"True Love"... the sermon

This last weekend was my first wedding that I was the pastor for. If that's not super cool, the fact that it was my brother's wedding made it SOOOO COOL for me! My brother Drew was married this last Saturday to his lovely bride Sarah. I had mentioned to some of you that I'd post my sermon here on my blog. It is short, simple, and to the point. As you'll see, I really wanted to make sure that I didn't waste my platform that I had. Some of my extended family was at this wedding that needed to hear the Gospel. I pray that God would have spoken to them through me this last Saturday May 15, 2010. Let me know what you think!

"Experiencing and Exhibiting 'True Love'" (1Cor 13:1-7; Gal 5:22-25)

Love is an interesting thing. It has become to our world a word that is thrown around in almost every circumstance. “Oh, I love those shoes!” or “I’m in love with this pizza right now.” People even have the idea and notion that love is something that is made, that is given away, that is taken, that even has it’s own language. “oh… that’s not my love language, I’m a ‘words of affirmation’ person…” Love is apparently the answer to everything. Why do you think the world has so many different views about what love is? Does the world really know what love is?
It really does not, because by definition, being “of the world” is contrary to being “of Christ”

1Cor 13:1-7 says
"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.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

Now, I’m a simple brain. I love it when something is spelled out very clearly and without any margin of potential error. It is very clear in this passage that if I don’t have love, I am what? NOTHING! I don’t want to be nothing! If God’s word refers to something as being “nothing,” um.. it’s not a good thing. I don’t want to be in that category. Unfortunately most of the world is in that category because of not knowing the true source of the Love that is being spoken of in this passage.
True love is only found in Jesus Christ! You cannot truly love someone without being in Christ. Why do I say that? Because of the description of love in this passage:

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

Let me draw a connection here to Galatians 5 where God’s word tells us to Walk by the Spirit. Walking by the Spirit exhibits the fruits of the spirit which are, Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. The only way anyone can walk by the Spirit is by embracing Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior because it is Christ IN US that allows us the ability to love. Why? Because Christ is the truest example of love.
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”
John 13:34-35 says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another, By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
How can someone truly love if they have not experienced what true love REALLY is!!!? Jesus Christ is True Love. Jesus Christ Only is the source of Love in anyone’s life. Everything else is vanity.
Drew and Sarah know this well. They know this personally. They have recognized their sin and a need for a savior found ONLY in Jesus Christ. It is because of this that their marriage can succeed in the truest form of love: being a reflection of Christ’s sacrificial love for them.
Family and friends, Do YOU know this? Have YOU recognized and accepted the fact that only Christ can save you from your sin and allow you the privilege to love like he has loved us?
See in comparing Galatians 5 and 1 Cor 13, we see that the fruits of the Spirit are exemplified in Love! Love IS patient. Love is Kind! Through Christ, Drew, you are able to love Sarah by walking in the spirit. Through Christ Sarah, you are able to truly love Drew by walking in the spirit!
There is one application point for you Drew and Sarah. I can’t stand here today and tell you, “because of years of experience this is how your marriage can be successful…” and then list a bunch of gobbly goop that makes everyone feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I haven’t even been married for a year yet! But what I can tell you is what the Bible, the trusted and holy Word of God, says as the best pointer to your marriage.
Drew, walk by the Spirit so that you can truly love Sarah, Being patient, being kind, being humble, being faithful, being able to forgive because Christ has forgiven you, being able to endure because Christ will NEVER leave you. Drew, pursue the Heart of God, get into His word daily and grow your relationship with Christ so that you will be able to adequately reflect Him as true love in your relationship with Sarah.
Sarah, walk by the Spirit, so that you can truly love Drew, Being patient, being kind, being humble, being faithful, being able to forgive because Christ has forgiven you, being able to endure because Christ will NEVER leave you. Sarah, pursue the Heart of God, get into His word daily and grow your relationship with Christ so that you will be able to adequately reflect Him as true love in your relationship with Drew.
In this, God is glorified in your marriage and you WILL succeed.