Living Out God's Love in Community and Adversity

Devotional

Day 1: The Power of Community Prayer

Community prayer is a powerful tool that brings comfort, guidance, and spiritual growth to those in need. When we come together to pray, especially during significant events like Vacation Bible School (VBS) or in times of personal hardship, we create a spiritual support system that can uplift and sustain individuals and the community as a whole. Collective prayer is not just about asking for God's intervention but also about expressing our unity and shared faith.

In the case of Larry Titherington, who is in hospice care, our prayers can provide peace and strength to him and his family. Similarly, praying for the success of VBS and the missions committee's decisions can lead to spiritual growth and effective ministry. Our prayers are a testament to our faith in God's ability to work in every situation. [17:13]

James 5:16 (ESV): "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."

Reflection: Think of someone in your church community who is going through a difficult time. How can you commit to praying for them daily this week, and what specific prayers can you offer for their comfort and guidance?

Day 2: Understanding True Love

True love, as described in 1 Corinthians 13, is about preferring what God prefers. It is characterized by patience, kindness, and selflessness. This love is not merely an emotion but a series of actions that reflect God's will in our lives. We are called to embody this love in our daily interactions, showing patience and kindness even when it is difficult.

Living out this love means putting others' needs before our own and acting in ways that honor God. It involves being patient with those who frustrate us, showing kindness to those who may not deserve it, and being selfless in our actions. This kind of love is a powerful witness to the world of what it means to follow Jesus. [41:57]

1 John 3:18 (ESV): "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."

Reflection: Identify one person in your life with whom you struggle to be patient or kind. What specific actions can you take this week to show them the love described in 1 Corinthians 13?

Day 3: Addressing Sin with Love

Love does not mean ignoring sin. Instead, it involves addressing sin in a way that leads to repentance and restoration. This process requires wisdom, patience, and a commitment to God's truth. Love protects and covers but does not excuse wrongdoing. When we address sin with love, we aim to bring about healing and reconciliation, not condemnation.

Addressing sin with love means having difficult conversations with grace and truth. It involves pointing out wrongdoing in a way that encourages repentance and offers a path to restoration. This approach helps maintain the integrity of the community and supports individuals in their spiritual growth. [56:08]

Galatians 6:1 (ESV): "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted."

Reflection: Think of a situation where you need to address sin in someone's life. How can you approach this conversation with both truth and love, aiming for their repentance and restoration?

Day 4: Believing and Hoping in God's Work

Love believes all things and hopes all things, meaning we trust in God's ability to work in every situation and person. This belief is not about being gullible but about having faith in God's transformative power and eagerly anticipating His work. It involves looking for the best in others and trusting that God is at work even when we cannot see it.

Believing and hoping in God's work means maintaining a positive outlook and trusting that God is in control. It involves encouraging others and reminding them of God's promises. This kind of faith can inspire and uplift those around us, helping them to see God's hand in their lives. [01:12:46]

Romans 15:13 (ESV): "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."

Reflection: Reflect on a challenging situation in your life. How can you actively choose to believe in God's work and hope for His intervention this week?

Day 5: Enduring Through Challenges

Love endures all things, standing firm under pressure and adversity. This endurance is crucial in our relationships within the church and in our witness to the world. It shows a commitment to God's will and a reliance on His strength. Enduring through challenges means remaining steadfast in our faith and love, even when it is difficult.

Endurance in love involves persevering through trials and maintaining our commitment to God's commands. It means supporting one another through tough times and being a source of strength and encouragement. This kind of endurance is a powerful testimony to the world of the transformative power of God's love. [01:16:08]

Hebrews 10:36 (ESV): "For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised."

Reflection: Think of a current challenge you are facing. How can you rely on God's strength to endure and show love in this situation, and who can you reach out to for support and encouragement?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Tonight, we gathered to focus on several important aspects of our church life and community. First, we are in the midst of Vacation Bible School (VBS) week, a significant outreach event aimed at sharing the gospel with children and their families. We are encouraged to pray for the success of this event and for the spiritual growth of the participants. Additionally, we are asked to pray for Larry Titherington, one of our deacons, who is in hospice care. Larry is at peace with his impending passing, and we are called to support his family during this difficult time. Our missions committee also needs our prayers as they evaluate new ministries and missionaries to support.

We then transitioned to a study of 1 Corinthians 13, focusing on the nature of love as described by Paul. Love, as defined in this chapter, is about preferring what God prefers. It is patient, kind, and does not envy or boast. It is not arrogant or rude and does not insist on its own way. Love bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things. These attributes are not just theoretical but are meant to be lived out in our daily interactions and relationships.

We discussed the importance of not explaining away difficult passages in the Bible but instead striving to live according to God's word. Love is not an excuse to hide sin but rather a call to address it in a manner that leads to repentance and restoration. We are reminded that love involves enduring hardships, believing the best in others, and hoping for God's work in every situation. This kind of love is what will show the world that we are followers of Jesus.

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Key Takeaways

1. The Power of Community Prayer: We are reminded of the importance of community prayer, especially during significant events like VBS and in times of personal hardship, such as Larry Titherington's situation. Our collective prayers can bring comfort, guidance, and spiritual growth to those in need. [17:13]
2. Understanding True Love: Love, as described in 1 Corinthians 13, is about preferring what God prefers. It is patient, kind, and selfless. This love is not just an emotion but a series of actions that reflect God's will in our lives. We are called to live out this love in our daily interactions. [41:57]
3. Addressing Sin with Love: Love does not mean ignoring sin. Instead, it involves addressing sin in a way that leads to repentance and restoration. This process requires wisdom, patience, and a commitment to God's truth. Love protects and covers but does not excuse wrongdoing. [56:08]
4. Believing and Hoping in God's Work: Love believes all things and hopes all things, meaning we trust in God's ability to work in every situation and person. This belief is not about being gullible but about having faith in God's transformative power and eagerly anticipating His work. [72:46]
5. Enduring Through Challenges: Love endures all things, standing firm under pressure and adversity. This endurance is crucial in our relationships within the church and in our witness to the world. It shows a commitment to God's will and a reliance on His strength. [01:16:08]
### [76:08]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[17:13] - Community Prayer Requests
[18:36] - Prayer for Larry and Missions Committee
[20:13] - VBS Week and Its Importance
[40:01] - Kids Church Dismissal
[40:35] - Call for Kids Ministry Volunteers
[41:09] - Introduction to 1 Corinthians 13
[41:57] - Defining Love in 1 Corinthians 13
[42:22] - Living as Citizens of God's Kingdom
[42:54] - Misunderstanding the Sermon on the Mount
[43:29] - Commitment to God's Word
[44:01] - Encouragement and Challenge to Live Like Jesus
[45:04] - Prayer for Zoe's Memorial Service
[47:06] - Reading 1 Corinthians 13
[48:30] - Focus on 1 Corinthians 13:7
[56:08] - Love Covers a Multitude of Sins
[60:57] - Process of Addressing Sin in the Church
[72:46] - Believing and Hoping in God's Work
[76:08] - Enduring Through Challenges
[89:09] - Closing Prayer and Song

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What are some of the attributes of love as described in 1 Corinthians 13? ([48:02])
According to the sermon, what does it mean for love to "bear all things"? ([52:26])
How does the pastor explain the concept of love "believing all things"? ([01:08:59])
What is the significance of love "enduring all things" in the context of church relationships? ([01:16:08])

Interpretation Questions

How does the pastor interpret the phrase "love covers a multitude of sins" from 1 Peter 4:8 in relation to 1 Corinthians 13? ([55:17])
What does it mean to prefer what God prefers, and how does this definition of love challenge common cultural understandings of love? ([49:43])
How should believers address sin within the church according to the sermon, and why is this important for maintaining a loving community? ([56:08])
In what ways does the pastor suggest that love involves enduring hardships and challenges within the church? ([01:16:08])

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when community prayer brought comfort or guidance to you or someone you know. How can you be more intentional about participating in community prayer? ([17:13])
Think about your daily interactions. How can you demonstrate the attributes of love described in 1 Corinthians 13 more effectively in your relationships? ([48:02])
Have you ever been in a situation where addressing sin with love was necessary? How did you handle it, and what could you do differently next time to align more with the principles discussed in the sermon? ([56:08])
Identify a person or situation in your life where you need to believe the best and hope for God's work. How can you actively practice this kind of love this week? ([01:12:46])
Enduring through challenges can be difficult. Share a challenge you are currently facing and discuss how you can rely on God's strength and the support of your church community to endure it. ([01:16:08])
The pastor mentioned the importance of not explaining away difficult passages in the Bible. Is there a specific passage you struggle with? How can you seek to understand and live out its teachings more faithfully? ([43:29])
How can you contribute to the spiritual growth of others in your church, especially during significant events like VBS or in times of personal hardship? ([20:13])

Sermon Clips

1. "We pray that this week that we would see kids who are here that have never, never come to know Jesus. That are far from you. And that this week they would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Lord, we pray for kids who already know you. That they would grow in their faith. That they would grow in their obedience and their following. We pray for families. That this would be an opportunity to bring families to you." [20:13] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "What does Jesus call us to as His followers? What does Jesus call us to in the way we live as citizens of His kingdom right now? And in 1 Corinthians 13 He's showing us how we live right now as citizens of His kingdom and as Christians sometimes we like to explain difficult things away... as a church we want to say what does God say what does Jesus say what does His word say about what we're supposed to do and how we're supposed to live and as best we can let's live it." [42:22] (78 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Love does not insist on its own way. Love isn't arrogant. Love isn't rude. Those are things that come naturally to us. I want my way. Somebody's mean to me I'm going to be mean right back to them. Somebody says something I don't like well I'm going to be rude and sarcastic and nasty to them in response. So much of the way he describes love it's things that love does not do and every descriptor that he uses is a verb it's something we act on." [50:54] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Love covers a multitude of sins. That's what he says. Now this verse has and can be used for bad purposes... love doesn't call out sin, love doesn't address sin, love doesn't deal with sin... that is not at all what Peter means and that's not at all what Paul means in 1 Corinthians 13. Love is not an excuse to hide sin. Love is not an excuse to shield people from consequences of sin." [55:17] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Love believing all things means we give the opportunity for what is true. We believe the best of. We even give opportunity and belief that people and situations can change... Love believing all things is this idea that God can and does work, that I'm going to believe the best about people, the best about situations, and I'm going to give people the opportunity for me to believe the best about them." [01:11:06] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "Love hopes all things. Hope, it's this idea of an anticipation, an expectation. When it's used talking about that we hope in Christ, this is the fulfillment of what he has promised. It's not an empty, I hope this happens, maybe this will happen... When I hope all things in a relationship, with another person, I'm anticipating what God is going to do in that." [01:12:46] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "Love endures all things means when I am persecuted for the cause of Christ, I will continue to stand up under it because I'm going to endure what I'm supposed to endure in following Jesus. Now, I would also contend that love enduring all things means when I do do something that's wrong, and the consequences for what I've done come upon me, I also endure. Because I am accepting the consequences of the sin or the wrong that I've committed." [01:21:26] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "Whenever we justify disobedience to God's word, this is why I don't need to do what he said. This is why I don't need to love. This is why I don't need to strive to live the sermon on the mount. This is why I don't need to love. This is why I don't need to live the sermon on the mount. This is why I don't need to do that. Any time that we explain away what he tells us to do, when he lays it out like this, when we explain it away, we are the ones who are in the wrong." [01:25:08] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "Loving Jesus, following Jesus is not an accident, but it is something we can do. He calls us to follow him. He calls us to love like this. And he gives us the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit enables us to follow and live as he's called us to live. If you know Jesus today, if you've trusted him to save you from your sins, you've been given the Holy Spirit. And that's how you can live this description of love." [01:27:10] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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