FOUNDATIONS: WHAT DOES LOVE LOOK LIKE? LESSON #6

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1 FOUNDATIONS: WHAT DOES LOVE LOOK LIKE? LESSON #6 Intro. Tonight we're going to conclude our series on What Love Looks Like. 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 (NKJV) 1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. 1. 1Cor. 13:6 says love rejoices in the truth 2. Truth is in short supply today Proverbs 23:23 (NKJV) Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding. a. He s saying, Don t sell out the truth. I. REJOICING IN THE TRUTH MEANS SEVERAL THINGS A. LOVE MEANS BEING TRUE TO 1. Being true to God means with God John 8:42-44 (NKJV) 42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 "Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. Praise Chapel 419 Harrison St. Kingman, AZ (928) Alex Wilson, Pastor 1

2 44 "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. a. Jesus is obviously very upset because they were not aligned to the truth of God He was addressing those who claimed to be followers of the truth in His day b. If there was anything that upset Jesus it was hypocrisy c. He had lots of compassion for the sinner and very little patience with the hypocrite d. Being true and telling the truth reveals who we are aligned with; Jesus tells these people they are aligned with their father the devil because they weren t true 3 John 1:3-4 (NKJV) 3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 2. Being true to God means being a. This means not trying to do a cover-up Genesis 3:6-7 (NKJV) 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. b. This is the first cover-up in the Bible c. God wasn t fooled by the fig leaves and He s never fooled by any of our own cover-ups We need to learn to practice being true to God about who we really are ques. How do we make this practical? Being true to God? Honest with Him? (In prayer, confess what we re having trouble with. In church services, being quick to respond when God is dealing with us about something. During the day, at work or home, responding to Him when we feel Him tugging on us.) Praise Chapel 419 Harrison St. Kingman, AZ (928) Alex Wilson, Pastor 2

3 There is also no reason for us to cover it up because there is nothing we have done that He isn t willing and ready to forgive us of. Many of us have a real problem with insecurity. We should never feel insecure with God. He loves us period. Knowing this will help us be more honest to God. 3. Being honest with God is one of the secrets to our ability to a. Our ability to see an ongoing change for the better in our lives comes largely from our being honest with God about our need 2 Corinthians 3:18 (KJV) But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. b. What this means is we re not covered up or wearing a mask c. We come openly and honestly before God with the attitude, I need Your help to change. d. There is a tremendous promise here; changed from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. e. We are meant to live ever changing and growing lives Love rejoices in the truth and that means being true to God B. LOVE MEANS BEING TRUE TO 1. Being true to others means Philippians 1:10 (NKJV) that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, a. The word sincere used here is really just another way of saying, being true b. It means literally, judged by sunlight ex. In the market places in Biblical times, pottery was displayed in dimly lit rooms. Dishonest shop owners would patch cracked pottery or cover defects with wax. Smart buyers would hold up the pottery to the sun and judge its quality by sunlight. The word sincere comes from this practice. It literally means transparent honesty or being genuine. Praise Chapel 419 Harrison St. Kingman, AZ (928) Alex Wilson, Pastor 3

4 2 Corinthians 1:12 (NKJV) For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you. c. The English word sincere comes from two Latin words sine which means without and cera which means wax so sincere means without wax What it means to us is that just as there s no cover-up before God, there s no cover-up before others We are who we are; no false fronts, no disguises, no masks, we re sincere or true 2. Being true to others is important because it s a 1 Peter 2:12 (NKJV) Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. a. If there s one excuse unbelievers use more than any other for not coming to church it s because of all the hypocrites b. It s an excuse for many, but even so, we are told to live the kind of lives that won t give unbelievers the opportunity to use that excuse C. LOVE MEANS BEING TRUE TO 1. Being true to ourselves means not a. We ve already said that we re not supposed to try a cover-up with God or others b. Sometimes the person we try hardest to do a cover-up with is ourselves Psalms 15:1-2 (NKJV) 1 Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? 2 He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart; c. This is something else we need to practice more, speaking the truth in our hearts Praise Chapel 419 Harrison St. Kingman, AZ (928) Alex Wilson, Pastor 4

5 d. This means being brutally honest with ourselves about who we are, what we re doing with our lives, how we re treating other people, how we re using the gifts, talents, and resources God has given us Psalms 51:6 (NKJV) Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. 2. Being true will a. When we re not truthful, we are the ones who suffer most II. HOW WE LEARN TO REJOICE IN THE TRUTH A. WE HAVE TO 1. Our conscience is a a. That inner voice that when we ve done something wrong or we re thinking about doing something wrong says, that wasn t right, or better not Acts 24:16 (NKJV) "This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. b. One of the secrets of the confidence and power moving in Paul s life was keeping a clear conscience 2. Our conscience is something we have to 1 Timothy 4:2 (NKJV) speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, a. The Bible talks about those whose conscience was seared b. A seared conscience is an unfeeling conscience One of the most precious gifts God has given us is a conscience It s something we need to guard B. WE GUARD OUR CONSCIENCE BY GIVING TO THE HOLY SPIRT Praise Chapel 419 Harrison St. Kingman, AZ (928) Alex Wilson, Pastor 5

6 John 16:13 (NKJV) "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 1. One of the names for the Holy Spirit is the a. If we re going to be true, we re going to have to learn to get closer to the Spirit of truth 2. The Holy Spirit isn t a thing or an it, He s a a. As a person, He has feelings b. The Bible tells us in several places we can offend, grieve, and insult the Holy Spirit Ephesians 4:30 (NKJV) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. c. We grieve the Holy Spirit by not responding to Him Hebrews 10:29 (NKJV) Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? d. The Holy Spirit is a sensitive Person e. If we ignore Him, we can offend Him 3. We should be careful to cultivate and protect with the Holy Spirit a. This was one of the reasons why David was a man after God s own heart b. He wasn t perfect, in fact he had some horrible failures, but when he d blown it one of his greatest concerns was his relationship with the Holy Spirit Psalms 51:11 (NKJV) Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. We have a promise in the New Testament that the Holy Spirit will stay with us forever Praise Chapel 419 Harrison St. Kingman, AZ (928) Alex Wilson, Pastor 6

7 John 14:15-17 (NKJV) 15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. While we can be confident of His abiding presence we need to be careful not to grieve, insult, or offend Him; He s our greatest Helper! Love rejoices in the truth If we re going to learn to rejoice in the truth we need to cultivate a closer relationship with the Spirit of truth Prayer and confession: Lord, thank You for Your love that helps me rejoice in the truth. Help me to be true to You, true to others, and true to myself. Thank You for giving me a sensitive conscience. I value the presence of the Spirit of truth in my life and I thank You that He will remain with me forever, in Jesus name. Amen FILL IN THE BLANKS FROM LESSON #6 I. REJOICING IN THE TRUTH MEANS SEVERAL THINGS A. LOVE MEANS BEING TRUE TO (GOD) 1. Being true to God means (we re aligned) with God 2. Being true to God means being (honest to God) 3. Being honest with God is one of the secrets to our ability to (change) B. LOVE MEANS BEING TRUE TO (OTHERS) Praise Chapel 419 Harrison St. Kingman, AZ (928) Alex Wilson, Pastor 7

8 1. Being true to others means (being sincere) 2. Being true to others is important because it s a (testimony to unbelievers) C. LOVE MEANS BEING TRUE TO (OURSELVES) 1. Being true to ourselves means not (trying to scam ourselves) 2. Being true will (save us a lot of pain) II. HOW WE LEARN TO REJOICE IN THE TRUTH A. WE HAVE TO (GUARD OUR CONSCIENCE) 1. Our conscience is a (gift from God) 2. Our conscience is something we have to (protect) B. WE GUARD OUR CONSCIENCE BY GIVING (RESPECT OR REGARD) TO THE HOLY SPIRT 1. One of the names for the Holy Spirit is the ( Spirit of truth ) 2. The Holy Spirit isn t a thing or an it, He s a (person) 3. We should be careful to cultivate and protect (our relationship) with the Holy Spirit Praise Chapel 419 Harrison St. Kingman, AZ (928) Alex Wilson, Pastor 8