As you may remember from the previous times that I have had the opportunity to preach, I'd like to begin my sermons with a story that kind of gives you the context for what we're going to be looking at this morning.
!
Something that helps create some interest and helps you to focus in on the topic that we are going to look at in Scripture.
And so this morning, before we begin, would you imagine with me that I told you a very engaging story?
If the Holy Spirit's been talking to you about holiness, would you imagine that I shared a story that helped you consider the importance of pursuing holiness,
some of the dangers of pursuing holiness, and how we can follow after Christ in holiness in a way that honors Him?
If the Holy Spirit's been dealing with you on the matter of love, which hopefully as you're going through our study guide on 1 Thessalonians that Pastor Andrew's prepared,
that may be very likely.
imagine that I shared with you a story that caught your attention about love, how it comes into our life, and how it flows out into our life.
And the reason that I'm asking you to help me with this this morning is even though when you study preaching or teaching,
they encourage you to focus on one main point that you want the congregation to remember and follow after this coming week,
I'm completely ignoring that advice.
And I'm going to try to cover all three of those topics, as you probably have noticed from your bulletin.
So, if you would just help me with this introduction, and just trust that the Holy Spirit will lay on your heart what it is He has for you this morning,
that would be of great help to me.
Let's open in prayer.
Father, we come before you this morning,
and Lord, we confess that we need you.
We need your Spirit to work in our lives.
We ask that you would open our hearts and minds to your Word.
You would help us to see truth.
You would help our hearts to be receptive to that truth,
and that through it, your Spirit would change us and make us more like Jesus.
Father, we thank you that you have not left us to ourselves,
but that you've placed us in a body with our brothers and sisters in Christ,
and that we can gather together this morning under the teaching of your Word.
And we ask that you would direct this time,
that you would direct my words,
that you would do as you see fit this morning to your Bride,
to the body, to the church.
And that through it all, you would be exalted and lifted up,
that you would be glorified,
and that we would be changed.
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
This morning, we're going to be looking primarily at 1 Thessalonians 3,
verses 11 through 13.
And then, in some sense,
we're going to look at how 1 Thessalonians 4,
verses 9 through 12 connect to that.
And if you would follow along as I read those passages.
1 Thessalonians 3, verses 11 through 13.
Now may our God and Father himself,
and our Lord Jesus,
direct our way to you.
And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all,
as we do for you.
So that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness
before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all the saints.
1 Thessalonians 4, 9 through 12.
Now concerning brotherly love,
you have no need for anyone to write to you,
for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.
For that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia.
But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more,
and to aspire to live quietly,
and to mind your own affairs,
and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,
so that you may walk properly before outsiders
and be dependent on no one.
I don't know if it's just me,
but if you have been following along in the 1 Thessalonians study guide,
Pastor Andrew has pointed out a few times
the prayers of Paul.
And he's challenged us to consider
the content of Paul's prayers
in relation to how we normally pray.
And the Holy Spirit has really been addressing this issue
in my life from this study,
and I've been trying to continually keep this in my mind
over the last several weeks.
So when I began to study this passage
in 1 Thessalonians 3, 11 through 13,
the first thing that stood out to me
is that it is a prayer.
That we see God,
and we see Paul speaking to God
in asking for these things
on behalf of the Thessalonians.
And I don't know if you noticed,
let me read again this passage to you.
1 Thessalonians 3, 11 through 13.
And if you would,
be attentive to what Paul is praying.
He says,
Isn't that amazing?
The depth of spiritual prayer
in such a short passage.
And I don't know if you can immediately appreciate it.
Hopefully you've been considering it this week.
But as I have been meditating on it
over the last several weeks,
it continually surprises me
at the depth we see there
as Paul is praying for this church,
as he's asking for God
to cause their love to increase,
to abound,
as he's asking God
to establish their hearts
blameless in holiness.
And it causes me to stop
and consider myself.
The reality is,
you might be tempted to say,
well, he does pray here
that he'll get to visit them.
But even in that,
if you were to back up
just one verse
into 1 Thessalonians 3, 10,
we would see that he says,
we pray most earnestly night and day
that we may see you face to face
and supply what is lacking in your faith.
So even in his prayer to visit them,
Paul is asking to go
and be a part of their fellowship,
to share in strengthening them
in their faith.
And as you remember
from our study so far,
they're facing great persecution
during this time.
And Paul is saying,
Lord, let me enter into that persecution
with them
that we may walk
and labor together.
So even in that,
we see a depth to Paul's prayers.
And that leads me
to the first of seven diagnostic questions
that I have for you this morning.
The first is,
how are your prayers?
How are your prayers?
What are you praying for
on a daily basis?
For your physical needs,
your health,
your comfort,
your financial needs?
Maybe you're praying about these things
for others as well.
And it's not that those things are wrong.
Of course,
Scripture not only encourages us,
but commands us
to bring these things before God.
But the thing that struck me again
and again
as I have been thinking about this
is how often
that is the extent of my prayers.
How often
that is the extent of my prayers.
And the question goes on.
It says,
how often are you intentionally praying
for the spiritual growth
of those God has put in your life?
Your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Your co-workers.
Your friends.
Your parents.
Your spouse.
Your children.
And praying
the way we see Paul
pray here.
With that depth.
That wisdom.
Let me challenge you.
If you haven't picked up on it
in the study guide so far,
let me encourage you
to go back
and consider
your prayer life.
Consider
the prayer we find
in Scripture.
Begin to pray
the way David
prays in the Psalms.
Begin to pray
and align
with how Jesus
prays in the Gospels.
How we see Paul
praying in his letters.
Don't be satisfied
with a superficial
prayer life.
Don't be satisfied
with stopping
at just these
physical needs.
This first layer
of prayer.
But let me encourage you
and challenge you
to pray deeper.
To pray Scripture.
And that's the main point
of mini-sermon number one.
You can put that down
if you're following along
on your bulletin.
The main point.
Pray deeper.
Pray Scripture.
And so that's the first
thing that stands out.
The second thing
that I want us
to look at,
mini-sermon number two,
is how we see
in this prayer
that love
is not the end goal.
Okay?
The second section
that I want to look at
is on the issue
of holiness.
And I think
it's vitally important
for us,
before we get
to the topic of love,
which is our main topic,
for us to realize
even in Paul's prayer here
that we have
this sense
that he is wanting
not just
a bunch of loving,
nice people.
You know?
His prayer isn't
that the people
will just be pleasant
to be around.
He's not hoping
that, you know,
the church at Thessalonica
will be the Chick-fil-A
of their time.
You know?
Where you just go
and everybody's just nice.
But Paul is pressing
on further,
deeper,
and even in praying
for their love
to increase and abound.
His end goal
is in verse 13
that the Lord
would establish
their hearts
blameless
in holiness
before our God
and Father
at the coming
of the Lord Jesus
with all his saints.
And so I think
it's important
because
we live in a time
and a day
where churches
are often
letting holiness
slide
and pursuing
this sense
of love
that says,
you know what?
Everything's really okay.
We just,
we need to be tolerant.
We need to let people
just think what they want.
You know,
there's no need
to cause problems.
If it's okay for you,
then we just need
to let it go.
We need to show people
that we love them.
Okay?
Now the problem is,
and we've talked about
this many times
is just using
the word love
does not really,
really communicate
the biblical principle
of love, right?
In our culture,
we use the word love
indiscriminately.
And we've talked
about that a lot.
But one of the things
I noticed
as we look at this passage
is that you can
evaluate the authenticity
of your love
by determining
whether or not
it's moving you
and others
toward holiness
or intimacy
with Jesus.
Now think about that.
As often as we use
the word love
in regards
to your relationships
or the things
around you,
here's a test
that just stood out
to me
on how we can evaluate
is it really love?
Right?
So I'll just say it again.
Hopefully it's up here.
Oh good, it is.
The authenticity
of your love
can be determined
by whether or not
it is moving you
and others
towards holiness
or intimacy
with Jesus.
So even though
we see Paul praying
for love
it's not his end goal.
The pursuit
of holiness is.
Now,
there is a danger
in our pursuing holiness.
There is a danger
in our pursuing holiness.
And it's this.
By nature
we are inclined
to evaluate
our holiness
and other people's holiness
based on a set of rules.
You see,
we see that
very clearly
in the Pharisees
and Scripture,
but you can also
see it clearly
if you look
at every other religion.
We begin
to evaluate
our holiness
or other people's holiness
on how well
they keep
a set of rules.
Now,
that leads me
to diagnostic question
number two
this morning.
There's seven.
Did I say that?
Anyway,
diagnostic question
number two.
What rules
are you using
to judge holiness?
And here's some options
for you.
Maybe you're using
appearance rules.
Maybe you're looking
at people,
how they dress,
looking at their hair,
their tattoos,
their piercings.
You're asking yourself,
do they look holy?
Maybe you're looking
at some educational rules.
You're asking yourself,
how's their vocabulary?
What is their thinking like?
What are their manners?
What are the topics
that they discuss openly
and considering,
do they sound holy?
Or maybe,
maybe you're more spiritual
and you're using
some spiritual activity rules.
Are they at church enough?
Are they doing
their devotions enough?
Are they involved
in the right ministries?
Do they act holy?
Now,
please,
let me be clear.
I'm not saying,
I'm not saying
that the way we look,
the way we sound,
and the things we do
are unimportant.
That they don't matter.
I'm not saying that.
But,
what I am saying
is there's a danger here
because if we begin
to evaluate
our holiness
and other people's holiness
on a list of rules,
inevitably,
we will then begin
to pursue holiness
by following these rules.
Did you follow that?
It's important.
Let me say it again.
If we begin
to evaluate
our holiness
and other people's holiness
based on a set of rules,
we will inevitably
begin to pursue holiness
by keeping those rules.
And the problem is,
that's legalism.
And we know,
we know from looking
at scripture,
the Pharisees are not
a good example given.
We know legalism
is a bad thing,
but we have to be careful
in our pursuit
of holiness
to not get caught up
in rule keeping.
So,
if holiness is important
and we can't pursue it
by following rules,
what's the answer?
Well,
I think the prayer
that Paul gives us
right here.
We pursue holiness
through love.
And it's not just Paul.
Here's some other passages
to consider.
Matthew chapter 22,
verses 36 through 40.
It says,
Teacher,
which is the great commandment
in the law?
And Jesus said to him,
You shall love the Lord
your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
and with all your mind.
This is the great
and first commandment,
and the second is like it.
You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.
On these two commandments
depend all the law
and the prophets.
Or Romans 13,
8 through 10.
Paul says,
Oh, no one anything
except to love each other.
For the one who loves another
has fulfilled the law.
For the commandments,
you shall not commit adultery,
you shall not murder,
you shall not steal,
you shall not covet,
and any other commandment
are summed up in this word.
You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.
Love does no wrong
to a neighbor.
Therefore,
love is the fulfilling
of the law.
And then 1 Peter 4, 8.
Above all,
keep loving one another earnestly,
since love covers
a multitude of sins.
You see,
if we pursue love,
true love,
godly love,
Christ-centered love,
it inevitably will move us
towards holiness.
And it will help us avoid
the trap of legalism.
So, here's the main point
for mini-sermon number two.
If you're serious about holiness,
pursue love,
not law.
Pursue love,
not law.
Well,
that gets the introductory matter
out of the way.
Now,
we can turn our attention
to the main focus
this morning,
and that is
spiritual affection.
Spiritual affection.
Let me just read again
1 Thessalonians 3,
11 through 13.
And we're going to look
primarily at verse 12.
Okay,
so,
pay very close attention
in verse 12.
But it says,
Now may our God and Father
and our Lord Jesus
direct our way to you,
and may the Lord make you
increase and abound
in love for one another
and for all
as we do for you,
so that he may establish
your hearts blameless
in holiness
before our God and Father
at the coming
of the Lord Jesus
with his saints.
So,
spiritual affection.
The first thing
I want us to look at
in this
is the source
of love.
The source of love.
And we see that,
again,
in 1 Thessalonians 3,
12,
as Paul is praying,
May the Lord
make you
increase
and abound
in love
for one another
and for all.
The source of love.
You see,
Jesus is the source
of real love.
God-honoring love.
Life-changing love.
If you want to experience
this kind of love
in and through
your life,
it has to begin
with a relationship
with Jesus.
He's the source.
Now,
that brings us
to diagnostic question
number three.
How is your relationship
with Jesus?
How is your relationship
with Jesus?
Now,
let's be clear.
I'm not asking you,
are you attending church
or are you reading
your Bible
or are you praying enough?
The truth is,
you could be doing
all of those things
and not have
a relationship
with Jesus.
Honestly,
you could be doing
those things
your entire life
and not have
a relationship
with Jesus.
So,
how do we determine
if we have
a relationship
with Jesus?
Well,
here are some questions
that you can consider.
And interestingly enough,
it's not really
any different
than any other
relationship.
Okay?
Are you growing
in your understanding
of who Jesus is?
what he loves,
what he hates?
As you see him
more clearly,
is your affection
for him growing?
Do you desire
greater intimacy
with him?
Do you love
what he loves?
Do you hate
what he hates?
Do you see
his influence
in your life
affecting who you are,
how you think,
what you do?
Are you aware
of the things
that you think,
say,
or do
that hurt
your relationship
with him
or cause distance
with him?
Do you want
to spend time
with him?
When you neglect
your time with him,
do you see
a hunger
or a longing
that's growing
in your heart
to be with him
or more simply,
do you miss him?
You see,
these are the kind
of questions
that we need
to consider
in evaluating
our relationship
with Jesus.
Now,
maybe those
questions
cause you
to realize
you don't
have a relationship
with Jesus.
Or,
maybe it
causes you
to realize
that you're
pursuing activities
related to Jesus
but not pursuing
a relationship
with him.
The good news
is,
that can change
right now,
today.
You can make
a complete U-turn
from whatever
you've been doing
and begin
pursuing
an intimate
relationship
with Jesus.
If you're not
sure how to
start a relationship
with Jesus
or how to
renew your
relationship
with Jesus,
let me encourage
you,
don't leave
today without
talking to me
or one of the
leaders here
at Maranatha.
We would really
delight in
helping you
begin or
restore an
intimate
relationship
with Jesus.
But the
important thing
for our sermon
this morning
is,
this is the
source of love.
If you want
to experience
life-changing
love,
love that
not only
impacts you
but impacts
others,
it has to
begin in
your relationship
with Jesus
because he
is the
source.
The second
thing that I
want us to
consider from
this passage
is the
abundance
of love.
The abundance
of love.
And we see
that also
in chapter
3,
verse 12,
where he
says,
may the
Lord make
you increase
and abound
in love.
That word
abound is
the Greek
word,
I've been
practicing
this all
week and
I still
know I'm
going to
get it
wrong,
parasuyo.
If you're
a Greek
scholar,
pretend I
said it
right.
And sometimes
that word
is translated
overflow,
but here's a
picture of
overflow.
But here's
a picture,
okay.
And as
good as
this concept
is,
I really
like better
how strong
translates it
as super
abounding.
Super
abounding.
Super
abounding.
That's
old faithful.
Super
abounding
30 to
40 gallons
of water
per second.
And that's
the concept
here in
this word
that we
translate
abound.
And I've
told you
before,
I am a
little ADD
when I'm
studying.
And this
word really
caught my
attention and
I like went
off and
began to
study this
word and
where it's
used in
the New
Testament.
I made a
list of
17 passages
and it's
just so
interesting to
see how
this is
used,
whether it's
from numbers
of people
to the
glory of
Christ to
us having
thanksgiving
or experiencing
grace,
love,
our ministry,
hope,
generosity,
obedience,
even suffering
and comfort.
Paul talks
about us
super
abounding.
As a matter
of fact,
we even
see it
in the
passage
that we're
going to
look at
later,
1 Thessalonians
4.10,
where Paul
urges them
to continue
to do this
more and
more.
That's how
it's translated
in the ESV,
but that
first more
is the
same
Greek word.
So really
he's saying
that he's
encouraging
them to
do this
super
aboundingly
even more.
And so
as we
come to
that list
of passages,
the one
that I like
best,
just for the
feeling of
this idea
of how
our love
should abound
is found
in 2 Corinthians
9.8.
2 Corinthians
9.8.
And it says,
And God
is able to
make all
grace abound
to you,
so that having
all sufficiency
in all things
at all times,
you may abound
in every good
work.
Isn't that a
great verse?
And you can
stick super
abound in there,
it feels even
better.
And God
is able to
make all
grace super
abound to you,
so that having
all sufficiency
in all things
at all times,
you may
super abound
in every
good work.
So diagnostic
question number
four.
How is your
abundance of
love?
This is a
visual comparison,
you'll have to
look up here.
So are you
feeling kind
of empty?
Are you
feeling kind
of midway,
maybe mostly
full?
Or are you
feeling like
you're super
abounding?
Are you
overflowing
like old
faithful?
First thing
for you to
consider,
next thing
for you to
consider
in this
passage is
the expression
of our love,
the expression
of our love.
1 Thessalonians
3.12 again
we see,
he says,
may the Lord
make you
increase and
abound in
love for
one another
and for
all.
For one
another
and for
all.
You see,
there's two
dimensions to
this abounding,
super abounding
love in our
life.
One is an
internal expression
in our sharing
that love with
our brothers and
sisters in
Christ.
And we've
talked about
this extensively
in 1 John
and now even
into 1 Thessalonians.
But there is
also an
external expression
of this love
where he talks
about for
all.
You see,
this is a love
to those who
are not Christians.
This super
abounding love
isn't content
just to gather
us all together
so we can stand
inside the four
walls of the
church singing
Kumbaya.
It overflows
out into the
world,
into our
neighborhoods.
It gives us
a love,
a passionate
love for
those around
us.
And so,
in that,
we come to
diagnostic question
number five.
How is the
expression of
your love?
How is the
expression of
your love?
Internally.
Are you
loving your
brothers and
sisters here
at Maranatha?
Are you
willing to
give sacrificially
of your time,
money,
skills,
and other
resources to
help meet
their needs?
Are you
being faithful
in attending
Sunday school
worship and
small groups
as an expression
of your love
for the
brothers and
sisters here?
Are you
engaged in
some ministry
of the church
in order to
build each
other up?
Are you
praying faithfully
intentionally
and deeply
for the
people at
Maranatha?
Are you
nurturing unity
or causing
divisions?
Are there
any people
that you're
trying to
avoid?
Is there
anyone that
you're holding
on to an
offense or
frustration,
an anger,
resentment,
or some
bitterness
towards?
So stop
and just
consider that
for a minute.
How are you
doing in
your abundance
of love
internally
to the
body of
Christ?
Now consider
externally.
Externally,
are you
concerned about
those around
you who don't
know Jesus?
Are you
living with a
missionary mindset
right now?
Are you
willing to
give sacrificially
of your time,
money,
skills,
and other
resources to
help those
outside the
church?
Are you
praying for
specific people
and seeking
ways to
intentionally build
relationships
with them?
Are you
seeking to
connect more
intimately with
those at work
or in your
neighborhood?
Are you
working to
build teams
that will
care for
those who
don't know
Jesus?
Are there
any types
or kinds
of people
that you
dislike,
distrust,
or avoid?
Are there
any people
that you feel
like you have
hit your
limit on
forgiving,
loving,
and serving?
Again,
take a
minute.
Prayerfully
consider the
abundance of
your love,
both to your
brothers and
sisters in
Christ and
to the world,
to those
outside the
church.
How are you
doing?
Is your
love abounding?
Is it super
abounding?
The last thing
we're going to
look at from
this passage is
the multiplication
of love.
The multiplication
of love.
You see,
this isn't
just a love
that we
receive,
but it's a
love that
multiplies out.
And we see
first and
foremost that it
multiplies out
from God.
Remember,
the first point
is that Jesus
is the
source.
Here's some
verses that
talk about how
love multiplies
out from God.
John 3.16
John 15.9
where Jesus
says,
As the
Father has
loved me,
so have I
loved you.
Abide in
my love.
John 15.12
Jesus says,
This is my
commandment,
that you
love one
another as I
have loved
you.
Romans 5.8
But God
shows his
love for us
in that while
we were still
sinners,
Christ died
for us.
Ephesians 2.4
and 5
But God
being rich
in mercy
because of
the great
love with
which he
loved us,
even when
we were dead
in our
trespasses,
made us
alive together
with Christ.
By grace
you have
been saved.
1 John 3.1
See what
kind of
love the
Father has
given to
us,
that we
should be
called
children of
God,
and so
we are.
1 John 4.19
We love
because he
first loved
us.
Then into
1 Thessalonians
1.4
For we
know,
brothers,
loved by
God,
that he
has chosen
you.
In the
verse that
we're going
to look at
momentarily,
chapter 4,
verse 9,
Now concerning
brotherly love,
you have no
need for
anyone to
write to
you,
for you
yourselves
have been
taught by
God to
love one
another.
You see,
this super
abounding
love is a
multiplying
love that
starts with
God.
He has
poured it
out into
our lives.
We're the
recipients of
this super
abounding
love.
We've
received it.
We've
tasted it.
We've
experienced
it.
But it's
not just
for our
pleasure.
We see
Paul even
here continuing
to challenge
the Thessalonians
because it's
a love that
multiplies from
believers as
well.
Notice in
chapter 1
Thessalonians
3.12
He says,
May the
Lord make
you increase
and abound
in love
for one
another and
for all
as we
do for
you.
Now,
we've been
looking at
1 Thessalonians
so I'm
sure you
remember how
Paul has
described the
love that he
and his team
have showed the
people in
Thessalonica.
He's talked
about being
like a
nursing mother
taking care of
his own
children,
being affectionately
desirous of
them,
being willing to
share not only
the gospel but
their very lives
with them,
or talking about
his love for
them like a
father,
how he's worked
and toiled to
not be a burden
to them,
how he has
been faithful
to challenge
them,
to encourage
them,
to instruct
them.
And so we
see this kind
of love that's
been multiplied
out of Paul's
life into the
church at
Thessalonica.
But we see
here in chapter
4, verses 9
and 10,
he is calling
them not to
be content
in receiving
it, not even
to be content
with how they're
expressing it
presently, but
challenging them
to multiply it
more and more.
1 Thessalonians
4, 9
and 10
says,
Now concerning
brotherly love,
you have no
need for anyone
to write to you.
You yourselves
have been taught
by God to love
one another,
for that indeed
is what you're
doing to all
the brothers
throughout Macedonia.
But we urge
you brothers to
do this super
aboundingly
even more.
And then we
see as he
continues in
chapter 4,
verses 11
and 12,
he paints
this picture
of this
multiplying love
as it is
lived out
in their lives.
As he says,
And aspire
to live
quietly,
to mind
your own
affairs,
to work
with your
hands as
we instructed
you,
so that you
may walk
properly
before outsiders
and be
dependent
on no one.
You see,
he talks about
how this
multiplying love
should affect
how they're
living in
their community.
And, you
know, he
talks about
living quietly
and minding
your own
affairs.
Don't take
that as
isolationism.
His point
isn't, you
know, just
stay in your
house and
don't talk
to anybody,
you know,
cocoon.
That's what
we tend to
do.
But that's
not his
point here.
His point
here is that
you should be
seeking to
live in a way
that builds
peace and
harmony in
your community,
not be in a
busybody.
Don't be all
up in everybody's
business.
right?
And so,
live in a way
that's creating
in your
community
something
distinctive.
He talks
about working
with your
hands.
And it's
obvious,
if we were
to look at
2 Thessalonians,
that this is a
challenge because
the church at
Thessalonica is
so generous,
so gracious,
so giving,
that there's
some people
that start to
take advantage
of that.
And in 2
Thessalonians 3,
Paul says,
for even when
we were with
you,
we'd give you
this command,
if anyone's
not willing
to work,
let him not
eat.
For we hear
that there are
some among
you who are
walking in
idleness,
not busy at
work,
but busy
bodies.
Now such
persons we
command and
encourage in
the Lord Jesus
Christ to do
their work
quietly and
earn their
own living.
So,
Paul calls
them to live
out this
multiplying
love in
their community.
And that
brings us to
diagnostic question
number six.
are you
multiplying
love?
Are you
multiplying
love?
So consider
this.
Who are you
intentionally
showing the
love of Jesus
to in your
daily life?
Who are you
actively seeking
to multiply
love into,
both Christians
and non-Christians?
are you
living in a
way that
promotes peace
and unity
in the church
and promotes
harmony and
reconciliation
outside of
the church?
Are you
doing all
you can
to work
and take
care of
yourself,
your family,
and provide
for those
in need?
Are you
living in a
way that
even non-Christians
would see
as having
an integrity
of character
so that
this love
that we've
received from
God can
multiply out
into the
lives of
others?
So here's
the main
point for
the main
sermon.
Super
abound
in love.
Super
abound
in love.
Super
abound
in love.
But there's
one more
diagnostic
question.
I told you
there was
seven.
So in
closing,
consider this.
What are
your barriers
to super
abounding
love?
What are
your barriers
to super
abounding
love?
Fear?
Pride?
Pain?
Greed?
Laziness?
Self-centeredness?
Prejudice?
Busyness?
Bitterness?
Anger?
Apathy?
Lack of
faith?
Lack of
hope?
Lack of
confidence?
Stubbornness?
Maybe
there's
something
more.
I can
tell you
that just
studying this
passage
has really
challenged
me.
I, you
know, I
was kind
of like
at a
full glass
kind of
guy when
I was
looking at
the love
in my
life.
And as
I dug
into this
passage,
God just
in his
grace,
his painful
grace,
has continued
to show me
again and
again how
unloving
I really
am.
So as
we close
today, I
would just
encourage
you, be
praying deeper.
Be seeking
to pursue
love and
asking that
we would
all, myself
included,
super
abound in
love.
If you
would,
pray.
Thank you.