The joys we can have as we know the Lord.
And we try to do little things and to be involved in His church.
!
Late on Thursday when he said that's it and all, he finally admitted that he shouldn't do this.
He listened to Jen and I think Charles had been talking to him.
I know I had been talking to him.
And finally the doctor told him, no, you shouldn't be working this weekend.
You shouldn't do that.
And Charles told me, well, I'm so sick.
He said, I can't go and speak on Sunday morning.
And I guess that left me.
So I don't know whether I was the last choice, but I'm the only one you've got this morning.
So here we go.
I woke up in the middle of the night a couple nights ago.
And it couldn't have been more than that because I haven't known more than that that I had to do this.
But with a song just in my head.
And it was the middle of the night.
And I didn't have a pen and paper.
And I went back to sleep.
And I woke up in the morning.
I knew that I'd had a song during the night.
But I still can't remember what it was.
Okay.
But it gave me the idea that what I should do this morning.
In my reading lately in the Bible, I've been in 1 Corinthians.
And if any of you know 1 Corinthians, if we get to the 13th chapter,
it's something just after I came to know the Lord that a friend pointed out to me.
They called it the love chapter.
Okay.
And when we read it, as I will here in a second,
I think you'll agree with that analogy.
And now I will show you the most excellent way.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love,
I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love,
I am nothing.
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,
but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient.
Love is kind.
It does not envy.
It does not boast.
It is not proud.
It is not rude.
It is not self-seeking.
It is not easily angered.
It keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil,
but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects,
always trusts,
always hopes,
always perseveres.
Love never fails.
But where there are prophecies,
they will cease.
Where there are tongues,
they will be stilled.
Where there is knowledge,
it will pass away.
For we know it,
for we know in part,
and we prophesy in part.
But when perfection comes,
the imperfect disappears.
When I was a child,
I talked like a child.
I thought like a child.
I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man,
I put childish ways behind me.
Now we see,
but a poor reflection,
as in a mirror.
Then we shall see,
face to face.
Now I know in part.
Then I shall know fully,
even as I am fully known.
And now,
these three remain.
Faith,
hope,
and love.
But the greatest of these,
is love.
When I read that,
and I have many times,
it reminds me so much,
of responsibilities that I should have.
In a loving way.
To be able to share in a loving way,
and to treat people,
properly.
The Bible,
the whole book,
to me,
is a love book.
It is filled,
with love.
God's love.
For us.
Okay.
I could ask you a question,
and I don't know whether I,
want an answer,
but think about this.
How are you going to get into heaven?
Is it because you love Jesus?
Is that how you're going to get into heaven?
Or is it because Jesus already loved you?
And I think it's got to be both.
Okay.
We can't just,
we can't do it alone.
Okay.
There's no way we can get into heaven,
without Jesus,
without God leading the way.
And God sharing,
his love.
I was happy,
the last song that Cindy played this morning.
Okay.
How deep the Father's love,
for us.
How vast,
beyond all measure.
Okay.
Love.
Never fails.
God's love.
The verses I just read,
already stated that for us.
Okay.
Love is there.
Always.
God's love never,
ever,
goes away.
But we have to remember,
as we read his word,
as we sit in a pew,
as we go about,
our day-to-day lives.
Is that we,
have a responsibility,
to share God's life,
with everybody that we know.
Okay.
I mean,
think of yourselves.
Okay.
if somebody,
hadn't shared,
God with you,
where would you be today?
Okay.
It is God reaching out to us,
with his love,
that allows us,
to love others.
It,
it actually,
tells us,
it's a responsibility,
we have,
to share.
Okay.
There goes my length.
I knew it was going to happen.
I've never worn,
one of these before.
Now I've got to remember,
how to put it back on.
I'll try this.
Where did I get it?
Is that still working?
Yes.
Okay.
Not that that would,
distract me,
but now I'll have to find,
where I wanted to go.
I have,
such a long list,
of things that I did here.
There's my notes,
for this morning.
Okay.
I,
almost thought,
that I was unprepared,
to come and speak,
this morning.
But you know,
I love,
Jesus.
I love the Lord.
He loves me.
And to be,
have the opportunity,
to talk about that love.
How can you be unprepared?
If it's here,
it's already there.
I just have to,
get it out.
I think of many things.
I asked,
I asked Colleen,
to refresh my mind,
about a story,
she told me,
years ago.
And,
a couple people in here,
will probably remember,
the name,
Jane Goodman.
Did anybody know Jane?
Okay.
Jane was from Girvin.
Her husband,
Ernie,
ran a little garage there,
farm,
did some things.
A character.
So was Jane.
But Jane loved the Lord,
and she loved teaching Sunday school.
Okay.
The little kids,
she'd bring them in,
and why not.
And there was a favorite song,
she had.
It was,
Jesus Loves Me.
And I'm sure,
we all know that song.
We've all heard it,
many times.
Okay.
Well,
the kids in the class,
year after year,
listened to Jane.
Jesus Loves Me.
And they sang the song,
and Jane always led them.
Jesus Loves Me.
This I know.
Okay.
And the kids all got to know the song.
What was the name of the song?
Jesus Loves Jane.
Because that's the way she sang,
she said,
she poured it,
Jesus Loves Me.
So,
the kids,
actually,
would say,
Jesus Loves Jane.
Okay.
So when you sing a song like,
Jesus Loves,
put your own name in it.
Jesus Loves Brian.
This I know.
Jesus Loves Memphis.
Jesus Loves Judy.
Put it in your hearts.
Know
the love of God.
It's there.
It's there for us.
That's
how deep the Father's love for us.
Okay.
He sent his son.
His son died.
Okay.
For us.
God's love was there.
He died.
To save a wretch.
Like me.
Or like you.
Okay.
To give us
eternal life.
Wow.
I wanted to.
Four different verses
came to mind
as I was
thinking about
talking about love.
One is in Matthew.
Matthew 22
verse 39.
I just have to find
39.
Okay.
It's just before that.
Okay.
I'm going to start at 37.
It says
love the Lord your God
with all your heart
with all your soul
and with all your mind.
This is the first
and greatest commandment.
And the second
is like it.
Love your neighbor
as yourself.
So it reminds us
that what
what are we to do?
Love.
We got to love the Lord.
The first four commandments
deal with love.
The love of God.
Loving our parents.
Respecting them.
Love.
Okay.
The two greatest commandments.
The first one
love the Lord your God.
And the second one
just like it.
Love your neighbor
as yourself.
It just
tells me
that love
is that important.
The next one
I don't have to look up.
Okay.
I've got it marked here.
It's from the book of John.
It's in chapter 3.
Anybody figured it out yet?
And how about
verse 16 and 17?
I like to throw 17
into it as well.
But John 3.16
starts out
verse 16.
For God so loved the world
that he gave his
one and only son
that whoever believes in him
shall not perish
but have eternal life.
For God did not send
his son into the world
to condemn the world
but to save the world
through his son.
He loved us
that much
that he would
send his
only son.
I have an only son.
Some of you do too.
But even if it's not
your only son
if you have a son
can you imagine
intentionally
sending your son
to die
for somebody else?
I can imagine it
but boy
it
it almost
horrifies me
to think of that
to
to let
to send myself
and have
me
die for somebody
that would be alright
but not my son.
The love God
must have for us
that he would allow
that to happen.
Okay
this is going to run away
on me again.
The
how about Romans
chapter 5
verse 8
but God
demonstrates
his own love
for us
in this
while we were
still sinners
Christ died
for us.
Christ died
for me
just over
2,000 years
ago
long before
I was ever
here
but he knew
that I was
coming
and he knew
that I needed
saving.
I didn't know
until
I was going to say
a couple years ago
but when I
start thinking
it's
more than a couple
it's almost
half my life
ago
when I realized
how much
he loved me
and what he
wanted me
to do.
And the last
verse I'm going
to go to
is in
Mark.
It is
one of my
favorite verses
in the Bible
I have
used it
for years
when Colleen
and I
were in
camp ministry
we spoke
all over
western Canada
really
at different
churches
and what not
but this
is a verse
that I used
an awful
lot
then
and it
is
Mark
chapter 10
starting
at
verse
13
and it
says
people were
bringing
little
children
to Jesus
to have
him touch
them
but the
disciples
rebuked
them
when Jesus
saw this
he was
indignant
he said
to them
let the
little
children
come to
me
and do
not
hinder
them
for
the
kingdom
of God
belongs
to such
as these
I tell
you the
truth
anyone
who will
not
receive
the
kingdom
of God
like a
little
child
will
never
enter
it
now
this
next
little
verse
touches
my
heart
all
the
time
it's
and he
says
and he
took
the
children
in his
arms
and put
his hands
on them
and blessed
them
he took
the children
in his
arms
he gave
them a
hug
okay
can you
imagine
that
I can
almost
feel
it
okay
Jesus
giving me
a hug
okay
a hug
is one
of the
greatest
expressions
of love
that I
know
okay
it can
reach really
right to
my soul
okay
I give
you a hug
when I
meet you
and I
greet you
and it's
because
I love
you
not
I try
to love
you as
much as
Christ
but that'll
never
work
I'll never
get
that good
at it
but
it's the
way
God
wants it
he wants
us to
know
that yes
we have
to love
him
but
the only
way we
can do
that
is because
he first
loved us
and he
loved us
so much
he gave
his son
for us
Jesus
loves
me
can you
put your
own name
in it
Jesus
loves
less
and
Gary
and
Simon
put our
own
names
on it
okay
let's
take
hold
of the
love
that
God
wants us
to have
and then
let's
remember
to share
that love
okay
be a
glowing
example
okay
they say
you don't
light a
light and
put it
under a
bowl
be the
light
shine
brightly
let
everybody
know
okay
how are
you today
I'm better
than I
deserve
how come
because
Jesus
loves me
okay
he died
for me
but
it's his
love
for me
that makes
it all
possible
remember
I'm going
to give
you homework
I want
you guys
to think
this week
about the
love that
God really
has for
you
okay
and do
you reciprocate
that love
all the
time
I don't
I try
to
but
let's
remember
look at
there are
so many
stories
the Bible
like it
says
is full
of it
you can
go back
to Moses
I think
God sort
of showed
his love
for the
Israelites
as he
led them
out of
Egypt
and protected
the Red
Sea
everything
that happened
God's
love
for us
to save
us
let's
remember
that love
as we go
through this
week
okay
thank you