When you think
about the topic of love,
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it is so broad,
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it's like saying
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I'm going to go
fishing in the ocean.
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And the question is which ocean
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and how far and
how deep and how wide?
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And so
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having done sermons on
the topic of love before,
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I was challenged this
week as to what to talk about
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and I decided to walk through
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probably one of the
most recommended scriptures
00:01:08.36\00:01:11.57
in the Bible
00:01:11.60\00:01:12.93
about the topic of love
which is 1 Corinthians 13.
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We are commended to
read that chapter every day
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to find out what love is
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and I thought for a while
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That, well, 1 Corinthians
is just 1 Corinthians 13.
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What is the big deal?
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Until I decided
to walk through it,
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in an expository
manner breaking it down
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chapter-by-chapter,
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I mean,
verse-by-verse, point-by-point
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and I discovered
that 1 Corinthians 13 is
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so deep a book
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that if you go into it,
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thinking that
you know love what...
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that you know what love is,
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you come out of
it realizing that
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you don't know what love is.
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And so today we're gonna
walk together through that book,
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but we're gonna begin
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by turning in our
Bibles to 1 John 4
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and we are gonna read
together verses 18-19.
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And by the way this
sermon is not for married people
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or younger
people or older people,
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it's for all people,
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because everyone of us
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needs to learn the
lesson of divine love.
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But I'm blessed to be able
to have divine love in my life
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going on 34 years now,
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the Lord has blessed
me with a lovely wife
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and I think I've been learning
more and more about love,
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and love and
support and kindness
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and being there for each other
is something that teaches us.
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You know, if you've been
married more than 10 years,
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or 20 years, or 30 years,
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you know, that love takes
on so many different facets
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that is more than
just a four letter word.
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1 John 4:18-19.
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"There is no fear in love,
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but perfect love casts out fear,
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because fear involves torment.
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But he who fears has not
been made perfect in love."
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And together verse
19 let's read that.
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"We love Him
because He first loved us."
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Bow your heads with me.
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Loving Father,
take this message now
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and find those hearts
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that need to understand
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and be exposed to
this crippling love,
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this enabling love,
this examining love,
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this empowering love,
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this love that pushes
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through the stone
of the human heart,
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this love that swims
from the depth of agony
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to the surface,
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where we find a breath
of new air and fresh air.
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Help us to discover
this love that is abnormal,
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yet so perfectly divine.
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Speak to our hearts today
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and as we walk back in time
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to look at the Corinthians
may we move forward in time
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to look at ourselves,
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to learn about this
mysterious thing called love,
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in Jesus' name we pray.
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Amen.
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1 Corinthians 13 will be
the focus of our journey today.
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The Apostle Paul was a man
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who was undoubtedly
called to preach the gospel.
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He was called to
teach the gospel.
00:05:09.40\00:05:12.74
And Paul the Apostle had
the privilege of journeying
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from city-to-city as
a converted evangelist,
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one who came to
discover what love was
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because he loved to hate,
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before he loved to love.
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Paul was highly
equipped, highly educated.
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He was the
Pharisee of the Pharisees,
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he's the Hebrew of the Hebrews.
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He was a student of the law.
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He understood the
oracles better than many
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in his
understanding of these things
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that were
revealed to the Jews were,
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his understanding was
very, very, very deep.
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But he held on to his intellect
and he ignored his heart,
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until God gave
him the opportunity
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to think about it all over again
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from a completely
different perspective.
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God had to get Paul's attention,
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change his attitude,
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change his name,
change his mission,
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and how fitting it is
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that the man that love to hate,
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could now love to love.
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And then through
the Apostle Paul,
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the Lord established
two churches in Greece,
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both in the City of Corinth.
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Corinth was an amazing city,
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a population of approximately
700,000 inhabitants.
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And when you look at
the history of that city,
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the demographs of that city,
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that city had
two-thirds of its inhabitants,
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two-thirds of the 700,000
that lived there were slaves.
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It was a thriving
city, a city of commerce.
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It was also a degraded city,
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a city of many
idolatress religions.
00:07:02.52\00:07:06.05
And Paul the Apostle
00:07:06.09\00:07:07.42
on his second
journey to Corinth,
00:07:07.46\00:07:09.49
by God's leading
established two churches,
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and you find that he
had quite a bit of time
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dealing with those
Corinthian believers
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who were very, very
conditioned by the society
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that surrounded
them, a corrupt society,
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a very affluent society.
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He had to confront a
church on a weekly basis
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that had the master
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and the slave
worshiping together,
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the affluent and the
poor worshiping together,
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the haves and
have-nots worshiping together.
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The well dressed and
the not so well dressed
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worshiping together.
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He had to deal with
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a congregation on a weekly basis
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that was so multicultural
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that when they got
together on Sabbath,
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sometimes the
discussion was as remedial
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as what language
shall we speak in today.
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Since we are so cosmopolitan,
a port city, a commercial city,
00:08:06.41\00:08:11.19
multinational,
multiethnic, multicultural,
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multi-likes and dislikes.
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And if you were in
the church long enough,
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you know that we all have
different likes and dislikes.
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Can I get an amen?
00:08:22.73\00:08:24.87
Some of us like our
music hot with a rhythm,
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some of us can't stand it,
if it goes beyond the violin.
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Some of us like long sermons,
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'cause we ain't
going anywhere anyhow,
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and some of us
time those sermons
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to the critical atomic second.
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Some of us believe in
keeping the whole day holy,
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others of us
can't wait till it ends.
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And so thus, the church
that Paul had to deal with
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is not so much different
from the church of today,
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the Corinthian believers.
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After Paul established
the church in Corinth,
00:09:01.84\00:09:03.54
he stayed there for 18 months
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and taught this new congregation
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about the word of
God, but after he left,
00:09:07.54\00:09:10.81
Apollos came from Ephesus
00:09:10.85\00:09:13.88
and he now began to minister
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to this Corinthian congregation.
00:09:16.92\00:09:21.32
Paul left the health
of the Corinthian church
00:09:21.36\00:09:24.33
to the ministry of
the Apollos, to Apollos
00:09:24.36\00:09:27.13
and that's why you read
the text in 1 Corinthians 3:6
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where Paul says,
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"I planted, Apollos watered,
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but God gave the increase."
00:09:37.44\00:09:41.24
Paul planted
these two congregations.
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Apollos came along and watered
what God planted through Paul
00:09:44.65\00:09:49.32
but only God
could give the increase.
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This cross-cultural
influence of the City of Corinth
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began to challenge the
church that was at Corinth.
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When I began to
study in the commentaries
00:10:03.30\00:10:05.37
and looking at
some of the history
00:10:05.40\00:10:06.90
and the dates of the
existence of these cities,
00:10:06.94\00:10:09.80
the core issue was not
that the church was in Corinth
00:10:09.84\00:10:13.21
but the issue was that
Corinth was in the church.
00:10:13.24\00:10:18.08
You see
somebody once said to me,
00:10:18.11\00:10:20.28
you can take the
boy out of the city,
00:10:20.32\00:10:23.62
but you can't take
the city out of the boy.
00:10:23.65\00:10:26.52
You can take the
man out of the club,
00:10:26.55\00:10:29.22
but you can't take
the club out of the man.
00:10:29.26\00:10:32.19
You can take the idea of fashion
00:10:32.23\00:10:35.46
out of the woman,
00:10:35.50\00:10:36.83
but you can't take
the woman out of fashion.
00:10:36.87\00:10:39.23
The Corinthian
church was a church
00:10:39.27\00:10:40.60
that began to be
influenced more by the city
00:10:40.64\00:10:46.57
than the city was
influenced by the church.
00:10:46.61\00:10:48.94
You see the city had a
greater impact on the church
00:10:48.98\00:10:51.81
than the church had on the city.
00:10:51.85\00:10:54.02
And so 1
Corinthians 13 was written
00:10:54.05\00:10:57.55
and it highlighted
00:10:57.59\00:10:59.45
the
paraphernalia of Christianity.
00:10:59.49\00:11:03.26
A big word simply
meaning the stuff.
00:11:03.29\00:11:05.83
Paraphernalia
simply the word stuff.
00:11:05.86\00:11:08.16
So when we walk
through 1 Corinthians 13,
00:11:08.20\00:11:11.20
we will begin to see the
stuff of the Corinthian church
00:11:11.23\00:11:15.80
and the stuff of our church
00:11:15.84\00:11:18.97
because they had
stuff, we got stuff,
00:11:19.01\00:11:24.21
they had
challenges, we have challenges,
00:11:24.25\00:11:28.85
God lead them
through their challenges,
00:11:28.88\00:11:31.59
God could lead us
through our challenges.
00:11:31.62\00:11:36.02
So let's begin
by walking through
00:11:36.06\00:11:39.43
this
paraphernalia distracted church
00:11:39.46\00:11:42.56
called the church at Corinth.
00:11:42.60\00:11:44.93
And by the way if
you're a Bible student
00:11:44.97\00:11:46.77
and you want to
find more clarification,
00:11:46.80\00:11:49.00
you'll also discover that
00:11:49.04\00:11:54.08
2 Corinthians was written
00:11:54.11\00:11:56.95
to answer many
of the distractions
00:11:56.98\00:11:59.18
that were
introduced in 1 Corinthians.
00:11:59.21\00:12:02.72
When Paul left and continued
his journeys from city-to-city,
00:12:02.75\00:12:07.36
he received
constant letters from those
00:12:07.39\00:12:09.46
that were part of the officers
at the church at Corinth.
00:12:09.49\00:12:12.93
And they would write letters
and Paul would write back
00:12:12.96\00:12:14.96
and give answers
to those challenges
00:12:15.00\00:12:17.43
that were there in Corinth.
00:12:17.47\00:12:19.93
It was to the Corinthian church
00:12:19.97\00:12:21.30
where people took that
text out of context to be absent
00:12:21.34\00:12:24.21
from the body is to
be present with the Lord.
00:12:24.24\00:12:27.44
Paul meant, he was absent
00:12:27.48\00:12:29.24
from the
Corinthian body of believers,
00:12:29.28\00:12:32.01
but wherever he went, he
was present with the Lord.
00:12:32.05\00:12:35.58
He wasn't talking about
dying and going to heaven.
00:12:35.62\00:12:38.85
Wherever he went, his heart was
with the Corinthian believers,
00:12:38.89\00:12:42.96
but physically he
was absent from the body,
00:12:42.99\00:12:46.70
the body of believers,
not the physical body.
00:12:46.73\00:12:51.57
But 1 Corinthians 13
begins and there are,
00:12:51.60\00:12:55.14
before we get to the core of it,
00:12:55.17\00:12:56.50
there are three
major distractions
00:12:56.54\00:12:58.87
that are
highlighted by the Apostle Paul
00:12:58.91\00:13:01.88
about the Corinthian church.
00:13:01.91\00:13:03.51
He begins in
verse 1 of chapter 13
00:13:03.55\00:13:06.01
and he reads as follows,
00:13:06.05\00:13:07.52
"Though I speak
with the tongues of men
00:13:07.55\00:13:09.95
and of angels,
00:13:09.98\00:13:13.15
but have not love,
00:13:13.19\00:13:14.86
I have become sounding brass
00:13:14.89\00:13:17.69
or a clanging cymbal."
00:13:17.73\00:13:20.50
I don't know how many of
you've ever seen Charlie Brown.
00:13:20.53\00:13:23.73
Ever seen Charlie Brown?
00:13:23.77\00:13:26.23
Whenever the adults
talked it will be...
00:13:26.27\00:13:31.01
Remember that?
00:13:31.04\00:13:32.37
The adults never made
any sounds, only the kids,
00:13:32.41\00:13:35.68
but it was like...
00:13:35.71\00:13:37.45
and depending on the
gender of the adult, that was...
00:13:37.48\00:13:39.38
What Paul was in essence saying
00:13:43.25\00:13:44.69
before I get to
the core of this is
00:13:44.72\00:13:47.06
when you don't love somebody
00:13:47.09\00:13:49.02
and you talk to
them all they hear is...
00:13:49.06\00:13:52.26
They don't care
what you're saying,
00:13:55.80\00:13:58.83
a sounding brass
and the clinging cymbal.
00:13:58.87\00:14:01.14
When they know
you don't love them,
00:14:01.17\00:14:05.24
you could talk all day
long, all they hear are,
00:14:05.27\00:14:09.24
I don't want to keep doing that.
00:14:09.28\00:14:11.35
All they hear are sounds
that don't meet their need.
00:14:11.38\00:14:17.42
But there's a deeper issue here,
00:14:17.45\00:14:19.49
I think one of barriers
of worship in a multiethnic
00:14:19.52\00:14:22.56
and a multicultural
center of worship was,
00:14:22.59\00:14:24.96
what language should we speak.
00:14:24.99\00:14:26.86
In other words,
00:14:26.90\00:14:28.30
what race are we
going to appeal to
00:14:28.33\00:14:30.73
when we get together
on this day of worship?
00:14:30.77\00:14:36.00
And I remember
reading a pew research
00:14:36.04\00:14:38.04
looking at a research,
00:14:38.07\00:14:39.41
a number of
companies do research
00:14:39.44\00:14:41.48
but it was pointed out
in this particular research
00:14:41.51\00:14:44.88
and I'll share it with you.
00:14:44.91\00:14:46.51
Many of you have seen
LifeWay Christian book stores,
00:14:46.55\00:14:49.68
they're very
prevalent in larger cities,
00:14:49.72\00:14:51.89
we don't have any here.
00:14:51.92\00:14:53.25
I think there's a small
one on the way to Carbondale
00:14:53.29\00:14:55.16
but down to
Nashville, Tennessee,
00:14:55.19\00:14:57.19
lifewayresearch.com,
00:14:57.23\00:14:59.63
they did a survey of Sunday
morning worshippers in 2015
00:14:59.66\00:15:04.90
and here's what
the results were.
00:15:04.93\00:15:07.74
And the article was entitled,
00:15:07.77\00:15:09.34
Sunday morning in
America is still segregated
00:15:09.37\00:15:13.01
and that's okay
with its worshippers.
00:15:13.04\00:15:16.64
67% of
worshippers surveyed agree
00:15:16.68\00:15:20.35
that our church is doing enough
to be ethnically diversed.
00:15:20.38\00:15:23.89
But they cited
Nashville, Tennessee, they said,
00:15:23.92\00:15:25.95
''Sunday morning remains
one of the most segregated hours
00:15:25.99\00:15:30.46
in American life
00:15:30.49\00:15:32.29
with more than 8
in 10 congregations
00:15:32.33\00:15:34.86
made up of one
predominant racial group."
00:15:34.90\00:15:38.93
That's why I like our church.
00:15:38.97\00:15:42.94
Amen?
00:15:42.97\00:15:46.88
We have come in
this little small town
00:15:46.91\00:15:49.08
and this is
really an amazing thing
00:15:49.11\00:15:51.01
because in Thompsonville.
00:15:51.05\00:15:53.65
Weren't too many years ago
00:15:53.68\00:15:55.95
that wasn't too
far from here was
00:15:55.98\00:15:58.65
one of the centers
for the Ku Klux Klan.
00:15:58.69\00:16:01.66
In little
Thompsonville, I remember,
00:16:01.69\00:16:03.29
number of years ago
going to Carbondale,
00:16:03.32\00:16:04.86
inviting people to
come to Thompsonville,
00:16:04.89\00:16:07.03
they say, where?
00:16:07.06\00:16:09.46
When I say inviting folk,
00:16:09.50\00:16:10.83
inviting
African-Americans in Carbondale
00:16:10.87\00:16:13.17
to come to
Thompsonville, they said, where,
00:16:13.20\00:16:14.70
I ain't going to
Thompsonville, not me.
00:16:14.74\00:16:17.07
I said why, I
live in Thompsonville.
00:16:17.11\00:16:18.71
They say, that's you, I
ain't going to Thompsonville.
00:16:18.74\00:16:21.18
Because they
remember that yesterday,
00:16:21.21\00:16:24.48
but Thompsonville
is different today,
00:16:24.51\00:16:26.08
come on somebody help me out.
00:16:26.11\00:16:28.08
I remember moving down to
Thompsonville and you know,
00:16:28.12\00:16:30.52
it was while before
people in the post office
00:16:30.55\00:16:32.25
got used to see my
wife and I but now,
00:16:32.29\00:16:34.26
I go to Walmart,
I know who you are,
00:16:34.29\00:16:36.89
I know what you...
00:16:36.93\00:16:38.26
I watch you, I listen to
you, I've seen you before.
00:16:38.29\00:16:40.96
And unlike the
common perception,
00:16:41.00\00:16:44.30
I have come to believe
00:16:44.33\00:16:46.30
that to have a friend
00:16:46.33\00:16:49.20
one must also first
show himself to be friendly.
00:16:49.24\00:16:54.38
And sometimes, we put
up walls and we see walls,
00:16:54.41\00:16:59.85
but a lot of times, we got walls
00:16:59.88\00:17:01.92
and other folk got walls,
00:17:01.95\00:17:04.09
and that was the issue with
the early Corinthian church,
00:17:04.12\00:17:06.29
it was a
cosmopolitan center of worship.
00:17:06.32\00:17:09.02
All kinds of nationalities,
but when you read their story,
00:17:09.06\00:17:13.19
race was an
issue only among those
00:17:13.23\00:17:16.00
that preferred
religion above Jesus.
00:17:16.03\00:17:22.10
Some examples, look at John 4:9.
00:17:22.14\00:17:25.84
Jesus dealt with
His, most of His ministry,
00:17:25.87\00:17:28.48
He tried to read it out
in the society of His day.
00:17:28.51\00:17:32.61
Remember the woman at the well,
00:17:32.65\00:17:34.22
she said to Jesus
in John 4:9 she said,
00:17:34.25\00:17:39.95
"For Jews have no
dealings with Samaritans."
00:17:39.99\00:17:45.36
We don't have to talk to you?
00:17:45.39\00:17:47.13
When she met Jesus at the well,
00:17:47.16\00:17:48.56
she recognized and she
knew who He was, by the way
00:17:48.60\00:17:51.77
He presented Himself a Jew,
00:17:51.80\00:17:53.34
He had the attire of a Jew,
she was a Samaritan, she said,
00:17:53.37\00:17:56.94
"You're asking me for water,
00:17:56.97\00:17:58.31
don't you know that
the Jews have no dealings
00:17:58.34\00:18:00.58
with the Samaritans?"
00:18:00.61\00:18:04.08
But Jesus pressed the
issue and the issue was,
00:18:04.11\00:18:07.02
no matter what your
race, we all need Jesus.
00:18:07.05\00:18:11.75
That was also
the issue in Acts 10.
00:18:11.79\00:18:15.42
When the Lord
gave Peter a vision
00:18:15.46\00:18:18.19
and Peter had to get this
vision of unclean animals,
00:18:18.23\00:18:22.30
so the Lord could send
him to a race of people
00:18:22.33\00:18:25.73
that in his prior mind,
00:18:25.77\00:18:28.14
he would never associate with,
00:18:28.17\00:18:30.14
so the Lord sent down the sheet
of all these unclean animals,
00:18:30.17\00:18:33.91
things that Peter
would never eat at all,
00:18:33.94\00:18:36.81
never think of eating,
00:18:36.85\00:18:39.88
never even consider eating.
00:18:39.91\00:18:41.72
And the Lord said to him,
rise up and eat and Peter said,
00:18:41.75\00:18:44.12
Lord, I've never
eaten anything common,
00:18:44.15\00:18:47.39
anything unclean,
00:18:47.42\00:18:49.62
until God sent him to
the house of Cornelius
00:18:49.66\00:18:52.93
and strangely enough,
00:18:52.96\00:18:55.60
when Peter was determined to
go to the house of Cornelius,
00:18:55.63\00:19:00.57
they were still so
stumbling over prejudice
00:19:00.60\00:19:03.74
that they sent a contingency
of Jews with Peter to see
00:19:03.77\00:19:06.88
if he was just
making up the story
00:19:06.91\00:19:09.08
or if he wanted to visit
somebody of a different race
00:19:09.11\00:19:11.25
because he had preference.
00:19:11.28\00:19:13.15
So they sent some people
with him to check out his story.
00:19:13.18\00:19:15.88
God sent him to
Cornelius's house
00:19:15.92\00:19:17.89
so a Jewish contingency
went with him to see.
00:19:17.92\00:19:20.59
Now does Paul,
does Peter have a desire
00:19:20.62\00:19:23.26
to mix with other races
or did God really send him?
00:19:23.29\00:19:26.80
That's why you find
Acts 10:28, notice this.
00:19:26.83\00:19:32.40
"Then he said to them..."
00:19:32.43\00:19:34.17
That is to the
contingency that went with him,
00:19:34.20\00:19:38.27
"You know how
unlawful it is for a Jewish man
00:19:38.31\00:19:42.14
to keep company with
or go to another nation.
00:19:42.18\00:19:46.68
But God has shown me
00:19:46.72\00:19:48.98
that I should
not call any man..."
00:19:49.02\00:19:51.45
What church?
00:19:51.49\00:19:52.82
"Common or unclean."
00:19:52.85\00:19:55.86
It's amazing.
00:19:55.89\00:19:57.23
In this month of black history,
00:19:57.26\00:19:59.89
we are reminded of the
struggles of all nations
00:19:59.93\00:20:02.56
and the reality of it
is when one of us go up,
00:20:02.60\00:20:05.07
everyone of us goes up,
00:20:05.10\00:20:07.67
there is no at
the foot of the cross,
00:20:07.70\00:20:11.14
there are not
different heights in the steps,
00:20:11.17\00:20:14.24
because at the foot of the cross
00:20:14.28\00:20:16.24
everyone of us is
on the same level,
00:20:16.28\00:20:19.85
when we stand before Jesus.
00:20:19.88\00:20:23.18
The same issue was true
about Paul and Barnabas.
00:20:23.22\00:20:25.95
When they went to
preach to Antioch,
00:20:25.99\00:20:27.89
they went to preach in Antioch,
00:20:27.92\00:20:29.52
and they
preached a powerful sermon
00:20:29.56\00:20:32.13
and you find that
sermon in Acts 13.
00:20:32.16\00:20:35.13
The sermon was so good
00:20:35.16\00:20:36.50
that people in the
community heard about it,
00:20:36.53\00:20:39.63
and look at Acts 13:44-45.
00:20:39.67\00:20:45.07
The response, people
heard about this sermon
00:20:49.14\00:20:53.48
and the Bible said,
and before this the verses
00:20:53.52\00:20:57.22
before this the
gentiles sought them
00:20:57.25\00:21:00.26
to see if they could
hear this message again
00:21:00.29\00:21:02.66
the next Sabbath,
00:21:02.69\00:21:04.23
and obviously the
invitation was extended
00:21:04.26\00:21:06.49
because the
Bible says in verse 44,
00:21:06.53\00:21:08.20
"On the next Sabbath almost..."
00:21:08.23\00:21:10.10
How much of the city?
00:21:10.13\00:21:11.77
"The whole city came together
to hear the word of God.
00:21:11.80\00:21:15.30
But when the Jews
saw the multitudes,
00:21:15.34\00:21:19.64
they were filled with envy,
00:21:19.67\00:21:21.84
and
contradicting and blaspheming,
00:21:21.88\00:21:25.01
they opposed to the
things spoken by Paul."
00:21:25.05\00:21:28.85
And they got, they
went to the next level,
00:21:28.88\00:21:30.45
they stirred up the
chief men of the city,
00:21:30.49\00:21:32.45
the chief leaders of the city
00:21:32.49\00:21:34.06
and they
expelled Paul and Barnabas
00:21:34.09\00:21:36.66
out of the city, why?
00:21:36.69\00:21:38.63
Because the
sermon included people
00:21:38.66\00:21:42.53
and the people that
came to the synagogue
00:21:42.56\00:21:44.43
to hear the message
00:21:44.47\00:21:45.80
were other than
those of Jewish origin.
00:21:45.83\00:21:49.04
That's why the Day of
Pentecost was so necessary.
00:21:49.07\00:21:51.47
You see the Day of
Pentecost was not just about
00:21:51.51\00:21:54.58
getting the gospel out,
00:21:54.61\00:21:56.04
it was about breaking
down racial and ethnic
00:21:56.08\00:21:58.55
and divisive barriers.
00:21:58.58\00:22:00.55
Amen.
00:22:00.58\00:22:01.92
That's why when
you find Acts 2:1
00:22:01.95\00:22:04.52
they got together and
prayed about their differences.
00:22:04.55\00:22:07.26
They didn't, they recognized
that to ignore our differences
00:22:07.29\00:22:10.33
would immobilize or
would incapacitate us
00:22:10.36\00:22:14.20
to go forward to be
effective in the gospel.
00:22:14.23\00:22:16.50
So they got together and
prayed and notice Acts 2:1,
00:22:16.53\00:22:19.60
let's read this together.
00:22:19.63\00:22:21.04
"When the Day of
Pentecost had" what?
00:22:21.07\00:22:23.91
"Had fully come,
they were all with" what?
00:22:23.94\00:22:27.78
"One accord in one place."
00:22:27.81\00:22:32.11
There were no many places,
00:22:32.15\00:22:33.48
and when read the resume
of the men, there were Jews,
00:22:33.52\00:22:37.75
there were devout men
00:22:37.79\00:22:39.12
out of every nation under habit.
00:22:39.15\00:22:41.69
From Cappadocia, and
Pontus, and Egypt, and Pamphylia
00:22:41.72\00:22:45.29
and there were
Greeks and Arabs and Asians
00:22:45.33\00:22:49.16
altogether in the same
city on the Day of Pentecost
00:22:49.20\00:22:54.30
when the Spirit of
God was poured out.
00:22:54.34\00:22:56.24
The Lord wanted
them to be united,
00:22:56.27\00:22:59.01
so that the church
can go forward united.
00:22:59.04\00:23:01.48
And one of the things that
church needs to learn today
00:23:01.51\00:23:03.91
in the United Nations
00:23:03.95\00:23:07.62
is that we are to be a people
00:23:07.65\00:23:09.02
that are united
in every particular,
00:23:09.05\00:23:12.19
because from one
blood all nations have come,
00:23:12.22\00:23:14.79
into one blood
all nations have to go
00:23:14.82\00:23:18.39
to get into the New Jerusalem.
00:23:18.43\00:23:20.36
There are not
many bloods, Acts 2:5.
00:23:20.40\00:23:26.27
"And there were
dwelling in Jerusalem Jews,
00:23:26.30\00:23:28.30
devout men from
how many nations?
00:23:28.34\00:23:31.44
Every nation under heaven."
00:23:31.47\00:23:34.44
And so the point is
to reach every nation,
00:23:34.48\00:23:37.78
we must love
people of every nation.
00:23:37.81\00:23:42.22
Can I get an amen?
00:23:42.25\00:23:45.25
God did not
establish a local church
00:23:45.29\00:23:48.39
without
establishing a worldwide church.
00:23:48.42\00:23:51.69
A few Sabbaths ago
we saw the statistics,
00:23:51.73\00:23:54.46
we saw that out
of the 276 countries,
00:23:54.50\00:23:57.37
the Adventist church
has admittedly a presence
00:23:57.40\00:24:00.57
in more than 217 countries,
00:24:00.60\00:24:02.77
that's the ones
that we can't disclose.
00:24:02.80\00:24:06.68
But the gospel
is to every nation,
00:24:06.71\00:24:08.28
every kindred, every
tongue, every people.
00:24:08.31\00:24:10.71
The everlasting gospel is
to be preached to every nation,
00:24:10.75\00:24:14.25
every kindred, every tongue,
00:24:14.28\00:24:16.82
every people, every nationality.
00:24:16.85\00:24:20.06
And so the antidote
00:24:20.09\00:24:21.62
to this multi-ethnicity
was love eradicates division.
00:24:21.66\00:24:27.06
Love breaks down
those things that divide us.
00:24:27.10\00:24:31.27
What do you say?
00:24:31.30\00:24:33.00
1 Corinthians 13:2.
00:24:33.03\00:24:35.77
"And though I have the" what?
00:24:35.80\00:24:39.17
"Gift of prophecy, and
understand all mysteries
00:24:39.21\00:24:43.18
and all knowledge, and
though I have all faith,
00:24:43.21\00:24:47.78
so that I could" what?
00:24:47.82\00:24:49.62
"Remove mountains, but
have not love, I am" what?
00:24:49.65\00:24:52.62
"I am nothing."
00:24:52.65\00:24:53.99
You know when I read that
last night, when I read that,
00:24:54.02\00:24:58.56
it hit me right between the eyes
00:24:58.59\00:25:00.00
because we do have
the gift of prophecy.
00:25:00.03\00:25:02.86
Did you get that?
00:25:02.90\00:25:04.47
We do have the gift of prophecy.
00:25:04.50\00:25:06.50
God has gifted this
church with the gift of prophecy
00:25:06.53\00:25:10.91
but let's not miss it.
00:25:10.94\00:25:13.01
Because what
could be more tempting
00:25:13.04\00:25:14.64
than to claim
superior knowledge,
00:25:14.68\00:25:17.55
deeper insight
and enhanced faith
00:25:17.58\00:25:21.18
but with no love.
00:25:21.22\00:25:23.15
What could be more
tempting than to say,
00:25:23.18\00:25:25.45
we know how it's gonna
end, when it's gonna unfold,
00:25:25.49\00:25:28.99
the prophetic timeline,
00:25:29.02\00:25:30.66
what could be
more arrogant at times
00:25:30.69\00:25:33.26
and more
egotistical than to think
00:25:33.29\00:25:36.26
that an intellectually
developed cerebrum
00:25:36.30\00:25:39.13
can move mountains.
00:25:39.17\00:25:44.01
Intellect does
not move mountains,
00:25:44.04\00:25:46.74
love move mountains.
00:25:46.78\00:25:50.51
And so the Corinthians,
00:25:50.55\00:25:51.88
this church was
filled with affluent,
00:25:51.91\00:25:54.38
highly educated
business men and women.
00:25:54.42\00:25:59.52
A mega metropolis,
a center of commerce,
00:25:59.55\00:26:03.02
they made
money, they wore money,
00:26:03.06\00:26:07.26
they came to church in
some gold and silver chariots.
00:26:07.30\00:26:12.50
They came, they looked the part,
00:26:12.53\00:26:15.54
they were intellectual
00:26:15.57\00:26:18.64
and they were those
that were highly learned.
00:26:18.67\00:26:21.01
Among those who
they owned, the slaves,
00:26:21.04\00:26:25.61
and they boast of
their superior intellect,
00:26:25.65\00:26:28.25
gift a prophecy,
understanding all mysteries,
00:26:28.28\00:26:30.52
all knowledge, all faith,
00:26:30.55\00:26:33.32
but they could not
move their mountains.
00:26:33.36\00:26:35.12
And so Paul in order to
help to move their mountains,
00:26:35.16\00:26:37.96
Paul had to say to them,
00:26:37.99\00:26:39.33
"Don't put your eggs
in the basket of intellect
00:26:39.36\00:26:43.83
and knowledge and all faith
00:26:43.87\00:26:46.33
unless you put love
ahead of all of that.
00:26:46.37\00:26:51.94
Sometimes we get distracted,
00:26:51.97\00:26:53.58
we meet brothers and
sisters of other denominations
00:26:53.61\00:26:55.94
and every now and then we
get a glimpse of superiority
00:26:55.98\00:26:59.35
that kind of comes
out of our own ears.
00:26:59.38\00:27:01.92
Paul is saying,
you might be Adventist,
00:27:09.19\00:27:12.33
I might be
Baptist and Pentecostal,
00:27:12.36\00:27:14.80
you might be Presbyterian,
I might be Anglican,
00:27:14.83\00:27:17.63
you might be of
the church of God,
00:27:17.67\00:27:19.00
I might be of the
worldwide church of God.
00:27:19.03\00:27:23.17
But if we don't all begin
on the basis of love for God,
00:27:23.20\00:27:27.31
and love for one another,
00:27:27.34\00:27:29.54
our precepts can
do nothing for us,
00:27:29.58\00:27:32.85
it profits me nothing.
00:27:32.88\00:27:36.95
That is not to exclude
the truth of God's word,
00:27:36.99\00:27:39.69
but you got to
begin on the foundation
00:27:39.72\00:27:41.82
where every one of us,
00:27:41.86\00:27:45.09
and the more I read
through 1 Corinthians,
00:27:45.13\00:27:46.73
I had to really slow down.
00:27:46.76\00:27:49.33
When I begin to break this,
00:27:49.36\00:27:50.97
when I begin to go through
this box of Ritz crackers
00:27:51.00\00:27:54.67
and as I bit one segment
or another of the chapter,
00:27:54.70\00:27:59.91
I then realize
why Ellen White said
00:27:59.94\00:28:03.95
we are to read
this chapter every day.
00:28:03.98\00:28:06.88
I thought I read this chapter...
00:28:06.92\00:28:08.82
I mean how many...
00:28:08.85\00:28:10.19
Okay, surveys don't
really make any sense
00:28:10.22\00:28:11.62
but how many of you
ever read 1 Corinthians 13?
00:28:11.65\00:28:16.39
It's a Valentine's Day chapter,
00:28:16.42\00:28:18.93
and sometimes
it's read at weddings.
00:28:18.96\00:28:21.16
But it's ignored after that.
00:28:21.20\00:28:24.00
It's a powerful book.
00:28:24.03\00:28:26.20
Intellect does
not move mountains,
00:28:26.23\00:28:27.84
love moves mountains.
00:28:27.87\00:28:30.04
And the third distraction
was self appreciation.
00:28:30.07\00:28:33.27
Look at verse
3, look at verse 3.
00:28:33.31\00:28:35.98
It removed this misconception
00:28:36.01\00:28:38.21
that exists in
the minds of many.
00:28:38.25\00:28:40.88
He says, "And though I bestow
all my goods to feed the poor,
00:28:40.92\00:28:45.82
and though I give
my body to be burned,
00:28:45.85\00:28:49.69
but have not love,"
00:28:49.72\00:28:51.23
together what happens?
00:28:51.26\00:28:53.50
"It profits me nothing."
00:28:53.53\00:28:55.96
There has been for a long time
00:28:56.00\00:28:59.83
this misconception
00:28:59.87\00:29:02.34
that to completely
sacrifice one's goods
00:29:02.37\00:29:05.44
and then go so far as
sacrificing one's body
00:29:05.47\00:29:08.88
and martyrdom
was the highest price
00:29:08.91\00:29:12.45
that anyone can pay.
00:29:12.48\00:29:14.32
You know, the Bible says,
00:29:14.35\00:29:15.68
"Greater love
has no man than this
00:29:15.72\00:29:17.35
than he lays down
his life for his friend."
00:29:17.39\00:29:20.79
And so people thought,
if I jump in front of the...
00:29:20.82\00:29:23.59
if I take the bullet for
him or take the sword for him,
00:29:23.63\00:29:26.59
like, Peter said, Peter
before he was converted was
00:29:26.63\00:29:29.70
willing to die for Jesus,
00:29:29.73\00:29:31.53
before he was converted he said,
00:29:31.57\00:29:33.90
"Lord, I'll go
all the way with you."
00:29:33.94\00:29:37.07
Whatever you want
me to do, I'll do it.
00:29:37.11\00:29:39.81
So to give your life
doesn't mean you're converted.
00:29:39.84\00:29:46.01
In Acts of the
Apostles, page 318,
00:29:46.05\00:29:48.18
oh, what a nugget of
truth in Revelation this was.
00:29:48.22\00:29:52.45
Speaking of the martyr,
00:29:52.49\00:29:55.89
servant of the
Lord says, in his zeal,
00:29:55.92\00:29:59.13
he might even
meet a martyr's death,
00:29:59.16\00:30:01.76
though I give my
body to be burned,
00:30:01.80\00:30:03.70
yet if it is not
actuated by love,
00:30:03.73\00:30:06.63
he would be regarded by God,
00:30:06.67\00:30:09.07
listen, as a deluded enthusiast
or an ambitious hypocrite.
00:30:09.10\00:30:15.08
I just want to die.
00:30:15.11\00:30:18.95
Brethren, what Paul is saying
is you want to die for me,
00:30:18.98\00:30:23.49
but Jesus is saying, I
want you to live for Me.
00:30:23.52\00:30:25.95
Amen, somebody? Amen.
00:30:25.99\00:30:28.16
It's easy to die
00:30:28.19\00:30:29.52
and put our half
hearted miserable Christianity
00:30:29.56\00:30:31.96
to an end
00:30:31.99\00:30:33.33
thinking that my sacrifice
has guaranteed my salvation.
00:30:33.36\00:30:37.27
It is the sacrifice of Jesus
that guarantees our salvation,
00:30:37.30\00:30:40.74
not ours.
00:30:40.77\00:30:44.61
So the antidote
to self appreciation
00:30:44.64\00:30:47.74
is disinterested benevolence.
00:30:47.78\00:30:50.81
People are not
moved by what we do,
00:30:50.85\00:30:55.28
but by why we do it.
00:30:55.32\00:30:58.12
Did you hear that?
00:30:58.15\00:30:59.49
Not by what we
do, but by why do it.
00:30:59.52\00:31:02.56
But now it gets even
deeper. Are you ready?
00:31:02.59\00:31:04.46
Put on your snorkeling,
sorry, put on your tanks.
00:31:04.49\00:31:09.26
We're about to
dive, we're gonna go in.
00:31:09.30\00:31:13.67
We're gonna in all the
way and see if we could swim
00:31:13.70\00:31:17.11
through what Paul has to reveal
in these next three verses.
00:31:17.14\00:31:21.24
Verse 4.
00:31:21.28\00:31:23.98
We're gonna read
verse 4 to 7 together.
00:31:24.01\00:31:26.08
Can we do that?
00:31:26.11\00:31:27.78
It may be on the
screen, if you have your Bibles,
00:31:27.82\00:31:30.25
I'm reading form the
New King James Version.
00:31:30.29\00:31:31.95
Let's put some
strength into this.
00:31:31.99\00:31:34.26
Let's read this
together this morning.
00:31:34.29\00:31:36.42
Here we go.
00:31:36.46\00:31:37.79
"Love suffers long and
is kind, love does not envy,
00:31:37.83\00:31:43.13
does not parade
itself, is not puffed up,
00:31:43.16\00:31:48.27
does not behave
rudely, does not seek its own,
00:31:48.30\00:31:53.27
is not provoked, thinks no evil,
00:31:53.31\00:31:57.55
does not rejoice in iniquity,
but rejoices in the truth,
00:31:57.58\00:32:03.42
bears all things," what else?
00:32:03.45\00:32:06.25
"believes all
things, hopes all things,
00:32:06.29\00:32:09.56
endures all things."
00:32:09.59\00:32:13.23
I read that verse
and I read those verses
00:32:13.26\00:32:16.26
and I felt, "Wow,
that's really good."
00:32:16.30\00:32:20.57
And then the Lord
pulled my ear and said,
00:32:20.60\00:32:22.20
now let's go and
see what that means.
00:32:22.24\00:32:26.01
And I applaud
the meticulous work
00:32:26.04\00:32:31.31
done by the Bible
commentators on these passages.
00:32:31.35\00:32:36.95
These group of theologians
that took these passages
00:32:36.99\00:32:40.96
and dug into its
historical relevance
00:32:40.99\00:32:44.29
and its spiritual
application to make it so clear
00:32:44.33\00:32:51.07
that when I started
reading through this,
00:32:51.10\00:32:55.14
I couldn't run past
it and I said to myself,
00:32:55.17\00:32:58.17
"This is too
much sermon material.
00:32:58.21\00:33:00.74
So let's begin
with love suffers long.
00:33:05.15\00:33:08.68
The SDA Bible
Commentary volume 6, page 70,
00:33:08.72\00:33:13.69
love suffers long.
00:33:13.72\00:33:15.09
Here's what it says.
00:33:15.12\00:33:16.89
Love bears long
00:33:16.93\00:33:18.36
with the false failings
and weaknesses of others.
00:33:18.39\00:33:24.27
Love bears long
00:33:24.30\00:33:25.63
with the false failings
and weaknesses of others.
00:33:25.67\00:33:28.34
You see, until
we get to the place
00:33:28.37\00:33:29.94
where we can be
along with the fact
00:33:29.97\00:33:31.47
that somebody is faulty,
00:33:31.51\00:33:33.07
somebody is failing
and somebody is weak
00:33:33.11\00:33:35.28
until we get to the
place where we recognize
00:33:35.31\00:33:37.15
that we are the
ones that are faulty,
00:33:37.18\00:33:39.35
we are the ones that also fail
00:33:39.38\00:33:41.35
and we are also
the ones that are weak
00:33:41.38\00:33:43.05
until we understand that
we are in the same category,
00:33:43.08\00:33:46.09
we will never be
patient with somebody else
00:33:46.12\00:33:48.16
who is faulty, failing and weak.
00:33:48.19\00:33:51.83
Too often our mirrors are clear.
00:33:51.86\00:33:54.56
And we think everybody
else's mirror is cloudy.
00:33:54.60\00:33:57.57
It didn't stop there.
00:33:57.60\00:33:59.73
It also recognizes that
all human beings are fallible
00:33:59.77\00:34:04.34
and that therefore this is huge.
00:34:04.37\00:34:07.04
Due allowance must be made.
00:34:07.08\00:34:11.05
If I've to
repeat this, I'll do it.
00:34:11.08\00:34:12.61
Due allowance must be made.
00:34:12.65\00:34:14.75
In other words,
we've got to stand back
00:34:14.78\00:34:17.59
and it continues
00:34:17.62\00:34:18.99
for the manifestation
of the outworking of errors
00:34:19.02\00:34:23.73
that results from man's
inherently sinful nature.
00:34:23.76\00:34:28.03
Now let me break that down.
00:34:28.06\00:34:29.80
We got to stand back
00:34:29.83\00:34:31.27
and let God work out
the stuff in his life
00:34:31.30\00:34:35.17
as God is working out
the stuff in your life.
00:34:35.20\00:34:40.01
We've got to make allowance.
00:34:40.04\00:34:45.98
So when a brother falls,
00:34:46.01\00:34:48.82
and you turn on
your search light
00:34:48.85\00:34:50.72
and say, "See
there he fell again."
00:34:50.75\00:34:54.96
God is saying, you better turn
that search light on yourself,
00:34:54.99\00:34:59.39
'cause you may see him fall,
and he may not see you fall
00:34:59.43\00:35:03.87
but God is saying
whether we know it or not
00:35:03.90\00:35:06.23
and that's why he said
to Peter, when Peter asked
00:35:06.27\00:35:08.57
this ridiculous
unconverted question.
00:35:08.60\00:35:12.51
You see, it was customary
00:35:12.54\00:35:13.88
that a person could
be forgiven three times.
00:35:13.91\00:35:15.71
You see, let me illustrate,
if I'm sitting next to you,
00:35:15.74\00:35:21.18
I'm sitting next to Garlin,
I'm sitting next to Garlin
00:35:21.22\00:35:23.55
but I want to go
out of the pew that way.
00:35:23.59\00:35:25.95
So I get up and
I walk past Garlin
00:35:25.99\00:35:27.82
and I step on his corn.
00:35:27.86\00:35:31.86
I don't know if he have any,
00:35:31.89\00:35:33.70
but he'll look up and say "ouch"
00:35:33.73\00:35:35.86
and he'll be polite
and I'll say, "sorry,"
00:35:35.90\00:35:39.97
he'll say, "that's okay,
00:35:40.00\00:35:42.27
I know, you didn't
intend to do that."
00:35:42.30\00:35:44.61
But I'm coming back
and it's already aching,
00:35:44.64\00:35:47.98
and I step on that
same aching pulsating corn.
00:35:48.01\00:35:52.08
And he says, it's okay
with a little different look.
00:35:52.11\00:35:56.69
Kind of like, ''It's okay,
00:35:56.72\00:35:59.19
it's all right, it's okay.''
00:35:59.22\00:36:03.49
Sermons done, I want
to leave before Garlin.
00:36:03.53\00:36:07.16
So I'm getting up and I
want to go out the same way
00:36:07.20\00:36:09.33
that I went out a moment
ago, and I'm hurrying and I...
00:36:09.36\00:36:12.00
this time heal meets
corn for the third time
00:36:12.03\00:36:16.81
in the same service.
00:36:16.84\00:36:19.61
And Garlin says
you need to watch up.
00:36:19.64\00:36:22.58
"Sorry, I understand."
00:36:22.61\00:36:26.88
That's only three times.
00:36:26.92\00:36:30.62
And he's thinking why
can he stay off of my corns.
00:36:30.65\00:36:35.82
Does he have a problem?
00:36:35.86\00:36:38.16
I mean can't he see?
00:36:38.19\00:36:39.83
Does he not know
he did that twice?
00:36:39.86\00:36:42.03
Can he actually get up
with a more careful step?
00:36:42.06\00:36:44.93
Can he look down and
find at least my feet first?
00:36:44.97\00:36:49.60
Am I telling the truth?
00:36:49.64\00:36:51.31
So Peter thought, okay, Lord.
00:36:51.34\00:36:55.08
I know it's okay to
forgive people three times,
00:36:55.11\00:36:58.58
but I'm gonna
double that and add one.
00:36:58.61\00:37:01.35
Shall we
forgive him seven times?
00:37:01.38\00:37:04.89
And the Lord says, "Peter,
here, you didn't get a digit."
00:37:04.92\00:37:08.99
See this same man that
want to limit his forgiveness
00:37:09.02\00:37:11.89
himself needed to be forgiven.
00:37:11.93\00:37:16.56
Because he had messed up as bad,
00:37:16.60\00:37:18.13
if he was going to mess up yet.
00:37:18.17\00:37:20.54
And I'm so glad that
when Peter's turn came,
00:37:20.57\00:37:22.80
he was glad that
Jesus said what he did.
00:37:22.84\00:37:26.68
He said Peter, "No, no, no.
00:37:26.71\00:37:28.78
Not seven times,
but 70 times seven."
00:37:28.81\00:37:34.48
In other words, if I stepped
on Garlin's toe 490 times.
00:37:34.52\00:37:41.09
Now I promise not to do that.
00:37:41.12\00:37:43.89
Every time he'll say,
I forgive you my brother,
00:37:43.93\00:37:49.03
without saying
anything after that.
00:37:49.06\00:37:51.73
How many of us are there yet?
00:37:51.77\00:37:53.64
Don't raise your hand and lie.
00:37:53.67\00:37:57.97
Love suffers long.
00:37:58.01\00:38:01.41
But that's not it,
and is kind, and is kind.
00:38:01.44\00:38:06.98
These men and women or
whoever the committee was
00:38:07.02\00:38:10.75
that put this together
00:38:10.79\00:38:12.12
had to have been under the
unction of divine flooding,
00:38:12.15\00:38:16.59
not just inspiration
and is kind, listen to this.
00:38:16.62\00:38:20.86
"One who is actuated
by the Spirit of God,
00:38:20.90\00:38:24.47
one who is ever seeking
to reveal by word and deed,
00:38:24.50\00:38:30.21
an understanding sympathy
for, and appreciation of
00:38:30.24\00:38:34.74
the struggles and
difficulties of others."
00:38:34.78\00:38:40.25
Let me break that down.
00:38:40.28\00:38:41.62
Some folks
struggle more than others.
00:38:44.55\00:38:48.12
Do you know that'd be true?
00:38:48.16\00:38:49.72
Some folks
struggle more than others.
00:38:49.76\00:38:53.76
And some of us don't
have a long struggle rope.
00:38:53.80\00:38:58.73
We got these little
short struggle ropes.
00:38:58.77\00:39:01.00
Don't know
where you bought them,
00:39:01.04\00:39:03.00
but some of us got a
short struggle rope for others,
00:39:03.04\00:39:05.94
but want others to have a
long struggle rope for us.
00:39:05.97\00:39:10.35
And we don't feel
sympathetic because...
00:39:10.38\00:39:15.08
I'll confess sometimes
you hear stuff about folk
00:39:15.12\00:39:19.45
and you know you say again,
00:39:19.49\00:39:22.69
again no, serious again.
00:39:22.72\00:39:27.36
How many times...
00:39:27.40\00:39:28.80
is so and so going
to do the same thing?
00:39:32.20\00:39:36.67
Haven't they
learned their lesson yet?
00:39:36.71\00:39:41.98
And our voices don't have
any sympathy, no sympathy...
00:39:42.01\00:39:45.61
because it's her
struggle or his struggle.
00:39:48.85\00:39:54.36
It ain't my struggle.
00:39:54.39\00:39:57.53
So when Paul says
and is kind, he says,
00:39:57.56\00:40:00.50
look for the brother or
sister who is struggling
00:40:00.53\00:40:03.57
and all you need
to do is be kind.
00:40:03.60\00:40:07.17
Amen.
00:40:07.20\00:40:08.57
Just be kind.
00:40:08.60\00:40:12.84
Kind, kind is not just a voice,
00:40:12.87\00:40:16.88
it's a look, it's an attitude.
00:40:16.91\00:40:20.45
But some people are
so righteous already,
00:40:20.48\00:40:22.65
some people are just,
00:40:22.68\00:40:24.09
they want to go to heaven
'cause they're already perfect.
00:40:24.12\00:40:27.46
And everybody else
they can't tolerate,
00:40:27.49\00:40:30.36
so they isolate themselves.
00:40:30.39\00:40:31.96
I call it
righteousness by isolation.
00:40:31.99\00:40:35.23
Can't even be kind
00:40:41.17\00:40:43.20
because the only
thing that matters
00:40:43.24\00:40:44.57
is what happened to them,
00:40:44.61\00:40:46.21
not what happened
to you and is kind.
00:40:46.24\00:40:50.91
But he doesn't
stop, are you ready?
00:40:50.95\00:40:53.11
We're going
down to 500 feet now.
00:40:53.15\00:40:56.95
Get those tanks,
make sure they're full
00:40:56.99\00:40:59.22
because we're serious.
00:40:59.25\00:41:00.92
"Love does not
envy, love does not envy."
00:41:00.96\00:41:06.86
Commentators say to exhibit
wrong or unpleasant feelings
00:41:06.90\00:41:10.40
toward others
00:41:10.43\00:41:13.07
on account of
advantages possessed by them.
00:41:13.10\00:41:18.84
Now let me break that down.
00:41:18.87\00:41:20.44
Some folk got
more money than you do.
00:41:20.48\00:41:23.55
Come on say amen.
00:41:23.58\00:41:25.15
They could afford
stuff you can't afford.
00:41:25.18\00:41:27.42
They could live
how you can't live.
00:41:27.45\00:41:29.05
They could buy
what you can't buy.
00:41:29.08\00:41:33.29
But when I read through
the Bible commentary further,
00:41:33.32\00:41:36.02
it says envy or
jealousy is the most cruel
00:41:36.06\00:41:39.96
and contemptible
of all human failings
00:41:40.00\00:41:43.63
because envy was the seed
00:41:43.67\00:41:45.80
that eventually
lead to Lucifer's fall.
00:41:45.83\00:41:49.70
He became envious of
the position that Jesus had
00:41:49.74\00:41:53.38
envious of the
power that God had,
00:41:53.41\00:41:55.94
he saw the power that God had.
00:41:55.98\00:41:58.38
He saw the glory
00:41:58.41\00:41:59.75
that the angels
exhibited toward Jesus.
00:41:59.78\00:42:02.35
He didn't like that, he
wanted what he could not
00:42:02.38\00:42:05.25
and did not have
a right to access
00:42:05.29\00:42:08.66
and sometimes we meet folk,
00:42:08.69\00:42:10.23
I remember a number of years ago
00:42:10.26\00:42:11.86
when I was in
Antioch, California.
00:42:11.89\00:42:15.13
And we had a gentleman there
00:42:15.16\00:42:17.43
that he
financed so many projects
00:42:17.47\00:42:20.14
in our church,
00:42:20.17\00:42:21.74
he was a Christian
man who didn't mind
00:42:21.77\00:42:25.27
putting his money
where his heart was.
00:42:25.31\00:42:28.08
He loved evangelism,
00:42:28.11\00:42:30.48
if you do evangelism
you can count on him.
00:42:30.51\00:42:35.28
For he have deep pockets,
he owned a medical park,
00:42:35.32\00:42:38.02
he owned
hospitals, he owned houses,
00:42:38.05\00:42:40.62
he had pockets.
00:42:40.66\00:42:42.89
I have two in the
front, two in the back.
00:42:42.92\00:42:44.89
He had four in the
front, four in the back
00:42:44.93\00:42:47.90
and he was a kind man,
00:42:47.93\00:42:49.96
but he would
support the gospel anything,
00:42:50.00\00:42:52.63
but he could afford a car,
he could afford a nice car.
00:42:52.67\00:42:56.50
So one Sabbath he came
to church with his nice car,
00:42:56.54\00:43:00.34
another brother
saw that car and said,
00:43:00.38\00:43:02.11
"That's a sin
driving a car like that."
00:43:02.14\00:43:08.15
But this brother,
just a few Sabbaths earlier
00:43:08.18\00:43:12.59
had given me a
video to play for vespers
00:43:12.62\00:43:17.03
and when we put the
video in to queue it up,
00:43:17.06\00:43:19.93
it had pornography on it.
00:43:19.96\00:43:23.06
He's looking at
this brother's car,
00:43:23.10\00:43:25.43
not looking at the
stuff he's watching.
00:43:25.47\00:43:28.47
See what I'm saying?
00:43:28.50\00:43:30.24
He's so busy saying this
guy should not drive that car
00:43:30.27\00:43:34.28
because he can't afford it.
00:43:34.31\00:43:36.75
God has no problem
with wealthy people.
00:43:36.78\00:43:39.65
Come on somebody.
00:43:39.68\00:43:41.28
Look at the Bible,
Solomon, Abraham, Job,
00:43:41.32\00:43:45.82
these folks had deep pockets.
00:43:45.85\00:43:47.92
Nicodemus was so wealthy,
00:43:47.96\00:43:49.76
he financed the growth
of the New Testament church.
00:43:49.79\00:43:54.06
That's why God had to
deal with Ananias and Sapphira.
00:43:54.10\00:43:57.73
He blessed them
materialistically
00:43:57.77\00:43:59.90
because they said
they're gonna give
00:43:59.93\00:44:01.27
what God blessed
them with to the church
00:44:01.30\00:44:03.84
but they lied,
they became envious.
00:44:03.87\00:44:07.31
And they kept it and they
lost their lives in church.
00:44:07.34\00:44:11.91
Envy should never come
into the hearts of those.
00:44:11.95\00:44:16.02
If somebody has something
that God has blessed them with,
00:44:16.05\00:44:19.12
we ought to say
praise God for them.
00:44:19.15\00:44:24.13
But sometimes God
doesn't bless some of us
00:44:24.16\00:44:25.73
because we're just not faithful.
00:44:25.76\00:44:27.83
And also, I got to put this in.
00:44:27.86\00:44:29.73
Sometimes God knows that
some of us need to stay poor
00:44:29.76\00:44:33.64
to make it to heaven.
00:44:33.67\00:44:37.71
You didn't get that.
00:44:37.74\00:44:39.07
Let me make it clear.
00:44:39.11\00:44:40.44
Some of you, if you got wealthy,
00:44:40.48\00:44:41.81
you'd leave the church
00:44:41.84\00:44:43.78
because you think that
only poor people need to be in,
00:44:43.81\00:44:46.05
and there's some
folks they think that.
00:44:46.08\00:44:48.28
And if you're poor and humble
00:44:48.32\00:44:50.22
then you are more righteous
than those that are wealthy.
00:44:50.25\00:44:53.29
No, not that.
00:44:53.32\00:44:54.92
Proverbs 14:30.
00:45:00.40\00:45:02.46
Look at it.
00:45:02.50\00:45:04.13
"A sound a heart,"
a sound heart is what?
00:45:04.17\00:45:09.40
"Life to the body, but envy
is rottenness to the bones."
00:45:09.44\00:45:16.34
Now I try to
figure out what that meant
00:45:16.38\00:45:18.31
and I came up with this
and I think I'm a little close.
00:45:18.35\00:45:21.78
If a spiritual autopsy
were performed on a person
00:45:21.82\00:45:25.19
who is envious,
00:45:25.22\00:45:26.92
everywhere you find
bone, you would find envy.
00:45:26.96\00:45:31.03
Did you hear that?
00:45:31.06\00:45:32.39
Rottenness is to the bone.
00:45:32.43\00:45:34.00
If the Lord allowed us to
go through a spiritual autopsy
00:45:34.03\00:45:37.50
and we suffered from envy
00:45:37.53\00:45:39.10
what is being said here is
everywhere that you find bone,
00:45:39.13\00:45:42.00
in that person's
body, you'll find envy.
00:45:42.04\00:45:44.67
Envy is rottenness to the bone.
00:45:44.71\00:45:48.34
Because envy is the
precursor to covetousness.
00:45:48.38\00:45:53.68
That's why Lucifer fell.
00:45:53.72\00:45:55.38
He wanted what God
did not give to him
00:45:55.42\00:45:59.02
and when we are looking
at others who God blesses.
00:45:59.05\00:46:02.82
If God has given you a blessing
00:46:02.86\00:46:05.39
and if all He
gives you is good health,
00:46:05.43\00:46:07.76
praise God for that.
00:46:07.80\00:46:10.40
I listened to the
radio a few years ago
00:46:10.43\00:46:12.17
and what helped me
get over my abandonment
00:46:12.20\00:46:14.60
because my mom left me at
00:46:14.64\00:46:15.97
three months old at a
babysit and walked away,
00:46:16.00\00:46:17.57
my dad's name was not
even on my birth certificate.
00:46:17.61\00:46:21.04
I remember listening to a
lady a number of years ago,
00:46:21.08\00:46:25.08
it was not... I
think it was Dr. Laura.
00:46:25.11\00:46:26.55
That's right, that
was her name, Dr. Laura.
00:46:26.58\00:46:29.35
Remember, anybody
remember, Dr. Laura?
00:46:29.38\00:46:31.29
Dr. Laura Schlessinger.
00:46:31.32\00:46:33.59
Listening to the radio
00:46:33.62\00:46:34.96
and a young girl
called in one day
00:46:34.99\00:46:36.73
and she said, "I am
upset with my mom and dad."
00:46:36.76\00:46:40.60
And Dr. Laura said "Why?"
00:46:40.63\00:46:43.03
Because they
don't give me anything,
00:46:43.06\00:46:45.73
every time I ask them something,
00:46:45.77\00:46:47.10
they don't give me anything.
00:46:47.14\00:46:48.47
They don't give me anything.
00:46:48.50\00:46:50.14
And Dr. Laura said,
kind of like Judge Judy,
00:46:50.17\00:46:53.31
"Young lady, shut up."
00:46:53.34\00:46:56.08
You know, some
people could do that.
00:46:56.11\00:46:59.81
And the radio went silent,
00:46:59.85\00:47:01.18
she said, "What did
your parents give you?"
00:47:01.22\00:47:03.45
She said nothing.
00:47:03.49\00:47:04.82
She said, "Young lady
I'm not having it today,
00:47:04.85\00:47:07.26
what did your parents give you?"
00:47:07.29\00:47:10.56
What do you mean, Dr. Laura?
00:47:10.59\00:47:11.93
Did they give you life? Yes.
00:47:11.96\00:47:14.53
Then go make something of it
00:47:14.56\00:47:16.06
and stop complaining
about what you don't have.
00:47:16.10\00:47:20.14
And at 13, I heard that.
00:47:20.17\00:47:21.84
I said, you know, what?
00:47:21.87\00:47:23.61
I don't know what
my dad looks like.
00:47:23.64\00:47:25.77
Don't know where my mama is,
00:47:25.81\00:47:27.74
but I'm gonna take this life
and make something out of it.
00:47:27.78\00:47:31.11
Nobody came to school
to applaud me at plays.
00:47:31.15\00:47:35.82
Nobody said, "Is
your homework done?"
00:47:35.85\00:47:39.79
When I did well, nobody knew,
when I did bad, everybody knew.
00:47:39.82\00:47:45.93
I got more attention for
being absent 42 days from school
00:47:45.96\00:47:48.76
than I got for
being present the rest.
00:47:48.80\00:47:53.54
Sometimes you got to
get out of your bag of...
00:47:53.57\00:47:58.27
somebody done me wrong
nothing works out for me
00:47:58.31\00:48:01.14
and recognize if you got
life, you've got everything.
00:48:01.18\00:48:06.65
Paul keeps going.
00:48:06.68\00:48:08.68
Love does not parade
itself, this is powerful.
00:48:08.72\00:48:11.82
Love does not parade itself,
and the commentator said,
00:48:11.85\00:48:15.16
"Love does not
sound its own praises,
00:48:15.19\00:48:17.86
it is humble and does
not try to exalt itself."
00:48:17.89\00:48:22.00
For those of us who
are in the visible realm,
00:48:25.70\00:48:28.20
you know, we
travel, we go places.
00:48:28.24\00:48:31.84
We have learned
to pray for humility
00:48:31.87\00:48:34.58
to follow us wherever we go.
00:48:34.61\00:48:37.55
Am I right, Jill, Greg?
00:48:37.58\00:48:39.35
I don't want to
call out too many names,
00:48:39.38\00:48:41.78
but if you do what
God has called us to do
00:48:41.82\00:48:43.55
and you've been
gifted to be able
00:48:43.59\00:48:44.92
to be in many different circles,
00:48:44.95\00:48:46.29
you got to
always leave your room,
00:48:46.32\00:48:48.52
your hotel room
with a tiny head.
00:48:48.56\00:48:52.69
Ask the Lord to
shrink your head,
00:48:52.73\00:48:55.50
so that by the time the day ends
00:48:55.53\00:48:57.10
it's at normal size.
00:48:57.13\00:48:59.30
No, really.
00:48:59.33\00:49:00.90
No, I'm serious.
00:49:00.94\00:49:02.60
That's why I was so
glad one of our pastors.
00:49:02.64\00:49:04.11
I think was Philip
Simone gave me a book called,
00:49:04.14\00:49:06.68
"How to accept compliments
without becoming big headed".
00:49:06.71\00:49:12.85
When you're at a place
where you've got a gift
00:49:12.88\00:49:14.58
and you know you got a gift
00:49:14.62\00:49:15.95
and you say, "Hey
did you like my gift?
00:49:15.98\00:49:17.39
You like the way I
did that? Was that good?
00:49:17.42\00:49:19.55
You like that? Was
that song bad or not?"
00:49:19.59\00:49:23.73
Was that a sermon
or was that a sermon?
00:49:23.76\00:49:26.70
Come on, you got to
give God all the glory.
00:49:26.73\00:49:29.43
Somebody say amen.
00:49:29.46\00:49:30.80
God must always get the glory.
00:49:30.83\00:49:32.73
Don't sound your own praises,
00:49:32.77\00:49:34.67
the Bible says, "Let
another man praise you."
00:49:34.70\00:49:37.97
And when they do that
here's what I've learned.
00:49:38.01\00:49:42.58
And I was so glad that a pastor
of experience taught me this.
00:49:42.61\00:49:45.88
He says, "When somebody
compliments you say this,
00:49:45.91\00:49:49.68
if God could use me to be a
blessing to you, praise God."
00:49:49.72\00:49:56.66
Reflect it back.
00:49:56.69\00:50:01.10
And the reason
is Proverbs 29:23.
00:50:01.13\00:50:05.60
Look at that verse,
00:50:05.63\00:50:07.70
"A man's pride
will bring him low,
00:50:07.74\00:50:12.07
a man's pride will bring him low
00:50:12.11\00:50:15.94
but the humble in
spirit will retain honor."
00:50:15.98\00:50:20.62
If you're humble,
God can trust you,
00:50:20.65\00:50:23.49
but if you are
filled with pride,
00:50:23.52\00:50:25.55
just a matter of time
00:50:25.59\00:50:26.92
before you're lower
than you have ever been.
00:50:26.96\00:50:29.19
God does not give us
anything to destroy us,
00:50:29.22\00:50:32.29
but what God gives to
us reveals who we are.
00:50:32.33\00:50:37.17
Love does not parade itself,
00:50:37.20\00:50:40.64
but Paul didn't
stop, is not puffed up.
00:50:40.67\00:50:43.54
And by the way,
I'm not going to do
00:50:43.57\00:50:44.91
the whole chapter this
way, just in case you thought
00:50:44.94\00:50:46.61
we're gonna be
here till 2 o'clock.
00:50:46.64\00:50:50.28
Is not puffed up,
00:50:50.31\00:50:51.65
that's the next
part of the verse
00:50:51.68\00:50:53.01
between four and
seven, is not puffed up.
00:50:53.05\00:50:54.85
Commentator said, Love does not
inflate a person with vanity.
00:50:54.88\00:50:59.65
It does not produce a condition
of conceit and self exaltation.
00:50:59.69\00:51:04.26
Love does not
indulge in mental self esteem
00:51:04.29\00:51:08.16
laying claims to
having the best gifts.
00:51:08.20\00:51:13.10
Remember the Pharisee,
00:51:13.13\00:51:14.47
thank God, I'm
not like other men.
00:51:14.50\00:51:19.77
Nobody can be like me.
00:51:19.81\00:51:23.68
Self exaltation,
those two go together,
00:51:23.71\00:51:26.65
does not parade
itself, is not puffed up.
00:51:26.68\00:51:29.65
In short, be humble.
00:51:29.68\00:51:31.75
Say that with me, we what?
00:51:31.79\00:51:33.62
Be humble.
00:51:33.66\00:51:35.32
Don't say, "I'm humble."
00:51:35.36\00:51:37.29
Can't you tell?
00:51:37.33\00:51:38.66
Be humble.
00:51:41.66\00:51:43.00
Let your life speak
louder than your lips.
00:51:43.03\00:51:47.60
We got to watch how we say stuff
00:51:47.64\00:51:50.21
because sometimes
what we say in our mind
00:51:50.24\00:51:53.68
is more important than
how the person hears it.
00:51:53.71\00:51:57.41
Sometimes you say,
look, I've been trying
00:51:57.45\00:51:59.71
to say this for a long time
00:51:59.75\00:52:01.08
and I know you don't like
it, but I'm just gonna say it.
00:52:01.12\00:52:03.15
You got to keep this in
mind, I heard somebody say,
00:52:03.18\00:52:05.25
"Whatever you say, make
sure it's sweet and it's soft
00:52:05.29\00:52:09.42
because one day
you gotta eat it.
00:52:09.46\00:52:12.66
Right?
00:52:12.69\00:52:14.10
We're gonna chew
it and swallow it.
00:52:14.13\00:52:16.03
Make sure what you
say is sweet and soft
00:52:16.06\00:52:19.27
because one day
you're going to eat it.
00:52:19.30\00:52:22.90
Some folk are more concerned
00:52:22.94\00:52:24.51
about what they got to tell you.
00:52:24.54\00:52:27.78
As a kid say, I got to tell you.
00:52:27.81\00:52:31.58
Then what?
00:52:31.61\00:52:32.95
And when that comes back,
00:52:32.98\00:52:34.32
some of you need to
stand in a little room,
00:52:34.35\00:52:35.75
a room that's one foot deep.
00:52:35.78\00:52:37.62
So you could hear
yourself talking to yourself.
00:52:37.65\00:52:41.62
Consider what you
say before you say it
00:52:41.66\00:52:44.43
because when you beat
that pillow on a windy day,
00:52:44.46\00:52:48.00
you are not gonna
get the feathers back.
00:52:48.03\00:52:50.73
Because I've discovered
in the study of this message,
00:52:54.50\00:52:56.67
love is deeper and more powerful
00:52:56.71\00:52:59.31
than you can
ever imagine it to be.
00:52:59.34\00:53:03.35
But don't ever come away,
00:53:03.38\00:53:05.41
don't ever come
away with the idea
00:53:05.45\00:53:08.95
that people owe you
more than you owe others.
00:53:08.98\00:53:14.79
I want to shake, I'm
shaking my finger at all of us.
00:53:14.82\00:53:17.59
It's going back and forth.
00:53:17.63\00:53:19.39
Don't ever think that people
owe you more than you owe them.
00:53:19.43\00:53:25.67
That's what Paul was in essence,
00:53:25.70\00:53:27.04
if you could
summarizes his message,
00:53:27.07\00:53:28.40
what makes you think you're so
different than everybody else?
00:53:28.44\00:53:32.17
So we're going
to start next week
00:53:32.21\00:53:35.04
in the area of "Think no Evil".
00:53:35.08\00:53:36.85
This stuff gets
deeper, you ready?
00:53:36.88\00:53:39.88
You're gonna be here
at next Sabbath, Rosemary,
00:53:39.91\00:53:42.45
because you can't miss part two.
00:53:42.48\00:53:45.12
But God is going
to speak to all of us.
00:53:45.15\00:53:46.92
He spoke to my heart
and I say, thank You, Lord,
00:53:46.96\00:53:49.79
and my wife last night,
she stayed with me as I was...
00:53:49.82\00:53:52.59
she said, "Wow," she said "Wow."
00:53:52.63\00:53:55.66
Now I know why Ellen White
said we got to read about love,
00:53:55.70\00:53:58.07
this chapter.
00:53:58.10\00:53:59.43
Don't just read
about it, but be like Jill,
00:53:59.47\00:54:01.67
dig and get those Greek
words and those Hebrew words
00:54:01.70\00:54:04.71
and find out how it
applies to your life.
00:54:04.74\00:54:07.44
1 Corinthians 13,
don't get in that chapter,
00:54:07.48\00:54:12.05
if you don't want to know
about the real meaning of love.
00:54:12.08\00:54:17.15
Let's stand together
and sing this hymn together.
00:54:17.19\00:54:19.42
What is the hymn anyway?
00:54:19.45\00:54:20.92
My Jesus.
00:54:25.33\00:54:26.66
My Jesus, I love Thee
00:54:32.00\00:54:38.61
I know Thou art mine
00:54:38.64\00:54:44.28
For Thee
00:54:44.31\00:54:46.65
All the follies of sin
00:54:46.68\00:54:52.42
I resign
00:54:52.45\00:54:56.26
My gracious Redeemer
00:54:56.29\00:55:02.73
My Savior art Thou
00:55:02.76\00:55:09.20
If ever I loved Thee
00:55:09.24\00:55:15.08
My Jesus, 'tis now
00:55:15.11\00:55:20.48
Here's the answer.
00:55:20.52\00:55:21.85
I love Thee because Thou
00:55:21.88\00:55:28.66
Hast first loved me
00:55:28.69\00:55:34.36
And purchased my pardon
00:55:34.40\00:55:40.47
On Calvary's tree
00:55:40.50\00:55:46.64
I love Thee for wearing
00:55:46.68\00:55:53.45
The thorns on Thy brow.
00:55:53.48\00:55:58.49
Together.
00:55:58.52\00:55:59.89
If ever I loved Thee
00:55:59.92\00:56:06.23
My Jesus, 'tis now
00:56:06.26\00:56:12.07
Now before I
close it with prayer,
00:56:12.10\00:56:13.44
I want to ask the question.
00:56:13.47\00:56:14.80
Is there someone here today
that wants to say to the Lord,
00:56:14.84\00:56:18.37
Father, I want You
00:56:18.41\00:56:22.84
to give me a revelation
00:56:22.88\00:56:26.82
of what love
really is all about.
00:56:26.85\00:56:31.25
I want You to
take me to that place
00:56:31.29\00:56:32.69
where I can understand
and examine my own heart
00:56:32.72\00:56:34.89
is my love what
God wants it to be.
00:56:34.92\00:56:37.89
Do I love people with partiality
00:56:37.93\00:56:40.60
or do I love them impartially?
00:56:40.63\00:56:42.46
Am I a person that boast myself?
00:56:42.50\00:56:45.23
Am I self
evaluating myself to be more
00:56:45.27\00:56:49.00
than I think others are?
00:56:49.04\00:56:51.24
Where am I in my love, for
my brothers and my sisters?
00:56:51.27\00:56:54.18
For you know, Bible says,
by this shall all men know
00:56:54.21\00:56:58.85
that you are My disciples
by your love for one another.
00:56:58.88\00:57:03.42
All of our teachings are,
00:57:03.45\00:57:04.92
our fundamentals
are vitally important.
00:57:04.95\00:57:07.09
God has given us a
powerful gift of many truths,
00:57:07.12\00:57:12.16
but none of them
excludes the love of God.
00:57:12.19\00:57:15.00
So if there's
somebody here today
00:57:15.03\00:57:16.36
as I close with
prayer that wants to say,
00:57:16.40\00:57:17.97
Father in heaven, I
want to know that love.
00:57:18.00\00:57:20.74
I want that love
to be in my heart,
00:57:20.77\00:57:23.14
to be in my life, to
be a revelation to me.
00:57:23.17\00:57:26.34
Let's place our hands
00:57:26.37\00:57:27.71
in the presence
where God can see it.
00:57:27.74\00:57:29.08
Father in heaven, you know
that Your people need love,
00:57:29.11\00:57:33.28
we all need love,
00:57:33.31\00:57:34.65
we don't need love for
food or love for nice clothes,
00:57:34.68\00:57:37.92
we don't want to minimize love.
00:57:37.95\00:57:40.36
We are somewhere
between phileo and agape love.
00:57:40.39\00:57:44.96
But Father, help us every
day to grow and be more like You
00:57:44.99\00:57:47.13
that love can be
transformed and it can grow
00:57:47.16\00:57:50.77
and it can find places in
our hearts and in our lives
00:57:50.80\00:57:53.50
that will glorify
You and not glorify us.
00:57:53.54\00:57:59.97
Help us to
examine where we stand
00:58:00.01\00:58:02.98
in love for each other,
00:58:03.01\00:58:04.35
our spouses, our children,
00:58:04.38\00:58:09.65
our family members,
our church family members.
00:58:09.68\00:58:13.62
Do we envy?
00:58:13.66\00:58:15.89
Are we a jealous people?
00:58:15.92\00:58:18.16
Take us to the
foot of the cross.
00:58:18.19\00:58:20.80
And recognize that
in the life of Jesus,
00:58:20.83\00:58:22.86
your selflessness is a
lesson for us to follow.
00:58:22.90\00:58:29.10
If we will one day
be in Your kingdom,
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we have to become like You.
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Make that a reality Father
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by coming into one
hearts and into our lives,
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we pray in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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