Sermon text and notes for 2-19-12

THE GREATEST IS LOVE

          Text: 1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

          The Greek word for charity is Agape. Charity and love are both Agape.

          There are different Greek words that were translated into love. They are;

           agapaō = Of persons.  To welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly

          Agape = Affection, good will, love, benevolence, brotherly love

 Love feasts

          Aphileō = ato love

a) to approve of

b) to like

c) sanction

d) to treat affectionately or kindly, to welcome, befriend

2) to show signs of love

a) to kiss

3) to be fond of doing

          Athelō = to will, have in mind, intend

a) to be resolved or determined, to purpose

b) to desire, to wish

c) to love

1) to like to do a thing, be fond of doing

d) to take delight in, have pleasure

          Philadelphia = Love of brothers or sisters, brotherly love

 In the NT the love which Christians cherish for each other as brethren

          Philargyria = love of money, avarice

          Philandros = loving her husband

          Philanthrōpia = love of mankind, benevolence

          Philoteknos = loving one's offspring or children

          Philadelphos = loving brother or sister

2) in a broader sense, loving one like a brother, loving one's fellow countrymen

a) of an Israelite

b) of a Christian loving Christians

            1 Corinthians 13:1 If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² 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 do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 

          Let's look at Agape love

          ⁴ Love is patient,

           love is kind.

           It does not envy,

           it does not boast,

           it is not proud.

           ⁵ It does not dishonor others,

          it is not self-seeking,

          it is not easily angered,

          it keeps no record of wrongs.

          ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but

          rejoices with the truth.

           ⁷ It always protects,

          always trusts,

          always hopes,

          always perseveres.

           ⁸ 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. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ 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 the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a 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.

 ¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

          John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

          Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

          Ephesians 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.

          1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.

          1 Thessalonians 4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

         

     1 John 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

     1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

     To love one another as Christ loved the church is a big order.

     You may ask if this is possible. This is possible if you have Jesus in your life.

    

Sermon text and notes for 2-12-12

 

 

 

PRAYER WITHOUT CEASING

 

 

          Text: James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

 

          To be fervent is to;

 

          1. To be operative, be at work, put forth power

          2. To work for one, aid one

          3. To effect

          4. To display one's activity, show one's self operative

 

          A fault is;

 

          1. To fall beside or near something

          2. A lapse or deviation from truth and uprightness

          3. A sin, misdeed

 

          A prayer is;

 

           1. A seeking, asking, entreating, entreaty to God or to man

 

         

          Congregational prayer.  Acts 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

 

          Private prayer. Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

 

          Intercessory prayer.  James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another.

 

 

          Perseverance. Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

  

          Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

           ²Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:

           ³And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.

           ⁴And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;

          ⁵Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

           ⁶And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

          ⁷And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

           ⁸I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.

 

 

 

Sermon text and notes for 2-5-12

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

 

 

          Text: Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

 

 

 

          Definition of power;

 

          1. Ability or capacity to do something.

 

          2. A specific ability.

 

 

          3. A person who exercises control, influence, or authority.

 

 

 

          1 Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

 

          1 Corinthians 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

 

          Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 

There is power in the scriptures.

 

          Psalm 29:4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

 

          God spoke the heavens and the earth into existence.

 

          Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

 

 

 

     Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
 

     Mark 2:10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
 

     Mark 3:15 And to have power to heal sicknesses.

 To cast out devils.

 

Power is given to the disciples

 

     Mark 6:7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits.
 

 

Power is given to the church

 

     Mark 9:1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
 

 

Our power is in harmony with scriptures

 

 

     Mark 12:24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?
 

 

 

 

 

The return of Jesus will be with Power

 

     Mark 13:26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
 

     Mark 14:62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

 

Power is authority. It goes with responsibility

 

 

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