WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:21.900 Hi, and welcome to the Willow Ridge Church weekly podcast. 00:00:22.400 --> 00:00:25.500 This is where you can find audio for our current and past sermons. 00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:30.040 We hope that you enjoy this week's installment, and be sure to check back next week to hear 00:00:30.040 --> 00:00:30.880 the latest message. 00:00:31.300 --> 00:00:32.080 Thanks for listening. 00:00:45.060 --> 00:00:45.900 Good morning. 00:00:46.540 --> 00:00:48.180 Glad that you guys are here. 00:00:48.360 --> 00:00:52.020 If you've got your Bibles, go ahead and open them up to 1 Corinthians chapter 13. 00:00:52.540 --> 00:00:53.600 That's where we're going to be. 00:00:53.600 --> 00:00:55.260 We're in week 11. 00:00:55.740 --> 00:00:57.180 That struck me this morning. 00:00:57.400 --> 00:00:59.900 Some of you are like, yep, no, we're realizing it, right? 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:07.960 But week 11 of working through 1 Corinthians, and we still got some ways to go, but we will 00:01:07.960 --> 00:01:09.200 be getting there. 00:01:09.480 --> 00:01:12.500 I'm glad to be journeying through this with you guys. 00:01:12.900 --> 00:01:15.160 This weekend, we had our marriage conference. 00:01:15.240 --> 00:01:17.920 I want to talk about that real briefly. 00:01:18.060 --> 00:01:19.060 It was a wonderful time. 00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:22.440 We had about 25 couples that came through this. 00:01:22.720 --> 00:01:27.580 We had some phenomenal conversations during it, and I'll be honest with you, we've gotten 00:01:27.580 --> 00:01:30.660 some phenomenal feedback after as well. 00:01:31.000 --> 00:01:36.080 One of the things that we did was we took an assessment that helps us understand some things 00:01:36.080 --> 00:01:36.680 about ourselves. 00:01:36.780 --> 00:01:41.900 And one of the big topics was how you view and manage time and how you do that. 00:01:41.900 --> 00:01:48.280 And so it kind of worked through you either live in the present, so you're present-minded, or 00:01:48.280 --> 00:01:49.740 you're future-minded. 00:01:50.180 --> 00:01:55.720 And then within that, you are either a person who, and the assessment does a way better job 00:01:55.720 --> 00:01:59.700 explaining this than I do, but basically you're the person who lives and die by a plan and 00:01:59.700 --> 00:02:02.540 a schedule, or you're just a person who's like, nah, whatever. 00:02:02.740 --> 00:02:04.820 We're just going to figure it out as we go. 00:02:05.440 --> 00:02:09.900 And so Aaron and I, we took that assessment, and we found out, or not found out, but I think 00:02:09.900 --> 00:02:15.360 it affirmed what we already knew, that we are both future planners, and that's who we 00:02:15.360 --> 00:02:15.580 are. 00:02:15.740 --> 00:02:20.640 We have a hard time living in the moment, and we panic if our phones shut down, and we don't 00:02:20.640 --> 00:02:21.900 know what happens the next day. 00:02:21.900 --> 00:02:22.100 Right? 00:02:22.280 --> 00:02:24.760 So everything's on the schedule, everything's on the plan, it's what we do. 00:02:25.000 --> 00:02:27.640 And that was embodied in us on Saturday morning. 00:02:27.780 --> 00:02:31.980 We were driving up to the church to go through day two as we led through this together. 00:02:32.220 --> 00:02:37.980 And on the entire drive here, we were not talking about anything we had to do today on that Saturday, 00:02:38.160 --> 00:02:41.020 but we were talking about the next marriage conference in the future. 00:02:41.280 --> 00:02:44.480 And so I've already had a couple people say, you know, we hope we're going to do another 00:02:44.480 --> 00:02:48.640 one, we loved it, or even others that said, we know we didn't, we didn't have an opportunity 00:02:48.640 --> 00:02:50.900 to be a part of this one, is there going to be another one? 00:02:51.160 --> 00:02:53.740 Short answer, I tell all that to say, yes, we will have another. 00:02:54.000 --> 00:02:57.220 And then I just want to kind of have a moment to be able to say this, all right? 00:02:58.680 --> 00:03:04.740 A lot of times, you guys know Erin, and you know my wife, and she's the one that comes alongside 00:03:04.740 --> 00:03:08.360 me and supports me and encourages me, and she sits there, and we work through that with 00:03:08.360 --> 00:03:13.020 our children, with parenting them and what she is and all that to me. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:18.020 I tell you guys often that I use this illustration, that it just helps me, that the Holy Spirit 00:03:18.020 --> 00:03:20.880 uses her in a powerful way in my life as she speaks truth. 00:03:21.040 --> 00:03:23.360 To me in so many ways, shapes, and forms. 00:03:23.480 --> 00:03:29.000 But this weekend was just fantastic, because while we've led small groups together, while 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:33.300 we usually do couples counseling together, when we've got to work through some stuff with a 00:03:33.300 --> 00:03:34.740 couple, we'll go through that together. 00:03:34.820 --> 00:03:40.520 But this weekend, we had the opportunity to just lead and walk through this together in 00:03:40.520 --> 00:03:42.860 this marriage conference and to do this as a couple. 00:03:43.160 --> 00:03:45.280 And it was just such a blessing, and she crushed it. 00:03:45.360 --> 00:03:48.660 And every time that I got in the way, she overcame that. 00:03:48.660 --> 00:03:49.960 And so just a wonderful time. 00:03:50.100 --> 00:03:52.540 And so, baby, it was just a blessing to be able to do that with you. 00:03:52.640 --> 00:03:56.800 And thank you for all that you do, all that you mean to me, and all that you do for our 00:03:56.800 --> 00:03:57.640 church as well. 00:03:57.720 --> 00:03:58.260 We love you. 00:03:58.360 --> 00:03:58.940 I love you. 00:03:59.200 --> 00:04:00.320 And thank you for that. 00:04:00.380 --> 00:04:00.660 All right? 00:04:01.420 --> 00:04:05.640 Also, I want to point you guys to these cards on your rows there for our Easter. 00:04:05.800 --> 00:04:07.620 Easter is coming up, coming up quickly, right? 00:04:07.680 --> 00:04:08.740 That's what the pollen says. 00:04:09.080 --> 00:04:10.860 So Easter will be here. 00:04:10.980 --> 00:04:14.220 And we're doing some things a little bit differently than we had. 00:04:14.280 --> 00:04:18.300 One of the things that we've learned over the last couple years that COVID kind of brought 00:04:18.300 --> 00:04:21.120 in was thinking through doing some things differently as churches. 00:04:21.300 --> 00:04:23.460 It's why we're able to live stream in the way that we do. 00:04:23.520 --> 00:04:25.140 And a lot of things have changed within that. 00:04:25.480 --> 00:04:29.760 But also, last year, we got such a positive response from how we did our Easter service 00:04:29.760 --> 00:04:31.660 with having an early morning outdoor. 00:04:32.020 --> 00:04:34.420 Now, it was painfully cold, right, Joanne? 00:04:34.540 --> 00:04:36.760 It was painfully cold out there. 00:04:37.100 --> 00:04:39.180 And so we're hoping this year won't be as cold. 00:04:39.180 --> 00:04:45.240 But we will have a morning service at 8 a.m. outdoors out in the parking lot. 00:04:45.280 --> 00:04:46.280 And so you can come to that. 00:04:46.520 --> 00:04:50.460 And we're going to have a 10 o'clock service here like we always do gathered in our auditorium. 00:04:50.580 --> 00:04:52.520 For the most part, they're going to be identical. 00:04:52.840 --> 00:04:54.140 The message will be the same. 00:04:54.380 --> 00:04:56.240 We'll do the Lord's Supper same. 00:04:56.380 --> 00:04:59.700 Music will look differently because of having to be outside. 00:04:59.860 --> 00:05:02.600 But for the most part, so choose which service you want to come to. 00:05:03.100 --> 00:05:05.800 But also, we're doing something a little different. 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:09.960 We're going to have a full hot breakfast for Willow Ridge Church in between. 00:05:09.960 --> 00:05:14.420 So at 9 o'clock after the 8 o'clock service is over with and before the 10 o'clock service starts, 00:05:14.540 --> 00:05:20.280 you can come here that morning, get breakfast, spend some time in fellowship with our church family, 00:05:20.280 --> 00:05:24.260 and just really looking forward to the fact of celebrating all that Christ has done 00:05:24.260 --> 00:05:25.480 and the fact that the tomb is empty. 00:05:25.860 --> 00:05:28.500 And so we'll have a beautiful time to do that together. 00:05:28.880 --> 00:05:33.900 So in your group tonight, right, those of you that are in small group, 00:05:34.320 --> 00:05:39.520 in your groups tonight, you're going to work through 1 Corinthians 12 through 14 together. 00:05:39.900 --> 00:05:43.400 This morning, we're largely going to focus on chapter 13. 00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:49.420 But as we largely focus on 13, because we'd be here till 3 if we had to go through all of this, right? 00:05:50.200 --> 00:05:55.980 But I want to kind of give you guys some understanding of what chapter 12 deals with 00:05:55.980 --> 00:05:59.160 and then some understanding of what chapter 14 deals with 00:05:59.160 --> 00:06:04.200 so that we can understand what is sandwiched in between both of these chapters 00:06:04.200 --> 00:06:06.400 because all of God's Word is inspired. 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:08.660 All of God's Word is good for us. 00:06:08.900 --> 00:06:10.940 And so we want to make sure that we can have this. 00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:15.640 So in chapter 12, there's kind of three sections that we see in chapter 12. 00:06:15.860 --> 00:06:21.320 Chapter 12, verses 1 through 11, what Paul's talking about is that the Holy Spirit is the source 00:06:21.320 --> 00:06:22.760 of all spiritual gifts. 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:25.720 So spiritual gifts are going to be an overwhelming concept 00:06:25.720 --> 00:06:28.900 that Paul's going to focus in on these three chapters. 00:06:28.900 --> 00:06:37.700 And what God does is in His sovereignty, He gives us our spiritual gifts to be used for His glory. 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:42.820 So your spiritual gifts were not passed down to you from your parents. 00:06:43.120 --> 00:06:46.440 Your spiritual gifts were not worked toward in your life. 00:06:46.640 --> 00:06:47.940 You haven't achieved these. 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:49.100 You haven't earned these. 00:06:49.500 --> 00:06:55.280 God, in His sovereignty, as He chooses, gives individuals spiritual gifts. 00:06:55.320 --> 00:06:56.760 And there are different spiritual gifts. 00:06:57.020 --> 00:07:02.600 So you and I are different oftentimes in the spiritual gifting that we have, 00:07:02.680 --> 00:07:05.860 but it comes from the Lord so we can trust that it's good. 00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:11.580 Then in verses 12 through 26, Paul talks about the diversity of these gifts. 00:07:11.580 --> 00:07:15.780 And what it does is it brings unity to the body. 00:07:16.140 --> 00:07:20.360 So because we are different, right, the world tells us different is bad, 00:07:20.560 --> 00:07:25.960 but because we are different in what we see, because we're different in what we have, 00:07:26.100 --> 00:07:29.920 that actually doesn't bring the division into the body. 00:07:30.060 --> 00:07:35.360 What it should bring into the leading of the Holy Spirit is unity in the body. 00:07:35.460 --> 00:07:37.980 And so for me, you guys know I love sports. 00:07:37.980 --> 00:07:39.220 I think in sports illustrations. 00:07:39.220 --> 00:07:41.860 So imagine we're a baseball team, right? 00:07:41.980 --> 00:07:46.120 We're not a very good baseball team if all of us want to be pitchers, 00:07:46.140 --> 00:07:49.100 and all of us are gifted to be pitchers, right? 00:07:49.160 --> 00:07:50.780 We need someone to be a catcher. 00:07:50.860 --> 00:07:52.100 We need someone to be infielders. 00:07:52.220 --> 00:07:53.620 We need someone to be outfielders. 00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:55.160 We need someone to be able to hit the ball. 00:07:55.220 --> 00:07:57.420 And typically, that's not where pitchers thrive, right? 00:07:57.560 --> 00:07:59.440 And so think about this with the body. 00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:01.340 There's a diversity in the body. 00:08:01.660 --> 00:08:04.000 We all can't be the same. 00:08:04.260 --> 00:08:08.640 And if we were, then the body wouldn't be what the body needs to be, all right? 00:08:08.640 --> 00:08:12.280 And then the last part of chapter 12, verses 27 through 31, 00:08:12.420 --> 00:08:14.620 Paul talks about certain gifts, all right, 00:08:14.740 --> 00:08:18.680 will be used in certain leadership positions within the church. 00:08:18.780 --> 00:08:25.120 So certain gifting will require these people to step forward into leadership positions, 00:08:25.120 --> 00:08:29.040 and they're to be viewed as leaders, and we're to follow them in this. 00:08:29.420 --> 00:08:31.900 But here's the big part of this. 00:08:32.020 --> 00:08:35.020 It's still Jesus' church, all right? 00:08:35.280 --> 00:08:36.740 And so this is not my church. 00:08:37.100 --> 00:08:38.420 It's not Pastor Dave's church. 00:08:38.540 --> 00:08:40.100 This is not the elder's church. 00:08:40.220 --> 00:08:41.940 This is not the trustee's church. 00:08:42.120 --> 00:08:47.420 This is Jesus' church, and he is our ultimate leader, all right? 00:08:47.460 --> 00:08:51.240 So that's a really quick version of what we're going through in chapter 12. 00:08:51.240 --> 00:08:55.400 And then chapter 14 is kind of broken into two sections, all right? 00:08:55.440 --> 00:09:01.380 In the first part of chapter 14, Paul talks about the use of tongues and prophecy in the church, 00:09:01.500 --> 00:09:04.440 and he goes over the rules with them, all right? 00:09:04.480 --> 00:09:07.480 Now, I'm not going to go a lot into this, 00:09:07.540 --> 00:09:14.360 but I am going to jump into this a little bit later in some questions about these as we look at chapter 13. 00:09:14.780 --> 00:09:21.640 And then in chapter 14, 26 through 40, he talks about the importance of order in worship in the church. 00:09:21.720 --> 00:09:24.220 And so there's this big piece of spiritual gifts. 00:09:24.500 --> 00:09:25.320 How are they used? 00:09:25.580 --> 00:09:26.620 What is the body like? 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:31.700 And what we can see happening in Corinth, and what we can see happening in churches here, 00:09:31.780 --> 00:09:35.600 is that when it comes to spiritual gifts, they're meant to unify us. 00:09:35.720 --> 00:09:40.040 But oftentimes, because we handle so many things sinfully, right? 00:09:40.860 --> 00:09:44.320 We handle them in the negative context, and they can be used to divide. 00:09:44.520 --> 00:09:47.360 And oftentimes, spiritual gifts, this comes in arrogance. 00:09:47.560 --> 00:09:49.560 And here's kind of how it manifests itself, right? 00:09:49.560 --> 00:09:54.080 We are gifted by God to do things to serve the body and to glorify him. 00:09:54.420 --> 00:10:00.420 But yet, through our pride and ego, right, it builds in us a sense of arrogance to where we say, 00:10:00.780 --> 00:10:02.320 look at me, look how talented I am. 00:10:02.380 --> 00:10:03.600 I'm more talented than you. 00:10:03.700 --> 00:10:04.780 I'm better than you, right? 00:10:04.820 --> 00:10:11.180 And so it causes within someone who has been given this gift by God an inflated sense of self 00:10:11.180 --> 00:10:15.640 that makes them feel like they have a self-righteousness that's better than others, 00:10:15.760 --> 00:10:20.500 that I'm more spiritual than you, that I'm more blessed than you, that I'm more favored than you, right? 00:10:20.580 --> 00:10:23.100 And that's an abuse of the gifts, right? 00:10:24.180 --> 00:10:28.080 Or flip turn, an arrogance toward God. 00:10:29.220 --> 00:10:30.360 An arrogance toward God. 00:10:31.140 --> 00:10:32.480 God, I'm so good. 00:10:32.600 --> 00:10:33.400 I'm so blessed. 00:10:33.480 --> 00:10:34.460 I'm so fortunate, right? 00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:36.680 You couldn't do this without me, right? 00:10:36.680 --> 00:10:37.780 That's the other side of that. 00:10:38.060 --> 00:10:42.280 We see oftentimes the arrogance within the church, but oftentimes within our own hearts. 00:10:42.420 --> 00:10:44.760 It's, Lord, this would all fall apart if I wasn't here. 00:10:44.880 --> 00:10:48.760 And the truth is, all of this would fall apart if Jesus wasn't here, right? 00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:50.200 And that's it. 00:10:51.340 --> 00:10:54.800 And so we're reversed, and I do see this that happens, 00:10:54.840 --> 00:10:57.840 and it's created oftentimes an idolatry of leadership. 00:10:58.860 --> 00:11:03.820 We tend to, as churches, elevate others and then devalue others 00:11:04.140 --> 00:11:05.380 off of their gifts, right? 00:11:05.880 --> 00:11:09.180 So we deem that a certain gift is more important than others. 00:11:09.300 --> 00:11:12.720 And so those that have that gift, we raise them up. 00:11:12.920 --> 00:11:15.920 And oftentimes what it can create within us is a sense of jealousy, 00:11:16.160 --> 00:11:19.120 of wishing we were like them and not living in the reality of who we are, 00:11:19.340 --> 00:11:21.200 of who God's called us to be. 00:11:21.340 --> 00:11:24.460 Now, with spiritual gifts, because we're not going to see all of them, 00:11:24.460 --> 00:11:27.120 but it's going to be an overlying theme that we see. 00:11:27.860 --> 00:11:33.020 In Scripture, I think there are basically two lists of these that I just want to kind of mention 00:11:33.020 --> 00:11:34.220 to you if you want to jot them down. 00:11:34.560 --> 00:11:40.600 In Romans 12, there's a list that Paul gives where he talks about there's prophesying, 00:11:41.000 --> 00:11:46.160 serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, and mercy. 00:11:46.360 --> 00:11:48.320 So that's one list that's there. 00:11:48.560 --> 00:11:53.800 And then in 1 Corinthians 12, Paul gives another list of them that's there at the front of the chapter 00:11:53.800 --> 00:11:56.620 and at the end of the chapter where he talks about word of wisdom, 00:11:56.980 --> 00:12:01.380 the word of knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, 00:12:01.880 --> 00:12:05.960 distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues, and interpretation of tongues. 00:12:06.360 --> 00:12:11.880 And so what this kind of draws us from is that so oftentimes we look at the gifts of the Spirit 00:12:11.880 --> 00:12:14.840 and we say, well, they fall into these absolute columns. 00:12:14.840 --> 00:12:19.480 But what we see is Paul leaves some grace and some margin to say, no, no, 00:12:19.640 --> 00:12:24.060 like maybe the Spirit can gift us in different ways and in different capacities 00:12:24.060 --> 00:12:29.060 and that these giftings of the Spirit may not be the end all in this list, 00:12:29.080 --> 00:12:31.140 but it could even be beyond that, all right? 00:12:31.300 --> 00:12:34.860 And so sandwiched in between these is chapter 13, 00:12:34.860 --> 00:12:38.840 and that's what we're largely going to focus on is we're going to do all of chapter 13. 00:12:38.840 --> 00:12:40.900 So let's jump in and start reading verse 1. 00:12:42.980 --> 00:12:43.720 Paul says, 00:12:43.880 --> 00:12:48.820 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, 00:12:49.160 --> 00:12:52.120 I'm a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 00:12:52.660 --> 00:12:57.880 And if I have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, 00:12:58.040 --> 00:13:04.780 and if I have all faith as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 00:13:05.740 --> 00:13:10.900 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, 00:13:11.020 --> 00:13:14.680 but have not love, I gain nothing. 00:13:15.680 --> 00:13:21.780 And what we see here, what we're going to draw from is just this concept of nothing without love. 00:13:22.860 --> 00:13:28.320 Like the root message of the gospel of what's going to penetrate through all Scripture 00:13:28.320 --> 00:13:30.620 is the concept of love. 00:13:30.620 --> 00:13:36.840 Love in the gift, love in the message, love in the song, love in who we are, love in what we do. 00:13:36.980 --> 00:13:40.460 That we are nothing without love. 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:44.440 We can do nothing without love. 00:13:44.920 --> 00:13:50.320 Love is the way in which Christians, right, are called to use their gifts. 00:13:50.980 --> 00:13:55.040 And when gifts are used, and however God's gifted you, 00:13:55.260 --> 00:13:57.460 when your gift is used, 00:13:58.360 --> 00:14:01.920 when that piece of your personality that you thrive in, 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:05.640 when those talents that you have are used in love, 00:14:05.760 --> 00:14:08.080 in the context of who we are as Christians, 00:14:08.400 --> 00:14:10.260 God works in such a powerful way 00:14:10.260 --> 00:14:15.160 that it draws people into a deeper relationship with the Lord 00:14:15.160 --> 00:14:19.240 and a deeper relationship with others, right? 00:14:19.320 --> 00:14:20.520 Like that's what it does. 00:14:20.620 --> 00:14:25.000 Like if you were here this morning and you're like me and I'm not musical, 00:14:25.200 --> 00:14:28.480 it was funny when the countdown got like below 45 seconds, 00:14:28.660 --> 00:14:30.660 I went and stood behind the keyboard here 00:14:30.660 --> 00:14:32.620 and I really messed with the Couragers. 00:14:32.820 --> 00:14:34.100 They were like, you play? 00:14:34.180 --> 00:14:35.100 I didn't think that. 00:14:35.140 --> 00:14:37.020 I'm like, yeah, I'm going to play this morning, right? 00:14:37.100 --> 00:14:40.240 And then I walked off like because I can't play at all, right? 00:14:40.400 --> 00:14:42.560 But music, like what happened here 00:14:42.560 --> 00:14:46.140 was this group of individuals used a talent or a gift 00:14:46.140 --> 00:14:47.920 that the Lord blessed them with 00:14:47.920 --> 00:14:49.860 and not out of pride of who they are 00:14:49.860 --> 00:14:51.660 but in love and what it did was 00:14:51.660 --> 00:14:53.120 standing there in that moment, 00:14:53.220 --> 00:14:56.840 like it drew me in into a deeper relationship with the Lord 00:14:56.840 --> 00:14:59.160 and then for a moment, like I stopped singing 00:14:59.160 --> 00:15:01.320 and I heard others singing 00:15:01.320 --> 00:15:03.460 and I looked around the auditorium 00:15:03.460 --> 00:15:05.220 and I'm seeing different people engaged 00:15:05.220 --> 00:15:07.940 and man, it just made me love all of you more, right? 00:15:08.020 --> 00:15:10.100 Because they're using their gifts 00:15:10.100 --> 00:15:12.940 in the way that draws people into the Lord 00:15:12.940 --> 00:15:15.640 that challenges them in a deeper relationship. 00:15:15.640 --> 00:15:19.040 Now, as Isaac's playing the guitar and singing, 00:15:19.220 --> 00:15:20.900 he's not focusing that out of me 00:15:20.900 --> 00:15:23.000 but because the heart of which is being done 00:15:23.000 --> 00:15:24.400 and how God uses it 00:15:24.400 --> 00:15:26.180 is what took place in the heart of a pastor 00:15:26.180 --> 00:15:27.360 standing there ready to preach. 00:15:28.260 --> 00:15:30.540 I now love Jesus more, I love you more 00:15:30.540 --> 00:15:33.860 because the gift that's being used there in this moment. 00:15:34.760 --> 00:15:36.660 But then Paul said, but if we don't have love, 00:15:36.800 --> 00:15:37.900 we become something. 00:15:39.340 --> 00:15:43.160 We're like a clanging symbol that's there. 00:15:43.160 --> 00:15:45.680 Now, now the beauty of what our symbols can bring 00:15:45.680 --> 00:15:48.380 to our worship is not what he's talking about, right? 00:15:48.740 --> 00:15:50.680 How many of you remember the gong show? 00:15:51.420 --> 00:15:51.920 Y'all remember that? 00:15:52.860 --> 00:15:55.380 I never watched it, all right, before my time, 00:15:55.680 --> 00:15:57.520 but it's the only reference I could think of, all right? 00:15:58.260 --> 00:15:59.560 And I know they'd hit that gong 00:15:59.560 --> 00:16:01.820 and I know that gong was not associated with good. 00:16:01.940 --> 00:16:04.460 It was a lot, if you ever heard a gong ring, 00:16:04.560 --> 00:16:05.800 no one sits there and thinks, 00:16:06.060 --> 00:16:07.600 man, that's delightful, right? 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:10.380 That's beauty all in its own, right? 00:16:10.980 --> 00:16:13.320 And so Paul says, like, if this is who you are 00:16:13.320 --> 00:16:14.220 and this is what you're doing, 00:16:14.440 --> 00:16:17.140 like, you're just a loud, distractive noise 00:16:17.140 --> 00:16:19.780 that serves no purpose, right? 00:16:20.280 --> 00:16:22.900 If you're as talented as all you want, 00:16:23.700 --> 00:16:25.820 you got talent oozing out of you. 00:16:26.660 --> 00:16:29.280 The gifts are just overflowing on you. 00:16:29.960 --> 00:16:30.960 But if it's not with love, 00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:33.180 then, man, you're not even pointing people to Jesus. 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:36.600 You're just loud and distracting from the mission 00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:38.320 and you serve no purpose. 00:16:39.440 --> 00:16:40.540 Paul goes on and says, 00:16:40.980 --> 00:16:42.540 if you have prophetic powers, 00:16:42.820 --> 00:16:45.100 if you understand mysteries, 00:16:45.720 --> 00:16:48.600 if you understand the depth of knowledge 00:16:48.600 --> 00:16:51.920 and have faith that can remove mountains, 00:16:52.400 --> 00:16:54.180 but no love, 00:16:55.240 --> 00:16:55.800 you're nothing. 00:16:56.800 --> 00:16:57.580 You're nothing. 00:16:58.780 --> 00:17:00.120 You don't matter. 00:17:01.560 --> 00:17:04.540 And the purpose and the journey of what God's doing 00:17:04.540 --> 00:17:07.980 when it's done in pride and what's there. 00:17:09.320 --> 00:17:10.100 And he says, 00:17:10.360 --> 00:17:11.960 if you're the person who says, 00:17:12.040 --> 00:17:12.480 you know what? 00:17:13.160 --> 00:17:14.260 I'm going to give it all. 00:17:15.560 --> 00:17:17.200 And I'm even willing to be martyred. 00:17:18.220 --> 00:17:19.640 But you have not love? 00:17:21.300 --> 00:17:24.600 Then you gain nothing, 00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:26.620 is what Paul says. 00:17:28.500 --> 00:17:29.860 Now, that's hard to hear. 00:17:31.460 --> 00:17:33.240 And it should cause us in a moment 00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:35.420 to check our hearts 00:17:35.420 --> 00:17:36.740 and begin to understand, 00:17:36.920 --> 00:17:38.700 like, what is the motivation? 00:17:39.900 --> 00:17:41.620 Who is the God that I serve? 00:17:42.520 --> 00:17:44.420 What is my life being lived toward? 00:17:44.500 --> 00:17:45.920 What is the pursuit that I have? 00:17:46.080 --> 00:17:47.560 What is this all about? 00:17:47.800 --> 00:17:49.280 What am I doing this for? 00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:52.000 Is it out of love? 00:17:53.640 --> 00:17:54.520 Now, verse four, 00:17:55.520 --> 00:17:56.860 Paul's going to define love. 00:17:58.060 --> 00:17:59.040 He says this, 00:18:00.540 --> 00:18:02.520 love is patient and kind. 00:18:03.320 --> 00:18:05.320 Love does not envy or boast. 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:08.140 It is not arrogant or rude. 00:18:09.020 --> 00:18:11.400 It does not insist on its own way. 00:18:12.220 --> 00:18:14.660 It is not irritable or resentful. 00:18:15.580 --> 00:18:18.060 It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, 00:18:18.320 --> 00:18:20.560 but rejoices with the truth. 00:18:21.580 --> 00:18:23.160 Love bears all things, 00:18:23.560 --> 00:18:24.800 believes all things, 00:18:25.220 --> 00:18:26.420 hopes all things, 00:18:26.840 --> 00:18:27.960 endures all things. 00:18:28.320 --> 00:18:29.760 And so what Paul does 00:18:29.760 --> 00:18:32.560 as he defines love for this congregation. 00:18:32.560 --> 00:18:33.520 Now, remember, 00:18:33.840 --> 00:18:35.800 this church is not a group 00:18:35.800 --> 00:18:38.140 of seasoned, matured believers. 00:18:38.860 --> 00:18:39.800 They're young, 00:18:39.900 --> 00:18:41.900 they're immature at the most. 00:18:42.220 --> 00:18:43.620 The oldest believer 00:18:43.620 --> 00:18:45.780 is probably five years old 00:18:45.780 --> 00:18:46.860 in their faith. 00:18:47.300 --> 00:18:48.460 So it's a group of people 00:18:48.460 --> 00:18:49.560 who are working through 00:18:49.560 --> 00:18:51.000 some shallow things 00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:52.000 and who probably 00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:54.020 are taking a shallow approach to love. 00:18:54.320 --> 00:18:55.340 And so Paul hits him 00:18:55.340 --> 00:18:56.020 right in the middle 00:18:56.020 --> 00:18:57.220 of the forehead, right, 00:18:57.380 --> 00:18:59.440 with the truth of love. 00:18:59.540 --> 00:19:01.000 And he defines love 00:19:01.000 --> 00:19:01.300 by saying, 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:02.920 like, this is what love does. 00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:06.120 Like, you can see love. 00:19:07.020 --> 00:19:08.980 You can experience love. 00:19:09.500 --> 00:19:10.860 You can look at something. 00:19:11.260 --> 00:19:12.300 You can look at someone. 00:19:12.700 --> 00:19:13.900 You can look at the action. 00:19:14.100 --> 00:19:14.720 And you can say, 00:19:14.800 --> 00:19:15.520 that is love. 00:19:15.560 --> 00:19:16.900 So I'm going to reread 00:19:16.900 --> 00:19:17.940 these verses, 00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:19.160 but I want to do it 00:19:19.160 --> 00:19:19.760 with making sure 00:19:19.760 --> 00:19:20.520 that love is said 00:19:20.520 --> 00:19:21.820 with each and every one of them, okay? 00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:22.440 And I just want you 00:19:22.440 --> 00:19:23.560 to just listen to this 00:19:23.560 --> 00:19:24.260 for a moment 00:19:24.260 --> 00:19:24.980 as we read through. 00:19:25.360 --> 00:19:26.420 Love is patient. 00:19:27.560 --> 00:19:28.680 Love is kind. 00:19:30.220 --> 00:19:31.380 Love does not envy. 00:19:32.700 --> 00:19:33.940 Love does not boast. 00:19:35.460 --> 00:19:36.620 Love is not arrogant. 00:19:37.920 --> 00:19:38.960 Love is not rude. 00:19:40.200 --> 00:19:41.240 Love does not insist 00:19:41.240 --> 00:19:42.320 on its own way. 00:19:43.700 --> 00:19:44.980 Love is not irritable. 00:19:45.960 --> 00:19:47.460 Love is not resentful. 00:19:48.560 --> 00:19:49.720 Love does not rejoice 00:19:49.720 --> 00:19:50.800 in wrongdoing. 00:19:51.900 --> 00:19:53.780 Love rejoices with truth. 00:19:54.960 --> 00:19:56.420 Love bears all things. 00:19:56.600 --> 00:19:58.240 Love believes all things. 00:19:58.600 --> 00:20:00.200 Love hopes all things. 00:20:00.600 --> 00:20:03.320 Love endures all things. 00:20:04.600 --> 00:20:06.420 Now, you've heard this passage. 00:20:06.820 --> 00:20:08.120 If this is your first time 00:20:08.120 --> 00:20:08.980 ever in a church, 00:20:09.160 --> 00:20:10.200 I would be willing to bet 00:20:10.200 --> 00:20:10.820 you've even heard 00:20:10.820 --> 00:20:11.920 this passage before, right? 00:20:13.020 --> 00:20:14.020 Every time I get ready 00:20:14.020 --> 00:20:15.080 to officiate a marriage, 00:20:16.020 --> 00:20:16.920 I ask a couple, 00:20:17.560 --> 00:20:18.620 what passage of Scripture 00:20:18.620 --> 00:20:20.100 or what multiple passages 00:20:20.100 --> 00:20:20.440 of Scripture 00:20:20.440 --> 00:20:21.480 would you like for me to use? 00:20:21.740 --> 00:20:22.300 And oftentimes, 00:20:22.500 --> 00:20:24.420 this is one that they ask for, 00:20:24.440 --> 00:20:25.200 and this is a wonderful 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:26.040 passage of Scripture 00:20:26.040 --> 00:20:28.460 to use in a wedding, 00:20:28.600 --> 00:20:29.600 in a marriage. 00:20:30.280 --> 00:20:31.220 But can I say this? 00:20:31.220 --> 00:20:32.220 This passage, 00:20:33.600 --> 00:20:35.840 while it has a grand application 00:20:35.840 --> 00:20:38.100 in marriage, right, 00:20:38.920 --> 00:20:40.100 is about more than 00:20:40.100 --> 00:20:40.940 a romantic love. 00:20:42.900 --> 00:20:44.380 And it's agape love. 00:20:45.600 --> 00:20:47.580 The word love that is used here 00:20:47.580 --> 00:20:49.420 is this word agape love. 00:20:49.520 --> 00:20:51.760 Now, Paul writing in the Greek, 00:20:52.320 --> 00:20:53.980 communicating in a Greek context, 00:20:54.360 --> 00:20:56.260 uses this word agape, all right? 00:20:56.940 --> 00:20:59.420 And when they hear the word agape, 00:21:00.260 --> 00:21:01.380 there'll be certain things 00:21:01.380 --> 00:21:03.060 that register within them. 00:21:03.600 --> 00:21:05.280 You see, Paul didn't use the term 00:21:05.280 --> 00:21:06.780 for brotherly love. 00:21:07.640 --> 00:21:08.920 Paul didn't use the term 00:21:08.920 --> 00:21:10.100 for romantic love. 00:21:10.440 --> 00:21:12.520 Paul used his agape love. 00:21:12.780 --> 00:21:13.400 And in that, 00:21:13.460 --> 00:21:14.480 that would have drawn them 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:15.800 to a certain set 00:21:15.800 --> 00:21:16.780 of understanding, 00:21:17.000 --> 00:21:18.140 even within their 00:21:18.140 --> 00:21:19.320 pagan Greek culture, 00:21:19.460 --> 00:21:20.260 about love. 00:21:21.300 --> 00:21:23.060 And I want to share these 00:21:23.060 --> 00:21:23.580 with y'all. 00:21:24.040 --> 00:21:25.800 In the Greek context 00:21:25.800 --> 00:21:27.200 of agape love, 00:21:27.500 --> 00:21:28.460 love means this, 00:21:29.040 --> 00:21:31.100 that love is unconcerned 00:21:31.100 --> 00:21:31.840 with self 00:21:31.840 --> 00:21:33.640 and concerned 00:21:33.640 --> 00:21:34.880 with the greatest good 00:21:34.880 --> 00:21:35.420 of another. 00:21:37.100 --> 00:21:38.000 That in the context 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:38.980 in which Paul write this, 00:21:39.060 --> 00:21:40.040 agape love 00:21:40.040 --> 00:21:41.560 was not a love 00:21:41.560 --> 00:21:42.320 that was based 00:21:42.320 --> 00:21:43.620 in feelings 00:21:43.620 --> 00:21:44.960 or attraction, 00:21:45.760 --> 00:21:48.000 but love was a choice. 00:21:50.100 --> 00:21:51.620 That agape love, 00:21:51.680 --> 00:21:53.360 that it demanded things 00:21:53.360 --> 00:21:54.940 from someone. 00:21:55.800 --> 00:21:56.820 That agape love 00:21:56.820 --> 00:21:58.600 demanded faithfulness, 00:21:59.720 --> 00:22:00.240 commitment, 00:22:01.180 --> 00:22:02.320 and sacrifice 00:22:02.320 --> 00:22:05.260 without the expectation 00:22:05.260 --> 00:22:07.020 of anything being returned. 00:22:09.540 --> 00:22:11.420 And so when this church 00:22:11.420 --> 00:22:12.260 reads this, 00:22:13.560 --> 00:22:14.840 even if there was 00:22:14.840 --> 00:22:15.800 a great sense 00:22:15.800 --> 00:22:16.620 of immaturity 00:22:16.620 --> 00:22:17.980 of faith, 00:22:18.560 --> 00:22:19.740 they hear agape. 00:22:20.620 --> 00:22:23.060 They hear that love 00:22:23.060 --> 00:22:25.180 is patient 00:22:25.180 --> 00:22:27.680 and kind, 00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:30.300 does not envy 00:22:30.300 --> 00:22:31.140 or boast, 00:22:32.200 --> 00:22:33.440 is not arrogant. 00:22:34.460 --> 00:22:35.300 And they're like, 00:22:35.400 --> 00:22:35.640 wow, 00:22:36.920 --> 00:22:38.420 love means that I'm not 00:22:38.420 --> 00:22:39.500 the center of my world. 00:22:40.380 --> 00:22:42.200 But love means 00:22:42.200 --> 00:22:43.500 that I'm working 00:22:43.500 --> 00:22:44.660 for the greatest good 00:22:44.660 --> 00:22:45.120 of another. 00:22:46.800 --> 00:22:48.520 When they hear love, 00:22:48.660 --> 00:22:50.260 they begin to understand 00:22:50.260 --> 00:22:50.500 that, 00:22:50.600 --> 00:22:50.960 whoa, whoa, whoa, 00:22:51.160 --> 00:22:51.360 whoa, 00:22:51.500 --> 00:22:53.520 love is not a feeling. 00:22:54.320 --> 00:22:55.540 Can you feel loved? 00:22:56.680 --> 00:22:57.020 Yes. 00:22:57.160 --> 00:22:58.080 Can you experience 00:22:58.080 --> 00:22:58.620 the feeling 00:22:58.620 --> 00:23:00.440 of loving another person? 00:23:00.720 --> 00:23:01.120 Yes. 00:23:01.280 --> 00:23:02.160 But agape love 00:23:02.160 --> 00:23:03.020 is more than that. 00:23:05.040 --> 00:23:06.240 And that love 00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:07.120 also isn't 00:23:07.120 --> 00:23:08.940 based out of attraction. 00:23:10.460 --> 00:23:11.180 Right? 00:23:11.320 --> 00:23:12.080 But instead, 00:23:13.500 --> 00:23:14.260 love 00:23:14.260 --> 00:23:16.800 happens when it's difficult. 00:23:18.520 --> 00:23:19.840 Love happens 00:23:19.840 --> 00:23:21.860 when you're in conflict. 00:23:23.800 --> 00:23:25.260 Love happens 00:23:25.260 --> 00:23:26.200 when someone's 00:23:26.200 --> 00:23:27.120 done you wrong. 00:23:27.500 --> 00:23:27.780 Why? 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:29.340 You don't feel it, 00:23:29.960 --> 00:23:31.640 but you choose it. 00:23:33.060 --> 00:23:34.280 I choose 00:23:34.280 --> 00:23:35.420 today 00:23:35.420 --> 00:23:37.220 in spite of this 00:23:37.220 --> 00:23:38.300 to love you. 00:23:39.340 --> 00:23:40.620 That's agape love. 00:23:42.320 --> 00:23:43.660 And that in that, 00:23:45.120 --> 00:23:46.380 that agape love 00:23:46.380 --> 00:23:47.880 says no matter 00:23:47.880 --> 00:23:48.940 what you do to me, 00:23:49.020 --> 00:23:49.660 I will be faithful 00:23:49.660 --> 00:23:50.200 to you. 00:23:52.600 --> 00:23:53.780 Agape love 00:23:53.780 --> 00:23:55.740 says that you 00:23:55.740 --> 00:23:56.700 do not determine 00:23:56.700 --> 00:23:57.380 my commitment 00:23:57.380 --> 00:23:58.040 to you, 00:23:58.720 --> 00:24:00.160 but I am 00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:00.620 committed 00:24:00.620 --> 00:24:01.960 to you. 00:24:03.960 --> 00:24:05.100 And agape love 00:24:05.100 --> 00:24:05.580 says, 00:24:06.300 --> 00:24:07.160 and I'll sacrifice 00:24:07.160 --> 00:24:07.780 for you. 00:24:08.820 --> 00:24:09.800 I'll sacrifice 00:24:09.800 --> 00:24:10.440 for you. 00:24:11.320 --> 00:24:12.400 And here's the thing, 00:24:13.000 --> 00:24:14.040 I'm not keeping 00:24:14.040 --> 00:24:14.500 a record 00:24:14.500 --> 00:24:15.340 because you don't 00:24:15.340 --> 00:24:15.960 need to do anything 00:24:15.960 --> 00:24:16.400 in return. 00:24:18.080 --> 00:24:18.640 No, 00:24:18.700 --> 00:24:19.340 I just described 00:24:19.340 --> 00:24:20.120 love to you, 00:24:20.600 --> 00:24:22.460 but also 00:24:22.460 --> 00:24:23.060 just described 00:24:23.060 --> 00:24:23.820 Jesus to you. 00:24:25.220 --> 00:24:25.480 Right? 00:24:26.640 --> 00:24:28.380 Jesus unconcerned 00:24:28.380 --> 00:24:29.780 with his self 00:24:29.780 --> 00:24:31.980 to step out 00:24:31.980 --> 00:24:32.340 of heaven 00:24:32.340 --> 00:24:32.820 to take on 00:24:32.820 --> 00:24:33.300 the flesh 00:24:33.300 --> 00:24:33.820 of a man, 00:24:34.500 --> 00:24:35.740 to grieve 00:24:35.740 --> 00:24:36.300 when his friend 00:24:36.300 --> 00:24:36.760 died, 00:24:37.580 --> 00:24:38.660 to be rejected, 00:24:38.800 --> 00:24:39.460 to be beaten, 00:24:40.500 --> 00:24:41.660 and does it all 00:24:41.660 --> 00:24:43.520 for the good 00:24:43.520 --> 00:24:43.940 of others. 00:24:46.080 --> 00:24:46.600 Jesus, 00:24:47.100 --> 00:24:48.500 who didn't 00:24:48.500 --> 00:24:49.520 come down here 00:24:49.520 --> 00:24:51.000 and say, 00:24:51.100 --> 00:24:51.260 oh, 00:24:51.400 --> 00:24:51.580 well, 00:24:51.720 --> 00:24:52.380 I feel like 00:24:52.380 --> 00:24:53.220 I love you today, 00:24:53.220 --> 00:24:53.780 you better hope 00:24:53.780 --> 00:24:54.340 I do tomorrow, 00:24:54.440 --> 00:24:54.680 right? 00:24:56.120 --> 00:24:57.040 Jesus that doesn't 00:24:57.040 --> 00:24:57.820 look at the crowd 00:24:57.820 --> 00:24:58.440 and pick out 00:24:58.440 --> 00:25:00.460 the pretty ones, 00:25:01.780 --> 00:25:03.060 the athletic ones, 00:25:03.980 --> 00:25:05.600 the gifted ones, 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:07.820 but Jesus saying 00:25:07.820 --> 00:25:08.740 that I choose 00:25:08.740 --> 00:25:10.020 to love you, 00:25:10.080 --> 00:25:11.460 not in who you are, 00:25:11.500 --> 00:25:12.400 but in who I am. 00:25:14.260 --> 00:25:14.740 Jesus, 00:25:14.960 --> 00:25:15.900 who embodies 00:25:15.900 --> 00:25:17.340 faithfulness, 00:25:17.860 --> 00:25:18.340 commitment, 00:25:18.720 --> 00:25:19.940 and sacrifice, 00:25:20.560 --> 00:25:20.780 right? 00:25:21.860 --> 00:25:22.720 and gives 00:25:22.720 --> 00:25:23.500 that sacrifice 00:25:23.500 --> 00:25:24.280 to us 00:25:24.280 --> 00:25:25.960 to the point 00:25:25.960 --> 00:25:26.420 of dying 00:25:26.420 --> 00:25:27.260 on a cross 00:25:27.260 --> 00:25:30.140 without expecting 00:25:30.140 --> 00:25:31.040 anything in return. 00:25:32.620 --> 00:25:33.540 This is Jesus. 00:25:35.200 --> 00:25:35.820 So when we, 00:25:35.860 --> 00:25:36.740 when we read 00:25:36.740 --> 00:25:37.200 these, 00:25:37.560 --> 00:25:39.040 when we read 00:25:39.040 --> 00:25:39.860 these verses, 00:25:40.320 --> 00:25:41.680 it's describing 00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:42.180 to us 00:25:42.180 --> 00:25:43.020 what love is, 00:25:43.140 --> 00:25:43.840 but when we read 00:25:43.840 --> 00:25:45.020 the whole context 00:25:45.020 --> 00:25:45.540 of scripture 00:25:45.540 --> 00:25:46.620 in every moment 00:25:46.620 --> 00:25:47.480 of what we see, 00:25:47.620 --> 00:25:48.360 if we want to know 00:25:48.360 --> 00:25:49.920 what love is, 00:25:50.060 --> 00:25:50.680 if we want to know 00:25:50.680 --> 00:25:51.640 what love does, 00:25:51.840 --> 00:25:52.380 if we want to know 00:25:52.380 --> 00:25:53.760 what love looks like 00:25:53.760 --> 00:25:54.540 in the context 00:25:54.540 --> 00:25:55.480 of your marriage, 00:25:55.720 --> 00:25:56.240 in the context 00:25:56.240 --> 00:25:57.120 of your family, 00:25:57.440 --> 00:25:57.940 in the context 00:25:57.940 --> 00:25:58.860 of your neighbors, 00:25:59.140 --> 00:25:59.640 in the context 00:25:59.640 --> 00:26:00.220 of work, 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:00.980 in the context 00:26:00.980 --> 00:26:01.820 of your church, 00:26:02.060 --> 00:26:03.900 look at Jesus 00:26:03.900 --> 00:26:06.280 because this is 00:26:06.280 --> 00:26:06.900 who he is 00:26:06.900 --> 00:26:09.140 and the full 00:26:09.140 --> 00:26:10.540 embodiment of it. 00:26:11.880 --> 00:26:12.960 And then Paul 00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:13.580 continues on, 00:26:13.620 --> 00:26:14.200 look at verse 8. 00:26:15.940 --> 00:26:16.480 He says, 00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:17.440 love never ends. 00:26:19.320 --> 00:26:20.560 As for prophecies, 00:26:20.640 --> 00:26:21.440 they will pass away. 00:26:22.580 --> 00:26:23.580 As for tongues, 00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:24.300 they will cease. 00:26:25.680 --> 00:26:26.480 As for knowledge, 00:26:26.560 --> 00:26:27.340 it will pass away. 00:26:28.700 --> 00:26:30.140 For we know in part 00:26:30.140 --> 00:26:31.720 and we prophesy in part, 00:26:32.460 --> 00:26:33.800 but when the perfect comes, 00:26:33.880 --> 00:26:35.020 the partial will pass away. 00:26:36.160 --> 00:26:37.240 When I was a child, 00:26:37.380 --> 00:26:38.380 I spoke like a child, 00:26:38.460 --> 00:26:39.400 I thought like a child, 00:26:39.720 --> 00:26:40.940 I reasoned like a child. 00:26:41.880 --> 00:26:42.960 When I became a man, 00:26:43.020 --> 00:26:44.160 I gave up childish ways. 00:26:45.080 --> 00:26:46.440 For now we see 00:26:46.440 --> 00:26:48.820 in a mirror dimly, 00:26:49.920 --> 00:26:52.600 but then face to face, 00:26:53.380 --> 00:26:55.880 now I know in part, 00:26:56.460 --> 00:26:57.960 then I shall know fully, 00:26:58.620 --> 00:27:00.620 even as I have been 00:27:00.620 --> 00:27:01.880 fully known. 00:27:02.840 --> 00:27:03.700 And what we're going 00:27:03.700 --> 00:27:04.360 to see here 00:27:04.360 --> 00:27:06.100 is this permanent 00:27:06.100 --> 00:27:07.340 nature of love. 00:27:08.680 --> 00:27:10.000 Paul says very simply, 00:27:10.140 --> 00:27:10.880 first three words, 00:27:11.460 --> 00:27:11.600 right? 00:27:11.880 --> 00:27:15.320 Love never ends. 00:27:17.620 --> 00:27:18.780 Seasons end. 00:27:19.700 --> 00:27:21.220 Time will end. 00:27:21.820 --> 00:27:22.780 Your life, 00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:24.920 my life will end. 00:27:25.240 --> 00:27:27.080 This world as we know it 00:27:27.080 --> 00:27:28.020 will end. 00:27:28.520 --> 00:27:29.220 But love, 00:27:30.860 --> 00:27:31.400 love, 00:27:31.540 --> 00:27:32.920 agape love, 00:27:33.720 --> 00:27:36.700 will never end 00:27:36.700 --> 00:27:37.500 is what Paul says. 00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:40.260 And Paul looks at the church 00:27:40.260 --> 00:27:41.460 and he says, 00:27:41.520 --> 00:27:42.340 I'm going to give you 00:27:42.340 --> 00:27:43.180 some insight 00:27:43.180 --> 00:27:44.220 in the concept 00:27:44.220 --> 00:27:45.720 of these spiritual gifts. 00:27:46.520 --> 00:27:48.280 And he gives a list 00:27:48.280 --> 00:27:50.080 of apostolic gifts, 00:27:50.180 --> 00:27:50.480 all right? 00:27:50.620 --> 00:27:52.540 Which God gave 00:27:52.540 --> 00:27:53.640 to the early church 00:27:53.640 --> 00:27:54.900 to use them 00:27:54.900 --> 00:27:56.260 and to grow them. 00:27:56.420 --> 00:27:57.140 And he says, 00:27:57.240 --> 00:27:58.620 they will come to an end. 00:27:58.700 --> 00:27:58.880 All right? 00:27:58.900 --> 00:27:59.420 Here's what I want to talk about. 00:27:59.540 --> 00:27:59.840 He says, 00:27:59.940 --> 00:28:00.580 prophecy, 00:28:01.000 --> 00:28:01.240 right? 00:28:01.320 --> 00:28:02.520 It will pass away. 00:28:03.860 --> 00:28:04.220 Tongues, 00:28:04.800 --> 00:28:05.700 speaking in tongues, 00:28:05.760 --> 00:28:06.580 will cease. 00:28:07.960 --> 00:28:08.280 Knowledge, 00:28:08.500 --> 00:28:09.400 now you think this is weird 00:28:09.400 --> 00:28:10.960 because we still have knowledge, 00:28:11.040 --> 00:28:11.140 right? 00:28:11.140 --> 00:28:11.760 So what does that mean? 00:28:11.820 --> 00:28:11.900 Well, 00:28:11.900 --> 00:28:12.820 this knowledge here 00:28:12.820 --> 00:28:14.620 is to know what God 00:28:14.620 --> 00:28:15.440 is going to do 00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:17.020 before God is going to do it, 00:28:17.080 --> 00:28:17.280 right? 00:28:18.220 --> 00:28:19.020 That there are certain people 00:28:19.020 --> 00:28:20.060 that would have that gift. 00:28:20.500 --> 00:28:21.800 It will cease. 00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:22.080 Now, 00:28:22.180 --> 00:28:23.180 I'm going to say this 00:28:23.180 --> 00:28:25.760 and we can be friends, 00:28:25.840 --> 00:28:26.120 all right? 00:28:27.300 --> 00:28:28.920 I believe that in the context 00:28:28.920 --> 00:28:30.260 of these apostolic gifts, 00:28:30.380 --> 00:28:31.320 as Paul writes, 00:28:31.360 --> 00:28:32.480 that they will come to an end 00:28:32.480 --> 00:28:33.220 and that they have. 00:28:34.460 --> 00:28:35.220 I believe the prophecy 00:28:35.220 --> 00:28:35.780 of Scripture 00:28:35.780 --> 00:28:37.000 has been given to us 00:28:37.000 --> 00:28:38.980 in fullness and sufficiency. 00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:41.020 I believe that God 00:28:41.020 --> 00:28:42.540 equipped the church, 00:28:42.680 --> 00:28:43.460 the early church, 00:28:43.560 --> 00:28:44.340 with these 00:28:44.340 --> 00:28:45.180 and that God equipped 00:28:45.180 --> 00:28:45.900 those before us 00:28:45.900 --> 00:28:46.660 so that we can have 00:28:46.660 --> 00:28:48.060 what we have before us. 00:28:48.620 --> 00:28:49.880 I believe what God gave 00:28:49.880 --> 00:28:50.460 and the issue 00:28:50.460 --> 00:28:51.920 of speaking in tongues 00:28:51.920 --> 00:28:53.680 was used in a powerful way, 00:28:53.840 --> 00:28:54.680 but I'm just going to tell you 00:28:54.680 --> 00:28:55.760 what we see happening 00:28:55.760 --> 00:28:56.440 in Pentecost, 00:28:56.560 --> 00:28:58.020 we probably don't see happening 00:28:58.020 --> 00:28:58.900 in Lexington, 00:28:59.040 --> 00:28:59.640 South Carolina, 00:28:59.740 --> 00:28:59.880 right? 00:28:59.960 --> 00:29:01.760 But that God used it, 00:29:02.980 --> 00:29:03.200 right? 00:29:03.240 --> 00:29:03.820 And it ceased. 00:29:04.600 --> 00:29:05.360 The knowledge 00:29:05.360 --> 00:29:06.280 to know what God 00:29:06.280 --> 00:29:07.420 is going to do 00:29:07.420 --> 00:29:07.940 will cease. 00:29:08.060 --> 00:29:08.220 Why? 00:29:08.320 --> 00:29:09.120 Because we can see 00:29:09.120 --> 00:29:09.540 and know 00:29:09.540 --> 00:29:11.140 what God is going to do 00:29:11.140 --> 00:29:12.000 in Scripture 00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:13.240 and we can continue on 00:29:13.240 --> 00:29:13.840 in different ones 00:29:13.840 --> 00:29:15.080 like the gift of healing, 00:29:15.640 --> 00:29:15.780 right? 00:29:15.880 --> 00:29:17.320 Like while God heals 00:29:17.320 --> 00:29:19.020 and while we pray for healing, 00:29:19.260 --> 00:29:20.820 God gave the apostles 00:29:20.820 --> 00:29:22.080 this gift of healing 00:29:22.080 --> 00:29:23.140 where they could go in 00:29:23.140 --> 00:29:24.220 and touch someone 00:29:24.220 --> 00:29:25.100 and that person 00:29:25.100 --> 00:29:25.580 who was dead 00:29:25.580 --> 00:29:26.220 would come alive, 00:29:26.280 --> 00:29:26.460 right? 00:29:28.420 --> 00:29:29.400 We don't see that. 00:29:30.360 --> 00:29:31.120 Now here's why I say 00:29:31.120 --> 00:29:32.040 we can still be friends. 00:29:33.800 --> 00:29:35.220 Because if you believe differently 00:29:35.220 --> 00:29:37.360 and you want to have coffee 00:29:37.360 --> 00:29:38.620 and lunch 00:29:38.620 --> 00:29:39.700 and we can talk about it 00:29:39.700 --> 00:29:40.880 and we can hug 00:29:40.880 --> 00:29:41.660 when we see each other 00:29:41.660 --> 00:29:42.140 and we can hug 00:29:42.140 --> 00:29:42.700 when we leave. 00:29:43.840 --> 00:29:45.100 What I've seen happen 00:29:45.100 --> 00:29:45.980 and exist 00:29:45.980 --> 00:29:46.900 and take place 00:29:46.900 --> 00:29:47.380 in churches 00:29:47.380 --> 00:29:48.720 is men and women 00:29:48.720 --> 00:29:50.040 who get into things 00:29:50.040 --> 00:29:51.020 that can be open-handed 00:29:51.020 --> 00:29:51.580 for the church 00:29:51.580 --> 00:29:52.400 and they decided 00:29:52.400 --> 00:29:53.280 they're closed-fisted 00:29:53.280 --> 00:29:54.040 and they decided 00:29:54.040 --> 00:29:55.100 that you're against me 00:29:55.100 --> 00:29:56.000 if you don't believe 00:29:56.000 --> 00:29:56.640 what I believe 00:29:56.640 --> 00:29:57.740 and I do not believe 00:29:57.740 --> 00:29:58.460 this is what Paul's 00:29:58.460 --> 00:29:59.040 talking about. 00:29:59.600 --> 00:30:01.180 Because here's what Paul says. 00:30:02.540 --> 00:30:03.080 He says, 00:30:03.340 --> 00:30:04.180 when I was a child, 00:30:04.260 --> 00:30:05.120 I spoke like a child, 00:30:05.200 --> 00:30:06.080 I thought like a child, 00:30:06.160 --> 00:30:07.180 I reasoned like a child. 00:30:07.380 --> 00:30:08.320 When I became a man, 00:30:08.360 --> 00:30:09.360 I gave up childish ways. 00:30:09.520 --> 00:30:10.440 You know what children do? 00:30:11.360 --> 00:30:12.800 You've got to be like me. 00:30:14.120 --> 00:30:15.700 You've got to think like me. 00:30:16.880 --> 00:30:17.380 Paul says, 00:30:17.500 --> 00:30:17.540 look, 00:30:17.640 --> 00:30:18.860 I gave this up. 00:30:19.900 --> 00:30:20.700 I walked away 00:30:20.700 --> 00:30:21.200 for now 00:30:21.200 --> 00:30:22.660 we see dimly 00:30:22.660 --> 00:30:24.460 but then face to face. 00:30:24.700 --> 00:30:25.900 Now I know in part 00:30:25.900 --> 00:30:27.140 then I shall know fully 00:30:27.140 --> 00:30:29.460 even as I've been fully known. 00:30:29.580 --> 00:30:29.660 Right? 00:30:29.760 --> 00:30:29.960 And so, 00:30:30.040 --> 00:30:32.500 so what Paul is saying to us 00:30:32.500 --> 00:30:33.020 is that 00:30:33.020 --> 00:30:34.920 as I walk through these, 00:30:35.140 --> 00:30:36.480 here's the understanding 00:30:36.480 --> 00:30:37.920 of what I have. 00:30:38.140 --> 00:30:38.840 Here's the understanding 00:30:38.840 --> 00:30:40.260 of what I'm placing for you 00:30:40.260 --> 00:30:41.600 but I see dimly. 00:30:41.860 --> 00:30:42.500 I know that. 00:30:42.680 --> 00:30:43.880 I see through the limitations 00:30:43.880 --> 00:30:45.240 of my earthly body, 00:30:45.360 --> 00:30:46.400 of my earthly mind 00:30:46.400 --> 00:30:47.280 and where I am 00:30:47.280 --> 00:30:47.880 but one day 00:30:47.880 --> 00:30:49.200 I will know fully. 00:30:50.800 --> 00:30:51.280 And one day 00:30:51.280 --> 00:30:51.980 I will be able 00:30:51.980 --> 00:30:53.280 to fully comprehend. 00:30:54.720 --> 00:30:55.760 And what I don't want us 00:30:55.760 --> 00:30:57.580 to do tonight, 00:30:59.040 --> 00:31:00.120 what I don't want us 00:31:00.120 --> 00:31:01.640 to do here right now 00:31:01.640 --> 00:31:03.820 is get caught up 00:31:03.820 --> 00:31:04.420 in tongues 00:31:04.420 --> 00:31:05.400 and prophecy 00:31:05.400 --> 00:31:06.960 and miss the love of Jesus. 00:31:09.360 --> 00:31:10.500 Too many churches 00:31:10.500 --> 00:31:11.740 divide themselves 00:31:11.740 --> 00:31:13.860 over the things 00:31:13.860 --> 00:31:14.720 that we can agree 00:31:14.720 --> 00:31:16.300 are open handed 00:31:16.300 --> 00:31:19.160 and not agree 00:31:19.160 --> 00:31:19.600 on the things 00:31:19.600 --> 00:31:20.580 that close fisted 00:31:20.580 --> 00:31:23.160 of who Jesus is 00:31:23.160 --> 00:31:25.180 and the grace 00:31:25.180 --> 00:31:25.880 that comes from him 00:31:25.880 --> 00:31:26.420 and him alone 00:31:26.420 --> 00:31:27.920 and what he did 00:31:27.920 --> 00:31:28.640 on the cross 00:31:28.640 --> 00:31:29.920 and what he provides 00:31:29.920 --> 00:31:30.360 to us 00:31:30.360 --> 00:31:30.940 and what it means 00:31:30.940 --> 00:31:31.560 to love him. 00:31:32.260 --> 00:31:32.360 Right? 00:31:34.440 --> 00:31:35.300 So Paul says 00:31:35.300 --> 00:31:36.920 this isn't going to be. 00:31:38.180 --> 00:31:38.900 And then he says 00:31:38.900 --> 00:31:39.740 in verse 13, 00:31:41.280 --> 00:31:41.840 so now 00:31:41.840 --> 00:31:43.800 faith, 00:31:43.980 --> 00:31:44.180 hope, 00:31:44.240 --> 00:31:44.580 and love 00:31:44.580 --> 00:31:45.100 abide 00:31:45.100 --> 00:31:46.880 these three 00:31:46.880 --> 00:31:49.380 but the greatest 00:31:49.380 --> 00:31:50.060 of these 00:31:50.060 --> 00:31:51.760 is love. 00:31:53.760 --> 00:31:54.900 And love 00:31:54.900 --> 00:31:55.520 is the greatest. 00:31:56.920 --> 00:31:57.900 Love is the greatest. 00:31:59.460 --> 00:32:00.260 How can I say that? 00:32:00.500 --> 00:32:01.380 Faith's a big deal. 00:32:02.900 --> 00:32:03.040 Right? 00:32:03.200 --> 00:32:03.900 We place our faith 00:32:03.900 --> 00:32:04.640 in Jesus Christ 00:32:04.640 --> 00:32:05.980 as our Lord and Savior. 00:32:07.860 --> 00:32:09.020 Hope is a big deal. 00:32:10.320 --> 00:32:11.300 We hope 00:32:11.300 --> 00:32:13.020 for the things 00:32:13.020 --> 00:32:14.300 that we have not seen. 00:32:14.800 --> 00:32:15.700 We hope 00:32:15.700 --> 00:32:16.600 for the beauty 00:32:16.600 --> 00:32:17.720 of eternity. 00:32:18.300 --> 00:32:19.060 We hope 00:32:19.060 --> 00:32:19.980 for what God 00:32:19.980 --> 00:32:21.020 has promised us 00:32:21.020 --> 00:32:21.800 and what God 00:32:21.800 --> 00:32:22.300 tells us 00:32:22.300 --> 00:32:22.840 he's going to do. 00:32:23.020 --> 00:32:23.660 And we place 00:32:23.660 --> 00:32:24.380 our faith 00:32:24.380 --> 00:32:25.360 and our hope 00:32:25.360 --> 00:32:26.140 in him 00:32:26.140 --> 00:32:27.300 and these are big. 00:32:28.400 --> 00:32:29.400 But Paul says 00:32:29.400 --> 00:32:30.920 but the greatest 00:32:30.920 --> 00:32:32.220 of these 00:32:32.220 --> 00:32:33.420 is love. 00:32:34.800 --> 00:32:35.700 Now I read a lot 00:32:35.700 --> 00:32:36.320 this week 00:32:36.320 --> 00:32:37.120 about this. 00:32:38.540 --> 00:32:39.040 And there was 00:32:39.040 --> 00:32:39.820 a lot of people 00:32:39.820 --> 00:32:40.280 who wrote 00:32:40.280 --> 00:32:41.120 well Paul didn't 00:32:41.120 --> 00:32:42.160 really mean that 00:32:42.160 --> 00:32:43.360 but I read 00:32:43.360 --> 00:32:44.620 that Paul wrote that 00:32:44.620 --> 00:32:45.440 so I've got to really 00:32:45.440 --> 00:32:46.360 think he meant that. 00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:46.600 Right? 00:32:48.040 --> 00:32:49.160 So what does that mean? 00:32:50.920 --> 00:32:52.040 And in my simple mind 00:32:52.040 --> 00:32:54.220 here's what I believe 00:32:54.220 --> 00:32:54.520 the Lord 00:32:54.520 --> 00:32:55.360 bringing me to. 00:32:57.280 --> 00:32:57.900 One day 00:32:57.900 --> 00:32:58.580 I said it earlier 00:32:58.580 --> 00:32:58.960 one day 00:32:58.960 --> 00:32:59.320 you and I 00:32:59.320 --> 00:32:59.840 we're going to die. 00:33:01.260 --> 00:33:01.420 Right? 00:33:03.420 --> 00:33:03.900 We're going to have 00:33:03.900 --> 00:33:04.400 our faith. 00:33:05.320 --> 00:33:05.940 The funeral 00:33:05.940 --> 00:33:06.380 of a person 00:33:06.380 --> 00:33:06.880 with faith 00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:07.460 is a joyous 00:33:07.460 --> 00:33:08.200 occasion for me. 00:33:10.480 --> 00:33:11.580 Because their faith 00:33:11.580 --> 00:33:13.220 in that 00:33:13.220 --> 00:33:13.880 will be made sight. 00:33:15.460 --> 00:33:16.420 So when you die 00:33:16.420 --> 00:33:18.380 your faith 00:33:18.380 --> 00:33:19.340 of who Jesus is 00:33:19.340 --> 00:33:20.500 guess what? 00:33:20.740 --> 00:33:21.680 You're going to see him. 00:33:23.480 --> 00:33:24.660 And now the difference 00:33:24.660 --> 00:33:25.500 of what I've heard 00:33:25.500 --> 00:33:26.400 of what I've placed 00:33:26.400 --> 00:33:27.300 my faith in 00:33:27.300 --> 00:33:29.200 is right here 00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:30.560 and it's Jesus. 00:33:32.100 --> 00:33:33.100 And so my faith 00:33:33.100 --> 00:33:33.700 is not different. 00:33:33.780 --> 00:33:35.140 My faith is sight. 00:33:36.720 --> 00:33:37.480 Like I said 00:33:37.480 --> 00:33:38.000 you're going to die 00:33:38.000 --> 00:33:38.460 one day. 00:33:39.540 --> 00:33:40.300 I'm going to die 00:33:40.300 --> 00:33:40.740 one day. 00:33:41.980 --> 00:33:42.880 And as we 00:33:42.880 --> 00:33:44.080 are anticipating 00:33:44.080 --> 00:33:44.800 for that 00:33:44.800 --> 00:33:47.060 we have hope 00:33:47.060 --> 00:33:48.300 for eternity. 00:33:49.640 --> 00:33:50.820 we have hope 00:33:50.820 --> 00:33:51.900 that all 00:33:51.900 --> 00:33:52.900 of the brokenness 00:33:52.900 --> 00:33:53.840 and the evil 00:33:53.840 --> 00:33:54.760 of this world 00:33:54.760 --> 00:33:55.820 will pass away. 00:33:56.900 --> 00:33:58.000 We have hope 00:33:58.000 --> 00:33:58.680 that there will be 00:33:58.680 --> 00:33:59.500 no more death 00:33:59.500 --> 00:34:00.100 because that's what 00:34:00.100 --> 00:34:01.700 God's word tells us. 00:34:01.920 --> 00:34:02.680 We have hope 00:34:02.680 --> 00:34:03.260 that there will be 00:34:03.260 --> 00:34:04.020 no more pain 00:34:04.020 --> 00:34:04.740 because that's what 00:34:04.740 --> 00:34:05.760 God tells us. 00:34:05.960 --> 00:34:06.580 We have hope 00:34:06.580 --> 00:34:06.980 that there will be 00:34:06.980 --> 00:34:07.820 no more suffering 00:34:07.820 --> 00:34:08.260 that there will be 00:34:08.260 --> 00:34:09.060 no more tears 00:34:09.060 --> 00:34:10.060 because that's what 00:34:10.060 --> 00:34:11.460 God tells us. 00:34:11.780 --> 00:34:12.780 And then one day 00:34:12.780 --> 00:34:14.140 we will experience 00:34:14.140 --> 00:34:15.060 eternity 00:34:15.060 --> 00:34:16.360 and eternity 00:34:16.360 --> 00:34:18.000 will be reality. 00:34:19.120 --> 00:34:20.020 Can you imagine 00:34:20.020 --> 00:34:21.220 living like that? 00:34:22.140 --> 00:34:23.220 No more hurt 00:34:23.220 --> 00:34:24.840 no more sorrow 00:34:24.840 --> 00:34:26.240 no more pain 00:34:26.240 --> 00:34:27.520 no more suffering. 00:34:27.820 --> 00:34:28.260 And so now 00:34:28.260 --> 00:34:29.920 it's not hope 00:34:29.920 --> 00:34:31.040 of what it will be 00:34:31.040 --> 00:34:32.140 it's the reality 00:34:32.140 --> 00:34:33.520 of what it is. 00:34:36.400 --> 00:34:37.680 But love 00:34:37.680 --> 00:34:41.540 will still be there. 00:34:43.440 --> 00:34:44.600 And the beauty 00:34:44.600 --> 00:34:45.140 of that 00:34:45.140 --> 00:34:48.360 is in that moment 00:34:48.360 --> 00:34:51.120 as much 00:34:51.120 --> 00:34:52.240 as I think 00:34:52.240 --> 00:34:54.180 I love Jesus 00:34:54.180 --> 00:34:56.960 as much 00:34:56.960 --> 00:34:58.220 as I think 00:34:58.220 --> 00:34:58.620 about 00:34:58.620 --> 00:34:59.740 how much 00:34:59.740 --> 00:35:00.400 Jesus 00:35:00.400 --> 00:35:01.580 loves 00:35:01.580 --> 00:35:02.400 me 00:35:02.400 --> 00:35:06.000 in my death 00:35:06.000 --> 00:35:08.200 and in my 00:35:08.200 --> 00:35:09.040 experience 00:35:09.040 --> 00:35:10.420 in eternity 00:35:10.420 --> 00:35:11.740 right 00:35:11.740 --> 00:35:13.660 that love 00:35:13.660 --> 00:35:14.060 will not 00:35:14.060 --> 00:35:14.720 go away 00:35:14.720 --> 00:35:16.940 but that love 00:35:16.940 --> 00:35:17.700 will deepen 00:35:17.700 --> 00:35:19.600 to a point 00:35:19.600 --> 00:35:20.360 that I've never 00:35:20.360 --> 00:35:21.760 experienced before. 00:35:23.560 --> 00:35:24.640 And so Paul says 00:35:24.640 --> 00:35:26.540 the greatest 00:35:26.540 --> 00:35:27.180 of these 00:35:27.180 --> 00:35:28.940 the greatest 00:35:28.940 --> 00:35:29.400 of these 00:35:29.400 --> 00:35:29.900 is love. 00:35:31.260 --> 00:35:31.600 Would you pray 00:35:31.600 --> 00:35:31.900 with me? 00:35:31.900 --> 00:35:31.960 Amen. 00:35:31.960 --> 00:35:31.960 Amen. 00:35:31.960 --> 00:35:31.960 Amen. 00:35:31.960 --> 00:35:31.960 Amen. 00:35:41.740 --> 00:35:46.740 Lord we thank you 00:35:46.740 --> 00:35:47.340 for your word 00:35:47.340 --> 00:35:47.920 this morning. 00:35:50.120 --> 00:35:51.160 Lord we thank you 00:35:51.160 --> 00:35:51.680 that when we 00:35:51.680 --> 00:35:53.740 think about love 00:35:53.740 --> 00:35:54.580 in the context 00:35:54.580 --> 00:35:55.840 of all that's 00:35:55.840 --> 00:35:56.280 going on 00:35:56.280 --> 00:35:56.980 in this world 00:35:56.980 --> 00:35:57.960 and in our life 00:35:57.960 --> 00:36:00.320 where there's a lot 00:36:00.320 --> 00:36:01.540 of defining pieces 00:36:01.540 --> 00:36:02.560 for that for us. 00:36:04.720 --> 00:36:05.480 the world 00:36:05.480 --> 00:36:06.440 tries to tell us 00:36:06.440 --> 00:36:07.440 what love does 00:36:07.440 --> 00:36:08.200 and what love 00:36:08.200 --> 00:36:08.820 doesn't do. 00:36:11.020 --> 00:36:11.840 The world 00:36:11.840 --> 00:36:12.600 tries to take 00:36:12.600 --> 00:36:13.520 broken standards 00:36:13.520 --> 00:36:14.220 of love 00:36:14.220 --> 00:36:15.540 and give them 00:36:15.540 --> 00:36:16.000 to us 00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:16.680 to set as our 00:36:16.680 --> 00:36:17.140 standard. 00:36:19.500 --> 00:36:20.840 Lord no standard 00:36:20.840 --> 00:36:21.360 that we can 00:36:21.360 --> 00:36:22.180 think of 00:36:22.180 --> 00:36:25.300 other than you 00:36:25.300 --> 00:36:27.160 fits. 00:36:29.360 --> 00:36:30.320 They're all 00:36:30.320 --> 00:36:33.080 square pegs 00:36:33.080 --> 00:36:33.500 trying to go 00:36:33.500 --> 00:36:34.420 into round holes. 00:36:35.720 --> 00:36:36.700 But Lord 00:36:36.700 --> 00:36:37.660 you 00:36:37.660 --> 00:36:40.340 are the perfect 00:36:40.340 --> 00:36:42.140 embodiment 00:36:42.140 --> 00:36:42.600 of love 00:36:42.600 --> 00:36:43.160 for us. 00:36:44.500 --> 00:36:45.500 So Jesus 00:36:45.500 --> 00:36:46.020 thank you 00:36:46.020 --> 00:36:46.940 for being patient 00:36:46.940 --> 00:36:47.720 with us 00:36:47.720 --> 00:36:49.960 as we run 00:36:49.960 --> 00:36:51.480 and as we rebel. 00:36:54.020 --> 00:36:55.080 Lord thank you 00:36:55.080 --> 00:36:56.420 for your kindness 00:36:56.420 --> 00:36:57.160 that's given 00:36:57.160 --> 00:36:58.920 toward us. 00:37:03.760 --> 00:37:04.700 Lord thank you 00:37:04.700 --> 00:37:04.920 thank you 00:37:04.920 --> 00:37:05.660 that while you 00:37:05.660 --> 00:37:06.580 are jealous 00:37:06.580 --> 00:37:08.200 for us 00:37:08.200 --> 00:37:08.760 Lord that you 00:37:08.760 --> 00:37:09.120 are not 00:37:09.120 --> 00:37:09.880 envious 00:37:09.880 --> 00:37:10.560 because there 00:37:10.560 --> 00:37:11.340 is no one 00:37:11.340 --> 00:37:11.680 for you 00:37:11.680 --> 00:37:12.160 to envy. 00:37:17.080 --> 00:37:18.160 Jesus thank you 00:37:18.160 --> 00:37:19.000 that you came 00:37:19.000 --> 00:37:21.980 not boasting 00:37:21.980 --> 00:37:22.700 in who you 00:37:22.700 --> 00:37:23.000 are 00:37:23.000 --> 00:37:24.080 but boasting 00:37:24.080 --> 00:37:24.740 in the Father 00:37:24.740 --> 00:37:26.360 and came 00:37:26.360 --> 00:37:27.400 to serve. 00:37:30.720 --> 00:37:31.380 Lord thank you 00:37:31.380 --> 00:37:32.020 that you came 00:37:32.020 --> 00:37:32.840 not in arrogance 00:37:32.840 --> 00:37:32.840 not in arrogance 00:37:32.840 --> 00:37:33.920 but in humility 00:37:33.920 --> 00:37:36.180 that you came 00:37:36.180 --> 00:37:37.200 not in rudeness 00:37:37.200 --> 00:37:38.820 but the embodiment 00:37:38.820 --> 00:37:39.320 of grace 00:37:39.320 --> 00:37:39.980 and truth. 00:37:42.160 --> 00:37:43.040 Lord thank you 00:37:43.040 --> 00:37:43.580 that you did not 00:37:43.580 --> 00:37:44.580 come insisting 00:37:44.580 --> 00:37:45.680 on your own way 00:37:45.680 --> 00:37:46.080 Lord 00:37:46.080 --> 00:37:46.660 but you 00:37:46.660 --> 00:37:47.720 surrendered 00:37:47.720 --> 00:37:49.280 to the will 00:37:49.280 --> 00:37:49.280 to the will 00:37:49.280 --> 00:37:50.400 of the Father 00:37:50.400 --> 00:37:54.980 Lord thank you 00:37:54.980 --> 00:37:55.460 for not being 00:37:55.460 --> 00:37:56.020 irritable 00:37:56.020 --> 00:37:56.520 but being 00:37:56.520 --> 00:37:57.780 compassionate 00:37:57.780 --> 00:38:01.020 of not being 00:38:01.020 --> 00:38:01.820 resentful 00:38:01.820 --> 00:38:05.400 and being 00:38:05.400 --> 00:38:06.200 joyous 00:38:06.200 --> 00:38:09.920 of not rejoicing 00:38:09.920 --> 00:38:10.620 in the wrong 00:38:10.620 --> 00:38:11.480 but rejoicing 00:38:11.480 --> 00:38:13.440 in the truth 00:38:13.440 --> 00:38:14.360 and the repentance 00:38:14.360 --> 00:38:17.040 of lost. 00:38:19.260 --> 00:38:19.640 Lord thank you 00:38:19.640 --> 00:38:20.320 for bearing 00:38:20.320 --> 00:38:21.260 our sins 00:38:21.260 --> 00:38:22.220 on the cross 00:38:22.220 --> 00:38:24.380 for showing 00:38:24.380 --> 00:38:25.200 us belief 00:38:25.200 --> 00:38:26.360 in action 00:38:26.360 --> 00:38:28.160 Lord thank you 00:38:28.160 --> 00:38:28.600 for showing 00:38:28.600 --> 00:38:29.340 the hope 00:38:29.340 --> 00:38:31.220 we can have 00:38:31.220 --> 00:38:31.500 and what 00:38:31.500 --> 00:38:32.140 the plan 00:38:32.140 --> 00:38:32.620 of the Lord 00:38:32.620 --> 00:38:33.440 is going to be 00:38:33.440 --> 00:38:35.920 and Lord 00:38:35.920 --> 00:38:36.760 enduring all 00:38:36.760 --> 00:38:39.660 Lord may we 00:38:39.660 --> 00:38:40.380 take our 00:38:40.380 --> 00:38:40.840 gifts 00:38:40.840 --> 00:38:41.360 and our 00:38:41.360 --> 00:38:41.960 talents 00:38:41.960 --> 00:38:44.080 in our 00:38:44.080 --> 00:38:44.740 positioning 00:38:44.740 --> 00:38:48.200 in our 00:38:48.200 --> 00:38:48.900 resources 00:38:48.900 --> 00:38:50.240 in our 00:38:50.240 --> 00:38:51.020 personalities 00:38:51.020 --> 00:38:52.680 in everything 00:38:52.680 --> 00:38:53.260 Lord that you've 00:38:53.260 --> 00:38:53.860 given us 00:38:53.860 --> 00:38:56.060 and use 00:38:56.060 --> 00:38:56.800 them out of 00:38:56.800 --> 00:38:57.240 love 00:38:57.240 --> 00:38:58.020 out of you 00:38:58.020 --> 00:38:59.880 to draw 00:38:59.880 --> 00:39:00.800 people to 00:39:00.800 --> 00:39:01.160 you 00:39:01.160 --> 00:39:03.560 to speak 00:39:03.560 --> 00:39:04.340 reconciliation 00:39:04.340 --> 00:39:06.260 and hope 00:39:06.260 --> 00:39:06.980 and love 00:39:06.980 --> 00:39:08.680 and relationships 00:39:08.680 --> 00:39:11.000 to have a 00:39:11.000 --> 00:39:11.600 love for the 00:39:11.600 --> 00:39:12.200 brother and 00:39:12.200 --> 00:39:12.500 sister 00:39:12.500 --> 00:39:12.920 who's 00:39:12.920 --> 00:39:13.960 wronged me 00:39:13.960 --> 00:39:14.300 who's 00:39:14.300 --> 00:39:15.380 offended me 00:39:15.380 --> 00:39:16.060 who's not 00:39:16.060 --> 00:39:16.820 like me 00:39:16.820 --> 00:39:19.500 and Lord 00:39:19.500 --> 00:39:20.040 may this 00:39:20.040 --> 00:39:20.800 be who we 00:39:20.800 --> 00:39:21.500 are 00:39:21.500 --> 00:39:24.480 Lord would we 00:39:24.480 --> 00:39:24.940 not let 00:39:24.940 --> 00:39:25.500 gifts 00:39:25.500 --> 00:39:27.040 our 00:39:27.040 --> 00:39:27.720 understanding 00:39:27.720 --> 00:39:28.460 of gifts 00:39:28.460 --> 00:39:30.500 divide us 00:39:30.500 --> 00:39:32.540 but instead 00:39:32.540 --> 00:39:33.280 to unify 00:39:33.280 --> 00:39:33.820 us 00:39:33.820 --> 00:39:35.620 in who 00:39:35.620 --> 00:39:36.120 we are 00:39:36.120 --> 00:39:36.680 in you 00:39:36.680 --> 00:39:38.500 and in you 00:39:38.500 --> 00:39:38.820 alone 00:39:38.820 --> 00:39:46.680 Jesus I 00:39:46.680 --> 00:39:46.960 thank you 00:39:46.960 --> 00:39:47.180 for the 00:39:47.180 --> 00:39:47.580 work you 00:39:47.580 --> 00:39:47.860 did 00:39:47.860 --> 00:39:48.180 in the 00:39:48.180 --> 00:39:48.600 marriages 00:39:48.600 --> 00:39:51.160 of the 00:39:51.160 --> 00:39:51.520 individuals 00:39:51.520 --> 00:39:51.860 that were 00:39:51.860 --> 00:39:52.320 here this 00:39:52.320 --> 00:39:52.680 weekend 00:39:52.680 --> 00:39:55.180 and I 00:39:55.180 --> 00:39:55.580 thank you 00:39:55.580 --> 00:39:55.960 for the 00:39:55.960 --> 00:39:56.560 work that 00:39:56.560 --> 00:39:57.080 you're doing 00:39:57.080 --> 00:39:57.420 in the 00:39:57.420 --> 00:39:57.960 hearts of 00:39:57.960 --> 00:39:58.360 the men 00:39:58.360 --> 00:39:59.140 and women 00:39:59.140 --> 00:39:59.660 and children 00:39:59.660 --> 00:40:00.160 and people 00:40:00.160 --> 00:40:00.420 who are 00:40:00.420 --> 00:40:00.920 here today 00:40:00.920 --> 00:40:05.100 Lord may 00:40:05.100 --> 00:40:05.900 we respond 00:40:05.900 --> 00:40:07.120 to your 00:40:07.120 --> 00:40:07.500 gracious 00:40:07.500 --> 00:40:07.980 calling 00:40:07.980 --> 00:40:24.440 thanks again 00:40:24.440 --> 00:40:24.960 for listening 00:40:24.960 --> 00:40:25.320 to the 00:40:25.320 --> 00:40:25.740 Willow Ridge 00:40:25.740 --> 00:40:26.460 Church weekly 00:40:26.460 --> 00:40:27.640 podcast we 00:40:27.640 --> 00:40:28.080 hope that you 00:40:28.080 --> 00:40:28.720 enjoyed listening 00:40:28.720 --> 00:40:29.360 to this week's 00:40:29.360 --> 00:40:30.420 message if 00:40:30.420 --> 00:40:30.880 you'd like to 00:40:30.880 --> 00:40:31.260 learn more 00:40:31.260 --> 00:40:31.700 about who 00:40:31.700 --> 00:40:32.420 we are or 00:40:32.420 --> 00:40:33.180 explore additional 00:40:33.180 --> 00:40:34.500 resources visit 00:40:34.500 --> 00:40:35.500 us online at 00:40:35.500 --> 00:40:38.760 www.willowridgechurch.com 00:40:38.760 --> 00:40:39.980 or by searching 00:40:39.980 --> 00:40:40.640 for Willow Ridge 00:40:40.640 --> 00:40:41.260 Church on 00:40:41.260 --> 00:40:41.940 Facebook and 00:40:41.940 --> 00:40:42.340 Instagram