who are they becoming? How are they treating other 416 00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:47,400 people? How are they at including people 417 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:50,000 that everyone else has put on the sidelines? 418 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:53,160 How are they serving? Why? 419 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:56,400 Because that's the sign of maturity. 420 00:24:57,560 --> 00:25:02,720 You see, childish faith seeks recognition, and childish is 421 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:06,000 different than childlike. We're supposed to have faith 422 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:09,120 like a child, but we're not supposed to be childish in our 423 00:25:09,120 --> 00:25:10,640 faith. A childish faith seeks 424 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:14,400 recognition where mature love seeks relationship. 425 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:19,480 Childish faith wants to be right where mature love wants to be 426 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:23,080 like Christ. You've heard Clayton say this 427 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:25,480 before. The mark of maturity is not 428 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:28,000 knowledge. What is it? 429 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:33,120 It's you obeying what God's Word says, that you begin to love 430 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:38,040 like Jesus. And so in verse 12, Paul says, 431 00:25:38,040 --> 00:25:42,960 for now we only see, or we see only as a reflection as in a 432 00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:47,760 mirror. Then we shall see face to face 433 00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:50,080 what a beautiful picture of what's common isn't. 434 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:57,200 It says now I know in part. Then I shall know fully, even as 435 00:25:57,200 --> 00:26:01,160 I am fully known. Can I get devotional with you, 436 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:07,400 just for a moment? That last phrase, Then I shall 437 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:10,640 know fully. We all long for that. 438 00:26:10,640 --> 00:26:15,720 But don't miss the very last phrase, even as I am fully 439 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:18,720 known. Do you realize that? 440 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:22,560 The God in heaven, the Creator. God knows you. 441 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:24,560 There's nothing hidden from his sight. 442 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:26,240 He knows the number of hairs on your head. 443 00:26:26,360 --> 00:26:29,320 Some of you that's easier to count than others, but like he, 444 00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:31,440 he knows all of the things. You don't go anywhere. 445 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:36,520 In fact, Psalm 139 says that before you ever came to be, that 446 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:40,000 every one of your days was written now in his book. 447 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:42,960 Not meaning that God caused all of those things that happened in 448 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:48,000 your life, but God knows them and he cares and he loves you. 449 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:54,280 And there is no other person in your life that knows you like 450 00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:59,880 your heavenly Father does. And so don't try to hide from 451 00:26:59,880 --> 00:27:02,240 him. Don't try to run away from him. 452 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:04,360 Don't think that there's no way he can understand. 453 00:27:04,360 --> 00:27:08,680 No, he knows and he cares. And then Paul finishes it out 454 00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:12,680 this chapter with verse 13. And now these three remain 455 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:17,000 faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these, say 456 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:23,200 it with me, is love. When we hear this idea that the 457 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:27,560 greatest of these is love, I hope that it was natural for you 458 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:29,480 at some point as you hear these to go. 459 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:34,080 You know what these all kind of sound like Jesus, because First 460 00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:38,080 Corinthians 13 isn't just describing what love does, it is 461 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:42,600 describing who Jesus is. In fact, if you replace the word 462 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:45,600 love with Jesus, you'll see it fits perfectly. 463 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:49,520 Can I do it for us? Jesus is patient. 464 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:54,040 Second, Peter 39 says he is patient with you, not wanting 465 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:57,480 anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 466 00:27:58,160 --> 00:28:02,240 Jesus is kind. Romans 24 says God's kindness is 467 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:04,880 intended to lead you to repentance. 468 00:28:05,640 --> 00:28:08,440 Jesus does not envy, He does not boast. 469 00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:11,560 Jesus is not proud. In fact, Philippians chapter 2 470 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:14,880 says though he was in very nature God, he did not consider 471 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:16,920 equality with God something to be grasped. 472 00:28:17,120 --> 00:28:20,720 So he emptied himself. He made himself nothing. 473 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:23,200 Taking the very nature of a servant became obedient to 474 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:27,760 death, even death on a cross. Jesus does not dishonor others. 475 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:29,760 You remember when the woman caught in adultery in John 476 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:33,040 chapter 8, she comes up before him and he tells her after 477 00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:35,080 everyone else has left and dropped their stones. 478 00:28:35,280 --> 00:28:40,120 Neither do I condemn you go and from now on sin no more. 479 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:45,200 Jesus is not self seeking. Mark 1045 says For even the Son 480 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:48,920 of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his 481 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:53,280 life as a ransom for many. Jesus is not easily angered. 482 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:58,120 In Matthew Chapter 11 verse 29 he says I am gentle and lowly in 483 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:01,400 heart. Jesus keeps no record of wrongs. 484 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:05,280 Do you remember from the cross? In Luke chapter 23 verse 34 he 485 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:08,560 says father forgive them for they know not what they do. 486 00:29:09,360 --> 00:29:12,960 The psalmist puts it this way in Psalm one O 3 verse 12 as far as 487 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:16,840 the east is from the West so has so far as he removed our 488 00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:20,880 transgressions from us. Hear me Jesus does not delight 489 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:23,400 in evil but rejoices with the truth. 490 00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:25,760 In John chapter 8 verses 31 and 32. 491 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:30,400 He says if you abide in my word, you will know the truth and the 492 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:35,400 truth will set you free. Jesus always protects. 493 00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:40,240 John 1011 says I am the Good Shepherd and what does he do? 494 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:43,760 The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 495 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:49,800 Jesus always trust, always hopes, always perseveres. 496 00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:54,360 Hebrews 12 verse 2 says, For the joy set before him, he endured 497 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:57,000 the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand 498 00:29:57,000 --> 00:30:00,840 of the throne of God. Hear me, people, Jesus never 499 00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:05,480 fails, Romans 8 says. For I am convinced that neither 500 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:10,120 death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present 501 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:13,640 nor the future, nor any powers, nor height nor depth, nor 502 00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:18,320 anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from 503 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:22,080 the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 504 00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:30,880 A church filled with love will accomplish a whole lot more than 505 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:33,440 a church full of talent. We're going to move to a time of 506 00:30:33,440 --> 00:30:39,160 decision. You know, I think it's safe to 507 00:30:39,160 --> 00:30:41,880 say and safe to believe that everybody listen to my voice 508 00:30:41,880 --> 00:30:46,760 right now. We desire that type of love so 509 00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:49,520 much so that we try to find love in a whole bunch of different 510 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:51,520 places. Sometimes we try to seek it out 511 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:55,280 in, in earthly relationships, we try to seek it out maybe through 512 00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:58,280 movies or through the screen or even through music can kind of 513 00:30:58,280 --> 00:31:01,520 maybe start to shape our picture and our view of love. 514 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:05,280 And so a lot of times we, we try to find it in wrong places, 515 00:31:05,280 --> 00:31:07,600 don't we? But I just want to invite those 516 00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:10,560 of you listen to my voice who've never started an intimate 517 00:31:10,560 --> 00:31:13,280 personal relationship with Jesus, who've never stepped into 518 00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:16,560 that. You just got a taste of the 519 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:19,520 definition of love, and his name is Jesus. 520 00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:22,160 He is the very definition of love. 521 00:31:22,160 --> 00:31:27,440 And so much so that he moved on our behalf, so much so that he 522 00:31:27,440 --> 00:31:32,040 sacrificed on our behalf, so much so that he gave his life 523 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:34,320 for us. And first, Peter Ford says that 524 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:37,840 love covers a multitude of sins. And let me just be honest with 525 00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:42,200 you, all of us, we have sin and Jesus covers it. 526 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:46,120 And so here's the the invitation in this time, in this moment, no 527 00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:49,200 matter where you're sitting in life, no matter what you've been 528 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:51,800 through, no matter what carried you in this room, here's the 529 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:54,480 simple truth of the gospel today. 530 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:58,680 You can receive that. You can believe that Jesus is 531 00:31:58,680 --> 00:32:01,760 love and that he covers the multitude of sins, and you can 532 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:06,000 accept that freedom and that free gift of salvation right 533 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:08,480 now. And that's what this moment is 534 00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:10,960 about. That's why we do it every single 535 00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:14,360 week, because there are people. Sometimes it takes maybe just a 536 00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:17,360 couple times to hear the gospel. Sometimes it takes months to 537 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:19,880 hear the gospel, and sometimes it takes years. 538 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:24,600 But I have a question for you. Who's that going to be today? 539 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:28,720 Who's going to get up out of their seat maybe for the first 540 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:31,320 time and take some of the boldest steps they've ever taken 541 00:32:31,320 --> 00:32:33,280 before? They're going to put 1 foot in 542 00:32:33,280 --> 00:32:35,360 front of the other. They're going to come forward. 543 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:37,960 And maybe you do that just by yourself and you come up to 544 00:32:37,960 --> 00:32:40,520 these steps and you just get down on your knees and you just 545 00:32:40,680 --> 00:32:43,640 cry out to the Lord. I need you, Jesus. 546 00:32:44,120 --> 00:32:48,360 I want that type of love. Maybe for some of you, you're 547 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:51,960 just like, I got questions. I don't know how to reconcile 548 00:32:51,960 --> 00:32:53,360 some of the things that I've done. 549 00:32:53,360 --> 00:32:55,080 I don't know how to accept that love. 550 00:32:55,080 --> 00:32:56,720 I don't know how to walk in that love. 551 00:32:56,720 --> 00:32:59,000 And in just a little bit, there's going to be some 552 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:01,640 incredible people that'll be underneath the the screen right 553 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:05,960 over by the baptistry that would love to help you start walking 554 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:08,960 in that relationship with Jesus. If you're online right now, 555 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:10,880 there's some incredible difference makers right there 556 00:33:10,880 --> 00:33:13,320 ready to answer some of the questions that you've been 557 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:15,040 wrestling with. Maybe in the chat you just need 558 00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:20,440 to simply type, I need Jesus. I don't invite you to do that. 559 00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:24,040 That is why we exist as a church is to help people find that 560 00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:25,800 intimate personal relationship with him. 561 00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:30,680 For the rest of us in this room, I'm going to kind of ask the 562 00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:34,080 question that that Matt asked, but if we're in this time of 563 00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:36,720 maybe a little confrontation with the Lord is here's the 564 00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:38,840 question, how are you doing with love? 565 00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:46,720 How's your patience? How's your kindness? 566 00:33:48,440 --> 00:33:51,920 Do you envy what others have? Let's just go through it. 567 00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:54,000 Are you boastful or are you proud? 568 00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:57,680 Are you self seeking or are you just an angry person? 569 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:01,680 Have you kept a record of wrongs for far too long and it's been 570 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:03,920 damaging some relationships around you? 571 00:34:05,240 --> 00:34:08,560 Have you been delighting in evil and you can fill in what that 572 00:34:08,560 --> 00:34:11,120 evil is in your life for far too long? 573 00:34:11,120 --> 00:34:14,639 Has there been something that just has a grip over your life 574 00:34:14,639 --> 00:34:17,480 that you just feel constricted, you feel restrained, you feel 575 00:34:17,480 --> 00:34:20,600 held back? And as I was standing here 576 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:24,280 giving this invitation on Thursday, it's amazing how fast 577 00:34:24,280 --> 00:34:26,880 life can hit you till this moment. 578 00:34:27,679 --> 00:34:32,480 I found myself last night coming home and there's moments in my 579 00:34:32,480 --> 00:34:35,520 life I was like, man, I'm not love to my kids right now. 580 00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:38,960 Like there was, there was moments where I was like, I was 581 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:42,679 just faced with what the word of God said and how Jesus is love 582 00:34:42,679 --> 00:34:46,199 and how he's not self seeking and how he's not easily angered. 583 00:34:46,199 --> 00:34:48,480 And then I was like, whoa, Lord, that hit me fast. 584 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:50,520 The world hit me fast. So I just want you to know, I 585 00:34:50,520 --> 00:34:53,880 get how you're feeling, but here's what I know. 586 00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:56,280 When we're confronted with the word of God, we're confronted 587 00:34:56,280 --> 00:34:58,960 with a choice. What do I do with it? 588 00:34:59,560 --> 00:35:02,040 How do I respond to it? Do I just say, ah, no, that's 589 00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:04,400 just who I am. That's just my personality, 590 00:35:04,480 --> 00:35:07,800 that's how I was raised. That's just who I am. 591 00:35:07,800 --> 00:35:09,960 Or we can just say, no, that's not who I am. 592 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:13,000 And you can get down on your knees if you're struggling this 593 00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:15,920 area because chances are you're struggling like I'm struggling 594 00:35:15,920 --> 00:35:19,720 in an area of love. And what would it look like as 595 00:35:19,800 --> 00:35:24,600 a, as a people, as a body of believers who say, I accept 596 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:26,920 Jesus's word and I need to do what it says. 597 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:31,200 I need to be obey what it says, because that's what true 598 00:35:31,200 --> 00:35:34,120 maturity looks like. And so that's what we're going 599 00:35:34,120 --> 00:35:35,880 to do in this moment. You're going to hear a song. 600 00:35:35,880 --> 00:35:38,400 We're going to start singing about the reckless love of God. 601 00:35:38,400 --> 00:35:40,720 And, and I'm just going to invite you in this, this room 602 00:35:40,720 --> 00:35:43,400 and, and wherever you're watching online, just to humble 603 00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:47,200 yourself to start rejoicing with the truth, to start doing what 604 00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:49,560 it says and start protecting others around you. 605 00:35:49,560 --> 00:35:52,160 The way we do that is we, we start saying, I'm going to start 606 00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:54,160 praying for others as well. I'm going to start building 607 00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:55,920 trust with the people you're doing life with. 608 00:35:55,920 --> 00:35:58,320 I'm going to have hope that God's promises are real. 609 00:35:58,320 --> 00:36:00,440 I'm going to persevere through hardship. 610 00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:03,160 I'm going to believe that love never fails. 611 00:36:03,160 --> 00:36:05,000 I think that's the type of church that we are. 612 00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:07,240 I think that's what this moment is about. 613 00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:11,480 And so let's do this in just a bit as we stand. 614 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:14,480 Here's what we're going to do. We're going to declare love over 615 00:36:14,480 --> 00:36:17,040 our life. Oh, we're going to declare 616 00:36:17,040 --> 00:36:20,360 victory over our life. We're going to declare Jesus 617 00:36:20,600 --> 00:36:23,160 over our life. And we're not just going to be 618 00:36:23,160 --> 00:36:25,480 loud with spiritual activity. We're not just going to be like, 619 00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:28,360 well, I go to church and I'm in Group and I serve. 620 00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:30,720 That's awesome. But we do that because we want 621 00:36:30,720 --> 00:36:34,120 to be loud in love. And if we're going to make this 622 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:36,160 place the hardest place on planet earth to get the hell 623 00:36:36,160 --> 00:36:37,880 from, we have to be loud in love. 624 00:36:38,080 --> 00:36:42,120 And it starts right here and it starts in this moment, and it 625 00:36:42,120 --> 00:36:45,120 starts in a posture of humility. And so as you stand up with me, 626 00:36:45,120 --> 00:36:47,120 let's pray. And I'm just going to invite you 627 00:36:47,120 --> 00:36:48,640 right now. If you got something on your 628 00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:51,400 heart, you got something on your mind, you need to just repent. 629 00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:53,760 You need to turn away from, you can start coming up to the front 630 00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:55,280 right now. You can start getting down on 631 00:36:55,280 --> 00:36:56,800 your knees. But let's do this right now. 632 00:36:56,800 --> 00:37:05,720 Jesus, you are love, you are kind, You are so patient for 633 00:37:05,720 --> 00:37:08,520 with us. We don't deserve it, but Lord 634 00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:11,920 you are anyways. Thank you for your sacrifice, 635 00:37:11,920 --> 00:37:14,520 thank you for the gifts that you are to us. 636 00:37:14,520 --> 00:37:18,240 And Lord, as a church, I know it's sometimes hard for our 637 00:37:18,240 --> 00:37:20,320 people just to get out of their comfort zones. 638 00:37:20,320 --> 00:37:22,920 It's hard for me sometimes to get outside my comfort zone. 639 00:37:22,920 --> 00:37:25,600 But I pray, Lord, during this song, we wouldn't just be 640 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:27,600 stagnant. We wouldn't just be still. 641 00:37:27,720 --> 00:37:30,560 We would just listen and be obedient to what your Spirit is 642 00:37:30,560 --> 00:37:32,800 calling us. And Lord, we just humble 643 00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:35,080 ourselves before you and just say, here I am. 644 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:39,560 Lord, would you reveal anything inside of me that is not love? 645 00:37:40,560 --> 00:37:43,160 Let me turn away from it and turn to you. 646 00:37:43,160 --> 00:37:44,760 Jesus, we love you. Thank you. 647 00:37:45,760 --> 00:37:47,240 Your name I pray. Amen.