Hey there, thanks for listening to the Greg Laurie Podcast, a ministry supported by Harvest Partners. I'm Greg Laurie, encouraging you, if you want to find out more about Harvest Ministries and learn more about how to become a Harvest Partner, just go to harvest.org. Amen. God bless you. And we're honored to be here.
Pastor Greg and myself, we're dating ourselves by talking about the Love Connection Show. Yeah, you know, then one of the guys in the back was giving me a Flip Wilson reference. I said, oh, I said, we're dating ourselves here. And so we're honored to be here, to be with you, for this tremendous opportunity to share the word of God with you. And me and my pretty little chocolate wife, right here on the front.
Amen. This past May, we just went over forty years of being married, and so. We've been together 45 years, been married 40 of the 45, and I know some of you are trying to calculate that the two carry the one, and we got married at five, but that's another sermon. Another sermon for you. But we're honored to be here every time we can come.
I told Pastor Greg whenever he needs me, I will clear my schedule and come because you guys are such a wonderful people. God bless you at the Riverside campus and the other campuses online. God bless you all. I forgot to mention that at the Riverside campus, but I can mention it now.
So God bless. And but we are honored to be here. But definitely, the Lord has a word for us today. Turn with me in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 13. We're going to be looking at verses 1 through 8.
And Pastor Gregg gave me a little extra grace. If I just happen to go a little bit over, he gave me a little grace, just a little grace.
Now, I try not to do that. They said, you can go a little bit longer. I said, I want to be invited back. I don't want folks to say, no, we don't want that guy. That guy goes too long.
No, no, no, no, no. I'm going to try to stick with the time that we have here. 1 Corinthians chapter 13, looking at verses 1 through 4. One through eight, shall I say? Lord, thank you so much for this time you've given us.
Thank you for your word. And Lord, we love you because you first loved us and you demonstrated that love by sending Jesus to die on the cross. for our sins taking our place. And so, Lord, we're just so thankful for you.
So speak to us. in ways that only you can in Jesus name. Amen. All right.
Now Once again, 1 Corinthians chapter 13, and the title is The Love Connection.
Now, we will see from 1 Corinthians chapter 13 how love is defined because we got a lot of different loves that we have or that we can experience. But the love in 1 Corinthians 13 is a very specific type of love. Of love.
So we will look at four aspects of this type of love. Number one, the superiority of love in verses one through three. Number two, what love is not in verses four through six. And what love does in verse 7 And number four, how love endures in verse eight. Look what it says there in verses 1 to 3.
It says, though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not love, I have become as a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I can move mountains but have not love. I am nothing. 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.
Now the Apostle Paul in these verses is teaching by way of extreme to make his point. And what he said in in verse one, he already said, look, He gives us two types of speaking in tongues. He said, Though I speak with the tongues of men, and of angels. He said, so you can go to some third world country, and God can miraculously allow for you to speak to them in their language. Or you can have a conversation with the angel Gabriel himself.
But if you don't have love It will profit you nothing. He said, You can have in verse 2: the gift of prophecy. You can speak forth the word of God from Genesis to Revelation. But if you don't have love It will profit you. Nothing.
And then he said in verse 3, he says, you know, Though I sacrifice and give everything I have to the poor, and I do all these sacrificial things, and Paul said, But if you don't have love, He said, You'll be like a clanging, a sounding brass and a clanging cymbal. That's a very irritating sound. And I've seen many people who claim to be, I know the word of God. From Genesis to Revelation. I sacrifice and give on the commercials, on the TV, with the babies with the pop bellies.
I give all of that. And if no one else can speak in tongues, I can speak in tongues. And these people, because they don't have love, are some of the most irritating people, like a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
So he is showing the superiority of this type of love.
So the question is: what kind of love is this? I believe it's defined in these verses. Look what it says there in verse 4. Love suffers long and is kind. Love does not envy.
Love does not parade itself. It's not puffed up.
Now, there's a whole lot there. I don't have time to really give you the details that I will want to give you, but suffice it to say that the Apostle Paul is talking about. Agape love, or love that is God's love, love that is no strings attached, love that it gives and expects nothing in return. It's just constantly giving, it's constantly speaking, seeking the other's well-being. This type of love Agape love was not a word that was part of the classical Greek language until the apostles introduced it into the language.
Because the Greeks knew nothing about this type of love. And this is the love he's talking about. This is the love we need a connection with. This is the love we must connect with. Or all that we try to do for God is going to be for nothing.
And so he is letting us know what this type of love is. And notice how he says in verse 4, he says. Agape love suffers long. Macrothermia is that Greek word. It means long-tempered.
It's the opposite of being short-tempered. And so often So often people think and they misinterpret. I didn't even say this at the Riverside campus because I was under the gun of that clock.
So I didn't even but I got a little grace here But so often people misinterpret the patience of God. They misinterpreted three ways for you note-takers. S apathy. B as impotence. And C as approval.
Meaning that Because the hammer of God's judgment hasn't come upon you yet. Many people think that God is You know uh it He doesn't really care. It's apathy. God doesn't care what I do down here on earth. As long at the end, my good outweighs the bad, as if God got a giant scale up in heaven.
And he's weighing our good with the bad. That's not how any of this goes. Nor is God a giant public school teacher who grades on the curve. That's not how any of this goes. So people think that God is apathetic.
He just really doesn't care. what we do down here. Be it's it's impotence that God is powerful Powerless to do anything. Evil is running amok, and God is just powerless to do anything. About what's going on here.
Satan is winning, and that's all he cares about. No. And then the worst of them all, The misinterpretation of the long-suffering of God. is approval. Maybe God approves.
Of what I'm doing here. He hasn't judged me yet. I heard that judgment comes down upon people who do these types of things. And so God hasn't judged him, yet maybe God approves. And I'm here to say That is the worst of them all.
God is giving you Time to repent. This is the long-suffering God, the patience of God. He's not impotent or he's not none of those things. And he definitely doesn't approve. But he is long-suffering.
He isn't willing that any should perish but all come to repentance. And he's calling you today to come back to him. God doesn't approve of what you're doing. God doesn't approve. Are you living with them and you're not married?
God doesn't approve of that.
Well judgment hasn't come down yet. Because he's giving you time to repent. God is speaking to someone. He's speaking to some people. God doesn't approve of that.
And you know it from his word. But see, you strayed and God brought you here today because he said this is the message you need to hear to get back on track. See, God is speaking to some folks.
So, because his hammer of judgment hasn't come down doesn't mean that God approves. And somebody needs to hear that. He doesn't mean that at all. Notice how he says. That agape love suffers long and notice and is kind.
You know, I've found lately Christians are not the most kind people. And especially on these roads out here. You know, you know. how you you get you're getting on and we're not going to even talk about the 55. The 55 North and South, I mean, that's just insane.
And then you got, you know, you're in the lane, you're trying to get over, you got the turn signal on, and people just keep easing up, and they won't look over at you, and they won't let you in, you over on the side, you know, next to the guardrail. Right, come on. Yeah. Or you look over at them, you know, with the Kermit's mouth. Agape love.
It's kind. Notice it says that. It's not cynical. It's not bitter. It remains kind.
Do you know after a period of time When you have allowed Anger. to go unchecked. Because when anger, that's why the Bible says, don't let the sun go down on your anger, Ephesians 4:26 and 27. You know, When you allow the sun to go down on your anger, Then Satan brings his friend. His friend is bitterness.
Bitterness is nothing but anger that the sun has gone down on. And after a period of time, You begin to wear That bitterness on your face and you don't even realize it. You know, I can I can sneak up. On some of you, and put a mirror up to your face and say, This is what I'm looking at up here. They said after 40, you're responsible for that face.
You wear it and you don't even know it that you're wearing it. And it says that Agape love is kind, it's not cynical. It's not bitter over a breakup. It's not bitter over the company shutting down. and you lost your job.
It's not bitter. Agape love is not bitter. It's not bitter. But it is kind. Parents, are you kind to your children?
How about your adult children? You know, see, we are in the age group. Where we got grown kids. We have uh Seven or eight. I mean, I lost track.
I think we got eight grandkids, you know. Uh Yeah, we we yeah, we got kids, we got kids having kids.
So, but are you bitter toward them? Are you bitter toward your spouse? See Because, see, this is something we have to be understanding on, and because agape love. Agape love is not is not bitter. It's it's kind.
Are you kind to your children, especially when they interrupt you on social media? As you're using that one finger to scroll. You know. See, now Paul is going to give some more characteristics of agape love. Notice the third part of verse 4.
He says, Love does not envy.
Now, watch this definition of envy. Envy is defined as a feeling or desire of resentful longing. for what someone else has. Yes.
So, when agape love is flowing in us, it does not envy. Let me ask you this, do you envy somebody on the job? Because they got a position you thought you should have gotten. 1 Peter 5, 6 says, Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, or humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God. that he may exalt you.
in due time. Notice how it says humble yourself. You know why it says humble yourself? Because you don't want God to have to humble you. He knows how to do a thorough job.
He does. And see, here's the thing. The reason why you haven't gotten that promotion You haven't humbled yourself yet. Nothing is worse than having some kind of boss. That is cocky and arrogant.
You're not ready for that position. And here's the thing, don't be jealous. nor envious when it's someone else's season. And you just looking at them, just staring at them over there. That should have been me.
I would have.
Now, see, if I was in charge, I would have handled it like this. Stop, stop. It's not your season. God is the one who promotes. Psalm 75:6 and 7 says, God, promotion neither comes from the east or from the west.
It comes from the Lord. He exalts one and puts another down. It's all up to the Lord. Notice also in verse 4 that agape love does not parade itself. Agape love is not always trying to be seen.
Put it on a show. It works behind the scenes. God doesn't prance and dance across the sky to try to prove himself to us. Oh man, man, man, can I talk to us for a minute? Do you parade yourself around the house?
Do you parade yourself around the house like a band director? Look at what I've done. I cleaned the house. I washed the dishes. Doom, doom.
You know what that means later on tonight. And and and we do those things agape love is not those things. It is it doesn't parade itself. It it it it doesn't do that. It's not, it doesn't pray to self.
Ladies, let me ask you this, ladies, you thought you were gonna escape. Are you parading yourself around men to get their attention?
Now, ladies, there's nothing wrong with looking nice for your husband or looking nice when you want a husband. Nothing wrong with that. Notice what Paul said. But are you parading yourself? See, that's the point Paul is making.
Agape love does not parade itself. Look at the last part of verse four. Agape love is not puffed up. Meaning that agape love is not arrogant. God is not in heaven thinking of ways how he can show us how big and bad he is.
No. Jesus told us in Matthew 11, 29, he says, take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am, here it is, gentle and lowly in heart. and you will find rest for your souls. When Jesus came, He came in a gentle and humble way. He came lowly in heart, not arrogant nor prideful.
Are you arrogant at home? Man, let me talk to us, man. I understand. I'm one of you. I understand.
Do you sit on your throne? As your subjects, your wife and children. You know, cater to your every need. Are you arrogant at work? What about here at the church?
We have people coming in all the time, you know, our church trying to give us their resume.
Well, see, at my last church, I was so and so on, so and I was overseeing that ministry, and it was very fruitful.
So you guys are getting some good when you get me here. Yeah. 1 Corinthians 8.1. says knowledge puffs up or makes one arrogant. But love, agape love, edifies or builds up.
Are you puffed up or arrogant over your education? your certifications, your experience. Everyone has to hear about what school you graduated from. Or how many years you've been doing a certain thing. We must remember what Jesus said in John 15:5.
He says, Without me, you can do nothing. Nothing at all. Look what he says in verse 5. Agape love does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked. thinks no evil.
Now a god they love does not behave rudely Askomoneo is that Greek word for rudely. And it means to act improperly or indecent or rudely. And this is the opposite of agape love. There are some Christians who think being rude is being radical for Christ. They get in people's faces, over-talk them, or are they interrupt people thinking that they're being bold for the Lord?
when they're really just being rude. Agape love does not behave rudely. Are you rude in public? How about at home? Do you rulely interrupt your spouse?
Hi, my name is Pastor Tony. And I'm guilty of this. And I just did it yesterday. And so you interrupt, because see, look, I am a debater. By nature?
So, I've been in many debates with false religions, cults, and all kinds of. Folks. And so, you know, sometimes I don't know how to turn it off when I go get home. Because I'm in these debates and stuff, and you know, and I just love. I just love the back and forth, I'm all about it.
And before that, I've studied with whoever it is I'm debating with so well that I know what they're gonna say before they say it, and I jump in with an answer. I'm ready. But I bring that home sometimes. And I got to remember what Proverbs 18, 13 says, he who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him. And I have been ashamed because I thought I knew.
Why was it just something yesterday? What was I about to say? I said, you were about to say this. She said, no. I was wrong.
Notice how it says in verse 5: love does not seek its own. Or it's not self-seeking. People who are self-seeking want their own way. at all times. All the time and they know how to manipulate you To do things their way, to get their way done.
Ladies. God bless you. We know the men. We're the head of the home. But you're the neck that turns the head.
And you know how to manipulate that. I'm just saying. There Those that seek its own, they're selfish, self-centered, wanting what they think is best for them. And this is the opposite of agape love. A self-seeking person will use their gifts not for the kingdom of God and serving others.
They will only use their gifts to serve themselves, and they ask, what are they going to get out of the deal? I remember we used to get these calls years ago. We used to get these calls on a Sunday. Uh at church. All right, uh Heard about the church.
What is your church going to do for me and my family? Oh. Not Okay, I saw what the church is about. You know, I want to come, and however, I can use my gifts, however, I can, that's different. What y'all gonna do for me?
And my family. The consumer mentality. has come into the church. That's self-seeking. Agape love is the opposite of that.
Now, are you self-seeking at home? Do you live by the motto my way or the highway? Singles, can I talk to you for a minute, singles, singles? I'm looking around, I'm looking for you. Can I talk to you singles?
This is where you're going to struggle. And the reason why is because As a single It's all about you. Because you're single. And you struggle when you get into relationships because now it's not all about you. And you struggle with relationships, you struggle with roommates.
You struggle because you're so used to bowing down at the Holy Trinity, me, myself, and I. And you're used to. Just getting your way because as a single it's all about you. And so you struggle when you get into relationships. Just know agape love is not self-seeking.
Well You know, ladies, ye I know many ladies, I know what you're going to say. It's all about my husband and the kids and the grandkids. And it's never about me. It's never about what I want. I'm always on the back burner.
I'm always on the back seat. And it's never about me. But then This gets slipped in there.
Well, you know it's my home and it's a woman's domain. And you know, I can decorate it, change it, paint the walls, move the furniture around because it is my home and I want to fix it my way. My home is my domain. You do the outside stuff. Inside is me.
Oh, I see you laughing because that's you. But see, you say and you convince all of us that it's all about everybody else. No, it's about you two. It's about you two. Agape love.
Is not self-seeking. Notice also in verse 5, it says, Agape love is not provoked.
Now, the Greek word for provoked is parazuno. And it means to arouse to anger or a sudden outburst of emotion or action. Synonyms to this Greek word is touchy. Irritable. People Like this, easily let things get on their nerves.
Some translators have tried to put the word easily before provoked because they thought, surely, God. is not saying agape love is not ever provoked.
So they put Not easily. Provoke. No, no, no, no. Easily is not part of the Greek language. No, it's not provoked.
Let's put the name of Jesus in place. Jesus is not irritable. Jesus isn't Khaji. And Jesus is agape love in bodily form.
So we can easily look at it from that. perspective. Agape love doesn't allow the slightest thing to get on their nerves. Do you allow the smallest things to easily get on your nerves. What about a church?
Cell phones going off. You know Amazon alerts. I'm an Amazon person, so I know when alert, at our church, there's times I say, somebody just got a package. Because I'm an Amazon person. It's like Christmas every day.
I look for a reason just to, you know, have a package on my porch, you know. What about at work? Are you. easily provoked. Ladies Can I talk to you again?
Are you irritable and touchy? During that time of the month, Okay. Or when you're going through the change of life. Fans all over the place. Air conditioner on 40.
You know, now they got the portable fan, you know, but now they got new one you can get off Amazon. And you know, you put around your neck and they got two fans blowing at you. Insane. In same stuff. You know.
Men, you know, we... We're no different. We go through, you know, and we end up becoming Mean, grumpy old men, you know, get off my lawn type of guys. We do that. And sometimes I have to catch myself.
Because I'm getting older now. And these little things, you know. And so what about These little things getting on your nerves, you know, children laughing, making noise. Irritates you, gets on your nerves, you know. My name is Pastor Tony, and I just described myself.
Again, Sunday afternoons, the family comes over, the kids and the grandkids, they come over. And, you know, at the time, before my youngest grandson, Son was born. It was uh Six? Granddaughters And one. Grandson and the one grandson lived in Indiana.
So it was a six. Giddy little Chaddy? Little girls. They're laughing in one minute, the next minute, oh, they're not sharing, I don't want to turn and And I'm just, I just finished greeting and teaching several services and greeting thousands of people, and I come home like a limp noodle ready to eat and just sit in my chair, and then they're over. Any of the things, I'm just like, sometimes I'm just like, I gotta get out of here.
That grumpy old man stuff.
So we're no different. We get irritable and touchy, and all that kind of stuff, and once again. My name is Pastor Tony. And I struggle with these things. You know, little, because the Marine Corps trained me the way they did.
Um I you know and and I've I've been out. of the Marine Corps almost 40 years.
So Because the Marine Corps did that to me. You know, oh, God bless you. Thank you.
So so the Marine Corps ruined me and so I I can't sit with my back to the door when I go out in public and all that stuff. And I just gotta watch, and I'm watching.
So any little sound, it just irritates me. And so, you know, and. In the service, you know, when people have kids in the sanctuary and any little cry or little remark, I'm like, And then of course, you know, don't let a cell phone go off, please. And I'm just, I'm just, and my kids give me a report card every week. Dad, you did well today.
You did okay today. And then I hear, you know, alarms, you know, people got Amazon packages and all that kind of stuff. That's why I said my name is Pastor Tony, and I get easily provoked by those things. The thing is, a copy love is not like that. Agape love is not.
Agape love. Notice what it says, thinks no evil. Oh. This means agape love keeps no record of wrongs. The Greek word for this phrase is Uh logizome.
Which was a bookkeeping accounting term for you numbers people out there that refers to calculating or figuring out an entry in a book. The purpose of the entry is to make a permanent record that can be consulted when needed. Ladies. You're great bookkeepers. Oh.
of keeping records of wrongdoing. Your husband's like, honey, you know, I've never done that before. You're dead. It was a year ago on a Tuesday. I know because it was 103 degrees outside and I was ready to throw you out.
It's like whole thing. Who thinks of that? I don't know what I did yesterday. Who thinks, who keeps a record of that a year ago on a Tuesday? And it was 103.
Who does that? Are you trying? arrival an elephant or something what's going on here agape love It doesn't keep records. of wrongdoing.
However, the word Um Logizome. In the New Testament, it refers to the forgiveness that God offers those who put their faith and trust in him. God doesn't keep record of wrong. It's not like, oh God, I did it again. Just like yesterday, I did it again.
God tells you, like yesterday was. He doesn't keep record of our wrongdoings. Romans 4, verse 8, it says, Blessed is the man to whom the Lord should not impute Lau gizzeme. Sin. In 2 Corinthians 5:19, it said that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing Lo Gizimag.
Their trespass is to them. God is not imputing or putting On a permanent record, our sins because they were covered and washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ. That is why.
So agape love. It thinks no evil. It's not suspicious. A God beloved is trusting. Wives, do you trust your husband?
Not as far as I can see him.
Okay, okay. Or are you always suspicious of him? Men, have you given her a reason not to trust you because you've been a terrible human being in the past? And that's so often how it is.
However, remember, remember precious people. Gape love keeps no record of wrongdoings. Singles, be trustworthy.
now as a single. And you won't have this issue later on when you get married. Look what it says there in verse 6. It says, Agape love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. Agape love does not rejoice in iniquity.
Agape love does not rejoice when trouble or unfortunate things come to another person. There's a great proverb that many people skip over. In Proverbs 24, verses 17 and 18, it talks about. How when God, I'm just paraphrasing this one. When God begins to get your enemies back.
Don't rejoice.
Okay. Because God will see it. And stop. And I always say, oh my goodness. Because you know, the Bible says in Romans 12, vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.
We're like, okay, God, we're going to allow you to get them. And then when God started getting them, And you look and you're like, oh yeah, it don't look good. And God was like, what's that? Because if we rejoice. He will stop getting them.
Watch your heart. When God starts to get your enemy back, 2 Thessalonians 1:6 says, It is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you. It isn't that a great bird. That's a great bird. And when he starts getting them, You watch your heart.
Don't you sit back and Oh my goodness, I only got a few more minutes, but let me tell you this story of a time. This is this was maybe about a decade ago now when I used to be a really, really. Really good basketball player. And then I got old and overweight and then injury and then that was over.
So when I was playing, we had to go to this gym. And this guy, uh This guy was, you know, joining us for the first time. We had our normal crew. He was joining us for the first time. And he, all of a sudden, everyone knew that I'm a pastor.
Everyone knew it.
So, You know, and I I'm always respectful and I'm always you You see me on the court, I tried to represent Christ well.
So this new guy comes on. And he starts Trans talking me. And I was shocked for one. And I started saying, y'all better tell him. Better tell them something because not only could I trash talk, which I didn't.
But I can back up. My with my basketball game, I can back it up.
So he started talking trash, and so I said, Okay, let me just show him something. And I just started lighting him up, just lighting him up like a Christmas tree. Just lighten them up. Boom, boom, boom. Boom boom.
Boom! Just busting him wide open. And so He got to talking and still talking, I was quiet and I was just tearing him up a new one. And all of a sudden He goes down the court because somebody mentioned today, bro, you better stop trash talking. That guy's a pastor.
Stop trash talking. Oh, I don't care about that.
Well, I don't care what he's going to do. He goes down the court. went up. and said, ah, came to the ground. Holding his knee, he tore his HCL.
Tore it up. And I sat on the bench. Because I better not crack a smile. I better not. And I sat on the bench.
And so we, the ambulance, everything had to come and took them to the hospital. After we finish playing, I go over to the hospital. I said, yo, bro. I said, hey, man, I'm sorry that this happened to you. I said, let me pray for you and stuff.
And I said, bro, how are you getting home? You got anybody that's going to take you home? And he said, no, no. I said, bro, I'll take you. I'll take you home.
So he get all wrapped up and everything. We get in my car. Turn on the car. And who's on the radio teaching but me? You can't make this up.
And so, you know, I go and he lived on the second floor of his apartment. I'm helping him up, helping him out, you know, going, you know, helped him in the house, put his leg up, got him some ice out of his freezer, put on his knee, and he was just so sorry, I'm sorry, bro. I said, bro, it's all good, bro. And then also, I went and got him some chicken, you know, bucket of chicken. Here you go, bro.
You know, something to eat, you know. But what if I had been a jerk on the basketball court? What if I had been mad? You see, you shouldn't be running your mouth, you know. Not only did I bust you up, God busted you up.
Nope. No, I didn't do that. Agape love doesn't rejoice in iniquity. It doesn't rejoice when unfortunate things happen to other people. You know, it doesn't do that at all.
But it rejoices in the truth.
Now the truth that Paul is referring to is not only factual truth. but it is the truth contained in the word of God. Look what he says in verse 7. I'm about out of time. Yeah, but look at verse 7.
It says, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Now Notice how it says Agape love bears all things. The Greek word for bear is stego, and it basically means to cover or support. and therefore protect. It meant to place a roof over. Listen to this part of the definition.
to cover with silence. We see this. We see this lived out with Joseph in Matthew 1, verse 19. You remember when the Holy Spirit came upon Mary, she was with child? And it says, and Joseph not wanting to make her a public example.
He was going to put her away privately. He wanted to cover. her reputation. He wanted to cover her good name. Let me ask you something.
Do you give your husband the business in public? Men, do you embarrass your wife in public? See Agape love doesn't do that. Whenever I see that And I said, ooh, she's doing this in public? I know she's giving him the business behind closed doors.
You never You never want to do that to each other. You want to, watch this. You want to cover with silence when you're in public. You never want to make them a public example. Joseph taught us this.
Don't want to do that. And notice it says Agape love believes all things or Believes that good will come out in the end. Agape love believes that the best outcome. This describes my wife perfectly. She believes all things, the best out of people, the best out of a situation.
She sees the bright side of everything. She's the perfect example of this in this verse. There's times I just tell her, I said, good grief. What, you're going to say something nice about Satan next? You say something nice about everybody.
You'll see the bright thing, you just negative. You know, whoa, I'm a realist, you know. But she sees the the best side of everything.
So And then it says, Agape love hopes all things. Hope, by way of definition, is the exceeding expectation of coming good. Even when wrongdoing is done, this person with agape love still hopes. Even when Uh uh your spouse blows it. And let me ask you that do you still have hope for the marriage?
And you say, no, maybe not.
Well, what about when your kids blow it? Do you still have hope for your kids? Yeah, I got hope for my kids. But you don't have hope for the spouse who gave you those kids. Oh, I'd leave that alone.
I'll be going back to Virginia tomorrow. Don't worry. Don't worry. But I Agape love, it hopes all things. God has hope in us.
Jeremiah 29, 11, he says, I know the thoughts I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil. to give you a future and a hope. That's what the Lord wants. He doesn't give up and lose hope. He hopes all things for us.
That he's going to see us through until we get to heaven. And then it says, Endures all things. Ooh, that's a tough one. Min agape love perseveres. Maybe you're hearing you're ready to throw in the towel on your marriage.
You plan on filing this week coming up? And God brought you here. to hear this message. Agape love hopes all things. It perseveres.
Maybe you're here and you're ready to give up on church, on Christianity. as a whole. Agape love endures all things. And you can endure with God's help. And finally, how long does agape love last?
Verse 8, it says, Agape love never fails. Pipto is that Greek word for phales and it basically means final falling. Watch this. Like when a flower or a leaf falls to the ground, withers and decays. The word never refers to time, meaning at no time will agape love ever fall, withers, or decays.
And by nature it is permanent. Because agape love comes from God who is eternal. And I'm so glad that God's love never fails. Maybe you're here and you've had earthly human love fail you. in a relationship or something.
God's love will never fail you. You hear me online? God's love will never fail you. It would never Never ever fail you. His love is Eternal.
Jeremiah 31, 3 says, I've loved you with an everlasting love. That word everlasting in the Hebrew is olam. And it means eternal forever. That God's love for you is forever. God is telling us that his love for us would never fail.
Let me conclude with this. In this message, Love Connection, we saw how to connect to God's love. We also saw what God's love is not. It is not rude, selfish, provoked. Then we saw what agape love thinks no evil.
It doesn't rejoice in iniquity. It believes all things. Hopes all things, endures all things. Then we saw how gape love never fails. Let me ask you this question as we close.
What did God show you about yourself from this message? What areas are you falling short and need God's help? His help is available for you at the foot of the cross. and in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. You and I, we can't do this on our own.
Only through God can we live out agape love. Agape love is seen And the person of Jesus Christ. And only in a personal relationship with him. Will you experience this agape love? You can't go out here and say, okay, okay.
I'm gonna try not to I'm gonna try to believe all things and do it. It's not by I wish I can, I wish I can. Only a personal, close, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ will enable you. to do what God is calling you to do, to live out agape love. Only a close growing one.
And we're going to close in prayer. We're going to give you an opportunity to just... Check your heart, get things right with him. Just know, just know, watch this. You've been personally invited.
by the Lord Jesus Christ. be here today. This is the message God wanted you to hear. If you're here for the first time, you must. With absolute necessity, come back and hear Pastor Greg Laurie.
You must do that. Don't judge this church by me. Don't do that. You must come back and hear. The greatest evangelist of our time.
You gotta come back in here.
So, as we close in prayer, And forgive me for taking a few extra minutes. Thank you so much for your patience and forgive me for this. But we're going to close in prayer and we're going to give you an opportunity to just do business with God. That's why you're here. To do business with the creator of the universe.
I told the Riverside Campus First Service. That that hell is real. And people who reject Jesus Christ, they go there. And and you know The old timers used to say the old saints They said that we as believers should never talk about hell without having a tear roll down our faces. Because it's a real place that people go to who reject Jesus Christ.
This is serious business. Time is winding up, and God wants to do a final in-gathering. Before he cracks the skies and comes back and get us in the air. And so let's close in prayer and let's just see what God may want to do. Father, thank you so much for your word.
Thank you for these precious people of yours. You love them. You sent Jesus to die for them. And Lord, I just pray that you would draw people to you today. These are your people.
You love them. You made them. Lord, you invited them to be here today. And as every head is bowed, every eye is closed. If that's you today and you say, you know what, I need to get right with God.
I just want you to lift up your hands so I can pray for you. Lift it up high because these lights are bright and I won't be able to see. I see you back here in the back. Anyone else? I see you back there.
I see you here. I see you here. Anyone else? I see your hands all over. God bless you.
I see you right there. For those who Need to get right with God. Maybe you need to come home to the Lord. You're drifted from Him. Believers, I need you praying.
You drifted from Him. I want you to raise your hand, lift your hand up. And you drifted from the Lord. God bless you in the back. God bless you there.
And quickly, because of time, can you do me another honor? For those of you who lifted your hand, can you come meet me here at the altar? Come quickly, meet me here at the altar. If you're serious about getting things right with God and you raised your hand, come meet me here at the altar. He says, Come unto me, all you who are laden and heavy laden.
I will give you rest. And maybe you're here and you need that rest in your soul. If that's you, come. Come while the Lord is calling. What's so awesome is that our God is still calling people today.
He's still saving. The blood hasn't lost its power. It is still saving and doing the great work. Just repeat this prayer after me. Just say, Lord Jesus.
I believe that I'm a sinner. I believe you died on the cross. And was buried. And rose again. Just for me.
Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and Savior. Thank you, Father Lord, for saving me. Help me to live for you. By the power of your Holy Spirit.
From this moment forward. In Jesus' name. In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.
Hey everybody, thanks for listening to this podcast. To learn more about Harvest Ministries, follow this show and consider supporting it. Just go to harvest.org. And to find out how to know God personally, go to harvest.org and click on know God. Yeah.
