Unfailing Love
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7
* February… the month of love… so, let’s continue to talk about love… Do you love your family? I do! But when I ask if you love ALL of the people you know, the answer will probably be, “not really!” But I will make the question simple: Do you love all the people in your church?
* Unfortunately we often let our differences interfere with love and instead of being loving we often become sarcastic and hateful towards others. Why does that happen? It happens because we let the old evil nature take our feelings, attitudes and actions hostage. Then… then we are seen as grumpy, bitter and even evil by others! When we do allow ourselves to become hostage of the evil nature and behave in ways that are destructive instead of edifying, we cannot complain! When we are perceived as bitter troublemakers, as somebody that believes he/she is always right and others are always wrong when there is a difference of opinion we have probably been evaluated appropriately. I have seen it happen again and again in family circles, churches, at work…
* Paul told the Christians in Ephesus: “Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” Ephesians 4:29.
* Why can’t we as believers in Christ, let the Holy Spirit direct us to think and act on what is loving? Why do we have to be grumblers and mumblers? “Oh, but I have the right to express myself. We live in a free country!” you might say. Well, not so fast! According to this passage in Ephesians 4:29 and other Bible verses, as Christians, God does not… I will repeat GOD DOES NOT GIVE US THE RIGHT TO BE NASTY, UGLY, ACID, GRUMPY…
* Love… UNFAILING LOVE… is the rule for our thoughts, attitudes and actions. And if I don’t practice it, then I am being led by the sinful nature and that is SINFUL!
* So, please, in the name of Jesus, always let the love of Christ always rule in your heart… not your evil desires! Never… Ever!
* Let me tell you a story… There was a very unusual military funeral in California in December of 2013. Sgt. First Class Joseph Gantt, who fought in both World War II and the Korean War, was laid to rest. He had been captured in Korea in 1950 and died the following year. But his body was not returned for many years, and his death was never confirmed by the North Koreans. His wife, Clara, waited for decades for her husband to come back. She regularly went to meetings with government officials seeking information about what had happened. Clara even bought a house and had it professionally landscaped so all Joseph would have to do when he came home was go fishing. She was ninety-four years old when his remains were finally brought home for a military funeral with full honors. It wasn’t the homecoming she dreamed of, but she finally knew his fate. Clara told a reporter who interviewed her, “He told me if anything happened to him, he wanted me to remarry. And I told him ‘No, no.’ Here I am, still his wife, and I’m going to remain his wife until the day the Lord calls me home.”
* I pray, hope… implore you that that kind of love would be present in your life… not only for your husband or wife, children and immediate family, but for all… yes! FOR ALL!
* Love—true, godly love—is not temporary, or SELECTIVE to a few people. Love is a commitment that is meant to last. Love is not based on everything going right or always being happy. Love is not an emotional feeling but rather a choice of the will. Casual commitments do not produce a foundation for deep and meaningful relationships. Instead we should love others as God loves us—with an unfailing love that never ends… FOR ALL GOD’S CHILDREN!
* Le the love of Christ be in you! Your pastor, Rev. Don Sonntag
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7
* February… the month of love… so, let’s continue to talk about love… Do you love your family? I do! But when I ask if you love ALL of the people you know, the answer will probably be, “not really!” But I will make the question simple: Do you love all the people in your church?
* Unfortunately we often let our differences interfere with love and instead of being loving we often become sarcastic and hateful towards others. Why does that happen? It happens because we let the old evil nature take our feelings, attitudes and actions hostage. Then… then we are seen as grumpy, bitter and even evil by others! When we do allow ourselves to become hostage of the evil nature and behave in ways that are destructive instead of edifying, we cannot complain! When we are perceived as bitter troublemakers, as somebody that believes he/she is always right and others are always wrong when there is a difference of opinion we have probably been evaluated appropriately. I have seen it happen again and again in family circles, churches, at work…
* Paul told the Christians in Ephesus: “Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” Ephesians 4:29.
* Why can’t we as believers in Christ, let the Holy Spirit direct us to think and act on what is loving? Why do we have to be grumblers and mumblers? “Oh, but I have the right to express myself. We live in a free country!” you might say. Well, not so fast! According to this passage in Ephesians 4:29 and other Bible verses, as Christians, God does not… I will repeat GOD DOES NOT GIVE US THE RIGHT TO BE NASTY, UGLY, ACID, GRUMPY…
* Love… UNFAILING LOVE… is the rule for our thoughts, attitudes and actions. And if I don’t practice it, then I am being led by the sinful nature and that is SINFUL!
* So, please, in the name of Jesus, always let the love of Christ always rule in your heart… not your evil desires! Never… Ever!
* Let me tell you a story… There was a very unusual military funeral in California in December of 2013. Sgt. First Class Joseph Gantt, who fought in both World War II and the Korean War, was laid to rest. He had been captured in Korea in 1950 and died the following year. But his body was not returned for many years, and his death was never confirmed by the North Koreans. His wife, Clara, waited for decades for her husband to come back. She regularly went to meetings with government officials seeking information about what had happened. Clara even bought a house and had it professionally landscaped so all Joseph would have to do when he came home was go fishing. She was ninety-four years old when his remains were finally brought home for a military funeral with full honors. It wasn’t the homecoming she dreamed of, but she finally knew his fate. Clara told a reporter who interviewed her, “He told me if anything happened to him, he wanted me to remarry. And I told him ‘No, no.’ Here I am, still his wife, and I’m going to remain his wife until the day the Lord calls me home.”
* I pray, hope… implore you that that kind of love would be present in your life… not only for your husband or wife, children and immediate family, but for all… yes! FOR ALL!
* Love—true, godly love—is not temporary, or SELECTIVE to a few people. Love is a commitment that is meant to last. Love is not based on everything going right or always being happy. Love is not an emotional feeling but rather a choice of the will. Casual commitments do not produce a foundation for deep and meaningful relationships. Instead we should love others as God loves us—with an unfailing love that never ends… FOR ALL GOD’S CHILDREN!
* Le the love of Christ be in you! Your pastor, Rev. Don Sonntag