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Title |
Have the Spiritual Love |
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Speaker |
Rev. Jaerock Lee |
Bible |
1Jn 4:7-11 |
Date |
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Just by hearing the word Love, we feel happy. If we can share unchanging love with somebody, we are happier than anyone else. God loved us and sent the one and only Son, Jesus Christ, as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. In this way, He gave us His true love. If we know His love, we should love each other. In addition, His workers must fulfill their duty with pleasure and gratitude.We will not only consider what His love is and how we can possess love, but also how we can fulfill our duty and bear abundant fruits.
1. To fulfill our duty and please God... To fulfill our duty and please God, above all, it is important to possess spiritual love. There are two types of love: physical and spiritual. First, physical love is the love that seeks for its own benefit, that changes and is meaningless. So we can not fulfill our duty as God wants with physical love. On the contrary, spiritual love is unchangeable. It is the love in Gods Word and is the love that sacrifices itself for others benefit. We cannot practice it with our ability, but only with Gods help to realize His love and to stay in His Word. God blesses those who can even love their enemies and die for them with spiritual love. Wherever they go, they yield life and bring many people to the Lord(John 13:35).
2. What is Spiritual Love? The definition of spiritual love is written in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. As we act according to that, it is the evidence that we possess spiritual love. We should look back ourselves that how much we possess spiritual love according to this standard.
First, love is patient. Patience here means being patient with those who harass us badly, or with all kinds of sufferings and troubles. Jesus was patient with those who crucified him on the cross and with those who persecuted him and made fun of him. So we should follow the example of the Lord and accomplish spiritual love perfectly(1 Timothy 1:16) by being patient with everything.
Second, love is kind. Kindness is the heart to tolerate and accept everyone. Many people who are having hard times and are tired can rest under the shadow of a person with great kindness. If we are kind, we will be recognized by many people and God will love us. Moses was more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth(Numbers 12:3). So God loved him greatly and spoke with him face to face. Thats why God made him lead millions of Israelites.
Third, love does not envy. Envy arouses from physical things such as wealth, fame, love, etc. If one envies for these perishable things, he does not possess love, and God dislikes him. On the contrary, those who advance to heavens forcefully with spiritual desire think how they can fulfill their duty and bear abundant fruits, or how they can receive Gods love more. So they follow others good deeds and compete with them in good faith. God is pleased with them because they can accomplish the kingdom of God greatly.
Fourth, love does not boast. To boast is to take pride and to be self-praised, and to want to be recognized by others. 1 Corinthians 1:31 says, "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." Namely, if we boast, we have to give others faith and life by saying, for example, "I have been blessed because I believed Gods words and acted according to it." or "I received the prayer with faith and Ive got healed. If we have spiritual love, we give glory to God only.
Fifth, love is not proud. A proud man is self-oriented. He thinks he is always right. He does not accept what is different from his own thoughts, and this is making little of others. But a humble man serves even a little one and considers others better than himself. He, therefore, can listen to others even if their thoughts are different from his own.
Sixth, love is not rude. Some believers are not rude to anyone as Jesus served even little ones. So we ought to check whether we are rude to brothers or sisters in the Lord.
Seventh, love is not self-seeking. Abraham allowed his nephew Lot to choose good land first(Genesis 13:9) because he possessed true love. 1 Corinthians 10:33 says, "Even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved." When we seek others good first, we can bring more people to the Lord.
Eighth, love is not easily angered. When we are angry, we cannot receive Gods love and its a big obstacle for the growth of our faith. Especially, workers of God, who are taking care of other souls, should control their feelings. They also should give pleasure and hope to others with good heart and deeds.
Ninth, love keeps no record of wrongs. Spiritually speaking, all that is against the Word of God is evil. We should not think, keep in mind, get involved, or even see or listen to what is against the truth. If we have an evil mind, even good things might look evil. That is why God tells us not to keep records of wrongs.
Tenth, love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. This means not to delight and take part in what is against Gods Word, and to mourn and pray for evil doers. Moreover, those who rejoice with the truth actively can share love with God.
Finally, love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. To persevere means to be patient to all that is against spiritual love. But it is not just being patient without reason, but is being patient hoping for the heaven with faith.
3. To have self-sacrificed love... Jesus showed us his self-sacrificed love beyond this spiritual love. He gave up his beautiful and glorious throne in heaven as Gods begotten son and came down to earth. He not only suffered, but also was mocked, condemned and finally crucified on the cross to save sinners. The sacrifice of Jesus to give up himself completely is the perfection of true love. God is looking for those who possess this spiritual love and can even give up their lives as sacrifices. But love that is against the truth is physical love and worthless. John 6:63 says, "The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing." It is because spiritual love can give life to others and bring them to the way of salvation. Then how can we have spiritual love and give up our lives for others like the Lord? Above all, we should cast away sins and evils against the Word of God and fill us with the truth. Then we can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit clearly and speak appropriate words to others and guide them well with the wisdom from heaven. If we lead others with love in the works of Holy Spirit like this, even stubborn minds break up, closed minds open, and people will change as the time passes. This is to bear life and faith with spiritual love. But we can not bear abundant fruit if we give physical love or work with our own thoughts and methods without the works of Holy Spirit. We have to guide others according to their level of faith. When they face problems, it is spiritual love for us to help them get over with those problems and keep their faith by teaching them with truth why they face such problems. Also, in order to realize Gods love and fulfill our duty to take care of other souls well, we must have devotion and sacrifice. When we are overflowed by the love of Jesus, we can fulfill our duty in any circumstances because spiritual love never changes. Paul, the Apostle had this spiritual love and could preach the gospel to gentiles although he had all kinds of hardships and threats of life. Likewise, if the love of the Lord moves us, we can keep our members from the enemy devil by prayers and fasting even if we might have to put our own lives in danger.
Dear brothers and sisters, When we do not love the world and anything in the world, but are changed with the truth, we can have spiritual love(1John 2:15). If we possess spiritual love from God, we are not afraid of anything and can keep our souls and fulfill our duty. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ that you possess spiritual love and fulfill your duty, so that you can share the happiness and pleasure forever with Father in heaven through this message. |
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