0:00:01.424,0:00:03.451 Brother Geoff spoke to us last night 0:00:03.451,0:00:07.351 about the privileges of the Christian. 0:00:07.351,0:00:09.879 And he mentioned to us that privileges 0:00:09.879,0:00:12.627 come with responsibilities. 0:00:12.627,0:00:14.717 And so I'll be speaking more 0:00:14.717,0:00:17.452 on the responsibilities that we have 0:00:17.452,0:00:19.142 in the Christian life. 0:00:19.142,0:00:21.079 If you'll open your Bibles 0:00:21.079,0:00:24.430 to the first letter to [br]the church at Corinth 0:00:24.430,0:00:26.517 in chapter 13. 0:00:26.517,0:00:32.142 I want to begin by stating [br]a concern that I see. 0:00:32.142,0:00:34.752 It's a concern that's [br]repeated in Scripture 0:00:34.752,0:00:36.998 in numerous places. 0:00:36.998,0:00:39.254 And it's a concern that's prevalent 0:00:39.254,0:00:42.078 in the church today. 0:00:42.078,0:00:44.802 The concern pointedly is this: 0:00:44.802,0:00:47.456 How do we handle our differences 0:00:47.456,0:00:50.304 in our local churches? 0:00:50.304,0:00:52.066 I have a concern that 0:00:52.066,0:00:54.938 we all too often view ourselves 0:00:54.938,0:00:57.528 much more spiritually mature 0:00:57.528,0:01:00.107 than we really are. 0:01:00.107,0:01:02.962 And the evidence of our immaturity 0:01:02.962,0:01:06.476 is revealed in our lack of love 0:01:06.476,0:01:08.937 towards one another, 0:01:08.937,0:01:12.798 demonstrated in how we [br]respond to one another 0:01:12.798,0:01:15.081 and handle our differences 0:01:15.081,0:01:18.355 in our local churches. 0:01:18.355,0:01:21.422 I'm concerned this is especially true 0:01:21.422,0:01:25.661 for us in the reformed church 0:01:25.661,0:01:29.659 in the area of doctrinal differences 0:01:29.659,0:01:32.364 and in the area of how we live out 0:01:32.364,0:01:36.398 our convictions in our lives. 0:01:36.398,0:01:39.975 Reformed churches and reformed Christians 0:01:39.975,0:01:42.331 are known for their focus 0:01:42.331,0:01:46.135 and their emphasis on doctrine and truth. 0:01:46.135,0:01:48.672 And praise God for that. 0:01:48.672,0:01:50.579 That is commendable. 0:01:50.579,0:01:52.430 Let me say from the start, 0:01:52.430,0:01:55.482 every Christian and every true church 0:01:55.482,0:01:57.903 should be known and marked 0:01:57.903,0:01:59.847 for their careful attention 0:01:59.847,0:02:01.905 to right doctrine. 0:02:01.905,0:02:03.624 I mean, after all, 0:02:03.624,0:02:05.647 the Scriptures tell us that the church 0:02:05.647,0:02:10.390 is a pillar and buttress of truth. 0:02:10.390,0:02:14.230 Most of you who are here 0:02:14.230,0:02:17.223 in the churches represented here 0:02:17.223,0:02:19.170 are in those because you love 0:02:19.170,0:02:21.748 doctrine and truth. 0:02:21.748,0:02:23.064 You're in those churches 0:02:23.064,0:02:25.659 because the pastors of those churches 0:02:25.659,0:02:29.477 unashamedly proclaim truth, 0:02:29.477,0:02:33.713 uphold truth, and defend truth, 0:02:33.713,0:02:36.996 and the whole counsel of God. 0:02:36.996,0:02:40.356 Beloved, we should thank [br]God for those pastors. 0:02:40.356,0:02:42.271 We should thank God for those churches, 0:02:42.271,0:02:43.769 for those Christians 0:02:43.769,0:02:45.234 who long for truth, 0:02:45.234,0:02:49.654 proclaim truth, and defend truth. 0:02:49.654,0:02:53.047 Over the years, I've gotten [br]to know many of you here. 0:02:53.047,0:02:54.460 I know that you're a people 0:02:54.460,0:02:57.781 who individually study doctrine. 0:02:57.781,0:03:00.072 Your desire is to glorify God 0:03:00.072,0:03:03.169 and you want to take [br]the truths of Scripture 0:03:03.169,0:03:05.709 and apply them in all areas of life 0:03:05.709,0:03:08.414 and be ever conformed 0:03:08.414,0:03:12.733 to the Word of God for the glory of God. 0:03:12.733,0:03:15.559 But we must be careful. 0:03:15.559,0:03:17.318 At the same time that we are 0:03:17.318,0:03:19.428 in our pursuit of truth, 0:03:19.428,0:03:21.206 and the application of truth - 0:03:21.206,0:03:24.114 individually and corporately - 0:03:24.114,0:03:26.092 as local churches, 0:03:26.092,0:03:29.033 that we don't fail to heed 0:03:29.033,0:03:33.070 a very important call in Scripture. 0:03:33.070,0:03:41.226 And that is to maintain the [br]unity of the Spirit in Christ. 0:03:41.226,0:03:43.799 This unity of the Spirit 0:03:43.799,0:03:49.019 that we have in Christ is wonderful. 0:03:49.019,0:03:51.397 It's what we love to experience 0:03:51.397,0:03:53.728 when we gather together 0:03:53.728,0:03:56.565 in fellowships like this. 0:03:56.565,0:03:59.612 It's that unity of Spirit [br]that we've all had 0:03:59.612,0:04:02.203 where maybe we are on[br]a plane trip somewhere 0:04:02.203,0:04:03.750 and we sit down next to someone, 0:04:03.750,0:04:06.975 and we begin a conversation, 0:04:06.975,0:04:10.064 and we feel a bond to them. 0:04:10.064,0:04:11.729 We feel a oneness with them, 0:04:11.729,0:04:13.770 and as we go further in the conversation, 0:04:13.770,0:04:15.011 we begin to realize, 0:04:15.011,0:04:17.190 this is a brother or sister in the faith. 0:04:17.190,0:04:19.609 And we may not even know their name, 0:04:19.609,0:04:21.563 but we love them and [br]we're drawn to them. 0:04:21.563,0:04:23.460 We even want to be with them. 0:04:23.460,0:04:29.269 This is that oneness of spirit [br]that we have in Christ. 0:04:29.271,0:04:31.433 Know this, church, 0:04:31.433,0:04:33.388 the church of Jesus Christ 0:04:33.388,0:04:39.703 is united together supernaturally. 0:04:39.703,0:04:44.029 We are not called in [br]Scripture to create unity. 0:04:44.029,0:04:46.087 Do you know that? 0:04:46.087,0:04:47.708 We are called in Scripture 0:04:47.708,0:04:52.026 to maintain and preserve the unity 0:04:52.026,0:04:58.021 that God Himself has created in us. 0:04:58.021,0:05:02.022 Maintaining our unity in [br]Christ is vitally important 0:05:02.022,0:05:05.433 because the church's unity 0:05:05.433,0:05:09.551 is a living witness to the lost world 0:05:09.551,0:05:12.343 about the saving and uniting power 0:05:12.343,0:05:15.995 of Jesus Christ. 0:05:15.995,0:05:18.634 Jesus Christ, through the gospel, 0:05:18.634,0:05:22.371 brings together a diverse people - 0:05:22.371,0:05:24.430 a people from every nation, tribe, 0:05:24.430,0:05:26.930 tongue, and language. 0:05:26.930,0:05:32.464 and makes them one in Jesus Christ. 0:05:32.464,0:05:36.292 In Christ, we are one body. 0:05:36.292,0:05:38.429 We are one spirit. 0:05:38.429,0:05:40.691 We have one hope.[br]We have one Lord. 0:05:40.691,0:05:42.342 We have one common faith. 0:05:42.342,0:05:44.960 We have one common object of our faith 0:05:44.960,0:05:46.742 and affection of our hearts 0:05:46.742,0:05:51.005 and that is Jesus Christ. 0:05:51.005,0:05:52.841 In our churches; 0:05:52.841,0:05:56.092 in our families of faith 0:05:56.092,0:05:59.893 our unity though is tested. 0:05:59.893,0:06:03.966 It's tested in the midst of our diversity. 0:06:03.966,0:06:05.265 When I speak of diversity, 0:06:05.265,0:06:06.575 I'm not just speaking about 0:06:06.575,0:06:08.968 cultural diversity here. 0:06:08.968,0:06:12.644 Although, there is cultural diversity. 0:06:12.644,0:06:14.300 The diversity I'm speaking about 0:06:14.300,0:06:15.817 is the diversity, maybe, 0:06:15.817,0:06:18.650 in maturity in Christ. 0:06:18.650,0:06:22.160 Or, our growth in the understanding 0:06:22.160,0:06:24.692 of truth and doctrine. 0:06:24.692,0:06:27.323 Or, the diversity in our convictions 0:06:27.323,0:06:30.666 and how we apply the Scriptures 0:06:30.666,0:06:33.460 to our lives. 0:06:33.460,0:06:36.830 How we live out those understandings. 0:06:36.830,0:06:39.240 So what do we do? 0:06:39.240,0:06:41.582 Do we just set doctrine aside? 0:06:41.582,0:06:43.658 Find the lowest common denominator? 0:06:43.658,0:06:46.972 And just rally around that? 0:06:46.972,0:06:48.778 Of course not. 0:06:48.778,0:06:50.657 Of course that's not what we do. 0:06:50.657,0:06:52.804 We do see that happening in some places; 0:06:52.804,0:06:54.295 some of the professing churches 0:06:54.295,0:06:56.005 who set aside doctrine 0:06:56.005,0:06:57.518 for the sake of unity, 0:06:57.518,0:07:01.807 which is a fake unity. 0:07:01.807,0:07:04.296 But no, we don't set aside doctrine. 0:07:04.296,0:07:07.106 Again, the church is the [br]pillar and buttress of truth. 0:07:07.106,0:07:10.034 We must all be consistently growing, 0:07:10.034,0:07:12.590 understanding, defending, 0:07:12.590,0:07:14.832 and proclaiming truth. 0:07:14.832,0:07:16.849 We must be conforming to truth 0:07:16.849,0:07:22.009 personally in our lives. 0:07:22.009,0:07:24.985 We must maintain that unity [br]that we have in Christ 0:07:24.985,0:07:26.542 and the witness that we have 0:07:26.542,0:07:28.991 to a lost and dying world. 0:07:28.991,0:07:31.032 So let me summarize it in one question 0:07:31.032,0:07:32.150 and put it before you, 0:07:32.150,0:07:35.125 and then try to answer it for us. 0:07:35.125,0:07:39.236 How do we as local churches here 0:07:39.236,0:07:41.915 with such diversity 0:07:41.915,0:07:46.311 maintain our unity in Jesus Christ 0:07:46.311,0:07:50.306 while we vigilantly [br]pursue and defend truth. 0:07:50.306,0:07:52.898 That's the question I want [br]to put before us today. 0:07:52.898,0:07:56.025 And I think Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, 0:07:56.025,0:07:58.698 he gives us the answer. 0:07:58.698,0:08:02.244 Let's read 1 Corinthians 13. 0:08:02.244,0:08:03.932 Please follow along as we read 0:08:03.932,0:08:07.527 God's holy and inerrant Word. 0:08:07.527,0:08:10.365 "If I speak in the tongues of men 0:08:10.365,0:08:14.253 and of angels but have not love, 0:08:14.253,0:08:17.657 I'm a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 0:08:17.657,0:08:19.317 If I have prophetic powers 0:08:19.317,0:08:22.276 and understand all [br]mysteries and all knowledge, 0:08:22.276,0:08:24.220 and if I have all faith 0:08:24.220,0:08:26.853 so as to remove mountains, 0:08:26.853,0:08:30.598 but have not love, I am nothing. 0:08:30.598,0:08:32.347 If I give away all I have 0:08:32.347,0:08:35.335 and if I deliver up my body to be burned, 0:08:35.335,0:08:36.991 but have not love, 0:08:36.991,0:08:39.804 I gain nothing. 0:08:39.804,0:08:43.030 Love is patient and kind. 0:08:43.030,0:08:45.320 Love does not envy or boast. 0:08:45.320,0:08:47.607 It is not arrogant or rude. 0:08:47.607,0:08:50.014 It does not insist on its own way. 0:08:50.014,0:08:52.772 It is not irritable or resentful. 0:08:52.772,0:08:54.869 It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, 0:08:54.869,0:08:57.483 but rejoices with the truth. 0:08:57.483,0:08:59.645 Love bears all things; 0:08:59.645,0:09:01.858 believes all things;[br]hopes all thing; 0:09:01.858,0:09:04.655 endures all things. 0:09:04.655,0:09:06.765 Love never fails. 0:09:06.765,0:09:09.302 As for prophecies, they will pass away. 0:09:09.302,0:09:11.721 As for tongues, they will cease. 0:09:11.721,0:09:14.629 As for knowledge, it will pass away. 0:09:14.629,0:09:17.653 For we know in part [br]and we prophesy in part, 0:09:17.653,0:09:19.745 but when the perfect comes, 0:09:19.745,0:09:21.916 the partial will pass away. 0:09:21.916,0:09:22.993 When I was a child, 0:09:22.993,0:09:24.503 I spoke like a child; 0:09:24.503,0:09:25.697 I thought like a child; 0:09:25.697,0:09:27.604 I reasoned like a child. 0:09:27.604,0:09:29.572 When I became a man, 0:09:29.572,0:09:31.822 I gave up childish ways. 0:09:31.822,0:09:34.835 For now we see dimly in a mirror, 0:09:34.835,0:09:36.914 but then face to face. 0:09:36.914,0:09:38.872 Now I know in part, 0:09:38.872,0:09:40.515 then I shall know fully 0:09:40.515,0:09:43.856 even as I have been fully known. 0:09:43.856,0:09:47.027 So now, faith, hope, and love abide 0:09:47.027,0:09:49.023 these three, 0:09:49.023,0:09:56.239 but the greatest of these is love." 0:09:56.239,0:09:59.321 I'll be focusing on verses 1-7, 0:09:59.321,0:10:01.454 and I won't even be able to cover them all 0:10:01.454,0:10:03.733 in this short period of time. 0:10:03.733,0:10:05.906 In verses 1 - 3, 0:10:05.906,0:10:07.783 I hope to convince us all 0:10:07.783,0:10:10.408 of the essential need for love 0:10:10.408,0:10:12.050 in our local churches 0:10:12.050,0:10:14.496 in the midst of our differences. 0:10:14.496,0:10:16.232 In verses 4 - 7, 0:10:16.232,0:10:18.496 we will look at the picture 0:10:18.496,0:10:20.714 that Paul paints for us, 0:10:20.714,0:10:23.014 which is nothing less than a portrait 0:10:23.014,0:10:26.662 of Jesus Christ Himself. 0:10:26.662,0:10:28.254 And I believe that we will all 0:10:28.254,0:10:29.993 look at this portrait of love; 0:10:29.993,0:10:33.152 this portrait of Jesus Christ, 0:10:33.152,0:10:34.789 and I think we're all going to see 0:10:34.789,0:10:38.163 that we are falling short. 0:10:38.163,0:10:39.802 What we will all see is 0:10:39.802,0:10:42.256 that the genuineness and the depth 0:10:42.256,0:10:45.566 of our love towards one another 0:10:45.566,0:10:48.097 may be found lacking. 0:10:48.097,0:10:49.871 And I think we're going to discover 0:10:49.871,0:10:52.731 that we're not quite as mature 0:10:52.731,0:10:54.833 as we think we are. 0:10:54.833,0:10:56.135 As Paul said, 0:10:56.135,0:10:58.421 when he was a child, [br]he thought like a child. 0:10:58.421,0:11:00.748 He reasoned like a child. 0:11:00.748,0:11:04.429 He's talking about the maturing process. 0:11:04.429,0:11:06.185 Beloved, I think many of us think 0:11:06.185,0:11:08.599 that we're men or women, 0:11:08.599,0:11:11.772 but by how we handle our differences 0:11:11.772,0:11:14.129 in our local churches, 0:11:14.129,0:11:22.296 we're proving to still be children. 0:11:22.296,0:11:25.149 Well, it's no secret that the answer 0:11:25.149,0:11:27.976 to how do we maintain our unity 0:11:27.976,0:11:30.623 in Jesus Christ in the [br]midst of our diversity 0:11:30.623,0:11:35.499 in our local churches is love. 0:11:35.499,0:11:37.267 Before we walk through these verses, 0:11:37.267,0:11:38.461 I don't know about you, 0:11:38.461,0:11:40.859 but I find it very interesting 0:11:40.859,0:11:45.015 that the greatest treatise on love 0:11:45.015,0:11:48.209 in the entire Bible 0:11:48.209,0:11:50.939 is not written to a man and a woman 0:11:50.939,0:11:53.363 standing at an altar with rings in hand 0:11:53.363,0:11:56.614 about to exchange vows. 0:11:56.614,0:11:59.021 But it's written pointedly 0:11:59.021,0:12:02.127 to a local church. 0:12:02.127,0:12:04.040 A local church - and we've all read 0:12:04.040,0:12:06.504 the book of Corinthians who no doubt 0:12:06.504,0:12:09.762 is in the face of diversity; 0:12:09.762,0:12:11.767 has some differences. 0:12:11.767,0:12:15.852 And the unity that they have [br]supernaturally in Christ, 0:12:15.852,0:12:18.720 right now is at stake 0:12:18.720,0:12:20.484 in this local church. 0:12:20.484,0:12:22.317 And I will tell you, that's true 0:12:22.317,0:12:26.291 for all of us sitting here right now. 0:12:26.291,0:12:28.955 The context again is that this is written 0:12:28.955,0:12:31.940 to a local church 0:12:31.940,0:12:34.780 who had experienced wonderful fellowship 0:12:34.780,0:12:36.993 in their union of Christ. 0:12:36.993,0:12:39.452 And now that fellowship, 0:12:39.452,0:12:42.051 that unity in Christ, 0:12:42.051,0:12:44.307 is in danger. 0:12:44.307,0:12:46.245 Look at verse 1. 0:12:46.245,0:12:48.540 "If I speak in the tongues [br]of men and of angels, 0:12:48.540,0:12:49.747 but have not love, 0:12:49.747,0:12:52.729 I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." 0:12:52.729,0:12:54.518 We know from chapter 12 that there 0:12:54.518,0:12:57.130 is a division sprouting up [br]in the church of Corinth 0:12:57.130,0:12:58.857 over spiritual gifts. 0:12:58.857,0:13:01.224 They're priding themselves 0:13:01.224,0:13:03.790 in what gifts they have. 0:13:03.790,0:13:05.321 It seems people are creating 0:13:05.321,0:13:07.724 what you might call subcultures 0:13:07.724,0:13:09.770 within the church. 0:13:09.770,0:13:11.574 Based on what? 0:13:11.574,0:13:15.067 Based on what spiritual gifts they have. 0:13:15.067,0:13:17.530 They're creating spiritual hierarchies 0:13:17.530,0:13:19.858 within their local church it seems. 0:13:19.858,0:13:22.955 Different classes of Christianity. 0:13:22.955,0:13:25.673 Treating some people with [br]preferential treatment 0:13:25.673,0:13:28.398 or elevated treatment over other people 0:13:28.398,0:13:32.974 based on which gifts they have. 0:13:32.974,0:13:34.818 Well, Paul will have none of that. 0:13:34.818,0:13:36.157 In fact, in chapter 12, 0:13:36.157,0:13:37.703 we know that he spent time 0:13:37.703,0:13:39.370 straightening that out. 0:13:39.370,0:13:40.654 He helped them all see 0:13:40.654,0:13:43.014 that the body of Christ is one body 0:13:43.014,0:13:45.141 with many different parts. 0:13:45.141,0:13:46.856 But the gifts within the church 0:13:46.856,0:13:48.363 are distributed by God, 0:13:48.363,0:13:49.946 and we're not to boast in those, 0:13:49.946,0:13:52.049 and they're to be [br]used for the edification 0:13:52.049,0:13:55.351 and the building up of [br]the church as a whole. 0:13:55.351,0:13:56.950 But here in chapter 13, 0:13:56.950,0:13:59.502 Paul says something different. 0:13:59.502,0:14:02.260 Paul says essentially 0:14:02.260,0:14:04.552 you're finding your identity 0:14:04.552,0:14:07.097 in believing that you are something; 0:14:07.097,0:14:09.671 believing that you have something to offer 0:14:09.671,0:14:13.594 based on what gifts God has given to you. 0:14:13.594,0:14:16.564 "If I speak in the tongues [br]of men and of angels, 0:14:16.564,0:14:18.180 but have not love, 0:14:18.180,0:14:22.015 I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." 0:14:22.015,0:14:25.296 What is it that Paul's doing here? 0:14:25.296,0:14:26.885 Well, please know this, beloved. 0:14:26.885,0:14:31.376 Paul is not minimizing the importance 0:14:31.376,0:14:34.780 of spiritual gifts in the local church. 0:14:34.780,0:14:36.959 He just spent an entire chapter 0:14:36.959,0:14:39.250 letting them know spiritual gifts 0:14:39.250,0:14:41.420 are important and vital 0:14:41.420,0:14:43.739 to the local church. 0:14:43.739,0:14:45.957 Well, if he's not minimizing [br]the importance 0:14:45.957,0:14:47.246 of spiritual gifts, 0:14:47.246,0:14:50.892 what is it that Paul is doing here then? 0:14:50.892,0:14:57.303 He's maximizing the necessity of love. 0:14:57.303,0:15:01.413 Paul is not minimizing [br]the importance of gifts, 0:15:01.413,0:15:04.823 but maximizing the necessity of love. 0:15:04.823,0:15:06.387 He's essentially saying this, 0:15:06.387,0:15:07.509 if you have gifts - 0:15:07.509,0:15:09.561 even the ones you're all boasting about - 0:15:09.561,0:15:10.985 the gift of tongues maybe, 0:15:10.985,0:15:13.759 but it's not rooted in love; 0:15:13.759,0:15:17.016 it's not used and governed by love, 0:15:17.016,0:15:21.764 then your gifts do not help the church. 0:15:21.764,0:15:24.308 They distract from the church. 0:15:24.308,0:15:27.553 They hurt the church. 0:15:27.553,0:15:29.410 Verse 2. 0:15:29.410,0:15:31.105 "And if I have prophetic powers 0:15:31.105,0:15:33.829 and understand all mysteries [br]and all knowledge, 0:15:33.829,0:15:35.127 and if I have all faith 0:15:35.127,0:15:36.689 so as to remove mountains, 0:15:36.689,0:15:38.082 but have not love, 0:15:38.082,0:15:41.290 I am nothing." 0:15:41.290,0:15:45.691 And I think is where we'll focus our time. 0:15:45.691,0:15:47.604 This is where we in the reformed church 0:15:47.604,0:15:50.372 with our emphasis on doctrine 0:15:50.372,0:15:53.844 seem to struggle a lot. 0:15:53.844,0:15:56.895 Praise God again that we study doctrine, 0:15:56.895,0:15:58.148 and we seek to live it out 0:15:58.148,0:15:59.816 and apply it in all of our lives. 0:15:59.816,0:16:01.494 That's something we must be doing. 0:16:01.494,0:16:04.762 But for many in the reformed church, 0:16:04.762,0:16:07.144 understanding doctrine 0:16:07.144,0:16:09.663 has become everything to them. 0:16:09.663,0:16:11.401 At any time I begin to discuss 0:16:11.401,0:16:13.459 this type of subject, 0:16:13.459,0:16:15.824 like Paul's discussing here in v. 2, 0:16:15.824,0:16:19.286 it's not long before I hear from someone, 0:16:19.286,0:16:21.477 "Jesse, you're minimizing doctrine, 0:16:21.477,0:16:23.473 and doctrine is from God's Word, 0:16:23.473,0:16:26.410 and we can't minimize doctrine." 0:16:26.410,0:16:28.745 So let me say loudly and clearly, 0:16:28.745,0:16:32.616 and I will repeat myself [br]throughout the entire sermon, 0:16:32.616,0:16:36.306 I'm not minimizing doctrine. 0:16:36.306,0:16:37.428 I agree with you. 0:16:37.428,0:16:40.145 All of doctrine is of vital importance 0:16:40.145,0:16:42.931 because it comes from the Word of God. 0:16:42.931,0:16:47.211 I'm not minimizing doctrine. 0:16:47.211,0:16:51.969 I'm not suggesting that [br]we set doctrine aside. 0:16:51.969,0:16:53.681 As a pastor, I'll tell you this. 0:16:53.681,0:16:57.329 I've given myself to doctrine. 0:16:57.329,0:16:59.253 To the study of doctrine. 0:16:59.253,0:17:01.593 To the teaching and preaching of doctrine. 0:17:01.593,0:17:03.903 To the defending of doctrine. 0:17:03.903,0:17:07.095 Week after week, year after year. 0:17:07.095,0:17:12.006 I'm not minimizing doctrine. 0:17:12.006,0:17:17.709 But I'm maximizing the need for love. 0:17:17.709,0:17:21.901 The need for love in our doctrine. 0:17:21.901,0:17:27.147 The need for love in our [br]doctrinal differences. 0:17:27.147,0:17:29.137 Look what Paul is saying here. 0:17:29.137,0:17:31.934 "If I have prophetic powers 0:17:31.934,0:17:37.295 and understand all mysteries [br]and all knowledge..." 0:17:37.295,0:17:39.952 All mysteries. 0:17:39.952,0:17:41.890 One of my favorite portions of Scripture 0:17:41.890,0:17:43.102 is in Luke 24 0:17:43.102,0:17:44.719 after the resurrection of Christ 0:17:44.719,0:17:47.898 on the road with the disciples. 0:17:47.898,0:17:50.149 He's speaking to the disciples. 0:17:50.149,0:17:54.335 And Jesus unlocks all mysteries for them. 0:17:54.335,0:17:55.837 He helps them to see 0:17:55.837,0:17:58.333 how He is the fulfillment, 0:17:58.333,0:18:01.299 and how all of Scripture [br]finds its fulfillment 0:18:01.299,0:18:03.689 in Jesus Christ. 0:18:03.689,0:18:06.527 Jesus who understands all mysteries. 0:18:06.527,0:18:08.887 What a value that would be to the church! 0:18:08.887,0:18:11.261 To have an individual [br]or people in our church 0:18:11.261,0:18:14.104 who understood all [br]the mysteries in Scripture 0:18:14.104,0:18:19.883 and how they find their [br]fulfillment in Jesus Christ. 0:18:19.883,0:18:22.656 What about the one who has all knowledge? 0:18:22.656,0:18:25.453 Deep doctrine. 0:18:25.453,0:18:27.117 This may be the person who has 0:18:27.117,0:18:28.527 all the covenant issues 0:18:28.527,0:18:32.817 sorted out perfectly. 0:18:32.817,0:18:36.153 They have all their eschatology down. 0:18:36.153,0:18:40.740 Paul says here they have all knowledge. 0:18:40.740,0:18:42.235 He's giving them credit. 0:18:42.235,0:18:43.913 You understand all mysteries. 0:18:43.913,0:18:54.109 You have all the knowledge. 0:18:54.109,0:18:57.171 But if you have not love, 0:18:57.171,0:19:02.688 you are nothing. 0:19:02.688,0:19:04.073 Again, I think this is where 0:19:04.073,0:19:06.080 the rubber meets the road for us. 0:19:06.080,0:19:10.141 maybe these churches represented here. 0:19:10.141,0:19:11.868 There are some of us who believe 0:19:11.868,0:19:14.707 we have all the mysteries and knowledge 0:19:14.707,0:19:15.696 figured out. 0:19:15.696,0:19:17.132 And I think if we're honest, 0:19:17.132,0:19:19.049 we need to confess 0:19:19.049,0:19:22.079 we don't have it all figured out. 0:19:22.079,0:19:24.674 We're all still growing. 0:19:24.674,0:19:26.882 These men who have walked in the faith 0:19:26.882,0:19:29.595 40, 50, 60 years faithfully, 0:19:29.595,0:19:31.552 you could bring them up here one by one 0:19:31.552,0:19:32.898 and they would acknowledge, 0:19:32.898,0:19:34.497 listen, I'm still growing. 0:19:34.497,0:19:36.250 The Word of God is still sharpening 0:19:36.250,0:19:38.874 and shaping my [br]understanding of who God is. 0:19:38.874,0:19:41.439 The mysteries are still [br]being unlocked to me. 0:19:41.439,0:19:44.050 The knowledge and the [br]deeper things of the Lord 0:19:44.050,0:19:45.574 are still being revealed to me. 0:19:45.574,0:19:47.749 And praise God, we never stop growing. 0:19:47.749,0:19:49.194 But what Paul says here is, 0:19:49.194,0:19:53.220 what if you did [br]understand all the mysteries 0:19:53.220,0:19:56.882 and have all the knowledge? 0:19:56.882,0:20:05.535 Even then, without love you're nothing. 0:20:05.535,0:20:07.667 In verse 3, Paul goes on to say this: 0:20:07.667,0:20:08.931 "If I give away all I have 0:20:08.931,0:20:10.822 and deliver up my body to be burned 0:20:10.822,0:20:14.557 and have not love, I gain nothing." 0:20:14.557,0:20:16.396 Again, I've talked to so many of you. 0:20:16.396,0:20:20.146 You're living self-sacrificing lives 0:20:20.146,0:20:21.925 so you can be more faithful to Scripture 0:20:21.925,0:20:23.675 and give more. 0:20:23.675,0:20:25.507 I mean, aren't you the kind of people 0:20:25.507,0:20:27.212 you want to see in our church? 0:20:27.212,0:20:30.000 The ones who are gifted by God? 0:20:30.000,0:20:32.093 The ones who have and [br]are studying doctrine 0:20:32.093,0:20:34.001 and have knowledge and understanding? 0:20:34.001,0:20:35.784 The ones who are living sacrificially 0:20:35.784,0:20:37.507 for the glory of the Kingdom of God? 0:20:37.507,0:20:39.866 Aren't these the people [br]we want in our church? 0:20:39.866,0:20:41.418 And the answer is yes. 0:20:41.418,0:20:43.545 And don't they bring value? 0:20:43.545,0:20:45.742 Don't they help edify and [br]build up the church? 0:20:45.742,0:20:49.241 And the answer is maybe. 0:20:49.241,0:20:53.662 But maybe not. 0:20:53.662,0:20:55.741 Do you see the progression that happened 0:20:55.741,0:21:01.090 in these first three verses? 0:21:01.090,0:21:06.997 Without love, we accomplish nothing. 0:21:06.997,0:21:10.717 Without love, we are nothing. 0:21:10.717,0:21:17.719 And without love, we gain nothing. 0:21:17.719,0:21:22.340 What's the conclusion [br]that we must come to? 0:21:22.340,0:21:25.774 In measuring our Christian maturity, 0:21:25.774,0:21:30.149 if we have everything without love, 0:21:30.149,0:21:32.777 we have nothing. 0:21:32.777,0:21:33.923 We have nothing. 0:21:33.923,0:21:37.596 Love is essential. 0:21:37.596,0:21:40.386 Oh, how important the use of gifts are 0:21:40.386,0:21:42.757 in the local church. 0:21:42.757,0:21:45.588 Oh, how important doctrine is 0:21:45.588,0:21:47.332 in the local church. 0:21:47.332,0:21:50.017 Oh, how important sacrificial living 0:21:50.017,0:21:53.777 is in the local church. 0:21:53.777,0:21:57.237 But apart from love, beloved, 0:21:57.237,0:22:00.339 it's nothing. 0:22:00.339,0:22:02.600 Right away, some of you [br]may begin to struggle 0:22:02.600,0:22:03.998 as we talk about doctrine 0:22:03.998,0:22:07.042 and begin to ask a question like, 0:22:07.042,0:22:08.914 "So, are you saying that we should 0:22:08.914,0:22:13.218 let go of doctrine and pursue love?" 0:22:13.218,0:22:16.167 And I want you to know this: No. 0:22:16.167,0:22:21.323 It's not truth or love. 0:22:21.323,0:22:25.550 It's truth in love. 0:22:25.550,0:22:27.675 So often, we have that pendulum swing 0:22:27.675,0:22:29.550 in our life, don't we? 0:22:29.550,0:22:31.585 Where, okay, I'm pursuing truth. 0:22:31.585,0:22:33.111 I'm given to truth.[br]I'm studying. 0:22:33.111,0:22:35.997 I'm reading systematic theology.[br]I'm going through all these things. 0:22:35.997,0:22:37.980 I'm growing in truth;[br]growing in truth. 0:22:37.980,0:22:40.324 And we begin to neglect [br]other areas of our life, 0:22:40.324,0:22:42.309 and you realize, wait a minute, 0:22:42.309,0:22:43.786 I'm lacking in love. 0:22:43.786,0:22:45.271 So what do we often do? 0:22:45.271,0:22:47.983 We overcompensate and we set truth down, 0:22:47.983,0:22:49.572 and we walk over here 0:22:49.572,0:22:51.631 and begin to pursue love. 0:22:51.631,0:22:54.017 Saints, it's not truth or love. 0:22:54.017,0:22:55.357 It's truth in love. 0:22:55.357,0:22:58.550 It's not 50% of truth and 50% of love. 0:22:58.550,0:23:02.367 It's 100% of truth and 100% of love 0:23:02.367,0:23:05.875 working together. 0:23:05.875,0:23:10.999 It's not either/or; it's both/and. 0:23:10.999,0:23:13.084 Well, it's at this point that some of you 0:23:13.084,0:23:16.426 may say, okay, I'm pursuing truth, 0:23:16.426,0:23:18.678 and I believe that I'm loving. 0:23:18.678,0:23:20.528 But you may believe that you're loving 0:23:20.528,0:23:22.660 because all too often, we find - 0:23:22.660,0:23:25.030 especially in reformed circles - 0:23:25.030,0:23:26.827 statements like this: 0:23:26.827,0:23:29.352 Of course, I'm loving. [br]I told them the truth. 0:23:29.352,0:23:34.039 That's the most loving thing you can do. 0:23:34.039,0:23:37.697 Well, it is loving to share [br]truth with people. 0:23:37.697,0:23:39.207 But Paul now in verse 4 0:23:39.207,0:23:40.615 is going to help you see 0:23:40.615,0:23:43.733 what does love look like 0:23:43.733,0:23:46.331 actually lived out. 0:23:46.331,0:23:48.002 He's going to help us see that 0:23:48.002,0:23:50.487 love is not just sharing the right, 0:23:50.487,0:23:51.941 correct doctrine, 0:23:51.941,0:23:55.878 but the spirit in which [br]you share that doctrine 0:23:55.878,0:23:58.782 is vital. 0:23:58.782,0:24:01.128 Here's what Paul's going to show us. 0:24:01.128,0:24:06.951 The genuineness and depth of our love 0:24:06.951,0:24:13.391 is not seen in just sharing truth 0:24:13.391,0:24:15.595 or how we respond to people 0:24:15.595,0:24:19.306 who agree with our doctrinal positions, 0:24:19.306,0:24:23.723 but the genuineness and depth of our love 0:24:23.723,0:24:26.658 is revealed in how you respond 0:24:26.658,0:24:28.997 to people who disagree 0:24:28.997,0:24:41.080 with your doctrinal positions. 0:24:41.080,0:24:43.820 What I keep seeing in reformed circles 0:24:43.820,0:24:47.444 is people pursuing truth. 0:24:47.444,0:24:50.183 And typically as I begin this discussion, 0:24:50.183,0:24:51.997 I'll see them pursuing truth 0:24:51.997,0:24:55.387 as it pertains to doctrines [br]that we would call 0:24:55.387,0:24:58.680 non-salvific. 0:24:58.680,0:25:01.101 Meaning, we're not usually struggling 0:25:01.101,0:25:04.524 in the areas of whether Jesus is God 0:25:04.524,0:25:07.048 or we're saved by grace [br]through faith alone. 0:25:07.048,0:25:09.181 We're dealing in doctrinal areas 0:25:09.181,0:25:11.179 that although very important 0:25:11.179,0:25:14.423 and vital because they're [br]from the Word of God, 0:25:14.423,0:25:17.094 that we know that some through the ages 0:25:17.094,0:25:18.689 have disagreed upon 0:25:18.689,0:25:21.060 and come to different conclusions upon. 0:25:21.060,0:25:23.032 And that's kind of where I want to focus 0:25:23.032,0:25:28.651 my effort and energy today if i could. 0:25:28.651,0:25:31.419 Someone begins to study [br]a doctrinal position. 0:25:31.419,0:25:33.221 Maybe they were unaware of it. 0:25:33.221,0:25:35.756 It wasn't even on their radar before. 0:25:35.756,0:25:37.552 They become passionate about truth, 0:25:37.552,0:25:40.826 as we all should be [br]passionate about truth. 0:25:40.826,0:25:42.681 Well, they begin to talk with others 0:25:42.681,0:25:44.488 in their local church about this truth 0:25:44.488,0:25:46.181 because they're excited about it. 0:25:46.181,0:25:47.792 They see how God can be glorified 0:25:47.792,0:25:50.266 in it and through it. 0:25:50.266,0:25:51.847 And this is good. 0:25:51.847,0:25:53.775 But then they find someone in the church 0:25:53.775,0:25:55.413 or different people in the church 0:25:55.413,0:25:58.740 who disagree with them. 0:25:58.740,0:26:00.828 And it's at this point that I begin to see 0:26:00.828,0:26:03.061 that unity that we have in Jesus Christ - 0:26:03.061,0:26:05.870 that supernatural bond that we have - 0:26:05.870,0:26:09.581 this is where I begin to see a disunity. 0:26:09.581,0:26:12.002 Not a working to preserve [br]and maintain that, 0:26:12.002,0:26:14.358 but a division beginning to occur. 0:26:14.358,0:26:16.319 And I see the divisions occurring really 0:26:16.319,0:26:18.063 in two different ways. 0:26:18.063,0:26:19.876 One of the divisions that may occur 0:26:19.876,0:26:21.187 is they say, 0:26:21.187,0:26:24.007 "Well, if you're not going to side with me 0:26:24.007,0:26:25.682 in my beliefs, I'll just go find 0:26:25.682,0:26:27.152 another group of Christians; 0:26:27.152,0:26:32.079 another church who more [br]believes in these areas 0:26:32.079,0:26:33.798 the way I believe, 0:26:33.798,0:26:36.260 and I'll go be with them." 0:26:36.260,0:26:38.166 But another division I'm actually seeing 0:26:38.166,0:26:39.706 more likely happening, 0:26:39.706,0:26:41.162 and probably more prominent 0:26:41.162,0:26:43.716 in our churches represented here 0:26:43.716,0:26:47.093 is a division that stays [br]in the local church. 0:26:47.093,0:26:49.605 And what this division looks like is this: 0:26:49.605,0:26:51.577 When I find someone who doesn't agree 0:26:51.577,0:26:53.404 with my new study of doctrine 0:26:53.404,0:26:55.195 or my new arrival of understanding, 0:26:55.195,0:26:56.646 or I find someone who doesn't 0:26:56.646,0:26:58.466 live out their convictions 0:26:58.466,0:27:00.865 the same way that I do, 0:27:00.865,0:27:03.858 there's division within the church. 0:27:03.858,0:27:05.363 And that happens by treating 0:27:05.363,0:27:09.935 other Christians in the church [br]who disagree with me 0:27:09.935,0:27:14.359 as second-class Christians. 0:27:14.359,0:27:16.918 "You're not as spiritual as I am." 0:27:16.918,0:27:20.647 "You clearly don't love holiness [br]and God as much as I do." 0:27:20.647,0:27:22.413 "There's something wrong with you, 0:27:22.413,0:27:24.401 or you would come to the same conclusions 0:27:24.401,0:27:25.483 I have come to." 0:27:25.483,0:27:27.220 You would live out your convictions 0:27:27.220,0:27:32.212 the same way I live out my convictions." 0:27:32.212,0:27:33.595 This person that we once had 0:27:33.595,0:27:35.617 such intimate fellowship with; 0:27:35.617,0:27:37.875 that we shared the joy and union 0:27:37.875,0:27:40.667 of fellowship and union [br]in Christ together - 0:27:40.667,0:27:42.860 my brother and sister in the Lord - 0:27:42.860,0:27:46.644 someone who, like me, [br]has been blood-bought, 0:27:46.644,0:27:49.315 now, I realize has come to [br]a different conclusion 0:27:49.315,0:27:51.539 in an area of doctrine, 0:27:51.539,0:27:52.878 and I don't even treat them 0:27:52.878,0:27:59.824 like a brother or sister anymore. 0:27:59.824,0:28:01.402 I want everyone in here to know, 0:28:01.402,0:28:04.316 especially myself is this: 0:28:04.316,0:28:06.673 that's not loving. 0:28:06.673,0:28:09.028 That works directly against our call 0:28:09.028,0:28:12.941 to maintain the unity that [br]we have in Jesus Christ. 0:28:12.941,0:28:17.493 I see this played out [br]in churches all the time. 0:28:17.493,0:28:19.782 Maybe you come to a conviction 0:28:19.782,0:28:23.438 about how you should [br]educate your children. 0:28:23.438,0:28:26.825 Something that never was [br]even on the radar. 0:28:26.825,0:28:30.999 And then your eye diffused that [br]quickening ray in the dungeon. 0:28:30.999,0:28:33.823 And the light came in [br]and Christ became real. 0:28:33.823,0:28:35.369 And then everything in your life 0:28:35.369,0:28:37.606 began to look through [br]the lens of the gospel 0:28:37.606,0:28:39.367 and the Scriptures as we should do. 0:28:39.367,0:28:42.544 And you've come to convictions[br]you've never even thought about. 0:28:42.544,0:28:44.143 How should I educate my children? 0:28:44.143,0:28:45.784 And you arrive at a conclusion. 0:28:45.784,0:28:48.043 I think the best way [br]for me to live this out 0:28:48.043,0:28:52.879 might be for me to homeschool my children. 0:28:52.879,0:28:56.151 And then you become [br]convinced that's the only way 0:28:56.151,0:28:57.914 that you can educate your children 0:28:57.914,0:29:00.592 if you're seeking to glorify God. 0:29:00.592,0:29:03.595 And you begin to look at other people 0:29:03.595,0:29:06.052 who don't follow the conviction 0:29:06.052,0:29:07.681 that you follow there. 0:29:07.681,0:29:11.483 And you begin to categorize [br]them in your mind. 0:29:11.483,0:29:13.165 They don't love Jesus like I do. 0:29:13.165,0:29:15.185 They're not willing to make the sacrifices 0:29:15.185,0:29:17.017 that I'm willing to make. 0:29:17.017,0:29:19.267 Do you see the spiritual pride? 0:29:19.267,0:29:22.090 Do you see the classes of Christianity 0:29:22.090,0:29:23.432 beginning to divide? 0:29:23.432,0:29:25.127 Do you see that the basis 0:29:25.127,0:29:26.723 of our fellowship, 0:29:26.723,0:29:29.057 which was once the sweet union 0:29:29.057,0:29:31.062 of Jesus Christ and the gospel, 0:29:31.062,0:29:32.987 now becomes the basis of: 0:29:32.987,0:29:36.198 well, how do you educate your children? 0:29:36.198,0:29:37.863 What happens when we do that? 0:29:37.863,0:29:40.089 Inevitably, whether we mean to or not, 0:29:40.089,0:29:43.775 we begin to minimize [br]the gospel of Jesus Christ. 0:29:43.775,0:29:45.926 We begin to minimize the power 0:29:45.926,0:29:48.222 of the purchasing blood of Jesus Christ. 0:29:48.222,0:29:49.815 We begin to find fellowship 0:29:49.815,0:29:52.360 in something other than Jesus Christ. 0:29:52.360,0:29:55.591 We begin to find our unity 0:29:55.591,0:30:00.239 in something other than Jesus Christ. 0:30:00.239,0:30:05.095 Saints, it's dividing our churches up. 0:30:05.095,0:30:06.979 That does not work to maintain 0:30:06.979,0:30:14.385 the unity that we have in Jesus Christ. 0:30:14.385,0:30:16.655 How you respond to that person 0:30:16.655,0:30:19.336 who disagrees with [br]your doctrinal position; 0:30:19.336,0:30:21.204 how you respond to that person 0:30:21.204,0:30:23.305 who comes to a different conclusion 0:30:23.305,0:30:25.788 on how you should educate your children 0:30:25.788,0:30:31.199 or what premarital [br]relationships should look like - 0:30:31.199,0:30:33.561 how you respond to that person 0:30:33.561,0:30:36.011 is the evidence and depth of your love 0:30:36.011,0:30:38.042 in the local church. 0:30:38.042,0:30:40.430 You see, if we just keep [br]surrounding ourselves, 0:30:40.430,0:30:41.718 within the church, 0:30:41.718,0:30:43.455 with little subcultures - 0:30:43.455,0:30:45.714 we're the homeschooling group; 0:30:45.714,0:30:47.644 we're the courtship group; 0:30:47.644,0:30:49.667 we're the amillenial group; 0:30:49.667,0:30:51.584 we're this group;[br]we're that group; 0:30:51.584,0:30:53.373 and anyone who doesn't agree with you 0:30:53.373,0:30:55.227 in those areas, although you do have 0:30:55.227,0:30:56.773 union with them in Christ, 0:30:56.773,0:30:59.237 that's not good enough [br]for fellowship anymore. 0:30:59.237,0:31:01.165 I won't let my kids be around anyone 0:31:01.165,0:31:02.460 who doesn't homeschool. 0:31:02.460,0:31:04.719 What are you teaching your children? 0:31:04.719,0:31:06.413 That homeschool is more important 0:31:06.413,0:31:09.099 than union in Jesus Christ. 0:31:09.099,0:31:11.459 I think some of us are [br]going to wake up one day 0:31:11.459,0:31:13.790 and realize we put all [br]of our hope and faith 0:31:13.790,0:31:16.055 in educating our [br]children in our home. 0:31:16.055,0:31:19.778 Homeschooling doesn't save anybody! 0:31:19.778,0:31:25.156 It's Jesus Christ that saves. 0:31:25.156,0:31:36.173 And I homeschool my kids. 0:31:36.173,0:31:38.977 Listen, I'm not implying 0:31:38.977,0:31:40.811 that the love you have 0:31:40.811,0:31:44.072 with the group of people you [br]have surrounded yourself with 0:31:44.072,0:31:46.536 that hold to those same convictions - 0:31:46.536,0:31:49.119 I'm not saying it's not love. 0:31:49.119,0:31:51.168 It is love. I think it's love. 0:31:51.168,0:31:53.450 What I want us to look at is this: 0:31:53.450,0:31:55.796 But what is the depth of my love? 0:31:55.796,0:31:57.513 And Paul seems to think 0:31:57.513,0:31:59.835 the depth of your love is revealed 0:31:59.835,0:32:02.523 not with those you've [br]gathered around yourself 0:32:02.523,0:32:04.444 who affirm you all day, 0:32:04.444,0:32:07.267 but the one who doesn't [br]see it the same way 0:32:07.267,0:32:09.667 and how you treat that brother or sister 0:32:09.667,0:32:11.818 is the reality of the depth of your love 0:32:11.818,0:32:13.922 for the local church. 0:32:13.922,0:32:16.352 Let's look at it in verse 4. 0:32:16.352,0:32:20.869 Paul says, "Love is patient." 0:32:20.869,0:32:25.521 Love suffers long. 0:32:25.521,0:32:30.614 Assumed in this first [br]characteristic of love 0:32:30.614,0:32:32.880 is offense. 0:32:32.880,0:32:35.179 He assumes that there's provocation here 0:32:35.179,0:32:36.340 between two people. 0:32:36.340,0:32:37.987 He assumes there's differences 0:32:37.987,0:32:39.963 and disagreements here. 0:32:39.963,0:32:41.497 Why do we say that? 0:32:41.497,0:32:42.754 Because know this, 0:32:42.754,0:32:46.078 you don't have to [br]suffer long with people 0:32:46.078,0:32:48.253 who agree with you in [br]every point of doctrine 0:32:48.253,0:32:51.078 and live out the same way you do. 0:32:51.078,0:32:52.792 You don't suffer with those people. 0:32:52.792,0:32:55.431 You just sit around and affirm each other. 0:32:55.431,0:32:57.768 Look how spiritual we are! 0:32:57.768,0:33:00.883 Look how unspiritual they are! 0:33:00.883,0:33:03.723 I don't suffer long if you [br]just build me up all day 0:33:03.723,0:33:05.740 and agree with me in every area. 0:33:05.740,0:33:07.920 That's not suffering. 0:33:07.920,0:33:14.390 But Paul says genuine love suffers long. 0:33:14.390,0:33:19.172 Genuine love is revealed [br]in the face of adversity. 0:33:19.172,0:33:24.775 In the face of disagreement. 0:33:24.775,0:33:26.796 So how long are we suffering 0:33:26.796,0:33:29.390 with those who disagree with us 0:33:29.390,0:33:30.746 or have offended us 0:33:30.746,0:33:34.243 because they haven't come [br]to the same conclusions? 0:33:34.243,0:33:38.399 Well, that's the reality of [br]the depth of your love. 0:33:38.399,0:33:40.110 What's assumed in the characteristic 0:33:40.110,0:33:42.292 again is provocation. 0:33:42.292,0:33:45.319 It assumes someone has provoked you here. 0:33:45.319,0:33:46.393 They've provoked you 0:33:46.393,0:33:50.871 by not seeing it the way that you see it. 0:33:50.871,0:33:53.074 "Well, I showed it to them in Scripture. 0:33:53.074,0:33:54.011 It's so clear. 0:33:54.011,0:34:00.386 Why can't they see it?" 0:34:00.386,0:34:03.322 Love when they've been provoked, 0:34:03.322,0:34:06.714 does not provoke back. 0:34:06.714,0:34:17.508 But it suffers long with the other person. 0:34:17.508,0:34:19.430 What becomes very clear in Paul's 0:34:19.430,0:34:21.701 definition of love here 0:34:21.701,0:34:24.001 is that the love Paul is speaking about 0:34:24.001,0:34:27.330 is not the love the world speaks about. 0:34:27.330,0:34:29.277 The love the world speaks about 0:34:29.277,0:34:31.618 is emotion-driven; 0:34:31.618,0:34:33.778 feelings-based. 0:34:33.778,0:34:36.112 And know this, genuine love 0:34:36.112,0:34:38.879 is full of emotion and feelings. 0:34:38.879,0:34:44.038 But it's not feelings-driven [br]or feelings-based. 0:34:44.038,0:34:46.972 Beloved, the love that [br]Paul is calling you and I to 0:34:46.972,0:34:49.962 to preserve the unity we [br]have in Jesus Christ 0:34:49.962,0:34:55.696 is nothing less than the love [br]of Jesus Christ in the gospel. 0:34:55.696,0:34:59.703 This is the love that you [br]and I are being called to. 0:34:59.703,0:35:02.122 This is not a love in word only. 0:35:02.122,0:35:04.684 It's a love in deed and action. 0:35:04.684,0:35:08.335 It's a love in the face of provocation 0:35:08.335,0:35:13.890 that suffers long. 0:35:13.890,0:35:17.153 Let's apply this first [br]characteristic again here. 0:35:17.153,0:35:19.148 Suffering long. 0:35:19.148,0:35:21.424 Someone in the church disagrees 0:35:21.424,0:35:24.343 with a doctrinal position you [br]spent the last six months 0:35:24.343,0:35:27.018 reading three books on and [br]listening to 25 sermons on. 0:35:27.018,0:35:29.805 And you're convinced you've [br]come to the right conclusion. 0:35:29.805,0:35:32.370 You've sat down with them[br]and you've shown it to them, 0:35:32.370,0:35:34.892 and they just don't see [br]what you're talking about. 0:35:34.892,0:35:39.617 In fact, they see the other side of it. 0:35:39.617,0:35:41.463 Now, we become passionate about truth, 0:35:41.463,0:35:44.235 and Christians should be [br]passionate about truth. 0:35:44.235,0:35:47.030 But what this love does 0:35:47.030,0:35:51.030 is it's patient with that person. 0:35:51.030,0:35:52.268 Have you ever noticed - 0:35:52.268,0:35:54.495 and I've seen this in my own life - 0:35:54.495,0:35:55.578 you'll begin to study 0:35:55.578,0:35:57.245 and focus on an area of doctrine. 0:35:57.245,0:36:00.058 Something that maybe [br]wasn't even on the radar 0:36:00.058,0:36:02.729 for the first ten years [br]in your Christianity. 0:36:02.729,0:36:04.952 You spend six months studying on it 0:36:04.952,0:36:06.535 and you're an expert on it. 0:36:06.535,0:36:09.153 You dogmatically go to other [br]people in your church, 0:36:09.153,0:36:11.203 and you can't stop talking about it, 0:36:11.203,0:36:13.513 and you struggle that they can't see it 0:36:13.513,0:36:15.590 the way you've explained it. 0:36:15.590,0:36:18.401 You forget that it was [br]ten years in the faith - 0:36:18.401,0:36:20.241 it wasn't even on your radar. 0:36:20.241,0:36:21.589 But now if they don't come 0:36:21.589,0:36:23.396 to the same conclusion [br]as you've come to, 0:36:23.396,0:36:25.561 you can't even be in [br]fellowship with them anymore 0:36:25.561,0:36:36.816 in the local church. 0:36:36.816,0:36:38.452 Know this, saints, suffering long 0:36:38.452,0:36:40.182 is more than just biting your tongue 0:36:40.182,0:36:42.643 when someone disagrees with you, 0:36:42.643,0:36:45.563 and distancing yourself from them. 0:36:45.563,0:36:47.830 Because one of the things [br]we need to see here 0:36:47.830,0:36:50.223 is that these first two characteristics - 0:36:50.223,0:36:52.177 patience and kindness - 0:36:52.177,0:36:54.941 actually go together. 0:36:54.941,0:36:57.379 One's the other side of [br]the coin of the other. 0:36:57.379,0:36:59.669 Let me put them together with you 0:36:59.669,0:37:03.581 and show you what this really looks like. 0:37:03.581,0:37:05.337 Love is patient. It suffers long 0:37:05.337,0:37:07.328 in the face of provocation. 0:37:07.328,0:37:10.505 But more than that, love is kind. 0:37:10.505,0:37:12.849 The root word here in "kind" has the idea 0:37:12.849,0:37:15.546 of being "fit for use." 0:37:15.546,0:37:17.398 Usefulness. 0:37:17.398,0:37:20.930 Serving each other. 0:37:20.930,0:37:26.259 Think with me for a moment here. 0:37:26.259,0:37:29.062 True love is demonstrated 0:37:29.062,0:37:31.656 when someone disagrees with you 0:37:31.656,0:37:33.961 or offends you, 0:37:33.961,0:37:36.232 and instead of responding back to them 0:37:36.232,0:37:38.150 and provoking them back, 0:37:38.150,0:37:40.868 you do not respond back to them with that, 0:37:40.868,0:37:43.660 but rather you show them patience. 0:37:43.660,0:37:46.810 But more than that, 0:37:46.810,0:37:50.883 you move towards that person 0:37:50.883,0:37:55.949 to serve them in kindness. 0:37:55.949,0:37:59.843 I don't know about you, [br]but that's really hard. 0:37:59.843,0:38:01.256 I'm so convinced I'm right. 0:38:01.256,0:38:02.235 I'm so passionate 0:38:02.235,0:38:04.121 because this is about the glory of God, 0:38:04.121,0:38:06.778 and I think they're robbing [br]the glory of God in their life, 0:38:06.778,0:38:07.820 so I'm trying to show them, 0:38:07.820,0:38:09.631 I'm trying to sit with them [br]and work with them, 0:38:09.631,0:38:11.302 I've walked them through [br]every Scripture in the Bible. 0:38:11.302,0:38:12.531 They still don't see it. 0:38:12.531,0:38:14.306 And they're getting a [br]little frustrated with me 0:38:14.306,0:38:19.141 because I won't stop talking [br]about my doctrinal points so much. 0:38:19.141,0:38:21.357 And what this says is this: 0:38:21.357,0:38:25.883 That even if I'm right in [br]the doctrinal position, 0:38:25.883,0:38:29.977 I'm going to be patient [br]with this brother or sister. 0:38:29.977,0:38:31.930 But more than that, I'm going to begin 0:38:31.930,0:38:33.957 to move towards them 0:38:33.957,0:38:37.619 and serve them in kindness. 0:38:37.619,0:38:39.511 You know what I see happening? 0:38:39.511,0:38:42.416 I shared truth with you [br]and you didn't get it. 0:38:42.416,0:38:44.692 You're not going to be [br]in the circle anymore. 0:38:44.692,0:38:46.491 I'm not going to fellowship with you 0:38:46.491,0:38:51.363 as much as I used to anymore. 0:38:51.363,0:38:53.447 It's one thing to bite your lip 0:38:53.447,0:38:55.138 and not respond when [br]you've been provoked. 0:38:55.138,0:38:56.717 It's a whole other thing to move 0:38:56.717,0:38:58.883 towards that person you disagree with 0:38:58.883,0:39:00.866 and find ways to serve them 0:39:00.866,0:39:05.697 and welcome them in the church. 0:39:05.697,0:39:09.333 Can I ask you something? 0:39:09.333,0:39:14.924 Isn't that what Jesus Christ did to you? 0:39:14.924,0:39:18.044 Weren't you and I provoking Jesus Christ? 0:39:18.044,0:39:20.525 In fact, I think the only [br]thing we were doing 0:39:20.525,0:39:23.849 was provoking Jesus Christ. 0:39:23.849,0:39:27.270 And didn't He pointedly and individually 0:39:27.270,0:39:29.489 not only not give you what you deserved 0:39:29.489,0:39:30.450 which was His wrath? 0:39:30.450,0:39:33.332 He did not. He was [br]long suffering with you. 0:39:33.332,0:39:35.683 But more than just [br]suffering long with you, 0:39:35.683,0:39:39.450 didn't Jesus Christ move towards you 0:39:39.450,0:39:40.976 and seek you out 0:39:40.976,0:39:42.353 and look to serve you 0:39:42.353,0:39:50.916 by laying His life down for you? 0:39:50.916,0:39:54.629 And isn't this exactly what we need to do? 0:39:54.629,0:39:56.464 If we're going to maintain the unity 0:39:56.464,0:39:58.043 we have in our local churches 0:39:58.043,0:39:59.549 in the midst of our diversity, 0:39:59.549,0:40:01.879 we need to respond with Christ-like, 0:40:01.879,0:40:03.406 gospel-centered love 0:40:03.406,0:40:06.183 and move towards those [br]people we disagree with 0:40:06.183,0:40:09.431 and serve them. 0:40:09.431,0:40:12.108 What a testimony that would be to them 0:40:12.108,0:40:15.571 and to those outside. 0:40:15.571,0:40:17.967 This is the love we're called to. 0:40:17.967,0:40:22.221 Gospel-centered love. 0:40:22.221,0:40:26.501 Ask yourself right now, 0:40:26.501,0:40:29.310 those in your local church 0:40:29.310,0:40:32.716 who view premarital relationships [br]different than you, 0:40:32.716,0:40:35.546 who view how to educate your [br]children different than you, 0:40:35.546,0:40:39.419 who've arrived at different [br]conclusions of your favorite doctrines, 0:40:39.419,0:40:41.926 are you moving towards that person 0:40:41.926,0:40:45.282 to serve them and welcome them? 0:40:45.282,0:40:47.935 Because that's the genuine [br]depth of your love 0:40:47.935,0:40:51.477 in the local church right there. 0:40:51.477,0:40:55.660 That's it right there. 0:40:55.660,0:40:57.399 Or are you like so many that I see 0:40:57.399,0:41:00.213 that say, well, I'm only [br]going to associate 0:41:00.213,0:41:03.436 with the people who homeschool like me. 0:41:03.436,0:41:05.796 I don't want their lack of seriousness 0:41:05.796,0:41:08.716 to rub off on me or my children. 0:41:08.716,0:41:10.004 And you forget all along 0:41:10.004,0:41:11.678 that you're speaking about someone 0:41:11.678,0:41:17.441 purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ. 0:41:17.441,0:41:20.097 This is not being patient. 0:41:20.097,0:41:21.832 This is not being kind. 0:41:21.832,0:41:24.506 And it is unloving. 0:41:24.506,0:41:27.165 It's sin. 0:41:27.165,0:41:32.653 Do you know that [br]loveless orthodoxy is sin? 0:41:32.653,0:41:35.307 In Revelation 2, Jesus warned a church 0:41:35.307,0:41:37.750 that seemed to have [br]all their doctrine right, 0:41:37.750,0:41:40.556 debated it, stood in the [br]face of false teachers, 0:41:40.556,0:41:43.200 and hated evil. 0:41:43.200,0:41:45.696 He commended them for all of that. 0:41:45.696,0:41:47.766 And then He turned to them and said this: 0:41:47.766,0:41:50.262 you need to repent though. 0:41:50.262,0:41:52.838 You say, well, they had [br]left their first love 0:41:52.838,0:41:56.134 and that's referring to Jesus Christ. 0:41:56.134,0:41:58.383 I agree. 0:41:58.383,0:42:00.746 But can I ask you this question? 0:42:00.746,0:42:06.339 Where is the evidence of your love [br]for Jesus Christ most revealed? 0:42:06.339,0:42:08.820 In love for His church. 0:42:08.820,0:42:11.048 How can you love Him [br]whom you have not seen 0:42:11.048,0:42:17.217 if you can't love your brother [br]or sister who you do see? 0:42:17.217,0:42:22.560 "I love Jesus!" 0:42:22.560,0:42:24.322 The depth of your love for Jesus 0:42:24.322,0:42:28.141 is revealed in how you love His bride. 0:42:28.141,0:42:29.988 And the reality of love is not just 0:42:29.988,0:42:31.264 those who agree with you, 0:42:31.264,0:42:33.388 but those who have disagreed with you 0:42:33.388,0:42:41.104 and offended you. 0:42:41.104,0:42:43.103 I'm not suggesting in any way, beloved, 0:42:43.103,0:42:46.038 that we do not discuss these doctrines 0:42:46.038,0:42:48.084 or our convictions in our local churches. 0:42:48.084,0:42:49.429 We need to. 0:42:49.429,0:42:50.996 It's one of the means of grace 0:42:50.996,0:42:54.459 that God has used to [br]grow us and sharpen us. 0:42:54.459,0:42:56.464 But I am suggesting that we discuss them 0:42:56.464,0:42:59.282 in the context of gospel-centered unity 0:42:59.282,0:43:04.320 and clothed in Christlike [br]humility and love. 0:43:04.320,0:43:08.658 When we allow something [br]other than Jesus Christ 0:43:08.658,0:43:12.105 to become the basis of our [br]unity and our fellowship, 0:43:12.105,0:43:18.835 again, we inevitably minimize [br]Jesus Christ and the gospel 0:43:18.835,0:43:21.046 and the work against the unity 0:43:21.046,0:43:24.005 that He's given to us. 0:43:24.005,0:43:26.375 Think of this statement [br]and see if it just 0:43:26.375,0:43:30.020 rings wrong for you. 0:43:30.020,0:43:32.465 "Yes, you're my brother in Christ, 0:43:32.465,0:43:35.337 both saved and redeemed [br]by the grace of Jesus Christ, 0:43:35.337,0:43:36.667 and we have that in common 0:43:36.667,0:43:38.714 and we agree on those things, 0:43:38.714,0:43:42.316 but we've come to a [br]different place eschatalogically, 0:43:42.316,0:43:48.875 so I can't even be in [br]fellowship with you anymore." 0:43:48.875,0:43:50.951 I'm not minimizing the importance 0:43:50.951,0:43:53.820 of any other doctrines. 0:43:53.820,0:43:55.524 But I'm saying that the unity 0:43:55.524,0:43:57.072 that we share in Christ, 0:43:57.072,0:43:59.401 and the love within that unity 0:43:59.401,0:44:01.619 should help us be able to work together, 0:44:01.619,0:44:03.679 have these discussions,[br]encourage each other, 0:44:03.679,0:44:05.317 sharpen each other 0:44:05.317,0:44:07.671 without breaking the [br]fellowship and unity we have 0:44:07.671,0:44:09.000 in our local churches 0:44:09.000,0:44:17.834 which is centered upon Jesus Christ. 0:44:17.834,0:44:20.736 So yes, discuss these things. 0:44:20.736,0:44:22.784 Yes, encourage and build up each other 0:44:22.784,0:44:23.993 in these things. 0:44:23.993,0:44:26.485 Yes, sharpen each other in these things. 0:44:26.485,0:44:29.437 But do it clothed in love and humility. 0:44:29.437,0:44:31.799 And when others disagree with you 0:44:31.799,0:44:33.121 or do it differently, 0:44:33.121,0:44:35.438 suffer long with them 0:44:35.438,0:44:37.234 and move towards them 0:44:37.234,0:44:39.446 in kindness and service. 0:44:39.446,0:44:43.589 So we don't treat them [br]like second-class Christians. 0:44:43.589,0:44:45.053 Because know this, 0:44:45.053,0:44:52.489 there are no second-class Christians. 0:44:52.489,0:44:56.910 The fact that our [br]rallying point is a cross 0:44:56.910,0:45:00.083 says one thing: 0:45:00.083,0:45:03.840 the playing field is level. 0:45:03.840,0:45:07.952 The only reason why any of [br]us are getting in is grace. 0:45:07.952,0:45:09.539 That's it. 0:45:09.539,0:45:10.847 And when you make something 0:45:10.847,0:45:15.265 other than the cross and Jesus Christ 0:45:15.265,0:45:17.340 the basis of our fellowship, 0:45:17.340,0:45:22.159 you minimize the work of Christ. 0:45:22.159,0:45:23.812 Jesus Christ identifies 0:45:23.812,0:45:30.602 with the lowest of [br]understanding doctrine Christian. 0:45:30.602,0:45:33.458 They will be welcomed in 0:45:33.458,0:45:36.995 to the same degree that you will be. 0:45:36.995,0:45:39.032 They are loved by Jesus Christ 0:45:39.032,0:45:41.232 in the same way that you are loved, 0:45:41.232,0:45:43.593 because the basis of His love 0:45:43.593,0:45:48.690 is not rooted in you, [br]it's rooted in Himself. 0:45:48.690,0:45:51.912 I'm not condoning immaturity in doctrine. 0:45:51.912,0:45:53.470 I'm not condoning indifference 0:45:53.470,0:45:54.906 to how we live out our lives 0:45:54.906,0:45:57.690 and Jesus Christ is not either. 0:45:57.690,0:46:05.129 But again, Jesus Christ [br]identifies with them. 0:46:05.129,0:46:06.782 We need to be careful how we speak 0:46:06.782,0:46:08.730 about the body of Christ; 0:46:08.730,0:46:12.507 how we treat the body of Christ. 0:46:12.507,0:46:13.918 Jesus said to Saul, 0:46:13.918,0:46:16.094 "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" 0:46:16.094,0:46:18.768 when he was persecuting the church. 0:46:18.768,0:46:21.027 Jesus so identifies with His church 0:46:21.027,0:46:23.057 that how you treat them, 0:46:23.057,0:46:27.835 He views it as how you treat Him. 0:46:27.835,0:46:29.991 Know this, we can have our doctrine right, 0:46:29.991,0:46:32.422 but the doctrine that we [br]believe we have right 0:46:32.422,0:46:34.526 has not had its full work in us 0:46:34.526,0:46:36.826 until it manifests in Christlike love 0:46:36.826,0:46:40.438 towards each other. 0:46:40.438,0:46:43.411 You can have your doctrine right, 0:46:43.411,0:46:46.306 but that doctrine has not [br]had its full work in you 0:46:46.306,0:46:48.910 until it manifests itself through you 0:46:48.910,0:46:55.574 in Christ-centered love. 0:46:55.574,0:47:02.267 This love we're called [br]to is patient and kind. 0:47:02.267,0:47:03.362 One more here. 0:47:03.362,0:47:06.056 Paul says this love [br]"does not envy or boast, 0:47:06.056,0:47:09.513 it is not arrogant or rude." 0:47:09.513,0:47:12.584 Can I tell you that nothing works faster 0:47:12.584,0:47:14.698 at causing disunity in the local church 0:47:14.698,0:47:17.700 as spiritual pride? 0:47:17.700,0:47:19.488 The Corinthians thought: 0:47:19.488,0:47:21.902 We are something.[br]We have these gifts. 0:47:21.902,0:47:24.295 We understand this doctrine.[br]We've arrived. 0:47:24.295,0:47:26.533 We're living sacrificially. Look at us. 0:47:26.533,0:47:29.352 And Paul didn't deny any of [br]those things were important, 0:47:29.352,0:47:30.995 but he knew without love, 0:47:30.995,0:47:35.990 those things would divide the church. 0:47:35.990,0:47:38.725 The genuineness and depth of my love 0:47:38.725,0:47:42.053 is not seen with those who agree with me, 0:47:42.053,0:47:44.076 but with those who disagree with me 0:47:44.076,0:47:46.553 and how I respond to them. 0:47:46.553,0:47:48.573 I've often referred to the local church 0:47:48.573,0:47:53.373 as a brewing pot of sanctification. 0:47:53.373,0:47:55.100 Sometimes I find people just leaving 0:47:55.100,0:47:56.849 local church after local church, 0:47:56.849,0:48:00.074 looking for people who are [br]exactly like themselves. 0:48:00.074,0:48:02.331 One of the reasons God put you in churches 0:48:02.331,0:48:04.112 with such diversity culturally 0:48:04.112,0:48:07.540 and maturity-wise is to abound you 0:48:07.540,0:48:10.216 in Christlike love. 0:48:10.216,0:48:11.582 And that's hard. 0:48:11.582,0:48:13.445 It's a lot more comfortable and easy 0:48:13.445,0:48:15.642 just to keep finding [br]subgroups of Christians 0:48:15.642,0:48:17.282 who believe all that you believe 0:48:17.282,0:48:18.946 and do it all the way you do. 0:48:18.946,0:48:21.578 But that's not how He made the church. 0:48:21.578,0:48:23.600 He made the church diverse, 0:48:23.600,0:48:25.104 so we could abound in love 0:48:25.104,0:48:26.810 as we show patience and kindness 0:48:26.810,0:48:30.956 to those who disagree with us. 0:48:30.962,0:48:33.209 Can I give you one test that you're being 0:48:33.209,0:48:36.108 boastful or arrogant? 0:48:36.108,0:48:37.803 If you constantly feel the need 0:48:37.803,0:48:39.772 to talk about your doctrinal positions 0:48:39.772,0:48:42.199 with everyone in the local church, 0:48:42.199,0:48:46.176 that's a sign of arrogance and boasting. 0:48:46.176,0:48:48.681 If you view everyone in your local church 0:48:48.681,0:48:51.191 as positions rather than people, 0:48:51.191,0:48:52.962 and your goal is just to win everyone 0:48:52.962,0:48:54.114 over to your position - 0:48:54.114,0:48:55.986 you're not even asking people anymore: 0:48:55.986,0:48:58.481 hey, how are you doing? 0:48:58.481,0:49:00.310 What's going on at work? 0:49:00.310,0:49:01.694 How can I be praying for you? 0:49:01.694,0:49:04.370 If every time they walk up to [br]you all they hear about is 0:49:04.370,0:49:06.191 why they should be doing it this way 0:49:06.191,0:49:09.520 or why they should believe this doctrine, 0:49:09.520,0:49:15.569 you're in a dangerous place. 0:49:15.569,0:49:16.849 If you look down at others 0:49:16.849,0:49:17.948 who disagree with you 0:49:17.948,0:49:19.933 and only surround yourself with people 0:49:19.933,0:49:21.735 who look like you and talk like you 0:49:21.735,0:49:23.045 and do like you do, 0:49:23.045,0:49:26.879 that's a sign of spiritual pride. 0:49:26.879,0:49:31.011 It's not preserving unity. 0:49:31.011,0:49:33.423 Let me ask us this question. 0:49:33.423,0:49:38.902 What if Jesus Christ did that to us? 0:49:38.902,0:49:40.768 What if Jesus said to us: 0:49:40.768,0:49:43.196 You know, I know we have [br]this whole gospel thing 0:49:43.196,0:49:45.263 that we agree in, 0:49:45.263,0:49:47.775 but in these areas of doctrine, 0:49:47.775,0:49:49.921 you're wrong. 0:49:49.921,0:49:51.344 And He began to treat you 0:49:51.344,0:49:56.775 like a second-class Christian. 0:49:56.775,0:49:59.274 What would happen? 0:49:59.274,0:50:01.583 Every single one of us would be put out 0:50:01.583,0:50:04.503 of His inner circle. 0:50:04.503,0:50:05.555 Can I tell you this? 0:50:05.555,0:50:10.147 Jesus Christ has never [br]done that to you once. 0:50:10.147,0:50:12.165 He keeps moving towards you 0:50:12.165,0:50:15.846 and pursuing you in love. 0:50:15.846,0:50:18.301 How can we as Christians so freely receive 0:50:18.301,0:50:21.098 this love from Christ [br]on the basis of grace 0:50:21.098,0:50:26.162 and then treat others without love 0:50:26.162,0:50:27.885 because they differ from us 0:50:27.885,0:50:31.316 in different areas of [br]conviction or doctrine? 0:50:31.316,0:50:33.151 You know what that's called? 0:50:33.151,0:50:36.635 Gospel amnesia. 0:50:36.635,0:50:42.762 You're forgetting how Christ has [br]treated you in the gospel. 0:50:42.762,0:50:44.408 To have right doctrine 0:50:44.408,0:50:46.805 but lack love for one another, 0:50:46.805,0:50:48.863 it is sin. 0:50:48.863,0:50:50.540 There's so much more we could say 0:50:50.540,0:50:53.912 here in Corinthians about it. 0:50:53.912,0:50:58.873 But before I finish, I [br]want to encourage you 0:50:58.873,0:51:03.335 because saints, the hope we have 0:51:03.335,0:51:05.179 of maintaining our unity in Christ 0:51:05.179,0:51:06.619 in the midst of our diversity 0:51:06.619,0:51:08.963 is Jesus Christ's gospel-centered love 0:51:08.963,0:51:11.949 towards those who disagree. 0:51:11.949,0:51:14.461 Again, it's not love or truth, 0:51:14.461,0:51:17.671 it's truth in love. 0:51:17.671,0:51:19.464 It's a love that suffers long. 0:51:19.464,0:51:21.344 It's a love that moves towards others 0:51:21.344,0:51:23.262 who disagree; who provoke us. 0:51:23.262,0:51:24.927 And it's about that person - 0:51:24.927,0:51:26.960 serving them in kindness. 0:51:26.960,0:51:29.104 It's a love that keeps [br]no record of wrongs. 0:51:29.104,0:51:32.019 It's a love that believes [br]the best about each other. 0:51:32.019,0:51:33.697 And why? 0:51:33.697,0:51:35.872 Because this is the love that Jesus Christ 0:51:35.872,0:51:37.277 has shown to you 0:51:37.277,0:51:39.775 and continues to show you day after day, 0:51:39.775,0:51:41.065 week after week, 0:51:41.065,0:51:42.377 month after month, 0:51:42.377,0:51:45.683 year after year. 0:51:45.683,0:51:47.248 I will confess to you personally 0:51:47.248,0:51:49.726 that as I studied this, 0:51:49.726,0:51:53.535 and preached six sermons [br]on it in our church, 0:51:53.535,0:51:55.587 I came to the conclusion 0:51:55.587,0:52:00.914 that I'm not quite as [br]loving as I thought I was. 0:52:00.914,0:52:03.342 In fact, I talked to some [br]people in our church 0:52:03.342,0:52:06.756 after we finished six sermons on this. 0:52:06.756,0:52:10.194 And they were discouraged. 0:52:10.194,0:52:12.265 They said I thought I was loving, 0:52:12.265,0:52:14.282 but I realize I've just surrounded myself 0:52:14.282,0:52:17.431 with people who think of the [br]doctrines the way I think of them 0:52:17.431,0:52:19.297 and do it the way I do it, 0:52:19.297,0:52:21.807 but I'm struggling with those [br]who disagree with me 0:52:21.807,0:52:23.991 and I'm not as loving [br]as I thought I could be 0:52:23.991,0:52:31.370 and it's really hard to love those people. 0:52:31.370,0:52:33.337 If that's you today, 0:52:33.337,0:52:35.332 if you say if I'm going to be honest, 0:52:35.332,0:52:37.149 I haven't been treating people 0:52:37.149,0:52:39.134 who disagree with me with kindness, 0:52:39.134,0:52:40.899 looking to move towards them, 0:52:40.899,0:52:42.700 to serve them and welcome them; 0:52:42.700,0:52:44.649 and I've made the basis of my fellowship 0:52:44.649,0:52:46.067 in my local church those who 0:52:46.067,0:52:47.619 agree with me and affirm me. 0:52:47.619,0:52:50.592 And I want to love like [br]you're talking about. 0:52:50.592,0:52:52.527 I see that's how Christ loves me, 0:52:52.527,0:52:54.390 and I want to love like that, 0:52:54.390,0:52:56.694 but I'm really struggling 0:52:56.694,0:52:59.925 to love like that. 0:52:59.925,0:53:01.720 What do we do? 0:53:01.720,0:53:03.395 Well, most of us have been taught 0:53:03.395,0:53:05.057 our whole life 0:53:05.057,0:53:07.017 that Jesus is our example. 0:53:07.017,0:53:08.980 And He is. 0:53:08.980,0:53:11.137 And that when you find [br]yourself struggling 0:53:11.137,0:53:16.065 in obedience to Him, to just try harder. 0:53:16.065,0:53:17.699 And then you keep falling down 0:53:17.699,0:53:22.045 and realizing I can't do this. 0:53:22.045,0:53:28.102 The reason why trying harder doesn't work 0:53:28.102,0:53:31.308 is because the love that [br]you and I are called to 0:53:31.308,0:53:36.109 is not something we [br]can produce on our own. 0:53:36.109,0:53:39.173 Think of Galatians 5 with me. 0:53:39.173,0:53:47.874 The fruit of the Spirit is love. 0:53:47.874,0:53:49.742 What does that tell us? 0:53:49.742,0:53:53.753 The love you and I are [br]called to is a fruit. 0:53:53.753,0:53:57.840 It's something I cannot [br]grit my teeth and produce 0:53:57.840,0:53:59.469 by trying harder. 0:53:59.469,0:54:01.367 It's something that must be produced 0:54:01.367,0:54:04.601 in me and through me. 0:54:04.601,0:54:06.665 Well, does this mean I'm not responsible? 0:54:06.665,0:54:08.412 I don't have a part in this? 0:54:08.412,0:54:12.532 No, you are responsible in this area. 0:54:12.532,0:54:15.074 Well, how do we love like this then? 0:54:15.074,0:54:17.203 I heard an analogy that I'll close with 0:54:17.203,0:54:20.308 and I think will be helpful for you. 0:54:20.308,0:54:21.606 As we all look at the call 0:54:21.606,0:54:23.243 that Paul's put before us of love, 0:54:23.243,0:54:26.352 which is nothing short of Jesus Christ, 0:54:26.352,0:54:27.884 and we become discouraged to see 0:54:27.884,0:54:29.449 I'm struggling to love like this 0:54:29.449,0:54:30.494 and I fall short. 0:54:30.494,0:54:32.213 I want to emulate Jesus Christ. 0:54:32.213,0:54:33.596 I want to love like He does, 0:54:33.596,0:54:35.046 but I'm struggling so much. 0:54:35.046,0:54:36.260 What hope do I have? 0:54:36.260,0:54:37.871 Is it just try harder? 0:54:37.871,0:54:40.224 And here's the analogy. 0:54:40.224,0:54:43.567 Let's say all of you love music. 0:54:43.567,0:54:46.593 And you love beautiful music. 0:54:46.593,0:54:48.100 And I come to you and I say, 0:54:48.100,0:54:51.811 well, I want you to begin to produce, 0:54:51.811,0:54:54.287 write, and play music like Mozart. 0:54:54.287,0:54:56.300 He's your example. 0:54:56.300,0:54:57.717 And you say wonderful. 0:54:57.717,0:54:59.117 I want that kind of music. 0:54:59.117,0:55:00.565 I want to produce that music; 0:55:00.565,0:55:02.496 write that music; play that music. 0:55:02.496,0:55:04.829 And you sit down and you study Mozart. 0:55:04.829,0:55:06.089 You look at Mozart. 0:55:06.089,0:55:07.560 You examine Mozart. 0:55:07.560,0:55:11.523 And you try really hard. 0:55:11.523,0:55:14.606 And you fall miserably on your face 0:55:14.606,0:55:16.731 over and over again 0:55:16.731,0:55:19.262 and you become discouraged. 0:55:19.262,0:55:20.862 You say, I'm trying so hard 0:55:20.862,0:55:22.319 to play music like Mozart; 0:55:22.319,0:55:23.238 to compose. 0:55:23.238,0:55:26.650 I just don't find the strength to do that. 0:55:26.650,0:55:28.815 And I would agree with you. 0:55:28.815,0:55:32.882 You're not going to play [br]like Mozart if you try harder. 0:55:32.882,0:55:34.394 But what if I told you this? 0:55:34.394,0:55:37.938 The spirit of Mozart was going to come 0:55:37.938,0:55:40.868 and reside inside of you? 0:55:40.868,0:55:43.247 And compose through you? 0:55:43.247,0:55:44.914 And write through you? 0:55:44.914,0:55:47.737 And empower you to write music? 0:55:47.737,0:55:48.944 To compose music? 0:55:48.944,0:55:50.810 And to play music like him? 0:55:50.810,0:55:52.438 Then, you'd be mightily encouraged 0:55:52.438,0:55:54.737 and say yes, I can play music! 0:55:54.737,0:55:56.173 I can compose like Mozart. 0:55:56.173,0:55:58.574 Not because of my strength,[br]my trying harder, 0:55:58.574,0:56:02.935 but because the spirit [br]of Mozart lives in me. 0:56:02.935,0:56:05.888 Well, beloved, that's what [br]happened in the gospel. 0:56:05.888,0:56:08.517 Jesus Christ not only forgives you and I 0:56:08.517,0:56:10.211 for our lovelessness, 0:56:10.211,0:56:13.359 He takes up residence within us. 0:56:13.359,0:56:16.935 It is the Spirit of Christ [br]and His love in us 0:56:16.935,0:56:19.216 working through us, 0:56:19.216,0:56:23.680 being produced for His glory. 0:56:23.680,0:56:25.618 So where do we begin with that though? 0:56:25.618,0:56:28.925 You need to begin by confessing inability. 0:56:28.925,0:56:32.534 John 15:5 - I can't do this, God. 0:56:32.534,0:56:35.459 Then by faith, you abide in Christ. 0:56:35.459,0:56:36.931 You be led by the Spirit. 0:56:36.931,0:56:39.223 You walk by the Spirit. 0:56:39.223,0:56:41.995 And you lay hold of [br]the truth of the gospel 0:56:41.995,0:56:44.054 that Jesus Christ in us 0:56:44.054,0:56:46.628 will produce His fruit through us 0:56:46.628,0:56:49.989 and make it so we can maintain 0:56:49.989,0:56:53.371 the unity of Christ in our local churches 0:56:53.371,0:56:56.163 for the glory of God. 0:56:56.163,0:56:58.008 This is our gospel. 0:56:58.008,0:57:03.762 It not only forgives, it empowers. 0:57:03.762,0:57:11.603 Let's pray. 0:57:11.603,0:57:14.706 Father, in the name of Jesus, 0:57:14.706,0:57:19.942 I pray that You would help each of us. 0:57:19.942,0:57:22.692 Lord, convict us of our lovelessness. 0:57:22.692,0:57:25.900 Help us to mark it for [br]what it is which is sin. 0:57:25.900,0:57:28.529 Help us believe the gospel. 0:57:28.529,0:57:30.605 That if we confess this sin, 0:57:30.605,0:57:33.586 You're faithful and just to [br]cleanse us and forgive us. 0:57:33.586,0:57:37.417 But help us believe [br]the rest of the gospel. 0:57:37.417,0:57:39.497 That the Spirit of Christ is now in us. 0:57:39.497,0:57:43.597 That love that we so seek to emulate. 0:57:43.597,0:57:47.363 His power is towards us who believe. 0:57:47.363,0:57:48.939 God, that we would abide more 0:57:48.939,0:57:51.444 and appropriate the gospel more. 0:57:51.444,0:57:53.561 Led by the Spirit;[br]walking by the Spirit. 0:57:53.561,0:57:56.996 And that Your fruit would be manifest 0:57:56.996,0:57:59.617 in us and through us for Your glory. 0:57:59.617,0:58:01.722 God, accomplish these things. 0:58:01.722,0:58:03.507 Preserve the unity in Your church 0:58:03.507,0:58:05.642 for the testimony of Jesus Christ 0:58:05.642,0:58:08.227 to a lost and dying world. 0:58:08.227,0:58:10.208 In the name of Jesus we pray, 0:58:10.208,0:58:11.630 Amen.