Where is the Love?
I Corinthians 13
The Personality of Love
I Corinthians 13:4-7
Ø Love is longsuffering
- makrothumei implies a longevity of forbearing under duress without showing signs of irritation or dislike.
- It holds up under many and repeated offenses without becoming indignant or resentful.
- This love lasts through much hardship without ever failing
- 2Pe 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
- 2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Ø Love is kind
- creisteuoami means to show one’s self useful. It implies a benevolent spirit, a desire to help with whatever means are at your disposal.
- Lu 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
Ø Love is not envious
- zeilo-o speaks of a warmth of feeling towards something, but not in a good way. It is a burning desire for something that is not yours or for a position in life that God has not granted.
- The worst kind of envy is envy of the world. We must take great care to love the world with a selfless love that sees preciousness in them and not be distracted by the sin in which they live.
- We must also be happy to see the success and well-being of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
- Envy will kill our relationships with each other and strain our relationship with God.
- Php 1:15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
Ø Love is not self-promoting
- perpereuetai this Greek word indicates a boastful attitude which spurs a person to constantly speak of themselves and their own spiritual prowess.
- This type of self promotion stems from an insecurity that a person has in themselves. A lack of love and concern for others will lead an insecure person to constantly speak of their own goodness and spirituality.
- Remember this was a specific problem that the people of the church at Corinth had. Many were promoting themselves instead of God with their gifts.
Ø Love is not proud
- ou fusioutai literally means to be full of one’s self and is rightly translated, “puffed up.” This is simply pride.
- Pride indicates a lack of understanding of our real inadequacy. We are not “all that,” and if we loved as we ought, we would realize that.
- Pride works against love because it puts self first instead of those around us.
- 1Co 8:1 ¶ Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
Ø Love is not rude - verse 5
- ouk aschmonei is a Greek term that means to behave in a disgraceful or improper way.
- In short, love produces good manners.
- If we recognize the preciousness of the object of our love we will want to give the greatest deference to that person, not argue with them or offend them.
_____________________
Ø Love is not selfish
- ou zeitei ta eauteis The Greek phrase is translated exactly and needs no further explanation.
- Even Phileo love has a tendency to seek it own pleasure. Agape love is invested in others.
- Such was Christ’s love when He went to the cross – unselfish and generous, seeking the profit of others.
- It is this love that motivates us to tell others about Jesus.
- Php 2:4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
- 1Co 10:24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.
Ø Love is not prone to anger
- ou paroxunetai means to not be easily stirred to wrath. It implies that while we are loving the way we should we cannot be angry at the object of our love.
- Since anger is a feeling of animosity, it cannot co-exist with Agape love. How can we hold bitter feelings toward something that is precious to us?
- The solution to a quick temper is to recognize the preciousness of those for whom we are feeling anger.
- Beginning with what we know to be true about God’s investment in us, we should be able to logically transfer that same value to others, for truly, Christ died for all.
Ø Love does not assume evil intent
- oulogizetai to kakon the first word means to impute. The implication is clear: when we love as we should we assume the best of people.
- This is not a blind ignorance of sin nature, we know that man is not essentially good, but we need not assume that everyone is out to get us.
- Assuming evil intention puts the focus back on ourselves – this is not love.
- The happiest, relationship-rich people are those who assume good intent before evil intent. These people are loving.
Ø Love does not find joy in sin Verse 6
- ou cairei epi tei adikia the Greek phrase means to find no pleasure in falsehood. Love does not necessitate an acceptance of sin.
- We must constantly hate the sin while loving the sinner. It is a danger of being in the world and loving as we should to become tolerant of sin – this must never happen.
- If all we have is Phileo love we will end up enjoying the sin as much as the sinner.
- Ro 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
- Here we see the balance of love maintained where so often it is lost.
Ø Love rejoices in the truth
- sugchairo aleitheia this is in contrast to the former phrase and means to rejoice in the truth.
- Agape love never compromises – it is greater than Satan’s counterfeit love so often called tolerance. It see the value of a person and recognizes the horridness of their sin.
- So we are commanded by scripture to judge sin and not people. God judges people.
- Love is not blind and accepting of all ways of life. It is much greater than that. The truth must never be compromised by our brand of love.
- Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
_____________________
Ø Love carries on without offense
- panta stegei the picture that is painted for us here is of a burro that just keep on going regardless of how much is laid on its back.
- So we as Christians should be so motivated by love that regardless of the offenses laid on us, we never turn back, We never quit, we never take offense.
- When we are living in the power of love there is no proverbial “last straw.” We bear all things.
- Isa 53:4 ¶ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
- 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Ø Love trusts without undue suspicion
- panta pisteuei with similar construction to the first phrase, this one is in regards to trust.
- It hearkens back to “love does not assume evil intent” as it simply means that Love is not full of suspicion about everyone’s motives.
- If we would take the focus off ourselves for a moment, we might stop worrying about what everyone is “really” thinking.
- Love is too busy trying to see the value in a person to suspect every move they make and every word they say as having an evil motive.
- It may be true that love opens us up to hurt by those whom we love, so Christ did for us without a second thought.
Ø Love looks forward without fear
- panta elpizei “always hoping” He who lives in love live in hope.
- This is actually a product of love. Our outlook on life becomes brighter, and we begin to see the world the way God sees it, with innumerable opportunities to glorify Him.
- When we love without undue suspicion we remove a dark pall from the day and let the sun shine in and give us hope.
- Love looks forward to tomorrow with no fear of what it might bring forth.
Ø Love endures without complaint
- panta upomenei this is similar to the first in this verse and means to endure all things.
- We can and must endure because Jesus endured.
- We cannot break now because there is too much hope in today and tomorrow.
- Fanny Crosby exemplified this kind of love at the age of 8:
Oh, what a happy soul I am,Although I cannot see!I am resolved that in this worldContented I will be.
How many blessings I enjoyThat other people don't,To weep and sigh because I'm blindI cannot, and I won't!
So we must endure without complaint, because we are living in love.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Gideon Part 1
Gideon Part 1
Our text begins with the familiar phrase, "and the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD."
We have seen the pattern, which all to often reflects the pattern of spiritual instability in our society, our churches and in many Christian's lives.
Last week we saw the great heroines of the time of the judges, Deborah and Jael.
They were used by God to deliver Israel from the Canaanite enemies, and Barak was inspired to lead Israel to victory in battle against Sisera's army.
Israel's stability lasted for forty years.
Then we see that Israel had drifted back into her old ways.
The false gods of the pagans around her were so much more attractive than a God they could not see.
They began to make the same compromises as before, bringing in idols to worship, perhaps first as good luck charms but soon as a very real and dangerous demonic presence in their society.
Once again we will see in our text God raises up a nearby nation to afflict Israel until His people come back to Him.
READ TEXT
Judges 6:1 ¶ And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.
3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;
4 And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.
5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.
6 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.
7 ¶ And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,
8 That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;
9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land;
10 And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.
11 ¶ And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
PRAY
To quickly recap our opening text, it is the Midianites that God brings in to judge Israel and to make His people want to come back to Him.
The Midianites were quite different than the Canaanites with whom Deborah and Barak had to deal.
The Midianites would wait until harvest time and come into the land with intimidating forces.
They would strike in raids throughout the land until they had loaded their camels with enough grain and produce to last them through the year, and then they would return home.
This left Israel in a defenseless and fragile position.
However, the turning point for Israel is in verse 6 when the people cried unto the LORD.
God responded by sending a prophet to remind them that He could deliver them yet again.
Now with the background set, the story begins in verse 11 with:
A HERO IN HIDING
Gideon was living in "survival mode" keeping out of the sunlight, hiding what he did to stay alive.
> Threshing ill.
It is with some implication of sarcasm that The angel of the Lord addresses Gideon in verse 12
Judges 6:12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
Gideon was not only hiding but was disheartened and losing faith in God
Judges 6:13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
God had a greater plan for Gideon - one that involved heroism instead of hiding.
Judges 6:14 And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
Gideon had all kinds of excuses as to why he was no hero.
Judges 6:15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
God made it very clear, it doesn't matter who you are or what natural advantages you might or might not have.
What matters is that I will be with you.
Judges 6:16 And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
God's only solution to our inadequacy is, "I will be with thee."
Gideon then looks to prove God's calling and we see in the next few verses -
A COMMONER COMMISSIONED
When we are called of God to do something great for Him, there need be only one question in our mind:
Is it God?
Gideon asked this question in the only way he knew how, He asked for a sign.
Judges 6:17 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.
He then asked the Lord to wait for him while he prepared a meal for this man whom he must have suspected of being God's prophet.
Judges 6:18 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.
So Gideon went and prepared a meal, taking probably several hours to do so and then returned with the fruit of his labors to give what he had to God's messenger.
Judges 6:19 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.
The Angel of God had a strange request for Gideon.
He told Gideon to place his well-prepared meal on a nearby rock and pour out the soup so diligently made.
Judges 6:20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
It is here that the Angel of the Lord put forth his staff and touched the offering.
It was immediately consumed by fire.
Judges 6:21 Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.
So it is when we put what we have on the altar, God confirms our gift of service in a way that is meant to encourage us to take courage and move forward in His name.
There are several ways we can confirm God's calling in our life.
Gideon could not go to the pages of first and second Timothy to read of God's calling on a person.
There was no pastor or fellow believer with whom he could counsel to confirm his calling. He simply asked for a sign.
We need not asked for a similar burst of flame as we have great advantages that Gideon did not.
We can follow the following protocol:
1.) Confirm your calling with Scripture
2.) Confirm your calling with Christian advisors
3.) Confirm your calling with Service
Judges 6:22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.
23 And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.
24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
It wasn't long before this newly commissioned commoner received his first mission.
A MIDNIGHT RAID
It is not a direct assault on the Midianites that God requires of Gideon.
It never is.
God always is concerned with cleaning house before going to battle.
Judges 6:25 ¶ And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:
26 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
The mission was specific and pointed.
Get the idols out and rebuild the altar to God.
Gideon went to work that very night.
Judges 6:27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.
If you begin to clean up your home life, and rebuild the altar of worship to God so that He is the center of everything as He should be, you will face opposition and criticism.
Judges 6:29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.
30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.
Gideon's father was challenged by his son's actions and stood by him.
Judges 6:31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.
32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.
There is much left to this story of Gideon, but today we must examine ourselves.
Is God calling you out of hiding?
Is God commissioning you to do some great work for Him?
Is God challenging you to change your life overnight?
Take the challenge.
Confirm the calling, and do something great for God.
Our text begins with the familiar phrase, "and the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD."
We have seen the pattern, which all to often reflects the pattern of spiritual instability in our society, our churches and in many Christian's lives.
Last week we saw the great heroines of the time of the judges, Deborah and Jael.
They were used by God to deliver Israel from the Canaanite enemies, and Barak was inspired to lead Israel to victory in battle against Sisera's army.
Israel's stability lasted for forty years.
Then we see that Israel had drifted back into her old ways.
The false gods of the pagans around her were so much more attractive than a God they could not see.
They began to make the same compromises as before, bringing in idols to worship, perhaps first as good luck charms but soon as a very real and dangerous demonic presence in their society.
Once again we will see in our text God raises up a nearby nation to afflict Israel until His people come back to Him.
READ TEXT
Judges 6:1 ¶ And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.
3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;
4 And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.
5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.
6 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.
7 ¶ And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,
8 That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;
9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land;
10 And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.
11 ¶ And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
PRAY
To quickly recap our opening text, it is the Midianites that God brings in to judge Israel and to make His people want to come back to Him.
The Midianites were quite different than the Canaanites with whom Deborah and Barak had to deal.
The Midianites would wait until harvest time and come into the land with intimidating forces.
They would strike in raids throughout the land until they had loaded their camels with enough grain and produce to last them through the year, and then they would return home.
This left Israel in a defenseless and fragile position.
However, the turning point for Israel is in verse 6 when the people cried unto the LORD.
God responded by sending a prophet to remind them that He could deliver them yet again.
Now with the background set, the story begins in verse 11 with:
A HERO IN HIDING
Gideon was living in "survival mode" keeping out of the sunlight, hiding what he did to stay alive.
> Threshing ill.
It is with some implication of sarcasm that The angel of the Lord addresses Gideon in verse 12
Judges 6:12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
Gideon was not only hiding but was disheartened and losing faith in God
Judges 6:13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
God had a greater plan for Gideon - one that involved heroism instead of hiding.
Judges 6:14 And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
Gideon had all kinds of excuses as to why he was no hero.
Judges 6:15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
God made it very clear, it doesn't matter who you are or what natural advantages you might or might not have.
What matters is that I will be with you.
Judges 6:16 And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
God's only solution to our inadequacy is, "I will be with thee."
Gideon then looks to prove God's calling and we see in the next few verses -
A COMMONER COMMISSIONED
When we are called of God to do something great for Him, there need be only one question in our mind:
Is it God?
Gideon asked this question in the only way he knew how, He asked for a sign.
Judges 6:17 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.
He then asked the Lord to wait for him while he prepared a meal for this man whom he must have suspected of being God's prophet.
Judges 6:18 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.
So Gideon went and prepared a meal, taking probably several hours to do so and then returned with the fruit of his labors to give what he had to God's messenger.
Judges 6:19 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.
The Angel of God had a strange request for Gideon.
He told Gideon to place his well-prepared meal on a nearby rock and pour out the soup so diligently made.
Judges 6:20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
It is here that the Angel of the Lord put forth his staff and touched the offering.
It was immediately consumed by fire.
Judges 6:21 Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.
So it is when we put what we have on the altar, God confirms our gift of service in a way that is meant to encourage us to take courage and move forward in His name.
There are several ways we can confirm God's calling in our life.
Gideon could not go to the pages of first and second Timothy to read of God's calling on a person.
There was no pastor or fellow believer with whom he could counsel to confirm his calling. He simply asked for a sign.
We need not asked for a similar burst of flame as we have great advantages that Gideon did not.
We can follow the following protocol:
1.) Confirm your calling with Scripture
2.) Confirm your calling with Christian advisors
3.) Confirm your calling with Service
Judges 6:22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.
23 And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.
24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
It wasn't long before this newly commissioned commoner received his first mission.
A MIDNIGHT RAID
It is not a direct assault on the Midianites that God requires of Gideon.
It never is.
God always is concerned with cleaning house before going to battle.
Judges 6:25 ¶ And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:
26 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
The mission was specific and pointed.
Get the idols out and rebuild the altar to God.
Gideon went to work that very night.
Judges 6:27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.
If you begin to clean up your home life, and rebuild the altar of worship to God so that He is the center of everything as He should be, you will face opposition and criticism.
Judges 6:29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.
30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.
Gideon's father was challenged by his son's actions and stood by him.
Judges 6:31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.
32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.
There is much left to this story of Gideon, but today we must examine ourselves.
Is God calling you out of hiding?
Is God commissioning you to do some great work for Him?
Is God challenging you to change your life overnight?
Take the challenge.
Confirm the calling, and do something great for God.
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