Introduction: The "Anti-Love" Song
- The Hook: The speaker references the song "Love Hurts" (famously covered by Nazareth in 1975).
- The Lyrics: Quotes the cynical lyrics: "Love is just a lie made to make you blue... Love hurts."
- The Rebuttal: The speaker validates the feeling—pain is often tied to love—but rejects the song’s conclusion.
- If love were truly bad, the solution would be to build walls and never connect with anyone.
- The Truth: We cannot do that because we are designed to crave love; we need it more than air.
- The Goal: Since there is no "magic wand" to remove pain, the speaker aims to make sense of it. Pain is not needless torture; it is the price of something crucial.
I. Pain is a Signal of Love (Jesus at Lazarus’ Tomb)
- Scripture: John 11:32-36
- The Scene: Jesus arrives at the funeral of Lazarus. Despite knowing He would raise him, Jesus weeps ("Jesus wept" - v.35).
- The Observation: The Jews watching didn't just see tears; they saw the relationship behind them.
- Verse 36: "See how he loved him!"
- The Connection: The depth of our grief is directly tied to the depth of our love.
- We do not grieve for strangers because we do not have a relationship with them.
- Key Takeaway: Pain is not worthless; it is a signal of the love we had and still have. Love does not disappear when a life ends.
II. The Value Added by Love (The Death of Dorcas)
- Scripture: Acts 9:36-39
- The Scene: Peter arrives after the death of Dorcas (Tabitha). The widows surround him, weeping and holding up the tunics and garments she had made.
- The Symbolism: Why show the clothes?
- It wasn't about the monetary value (e.g., a $20 coat).
- It was about the investment. The clothes represented Dorcas’s time, talent, and care.
- The Connection: Love hurts because we recognize the immense value that person added to our lives.
- Reference to 1 John 4:16: God is love, and because we are made in His image, love adds essential value to our existence.
III. The Pain of Lost Opportunity (Paul and the Ephesian Elders)
- Scripture: Acts 20:35-38
- The Scene: Paul says his final goodbye to the Ephesian elders before boarding a ship.
- The Sorrow: The group weeps and embraces Paul.
- The Root of Pain: The text notes they sorrowed "most of all" because they would "not see his face again."
- The Connection: A major part of grief is the realization that we lose the earthly opportunity to give and receive love from that person.
Conclusion: Love Gives Even When It Hurts
- The Trade-off: To remove the pain, you would have to remove the love. The speaker concludes that the love is worth the pain.
- The Ultimate Example: John 15:12-14
- "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."
- Final Charge:
- Jesus demonstrated that love gives even when it causes pain (laying down His life).
- Call to Action: We cannot quit loving. Even in grief, we must continue to love one another.
- Invitation: An offer for prayer, support in the "Shepherd's Room," or simply finding comfort in the community.
What is West Side Church of Christ - Elkton Ky?
This podcast includes Sermons and other content for the West Side Church of Christ located at 725 W. Main St, Elkton KY. We hope that you can join us for services. We have bible class on Sunday mornings at 9 am and Worship at 10 am. We meet again at 5:30 pm Sunday Evenings, and Wednesday at 6:30 pm. If you are not able to join us then please enjoy our content. :-)