The Power of God's Love
Listen to the sermon:
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1
| Great: | Quality |
| Quantity | |
| Power |
For Christ didn't send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.
The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. 1 Cor 1:17-18 (NLT)
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. 1 John 3:16 (NIV)
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:8-10 (NIV)
The Cross of Christ = The Cross of Love
The Power of Love
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, 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. 1 Cor 13:4-8b (NIV)
| POSITIVE | NEGATIVE |
|---|---|
| Patient: Able to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious. Long suffering. | Impatient: Having or showing a tendency to be quickly irritated or provoked. Short tempered. |
| Kind: Love reacts with goodness towards those who are ill-treated; it gives itself in kindness in the service of others. Shows oneself useful. | Unkind: Inconsiderate and harsh to others. Selfish. |
| Not envies: Content. Delights in the success of others. | Envies: Feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another's advantages, success, possessions, etc. |
| Not boastful or proud: Not a wind-bag. Love is concerned to give itself, not to assert itself. | Boastful and proud: Self importance. |
| Not rude: Respectful, well mannered, graceful, considerate. | Rude: Offensively impolite or bad-mannered. Anything disgraceful, dishonourable, indecent. |
| Not self-seeking: Does not seek its own things. Is not selfish. | Self-seeking: It's all about me. |
| Not easily angered: It's not touchy. | Easily angered: Selfish concern for my own rights. |
| Keeps no records of wrong: Love does not take notice of every evil thing that people do and hold it against them. It takes no account of evil and does not harbour a sense of injury. | Keeps records: Keeping of accounts, noting something down and reckoning it to someone. Unforgiveness. |
| Does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth: Love shares truth's joy. It must see truth being victorious. | Takes pleasure in the misfortunes of others. Rejoices in unrighteousness. |
| Always protects; trusts; hopes; perseveres. Focus is on the other. | Self preservation. Will not always see the best in others. |
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Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.