Love: Week 12, Love Doesn't Judge

Love: Week 12, Love Doesn't Judge

In a world that often judges and condemns, we are called to be different. Love is not about passing judgment but showing mercy and forgiveness. Let's follow the example of Jesus, who said, 'Neither do I condemn thee.' This non-judgmental love is a message of acquittal, not judgment. As we embrace this love, we become beacons of light in a dark world, and we open our hearts to receive the same mercy we extend to others.

Love: Week 11 - Love Gives

Love: Week 11 - Love Gives

Love Gives

Introduction – Today we continue our series that is helping us understand God and His love. In our opening text, we see that Jesus issued the command (not a suggestion) to love one another. And He went on to say that this love would be our defining quality as believers. Not our fancy churches, not our eloquent messages, not our wild demonstrations of the Spirit of God. But instead, it would be love. It would be how well we show love to one another.

Now if the world is actually going to stand up and take notice of this love, then this love would have to be uncharacteristic of what the world knows as love. Love of the world is nothing like the love of God. The love of the world is actually a selfish love. In reality, it is lust, not love.

Notice that the love of the world is seated in lust and self. Most of all the love songs are about the way you make me feel, and the way you look to me and what you do to me. But what happens when the way you make me feel or the way you look or what you do to me changes. The love ends.

So God’s love is not based on a feeling or self-gratification or self-satisfaction at all. It will actually produce a deep, inner spiritual satisfaction and gratification. And even long-term sustainable blessing. But its motivator is not seeking out those things. This love that Jesus called us to was a divine love that emanates from the heart of God that seeks to give and bless, not take and consume. His love is a love that is all about you, not me!

A love that is not based on what you do for me, but rather is concerned about you regardless of me. A love that forgives regardless of what you “did to me”. A love that can give regardless of what you’re giving to me. A love that can prefer you regardless of how much you are considering me. A love that can serve regardless of what you are doing for me!

And since Jesus commanded us to walk in this higher love, we’re seeking to understand what that means to our daily life.

  1. We pointed out that love puts others first (It Prefers them) - Rom 12:10 - Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another KJV

  2. We learned that love won’t intentionally hurt another person - Rom 13:10 - Love never does anything that is harmful to a neighbor. GWT

  3. We’ve learned that love seeks to Covers the shortcomings of others to help them get restored - Prov 17:9 - He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; KJV

  4. Love does not demean people but builds them up - 1 Cor 8:1 – …Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. NIV

  5. Love Lays down its life to help others - John 15:13 - Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. KJV

  6. Love seeks out those that are hurting and lost to help them - Ezek 34:11&16 - 11 "'For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. ... 16 I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak… NIV

  7. A love that rejoices when you get ahead instead of is envious and covetous of you - 1 Cor 13:6 - Love ….rejoices with the truth. NIV

Love rejoices when you get ahead for you getting ahead God’s truth prevailing in your life.

God in us makes us the biggest celebrators of the victory of others.

Today: want to talk about another aspect of love Love Gives!

1 John 3:16-18 - 16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. NKJV

Notice that this God kind of love requires the action of giving. Notice the phrase “not in word or in tongue” Amp “in theory or in speech” Theory is an unproven thought or assumption. We are not to just buy into the theory of love, that’s not love at all. In Speech We are not to just say we love. Anyone can say “I love you” but until that word finds action, it’s just you bumping your gums. Your actions state otherwise. No! Love has a corresponding action! And one of the primary actions of love is giving! You can give without loving, but you can’t live without giving. For you to say you love someone, and you have the wherewithal to help