Living Out Love: The Heart of Faith
Summary
### Summary
Welcome, everyone! Today, we gather to delve into the essence of love as described in 1 Corinthians 13. We start by acknowledging that our outward expressions of faith, such as clapping and shouting, are meaningless if our hearts are not aligned with love. The Bible emphasizes that even if we possess great gifts and talents, they are worthless without love. Imagine being given a brand-new car without an engine; it looks good on the outside but is useless. Similarly, we may appear righteous and gifted, but without love, we are spiritually dead ([41:21]).
Paul's letters to the Corinthians often addressed their inconsistencies. They were a blessed yet troubled church, frequently needing correction. They would worship fervently on Sundays but live contrary lives during the week. This duality is something we must guard against. Even Jesus had to correct His closest disciples, like Peter, who often misunderstood His teachings despite years of guidance ([20:40]).
We are all frail and prone to mistakes. None of us are exempt from trials or from hurting others. The Bible is rich with teachings on forgiveness, emphasizing that we must love even those who hurt us. Jesus exemplified this when He allowed Judas to betray Him with a kiss, knowing full well Judas' intentions. This act of love and forgiveness is a powerful lesson for us ([44:40]).
Love is not just about grand gestures but also about patience and kindness. It does not envy or boast. It is not proud or self-seeking. Love endures through hardships and remains steadfast even when we are wronged. This is the kind of love God calls us to exhibit, a love that mirrors His own for us. We must love our neighbors, our family, and even those who betray us ([47:16]).
In our personal lives, we often face stress and challenges that make us want to quit. I shared my own struggles, including a moment when I felt overwhelmed and wanted to leave the church. But God reminded me to cast my cares upon Him and not to hold onto burdens that are His to bear. This is a lesson for all of us: to trust God with our worries and to continue loving and serving despite the difficulties ([01:03:21]).
We must also be mindful of our relationships within the church. Envy and strife can easily creep in, causing divisions. James 4:1 warns us about the dangers of coveting what others have, leading to quarrels and fights. Instead, we should support and uplift one another, recognizing that we are all part of the same body of Christ ([55:24]).
Finally, love is about giving and being a blessing to others. Jesus taught that it is more blessed to give than to receive. We should be generous with our time, resources, and love, knowing that in doing so, we reflect God's love to the world. Whether it's sharing a ride, giving a gift, or simply being there for someone in need, these acts of love are what truly matter ([59:09]).
### Key Takeaways
1. The Importance of Genuine Love: Outward expressions of faith are meaningless without genuine love. Just as a car without an engine is useless, so are our gifts and talents if not rooted in love. We must ensure that our hearts are aligned with God's love, making our actions meaningful and impactful. [41:21]
2. Consistency in Faith: The Corinthian church struggled with living out their faith consistently. They worshipped fervently on Sundays but faltered during the week. We must strive to live out our faith every day, not just during church services, ensuring that our actions reflect our beliefs. [20:40]
3. Forgiveness and Love: Jesus' act of allowing Judas to betray Him with a kiss teaches us about the depth of forgiveness and love. We are called to love even those who hurt us, understanding that true love is patient, kind, and enduring. This kind of love mirrors God's love for us. [44:40]
4. Trusting God with Our Burdens: We often face stress and challenges that make us want to quit. However, God calls us to cast our cares upon Him. Trusting God with our worries allows us to continue loving and serving despite difficulties, knowing that He will sustain us. [01:03:21]
5. Generosity and Blessing Others: Love is about giving and being a blessing to others. Jesus taught that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts of generosity, whether big or small, reflect God's love and make a significant impact on those around us. [59:09]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[07:56] - Opening Prayer and Worship
[10:00] - Introduction to 1 Corinthians 13
[20:40] - The Struggles of the Corinthian Church
[41:21] - The Importance of Genuine Love
[44:40] - Forgiveness and Love
[47:16] - Characteristics of True Love
[55:24] - Avoiding Envy and Strife
[59:09] - Generosity and Blessing Others
[01:03:21] - Trusting God with Our Burdens
[01:17:13] - Final Thoughts and Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
2. James 4:1-3
3. 1 Peter 5:7
#### Observation Questions
1. According to 1 Corinthians 13, what are the characteristics of true love? How does Paul describe love in this passage?
2. In the sermon, the pastor mentioned that the Corinthian church was both blessed and troubled. What were some of the inconsistencies Paul had to address in the Corinthian church? [20:40]
3. How does James 4:1-3 describe the root causes of quarrels and fights among believers? What does this passage suggest about the nature of envy and strife?
4. The pastor shared a personal story about feeling overwhelmed and wanting to quit the church. What lesson did he learn from this experience, and how does it relate to 1 Peter 5:7? [01:03:21]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Paul emphasize that spiritual gifts and talents are meaningless without love in 1 Corinthians 13? How does this relate to the analogy of a car without an engine used in the sermon? [41:21]
2. The sermon highlighted the importance of consistency in faith. How can the example of the Corinthian church's duality (worshipping on Sundays but faltering during the week) serve as a warning for modern believers? [20:40]
3. In James 4:1-3, what does it mean to "covet" and how does this lead to conflicts within the church? How can believers guard against this behavior?
4. Reflecting on the pastor's story about casting cares upon God, how does 1 Peter 5:7 encourage believers to handle stress and challenges? What practical steps can be taken to trust God more fully with our burdens? [01:03:21]
#### Application Questions
1. Genuine Love: Reflect on your own life. Are there areas where you are outwardly expressing faith but lacking genuine love? How can you align your heart more closely with God's love this week? [41:21]
2. Consistency in Faith: Think about your daily life outside of church services. Are there inconsistencies in how you live out your faith? What specific changes can you make to ensure your actions reflect your beliefs every day? [20:40]
3. Forgiveness and Love: Is there someone in your life who has hurt you and whom you find difficult to love? How can you apply Jesus' example of forgiving Judas to your own situation? What steps can you take to show love and forgiveness to this person? [44:40]
4. Trusting God with Burdens: Identify a specific burden or stressor in your life that you have been holding onto. How can you practically cast this care upon God and trust Him to sustain you? What might this look like in your daily routine? [01:03:21]
5. Avoiding Envy and Strife: Reflect on your relationships within the church. Are there any feelings of envy or strife that you need to address? How can you support and uplift your fellow believers instead of allowing these negative feelings to cause division? [55:24]
6. Generosity and Blessing Others: Think of a specific way you can be generous with your time, resources, or love this week. How can you be a blessing to someone in need, reflecting God's love through your actions? [59:09]
7. Handling Church Hurt: Have you experienced hurt within the church community? How did you handle it? What can you learn from the pastor's experience of wanting to quit but choosing to trust God instead? How can you apply this lesson to your own life? [01:03:21]
Devotional
Day 1: The Heart of Genuine Love
Our outward expressions of faith, such as clapping and shouting, are meaningless if our hearts are not aligned with love. The Bible emphasizes that even if we possess great gifts and talents, they are worthless without love. Imagine being given a brand-new car without an engine; it looks good on the outside but is useless. Similarly, we may appear righteous and gifted, but without love, we are spiritually dead. Genuine love is the engine that drives our faith and makes our actions meaningful and impactful. We must ensure that our hearts are aligned with God's love, making our actions meaningful and impactful. [41:21]
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (ESV): "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."
Reflection: Think of a recent action you took that was meant to be an expression of your faith. Was it rooted in genuine love? How can you ensure that your future actions are driven by love?
Day 2: Consistency in Faith
The Corinthian church struggled with living out their faith consistently. They worshipped fervently on Sundays but faltered during the week. This duality is something we must guard against. Even Jesus had to correct His closest disciples, like Peter, who often misunderstood His teachings despite years of guidance. We must strive to live out our faith every day, not just during church services, ensuring that our actions reflect our beliefs. Consistency in faith means that our daily lives should mirror the devotion we show during worship. [20:40]
James 1:22-24 (ESV): "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like."
Reflection: Reflect on your past week. Were there moments when your actions did not align with your faith? What steps can you take to ensure that your faith is consistently reflected in your daily life?
Day 3: Forgiveness and Love
Jesus' act of allowing Judas to betray Him with a kiss teaches us about the depth of forgiveness and love. We are all frail and prone to mistakes. None of us are exempt from trials or from hurting others. The Bible is rich with teachings on forgiveness, emphasizing that we must love even those who hurt us. Jesus exemplified this when He allowed Judas to betray Him with a kiss, knowing full well Judas' intentions. This act of love and forgiveness is a powerful lesson for us. We are called to love even those who hurt us, understanding that true love is patient, kind, and enduring. [44:40]
Luke 6:27-28 (ESV): "But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you."
Reflection: Think of someone in your life you need to forgive. Can you ask God to help you begin to extend His love and forgiveness to them today?
Day 4: Trusting God with Our Burdens
We often face stress and challenges that make us want to quit. However, God calls us to cast our cares upon Him. Trusting God with our worries allows us to continue loving and serving despite difficulties, knowing that He will sustain us. In our personal lives, we often face stress and challenges that make us want to quit. The Bible teaches us to cast our cares upon God and not to hold onto burdens that are His to bear. This is a lesson for all of us: to trust God with our worries and to continue loving and serving despite the difficulties. [01:03:21]
1 Peter 5:7 (ESV): "Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."
Reflection: What is one burden you are currently carrying that you need to cast upon God? How can you practically do this today?
Day 5: Generosity and Blessing Others
Love is about giving and being a blessing to others. Jesus taught that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts of generosity, whether big or small, reflect God's love and make a significant impact on those around us. We should be generous with our time, resources, and love, knowing that in doing so, we reflect God's love to the world. Whether it's sharing a ride, giving a gift, or simply being there for someone in need, these acts of love are what truly matter. [59:09]
Acts 20:35 (ESV): "In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’"
Reflection: Think of one specific way you can be a blessing to someone today. How can you show God's love through an act of generosity?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "The secret to my marriage, the secret to my marriage, not the secret to marriage. The secret to mine is that we know how to say thank you. You'd be surprised. The simple stuff will help you continue to grow. Oh, I ain't. I don't have to get my wife nothing for Christmas. And still we know how to say thank you. I don't have to buy her something for Valentine's Day. And some of us were stuck on a day. And I stuck on each other. And we constantly give each other gifts on a regular, even if it's not a holiday. And this is what we say to each other. You didn't have to do that. But I'm glad you did. The secret to relationships, the secret to marriage is knowing how to say thank you. Thank you for washing the dishes. Thank you for cooking. Thank you for taking the garbage out. Thank you for opening the window, open the door. Thank you for taking me to the movies. Thank you for going out to dinner. Thank you for giving. A few dollars. Thank you for having helping me with the children. Can you say thank you take each other for granted and and and that's why many people get divorces. That's why many people have problems in relationship because they don't know how to say thank you." [26:45]
2. "You got to learn how to be a blessing to somebody quit being greedy to yourself. You know what the Bible says? You're more blessed. Jesus didn't say you're more blessed to have. You're more blessed to give. Why do you think people rob you? Because they ain't got it. Because they're not in the giving business. They're in the taking business. And that's why many of them are in jail or in prison or in hell. Because all they do is steal. And God say, you are more blessed. You are more blessed. You are more blessed when you give somebody a ride that's out of your way." [59:09]
3. "If you just stay faithful. Here's a girl, a young lady. Frail, fragile. Barely could walk. Skinny. And the doctor said we need to cut your leg off. She would stumble and fall against the when she'd come to church and lean against the wall she would be so sleepy and still came to church. But she needed to take care of her son. She needed a body builder to make money to take care of her son. And she got more illness and sickness in her body than most of all of us together. And yet she still smiled through it. You have no reason to keep crying cause you hurting a little bit." [01:29:12]
4. "My son makes a million dollars a year. Don't give us jack. And I ain't got no problem with it. Because I don't love his money. I love him. And I'm glad he's able to take care of himself and not me beg from him and he beg from me. My son got his own house. My son take care of himself. I feel good because I'm not after his money. Some of you all, if you know your child made a million dollars a year, you didn't take care of yourself financially. I took care of myself. That's why I ain't greedy. Because I learned how to take care of myself. I put emergency money aside in case of emergency. And I had plenty of them and I had money to take care of it. I invested in my future." [01:11:14]
5. "You got to learn how to be just crazy with your life in Jesus. Just enjoy life. Come here, Flo. Come here, Flo. Hurry up. Run. Run, Flo. Run. Come here. Come here. Okay. Okay. Wait a minute now. Another one. All right. Flo like a daughter to me. Flo been coming to this church for about, what, 20 years? All right. Before, she tricked me when she first got here. She tricked me. I asked me and my wife for a ride to Fayetteville. We gave her a ride and then she disappeared. We couldn't find her no more. Now she didn't want to move on. So you get rebuked and you move your arm. The doctors, the doctors are cutting her leg off. And she barely could walk. Come to church, barely could walk. You heard it. She's stumbling and everything. And guess what? She kept coming to church. She gave God something to work with." [01:23:50]
### Quotes for Members
1. "You're clapping, but you're making noise. You're shouting. Hallelujah, but your heart is far from it. And if I have a faith that can move mountains and I got faith that move from Jacksonville to Raleigh, North Carolina, but do not have. Love I am nothing so you got a gift and you know, you have a gift but the Bible says you work your gift, but your heart is gone from it. So you good at telling people what God say you just ain't good at doing what God say you got a gift to read people, but you ain't got a gift to read the Bible. So, you know how to tell people what God say, but you don't know how to obey God yourself and the Bible say. So you can preach real good. So you can sing real good the Bible say, but you don't know how to love your neighbor. You're a piece of junk. What good is having a Rolls Royce of 2024 Rolls Royce. Somebody give you a brand-new. How would y'all like to have a brand-new Rolls Royce a brand-new a brand-new Lexus a brand-new Mercedes or you know, you feel like I'm setting you up. That's why you gonna raise your hand and I am somebody say, you know what? I want to give you a brand-new car. Brand-new spanking. 2020. Five. It ain't even here yet. But now you jumping up and shouting? They tell you something. There's no engine in it. It's just going to be a very pretty outside car. You can clean it up. You just can't drive it. No. Well, you can put armor all on the tire because you got brand-new tires got brand-new transmission. Got a sunroof, but unfortunately nothing works inside the car because the engine is dead and the Bible say all of us look good. You look very pretty. You dress up for Sunday. You dress up for events, but you just don't dress your heart up. So you look good losing. You stand in front of people preaching the word, but you don't live the word. You saying glory. Glory. Glory. God is an awesome God. You got everybody's on their feet because your voice is so beautiful, but your heart can't stand your mama." [41:21]
2. "Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. Love is not pretending to hurt you. It does not boast. Love don't go around telling it's business. Quit telling everybody your business. Quit bragging about your new... I got a pastor friend. I love him dearly. And he got a new BMW. Like, they don't make no other BMWs. Why you got to put your new stuff on Facebook? So you got your dog a new collar. Why it's got to go on Facebook? You bought your child some new shoes. Why it got to go on Facebook? Like... You done got your glory. Quit telling the world you got your... I got a new house. See my new house? And the robbers say, yes, I see it. Where is it? Hmm... Now you got the camera all in your living room. All in your bedroom. And the crooks say, yeah... Wait a minute. Slow down. Go back. Go back. You're showboating your children. Your little baby girl. Your little baby boy. You're just showboating his new clothes and new outfit and new jewelry. And don't notice some pedophiles looking too. You're feeding perverts on Facebook because you want to promote your child. You don't like me now, do you? Don't get mad. First Corinthians 13 did that." [01:17:13]
3. "We are all frail and prone to mistakes. None of us are exempt from trials or from hurting others. The Bible is rich with teachings on forgiveness, emphasizing that we must love even those who hurt us. Jesus exemplified this when He allowed Judas to betray Him with a kiss, knowing full well Judas' intentions. This act of love and forgiveness is a powerful lesson for us." [20:40]
4. "Love is patient. What love is? Patient. Say it again. Love is patient. Love don't. Wait a minute now. You got to be careful when you put a time. I'm going to give you five minutes to show me some love. The Bible say love is patient. Why did the Bible say love is patient? In other words, you're going to have some upset days. You're going to have some days you're going to want to throw in the towel. You're going to have some days you want to quit. There's some days you want to choke your children life out of them. Going to be some days you want to quit your job. Going to be some days you want to quit your church. You're going to hate some situations. But God's going to say sit down. And show some love. Love don't jump up and say I quit. There's a difference between God sending you out. And you sending yourself out. Just because you angry or mad or disappointed. Don't give you the right to take your love and do what you want to do with it. This ain't Burger King. You can't do it your way. God will tell you to love people who you know can't stand you." [49:19]
5. "You can't brag about what you can do in the church when you don't even love the church. God so love the world that he gave his only son. Look what he said. He said he loved the church. He loved the world. What was in the world? You and I we were sinners. We were rotten. We were nasty. We were stinking and God. God sent his son to die so that you can live forever and you was out there doing what you want to do and God still send an investment. Now watch this. Here it is. It's your time. Now you don't got saved. You don't ask God to come in your life. You don't got Christ. You got the Holy Spirit and now you're going to choose and select who you're going to love. You still don't talk to your brother no more. Do you? don't even talk to your cousin no more. Do you? You don't even deal with your mom and your daddy no more. Do you? You don't even deal with your wife and your children. You in church saying I love my neighbor but you don't even love your sister. Now you see why first Corinthians 13 came? Because you thought you were going to hide. You didn't know God was coming down your street today, did you? I didn't know it either." [47:16]
6. "Quit running cause you hurt. You don't quit your job and you hurt. I was talking to Melissa the other day. I was talking to Melissa the other day. She said, yeah, my job told me to go get them some coffee. They ordered sandwiches. And they told me to go get the coffee. So I went and got the coffee and brought the coffee back. And all the sandwiches was gone. She said, that ain't right. They shouldn't have did that. They could have saved me one crumb. But she didn't quit. The church ain't gonna always treat you right. The church ain't always do you right. Can I bless you? Because you ain't right. It got quiet now. Yes I am. Yeah man, I don't know what you're talking about. Everybody gonna have church hurt. But everybody can't quit. There's a difference between quitting and God sending you. God's sending you as approval. You quitting, God's against it. And you gonna miss your blessing because you quit. But if you just move on and God's will for you to move on, God gonna bless you." [01:07:22]
7. "You got to learn how to be just crazy with your life in Jesus. Just enjoy life. Come here, Flo. Come here, Flo. Hurry up. Run. Run, Flo. Run. Come here. Come here. Okay. Okay. Wait a minute now. Another one. All right. Flo like a daughter to me. Flo been coming to this church for about, what, 20 years? All right. Before, she tricked me when she first got here. She tricked me. I asked me and my wife for a ride to Fayetteville. We gave her a ride and then she disappeared. We couldn't find her no more. Now she didn't want to move on. So you get rebuked and you move your arm. The doctors, the doctors are cutting her leg off. And she barely could walk. Come to church, barely could walk. You heard it. She's stumbling and everything. And guess what? She kept coming to church. She gave God something to work with." [01:23:50]
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