1 Corinthians 13:6
“Love does not rejoice in iniquity,
but rejoice in the truth.”
.
INTRO: God is love. Our best
efforts, if bereft of love, ring hollow. We can all strive to love others as
God loved them for all our achievements then or ever will do, only love
endures.
.
AIM: The love chapter (1
Corinthians 13) teaches us the warmth of Christ’s love when we obey his
commandment of loving one another and serve them. There is an incentive when we
focus on others.
.
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD’S LOVE
God’s love has a reputation
a. Merciful,
gracious, long suffering, abounding in goodness and truth. (Exodus 34:6)
b. Pardons
iniquity, does not retain anger forever and delights in mercy. (Micah 7:18)
.
Dynamics OF GOD’S LOVE
Our love for God has a driving
force
a. He who does
not love does not know God, for is love. (1 John 4:8)
b. We love Him
because He first loved us. (1 John 4:12)
.
CONCLUSION:
Loving sets a good example. True compassion
is love in action. Let us remember the words of Romans 13:10, which says, “Love
does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” Let us
also imitate God’s characteristics of love and ask the Holy Spirit to help us
love the unloveable and so doing, value life, protect and enrich it as a good
gift from God.
