Love
1 John 4:8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is
love. (NIV)
The
world thinks that it knows about love, but one cannot know true love until they
know God. Secular society thinks that it has love all figured out and much of
what it has concluded about love is all wrong. The world’s love involves sex,
greed, lust, money, fame, and popularity. The “what you can do for me” attitude
has grown in its momentum and has produced a world full of cold-hearted,
selfish, wickedly intolerant individuals. Yet, God showed His undying love for
humanity by sending His son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins. Romans
5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still
sinners, Christ died for us. (NIV) God did not have to send His son to
die for us and Jesus did not have to agree to come. Yet, He loved us so much
that He was willing to lay down His own life for us to have eternal life. John
3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)
That’s the kind of love that God showed towards mankind and this is why HE IS
LOVE.
1 Corinthians
13:4-8, 13
(4)Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast,
it is not proud. (5)It does not dishonor others, it is not
self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (6)Love
does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (7)It always
protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (8)Love
never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are
tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.(13)And
now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
(NIV) Let’s
break down love so that we can have a better understanding for the Potter’s
love for His children.
a.)
Love
is patient – Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient,
bearing with one another in love. (NIV) In the society that we live in,
patience is definitely not a virtue. Most people want things quick and in a
hurry. We are the microwave generation where everything is to be obtained with
speed and great urgency from the restaurant drive-thru to even the services at many
houses of worship. This generation has the concept that time is money and a
minute spent is a minute wasted. Many lack patience and this is often displayed
during rush-hour traffic on the highway. Nevertheless, this is not how God
operates. God is patient. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in
keeping his promises, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with
you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (NIV)
Many people have wondered why God didn’t put an end to evil a long time ago.
God is love and with love comes patience to give everyone a chance to turn
their lives around in order to be saved. God doesn’t want anyone to be lost, so
His patience is not that of procrastination, but one of longsuffering and
desire for everyone’s salvation.
b.)
Love
is kind – Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, do good them, and lend to them
without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you
will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and
wicked. (NIV) Many people have the attitude of, “I will love you if you
do something for me in return.” This, however, is not love, but manipulation.
God doesn’t love us because we deserve it nor does He show acts of kindness due
to our having earned it. God is kind for in His kindness, we are able to feel
and see His abundant love for us. Titus 3:4-7 (4)But when
the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, (5)he saved us,
not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved
us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, (6)whom
he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, (7)so
that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope
of eternal life. (NIV) God’s kindness runs deep throughout the whole
world not because of anything that we have done, for we all deserve death; but
His kindness seeks to draw us closer to Him in that we can have an intimate
relationship with Him not for things, but out of pure genuine love.
c.)
Love
does not envy – Proverbs 14:30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy
the rottenness of the bones. (KJV) Many friendships have been ruined
and crimes committed due to envy and jealousy. Someone wants something that
someone else has and therefore, they take it upon themselves to either take it
or allow the envy to build up within them, which causes hatred to overtake
them. God, however, does not envy His children, but has a righteous jealousy in
that He doesn’t want us to be harmed by the enemy’s schemes. We are to not to
be envious or jealous of each other in an ungodly way, but have the save love
that God has in wanting the best for His beloved children. 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 I am
jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to
Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid
that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s conning your minds may somehow
be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. (NIV) God
does not envy, but loves us with a jealousy to keep us from being deceived,
manipulated, and lured into evil by Satan and his minions.
d.)
Love
does not boast – James 4:16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All
such boasting is evil. (NIV) There are many athletes who boast about
the capabilities of playing sports and helping their team to win multiple
championships. One famous athlete was known for his outspokenness in saying
that he was the greatest. Unfortunately, many deceive themselves into believing
this to be true when there is only one person who was and is the greatest and
that is God. Psalm 145:3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise, his
greatness no one can fathom. (NIV) Love is not boastful, for those who
serve God know that we are nothing without Him. Therefore, what good does it do
to boast about our own strength, which is weak in comparison to the Lord’s? 2
Corinthians 11:30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my
weaknesses. (NIV) God gives one strength to accomplish His will and
therefore, love never boast within its own strength, but will only boast about
the things of God in which HE gets all the honor and glory.
e.)
Love
is not proud – James 4:6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture
says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” (NIV) Many
people have climbed the wall to secular fame only to be brought down by their
own arrogance and pride. God, however, does not want His children to be prideful,
for this was the cause of Lucifer’s fall from glory. Ezekiel 28:17 Your heart
became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because
of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth, I made a spectacle of you before
kings. (NIV) Pride never got anyone anywhere with God from the very
beginning, but He desires for us to have a heart of humility for in humility,
we are able to show the love that the Father has for His children to others. It
is never about us, but about Him.
f.)
Love
does not dishonor others – Romans 2:23 You who boast in the law,
do you dishonor God by breaking the law? (NIV) There are people who
feel that they must put others down in an attempt to lift themselves up or to
feel good about themselves. This is not how God would have us to treat others
for this is not showing the love of God. Love uplifts and never shames. This is
not to say that God doesn’t correct and rebuke His children, for even in that,
He is showing love. Rather, God’s love tells us that we are to encourage and
uplift one another, not put each other down. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you
are doing. (NIV) Shame should only be brought on by one’s sin and
therefore, will be dealt with by God if there is no repentance. Yet, God’s love
will still seek to restore and not dishonor.
g.)
Love
is not self-seeking – Romans 2:8 But for those who are
self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and
anger. (NIV) Leaders, especially those within the Body of Christ should
never be self-seeking in that they look for fame, popularity, and monetary
gain. Many have fallen into this trap, which is of the enemy. The love of God,
however, is not self-seeking, but self-sacrificing. Philippians 2:5-8 (5)In
your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. (6)Who,
being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be
used to his own advantage; (7)rather, he made himself nothing by
taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (8)And
being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to
death – even death on a cross! (NIV) Jesus showed the ultimate act of
self-sacrifice by becoming the Lamb that was slain and even though He could
have, He did not come to earth as an equal to God by being self-seeking, instead, He put on the
robe of humility and in so doing, set the example for us.
h.)
Love
is not easily angered – James 1:19-20 My dear brothers and
sisters, take note of this. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak
and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the
righteousness that God desires. (NIV) Murder is on the rise and anger
is the main reason. Many people have allowed their anger to get the best of
them and therefore, have found themselves doing something in the heat of the moment
that had lifelong consequences. God, however, is not easily angered. He does
not respond immediately to things even when His children are in the wrong. He
rather waits to see if we will turn from our wicked ways. Jesus, when abused by
those who did him harm, did not retaliate in anger or say one wrong thing. His
only thoughts and words were of forgiveness. 1 Peter 2:22-23 “He
committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their
insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.
Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. (NIV) Jesus set
the example of the Father’s love in that even though He was done wrong, Jesus
did not react, but responded in love.
i.)
Love
keeps no record of wrong – Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive
other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive
you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive
your sins. (NIV)
JOIN US TOMORROW AS CONTINUE OUR LESSON ON THE LOVE OF THE POTTER.
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