Saturday, February 18, 2012

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.
    

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