The Idol of Self: Recovering Christlike Love

• The Nature of Love (Agape) [00:00:30 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor defines love as 'charity' in the KJV, emphasizing that it 'seeketh not her own' and is not selfish, contrasting this with cultural misunderstandings.
• The Trinity and Divine Love [00:06:15 ▶️ 📄]
  > He argues that God must be a Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) to be truly loving in eternity past, as a unitary God would be selfish; this contrasts with Islam and Unitarianism.
• The Fall and Selfishness [00:07:43 ▶️ 📄]
  > Using Genesis 3, he illustrates how Satan introduced selfishness ('look out for yourself') into the world, leading to Adam and Eve's self-consciousness, hiding, and blame-shifting.
• The 'Satanic Trinity' [00:11:54 ▶️ 📄]
  > He contrasts the divine Trinity with the 'satanic trinity' of 'me, myself, and I,' identifying this self-exaltation as the root of all human conflict and sin.
• Selfishness and the Great Commandment [00:12:18 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor contrasts the natural human tendency to exalt self ('Look out for number one') with the biblical command to love God first, neighbor second, and self third, identifying inordinate self-love as the primary sin.
• Societal Decay and Political Polarization [00:14:07 ▶️ 📄]
  > He links 2 Timothy 3's prophecy of 'perilous times' to modern America, citing divorce culture, political hatred (Republicans vs. Democrats), and the desire to 'kill' those with opposing views as evidence of sinful self-love.
• The Role of the Church in Revival [00:18:48 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that the answer to national moral decay is not political or media reform, but the Church humbling itself, praying, and turning from wicked ways, emphasizing that the Church holds the power of the Holy Spirit.
• Sacrificial Love (Christ's Example) [00:19:45 ▶️ 📄]
  > He elevates the command to love neighbors by pointing to Christ's example in John 15 and Romans 5: loving enemies and dying for the ungodly, contrasting this with the modern desire for revenge.
• The Mystery of Christ and the Church [00:22:38 ▶️ 📄]
  > Using Ephesians 5, he illustrates the depth of Christ's love by comparing the Church to a bride, explaining that Christ loves the Church as His own body and gave Himself for it, setting the standard for how believers should love one another.
• Imitating Christ's Love [00:26:31 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor explains that believers are called to be 'mimete' (imitators) of Christ, not by dying on a cross, but by walking in love and self-sacrifice as Christ did for the church.
• The Purpose of Church Assembly [00:29:19 ▶️ 📄]
  > Addressing the misconception that church is for personal edification or impressing the pastor, the pastor argues that Hebrews 10:24-25 commands assembly to provoke one another to love and good works.
• Fervent Charity and Community Care [00:31:56 ▶️ 📄]
  > Defining 'fervent love' not as an emotion but as active engagement: praying, encouraging, checking on, and serving fellow believers, which serves as the witness to the world.
• Humility vs. Self-Exaltation [00:37:23 ▶️ 📄]
  > Contrasting the sin of self-exaltation (which entered through the self) with the call to humility and submitting to God, linking this back to the original creation in God's image as love.
• The Fall and Sin [00:37:23 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor explains that sin entered through the self, where humanity turned inward and made itself god, leading to a fall from the original state of love.
• First Love [00:39:42 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor identifies 'first love' as God, arguing that the church in Ephesus (and believers today) have left this primary devotion for self-love and religious duty.
• Repentance and Restoration [00:41:12 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor calls for repentance ('remember from whence thou art fallen') and receiving God's love through the Holy Spirit to restore the believer's passion and witness.
• Eternal Salvation [00:43:09 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor connects the 'tree of life' in Revelation to the salvation offered to believers, contrasting it with Adam and Eve who were denied access to it due to their fall.

• Sermon Illustration [00:07:43 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor recounts the biblical narrative of the Fall in Genesis 3, detailing how the serpent tempted Eve by urging her to 'look out for yourself,' leading to Adam and Eve's immediate self-consciousness, hiding from God, and Adam blaming Eve (and God) for his sin.
• Sermon Illustration [00:13:17 ▶️ 📄]
  > He references a 'satanic billboard' he saw while driving to Rock Hill advertising a female lawyer with the slogan 'Life is too short to be unhappy. Get a divorce,' using it as an example of a completely selfish lie that mirrors Satan's deception.
• Sermon Illustration [00:13:17 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor recounts seeing a 'satanic billboard' in Rock Hill advertising a woman lawyer who promotes divorce with the slogan 'Life is too short to be unhappy,' using it to illustrate selfishness and the disregard for family consequences.
• Sermon Illustration [00:23:08 ▶️ 📄]
  > He shares a personal anecdote about his upcoming wedding, noting that he and his friend Pastor Joseph are both getting married again, but to the same person: Jesus Christ, illustrating the spiritual marriage between Christ and the Church.
• Sermon Illustration [00:29:24 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses a rhetorical bait-and-switch to debunk the idea that church attendance is for personal benefit or to please the pastor. He pretends to agree with the skeptic's view ('Pastor Joseph would be mad at you') before correcting it with the biblical mandate to 'provoke unto love and to good works.'
• Sermon Illustration [00:36:49 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor recounts the hypothetical experience of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, describing their state of innocence, lack of shame, and perfect love before sin entered through self-exaltation.
• Sermon Illustration [00:36:36 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses the biblical narrative of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden as an analogy for the human condition: they were created in love but fell by turning to self-love, missing the tree of life. He contrasts this with the believer's opportunity to eat from the tree of life in the new heavens through repentance and faith in Christ.

• Pastoral Charge [00:19:02 ▶️ 📄]
  > The congregation is called to humble themselves, pray, seek God's face, and turn from wicked ways as the primary solution for national revival.
• Pastoral Charge [00:30:13 ▶️ 📄]
  > Attend church regularly to encourage, exhort, and provoke one another to love and good works.
• Pastoral Charge [00:32:13 ▶️ 📄]
  > Actively reach out to fellow church members through calls, visits, texts, and prayer.
• Pastoral Charge [00:42:06 ▶️ 📄]
  > To repent, acknowledge their lack of love, pray for God's filling, and become a blessing to others.
• Pastoral Charge [00:43:52 ▶️ 📄]
  > To repent, trust in God's Son, confess His name, and receive salvation and love within.

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:00:00] Today, we return to our redemptive history, and we left off in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 some time ago.
[00:00:13] 1 Corinthians 13, of course, we know as the love chapter, and in the King James, love has a different term there, and it's what?
[00:00:24] Charity. Yeah, so when we read charity, just think of the word love.
[00:00:30] So today, our message continues the study of 1 Corinthians 13, specifically in verse 5, in that charity seeketh not her own.
[00:00:41] In other words, love is not selfish.
[00:00:44] Love is not selfish.
[00:00:46] So let's read the entire chapter, and then we're going to focus on this aspect that we find in verse 5 of 1 Corinthians chapter 13.
[00:00:55] Let's read the chapter.
[00:00:56] Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.
[00:01:07] 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, and have not charity, I am nothing.
[00:01:18] And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
[00:01:27] Charity suffereth long and is kind.
[00:01:30] Charity envieth not.
[00:01:31] Charity vaunteth not itself.
[00:01:34] It's not puffed up.
[00:01:36] It doth not behave itself unseemly.
[00:01:39] It seeketh not her own.
[00:01:41] It is not easily provoked.
[00:01:43] Thinketh no evil.
[00:01:44] Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in truth.
[00:01:47] Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
[00:01:53] Charity never faileth.
[00:01:54] But whether there be prophecies, they shall fail.
[00:01:57] Whether there be tongues, they shall cease.
[00:01:59] Whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
[00:02:02] For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
[00:02:11] When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
[00:02:20] For now we see through a glass that is like a mirror, darkly but then face to face now I know in part but then shall I know even as also I am known and now abideth fate hope and charity these three but the greatest of these is charity let's pray
[00:02:43] your heavenly father thank you for your holy word lord god help us now by your love for us through your Son, Jesus, that we might better understand that love that you've placed in our hearts, those of us who are born again, that we might love you aright and love one another as
[00:03:00] your Word teaches and as your Spirit would work in us and as would please and glorify and honor you. In Christ's name, we thank you. Amen. This idea, you know, at this rate, it'll be another
[00:03:14] a few years before we're done with 1 Corinthians 13, especially since we left it several months ago, actually before Easter.
[00:03:22] But it's something that we can't speak enough about.
[00:03:26] After all, Jesus tells us that the first and great commandment is what?
[00:03:30] Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
[00:03:33] And the second is likened to it, which is love your neighbor as yourself.
[00:03:37] How are Americans doing on that one?
[00:03:39] Love your neighbor as yourself.
[00:03:41] Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you.
[00:03:43] Seems like we've forgotten.
[00:03:44] I think another generation that has arisen that doesn't even know it.
[00:03:48] It's one thing to know it and just to sneer and disobey, but it's another thing, I think, we have a younger generation that doesn't even know it, can't even recognize it.
[00:03:57] But this is key and foundational to the Christian life.
[00:04:00] After all, we know God is presented in 1 John, God is love, and the motive for the gospel is ultimately the glory of God.
[00:04:10] But primarily and firstly, we see it's presented in the Bible as for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.
[00:04:21] So the whole idea of the Christian faith is founded here in love.
[00:04:27] This isn't just something to say at your wedding.
[00:04:29] So give me something nice from the Bible so we can sound a little religious and then let's go have fun.
[00:04:35] No, there's something very foundational here that we need to spend more time on.
[00:04:40] Now, interestingly, here in chapter 13, verse 5, where it says that love or charity seeketh not her own.
[00:04:50] Now, why is it her?
[00:04:52] Well, in the Greek, the word agape here is feminine, but that doesn't mean that love is a female or a male.
[00:05:00] That's just grammar, okay?
[00:05:02] But that's why it says seeketh not her own or seeketh not its own.
[00:05:07] And so our love should not be selfish.
[00:05:11] Now here in verse 5, again, it says, Seeketh not her own.
[00:05:15] It's interesting, that word seeketh in the Greek is the same word that we find in Matthew 6, 33.
[00:05:22] Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and then all these things will be added unto you.
[00:05:28] So if we are to seek first God and his kingdom, then we're not to seek ourself first, right?
[00:05:34] true love does not seek itself. And this foundational contrast is found in the very beginning of the Bible in Genesis chapter 3. Let's take a look there in the fall.
[00:05:49] You'll find this aspect. Man is made in the image of God. God is love. Well, we understand that love is not selfish. By the way, Pastor Andy in his prayers mentioned Islam several times.
[00:06:02] One of the problems with Islam and with Unitarianism and other religions that there's not many, but they believe in one God, but they say there is no Trinity.
[00:06:12] He's just ultimately only one.
[00:06:15] That God cannot be love because love is not selfish.
[00:06:18] The Bible tells us.
[00:06:19] So if God existed completely and strictly as one, he is one spirit, but we know and believe in the Trinity, he is manifest in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
[00:06:31] He could not be love, because that love would be selfish if he was not a trinity, you see?
[00:06:40] So from all eternity past, now before God created anything, what was there?
[00:06:46] God, okay?
[00:06:48] No air, no space, no time, no angels, no devil, no nothing, no man.
[00:06:53] So it's just God.
[00:06:55] How long did that, how long was eternity in past?
[00:06:59] Pretty long, huh?
[00:06:59] Eternity, okay.
[00:07:00] So, but God never changes, right?
[00:07:05] So he was love back then, but love cannot be selfish.
[00:07:11] So from all eternity past, the Father loved the Son with the spirit of love, the Holy Spirit.
[00:07:19] And so God was manifesting true love within himself without any need for anyone else.
[00:07:27] Our God is a self-sufficient God.
[00:07:30] And so we see that.
[00:07:32] Now, man's made in his image, so therefore he should love unselfishly.
[00:07:36] And so Adam and Eve are created.
[00:07:37] They love God.
[00:07:38] They love one another.
[00:07:39] All is great until someone else enters the scene.
[00:07:43] In Genesis chapter 3, we know this is the devil, Satan, who was an angel who has fallen.
[00:07:49] And he comes and he puts a seed in the woman's mind.
[00:07:53] You know what?
[00:07:54] Essentially, God's trying to keep you down.
[00:07:59] Come on, look out for yourself.
[00:08:01] You owe it to yourself.
[00:08:03] And so, this is what we see the serpent say to the woman, beginning in verse 5.
[00:08:08] It says, you know, you need to eat of this tree.
[00:08:11] Well, God told us not to eat of that.
[00:08:12] Ah, God doesn't want you to eat that.
[00:08:14] Why?
[00:08:15] Verse 5, for God doth know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
[00:08:24] God's just trying to keep you down.
[00:08:25] Don't listen to that.
[00:08:27] Look out for yourself.
[00:08:29] Well, she sees in verse 6, it says, And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes and the tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat
[00:08:40] and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.
[00:08:45] Now, as soon as they eat, a change takes place.
[00:08:48] God says that the day that you'll eat thereof, you'll surely die.
[00:08:51] But notice the change.
[00:08:53] Back here in when the devil asks her about, has God said you can't eat of any tree of the garden?
[00:08:59] her answer in verse 2 was, and the woman said unto the serpent, we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. So she's talking about her and her husband, Adam. Well now, as soon as they
[00:09:11] have sinned, everything becomes selfish. Notice immediately what happens. Verse 7, and the eyes of them both were opened. They said, ah, we've arrived. We're gods. This is cool. Just like the devil said. Now the very first thing is, they are self-conscious. Anybody here ever been self-conscious?
[00:09:29] That started right here.
[00:09:31] Before this, they weren't self-conscious at all.
[00:09:33] They were naked and no problem.
[00:09:36] They didn't go shop for clothes.
[00:09:39] They didn't know what clothes were.
[00:09:41] They didn't know what naked was.
[00:09:42] And they didn't care.
[00:09:43] They didn't need to.
[00:09:44] But now all of a sudden, look, verse 7, And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew they were naked.
[00:09:51] And what are they focused on?
[00:09:53] They went to sow fig leaves to cover their nakedness.
[00:09:56] Well, who's going to see?
[00:09:58] Any other people around to see?
[00:10:02] Ah, God is coming.
[00:10:04] God knows.
[00:10:05] He sees.
[00:10:07] And so, and they heard the voice of the Lord, verse 8, God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife do what?
[00:10:17] Hid themselves.
[00:10:18] Why?
[00:10:18] Because they're self-conscious now.
[00:10:20] It's all about them.
[00:10:21] Hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden, And the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him, where art thou?
[00:10:30] And he said, I, look how many times the word I is in this one verse, verse 10.
[00:10:36] He said, I heard thy voice of the garden.
[00:10:38] I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself.
[00:10:44] It was actually both of them, but it's all about me now.
[00:10:49] And you know, they have this thing, you say you threw somebody under the bus.
[00:10:53] Have you heard about that?
[00:10:55] Well, when God is addressing Adam, because he will address every male head of his house, whether you're the head of the house or not, he's going to ask you, not Eve, just like he does here.
[00:11:07] And then he said in verse 11, and he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked?
[00:11:14] Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat?
[00:11:19] Notice what he does.
[00:11:21] Remember, he was so excited about Eve.
[00:11:23] Now he throws her under the bus.
[00:11:25] And the man said, the woman which thou gavest to me, she gave me of the tree and I did eat.
[00:11:33] He'll blame the woman.
[00:11:34] He'll blame God, but he won't take it himself.
[00:11:37] Selfishness comes in.
[00:11:39] Love is gone.
[00:11:41] And this is the struggle that we face today.
[00:11:44] It's the same struggle.
[00:11:46] All of the fights and all of the arguments and all of the struggles are based essentially and ultimately about selfishness, is it not?
[00:11:54] And this is the satanic trinity.
[00:11:56] How many times have you heard me say it?
[00:11:58] You know, the trinity, of course, is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
[00:12:01] And as I just mentioned, in eternity past, that was a beautiful manifestation of love.
[00:12:07] Satan comes with another trinity, me, myself, and I.
[00:12:11] A wonderful manifestation of no love at all except love for the self.
[00:12:18] We have to be very careful.
[00:12:19] And so this is what we are facing.
[00:12:21] Fallen man is facing this, and everyone here knows it.
[00:12:24] It's so easy to naturally exalt the self.
[00:12:29] Look out for number one.
[00:12:30] Who do they mean?
[00:12:32] Us, the individual, Lord have mercy.
[00:12:36] So God tells us, of course, differently.
[00:12:39] Number one, the great commandment, love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
[00:12:44] That's number one.
[00:12:45] Who's next?
[00:12:46] Not you, not me.
[00:12:48] Next is your neighbor.
[00:12:50] Love your neighbor as yourself.
[00:12:51] and then he doesn't give a third but who's a distant third you love the lord god with all your heart soul mind and strength and then love your neighbor as yourself second and then i'm third
[00:13:03] behind every behind who behind everyone else who lives like that that's not easy is it but is that commanded we're just driving down to rock hill yesterday to speak in a church and i saw this
[00:13:17] satanic billboard now there wasn't a devil up there with a pitchfork but there might as well have been. This woman lawyer, she had on there, life is too short to be unhappy. Get a divorce.
[00:13:33] She doesn't care about you. She doesn't care about your spouse. She doesn't care about your kids.
[00:13:37] She doesn't care about their havoc. She doesn't care anything about except getting your money.
[00:13:42] Completely selfish lie. Same with Satan. Satan didn't care about Eve or Adam except to make them fall. And that's what he did. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. You know, in 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 1, there's a prophecy that in the last days, perilous times will come.
[00:14:07] And what is it that makes the last days so perilous or so dangerous? What is it? Well, he lists a list of things, but what's at the very top of the list? Does anyone know without
[00:14:19] cheating and looking? Sin. It is sin, absolutely. And the first one that's mentioned, 2 Timothy chapter 3, what is it that characterizes the last days, which I think we're in?
[00:14:33] This know also that in the last days perilous times shall come. Why? Because for men shall be lovers of their own selves. That's the first reason. Selfishness. And then everything else comes from that. Notice, the first reason that it's going to be so challenging, and isn't that
[00:14:57] what it is today? You know, when I was young, we may disagree, but you're still my neighbor. Come on over for the holidays. Now we disagree, I want to kill you. But I'm not going to kill you because
[00:15:09] I don't want to get in trouble, so I hope somebody else will. Isn't that where a lot of America is today? What's happened? That's a perilous time if your neighbor doesn't like you. If you're a
[00:15:20] Republican and they're a Democrat or vice versa, to be fair or whatever, and they want to kill you because you like whoever, Trump or you name it, it doesn't matter. And they want to kill you
[00:15:29] because of your views. What is that? It's self-love. I have the right view. Your view is wrong and I hate you. Therefore, I wish you would die. This is perilous, right? This is perilous.
[00:15:42] I can't even speak my mind, because if I do, I may be killed.
[00:15:47] This is like Nazi Germany or something.
[00:15:50] That's the way things are going here.
[00:15:52] Why?
[00:15:53] Because of sin.
[00:15:54] And what sin in particular?
[00:15:56] Selfish.
[00:15:57] And everyone here is subject to this sin.
[00:16:01] It's very hard to look in the mirror and see somebody beside yourself.
[00:16:07] And so, all of these other sins come out of this parent sin, if you will.
[00:16:12] For men shall be lovers of their own selves.
[00:16:14] There'll be covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God,
[00:16:33] having a form of godliness, oh, I go to church, but denying the power thereof from such, turn away.
[00:16:41] This is a very serious subject, folks.
[00:16:44] and very relevant to what we face in America today.
[00:16:48] By the way, is it wrong or a sin to love the self?
[00:16:53] No.
[00:16:54] It's inordinate love of the self.
[00:16:56] Because remember, the second commandment assumes that you love yourself.
[00:17:00] Love your neighbor as yourself.
[00:17:02] Well, if you hate yourself, you're going to hate your neighbor.
[00:17:05] So God knows that we have a love for ourself, and that's okay.
[00:17:10] But it is an inordinate love of the self that everyone else and everything else are tools for you to get gratified and for you to be on the throne.
[00:17:20] That is when it is out.
[00:17:22] And inordinate means it's in the wrong order.
[00:17:24] Ultimately, God is first.
[00:17:26] Everyone else is to be second.
[00:17:28] I'm third.
[00:17:29] When it's all about me.
[00:17:31] Now, this could go for daddy too, but I know the saying is, if mama ain't happy, you know, ain't nobody happy.
[00:17:38] Have you heard that?
[00:17:40] Well, it could be if daddy ain't happy, you know.
[00:17:42] But that's the saying, right?
[00:17:44] And the idea is if this one person isn't happy, everybody's going to be upset.
[00:17:47] So let's make sure we make this one person happy.
[00:17:50] But we don't want that person to be us, do we?
[00:17:53] Because that's not biblical.
[00:17:54] It should be all about God.
[00:17:56] It should be about serving others.
[00:17:58] Why?
[00:17:59] Because the Bible says so.
[00:18:00] And this is, you know, let me just say this real quickly.
[00:18:04] If Christianity were not true, it's still the best religion on earth Because it creates people who don't want to kill each other, but want to help each other, want to serve one another.
[00:18:17] This country is where everybody in the world wanted to come to.
[00:18:20] Now they're getting second thoughts because everybody's killing everybody.
[00:18:23] But because of the Christian religion, that's why this place was such a desirable place, because we loved our neighbors as ourself, or at least we tried.
[00:18:32] And we believe, of course, that Christianity is true, and that is why it produces the best society.
[00:18:37] But as our society departs from those biblical Christian views, I think you and I see a decay and a rot morally in our nation.
[00:18:48] And that's why we have these banners up and we cry out for revival.
[00:18:52] Because the only answer is not in Washington, though we want good politicians.
[00:18:56] Not in Hollywood, though we'd like better media that's more biblical.
[00:19:00] But the answer is the church.
[00:19:02] If my people, which are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray.
[00:19:06] It doesn't say if they'll go fight and kill them with the sword and subject them to Christianity.
[00:19:10] No, we'll humble ourselves and pray and seek his face and turn from our wicked ways.
[00:19:17] It doesn't say, oh, if we could just get those sorry sinners straight, America would be great.
[00:19:21] No, it's so beautiful.
[00:19:22] We're the problem.
[00:19:24] The church has all the power in the world.
[00:19:27] The full power of God is inside of us, the Holy Spirit.
[00:19:30] So what's the problem?
[00:19:32] It's not God's fault.
[00:19:33] What about us?
[00:19:35] How are we doing?
[00:19:36] If we're loving our neighbor, what would we do for them if they don't know Christ?
[00:19:41] We'll share the gospel, right?
[00:19:44] God help us.
[00:19:45] Christ elevates this, by the way.
[00:19:47] He says not only that the first is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
[00:19:51] The second is likened to it, love your neighbor as yourself.
[00:19:54] But later, the night that he's betrayed and the night before he dies on the cross, he takes it up a notch for us Christians.
[00:20:02] And what does he say?
[00:20:03] Not only should you love your neighbor as yourself, But as a matter of fact, you should love your neighbor as I have loved you.
[00:20:12] That's even harder, isn't it?
[00:20:13] Well, I like myself pretty good, you know.
[00:20:16] No, I want you to love your neighbor as I have loved you.
[00:20:19] Well, how did he love the disciples?
[00:20:21] Perfectly.
[00:20:22] And that's the example for us.
[00:20:24] We find that in, you'll find that in Gospel of John, chapter 15, verse 12.
[00:20:28] I encourage you to read the context.
[00:20:30] So what is the picture?
[00:20:31] So if we're to love one another, as Christ loved us, Let's just take a moment and say, how did he love us biblically?
[00:20:38] What kind of love is that?
[00:20:39] Well, we turn to Romans chapter 5 and we see a beautiful picture.
[00:20:43] You know, someone might say, well, you know, Christ loved me because I'm just a lovable guy.
[00:20:48] I mean, hey, you know, God forbid.
[00:20:51] God forbid.
[00:20:53] Notice what it says in Romans chapter 5, verse 6 and following.
[00:20:57] For when you were yet without strength, unable to save yourselves, In due time, Christ died for wonderful people?
[00:21:06] No, he died for the ungodly.
[00:21:09] For scarcely for a righteous man will one die.
[00:21:12] Peradventure for a good man, some would even maybe dare to die.
[00:21:17] You may possibly, some of you that are pretty brave, die for someone that you're trying to save their life.
[00:21:23] But God wanted to show us how much he loved us, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
[00:21:32] But we were still his enemies.
[00:21:34] He died for us.
[00:21:35] That's love, folks.
[00:21:37] Nowadays, not only do we not do anything for our enemies, I hope somebody will knock them off.
[00:21:41] I hope somebody will kill them.
[00:21:42] Lord have mercy.
[00:21:44] Much more than being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
[00:21:51] Look at this language in verse 10.
[00:21:53] For if when we were enemies against God, they say, well, that's okay.
[00:21:59] Watch what I'm going to do.
[00:21:59] I'm going to send you to hell.
[00:22:00] When we were enemies with God, what does he do?
[00:22:04] We were reconciled to God by the death of His Son.
[00:22:07] While we're blaspheming Him in our life and our deed, He puts His Son to a horrible, wicked death in your place so that you might trust in Him and be saved.
[00:22:18] So we're supposed to love each other like Christ loved us.
[00:22:21] So what if people are doing us wrong and they're our enemies?
[00:22:25] Love them.
[00:22:26] Isn't that what the Bible says?
[00:22:28] How are we doing?
[00:22:32] Also, Christ, notice, he looks upon us as himself.
[00:22:38] Very interesting.
[00:22:39] Love your neighbor as yourself.
[00:22:41] Well, Christ looks at the body as himself, right?
[00:22:44] We find this in Matthew 25, 40, when he talks about, if you had the judgment day, if you have done these things to the least of these, my brethren, you've done it unto me.
[00:22:56] And then also, we find in Ephesians 5, this wonderful mystery, this beautiful teaching, that Christ and the church are to be married one day.
[00:23:07] That's wonderful.
[00:23:08] I'm going to a wedding.
[00:23:09] How about you?
[00:23:11] As a matter of fact, I'm going to get married again.
[00:23:13] Oh, what happened with Julie?
[00:23:15] Well, praise God, she's still here.
[00:23:17] She's going to get married too.
[00:23:18] Praise God.
[00:23:19] We're both going to marry somebody else.
[00:23:21] Pastor Joseph, we got a problem here.
[00:23:23] Well, we're both going to marry the same person.
[00:23:26] That's worse.
[00:23:28] His name is Jesus.
[00:23:29] every true believer is going to be spiritually married to Christ when he comes again but that's not just by and by that you know there's something in heaven one day it's actually now there is a
[00:23:44] spiritual mystery and we're going to be we're going to show that forth later in communion but the idea that we've already been engaged and the engagement ring if you will according to Ephesians 1 is the Holy Spirit that we receive when we're born again.
[00:23:58] And then Paul says, you know, I've engaged you, because I'm jealous over you.
[00:24:03] I've engaged you to your groom, Jesus, and I want you to be a chaste and holy bride and stay away from sin, to be prepared for Christ.
[00:24:14] And that's what it says here in Ephesians chapter 5, if you would look at verse 24 and following.
[00:24:19] Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
[00:24:26] Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it.
[00:24:34] He gave himself for his bride.
[00:24:36] He allowed himself to be killed so that he might win his bride, us.
[00:24:41] And this is the way we're supposed to love our wives, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of the water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious
[00:24:50] church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies as Christ loves his body, the church.
[00:25:00] He that loveth his wife loveth himself, for no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord, the church.
[00:25:08] And we are members of his body, he's the head, of his flesh and of his bones.
[00:25:16] That's pretty close, isn't it?
[00:25:18] For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joined unto his wife and the two shall be one flesh.
[00:25:24] That's what it says about Adam and Eve.
[00:25:26] But this is talking about Christ and us.
[00:25:29] This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
[00:25:35] Praise the Lord.
[00:25:36] He gave himself for us in love when we were yet enemies.
[00:25:40] He treats us now as his very own body.
[00:25:43] He loves us as himself.
[00:25:45] He even loved us more than himself because he gave himself for us.
[00:25:49] And by the way, he loves us without expecting a commensurate return.
[00:25:56] Can we love Christ as much as he loved us?
[00:26:00] And we never will, because his love is absolutely perfect.
[00:26:04] But he knows that, and yet he still loves.
[00:26:07] He said, well, I'll love him if he'll love me.
[00:26:10] Or I'll love her if she would love me.
[00:26:12] Thank God that's not what Christ thought about us.
[00:26:15] He gave himself while we were yet sinning against him.
[00:26:19] and living after the self, just like Adam and Eve.
[00:26:23] Now, we find that the Bible tells us that we are called to imitate Christ.
[00:26:31] Now, that doesn't mean necessarily physically go get up on a cross in Jerusalem, but the Bible tells us in Ephesians 5, verse 1, that we are to be followers, followers of Christ.
[00:26:44] The Greek word in Ephesians 5, verse 1 is mimete.
[00:26:48] Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children.
[00:26:52] What do you think mimite?
[00:26:54] What English word might have come out of that?
[00:26:56] Imitate.
[00:26:57] We're to imitate God.
[00:26:58] We're to imitate Christ.
[00:27:00] Well, okay, then if it's not getting up on a cross, Pastor Joseph, then what is it?
[00:27:05] We'll look at the very next verse.
[00:27:06] How do we imitate?
[00:27:07] Verse 2, and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling sake. The highest emulation that we can be godly
[00:27:26] or holy is to walk in love with one another. Certainly to walk in love towards God, but it's easier to show our love to somebody we can see than to somebody we can't see, right? God actually
[00:27:38] says that in his word. You say you love God, but you hate your brothers. How does that work? How can you say you love God who you hadn't seen, but you don't love your brothers and sisters
[00:27:48] who you have seen? No, no. And so we are to imitate. If we're not walking in love, we are not godly. We are not Christly. And we are not being quote-unquote good Christians. Say, well, I tithe
[00:28:04] and I come to church, or I do this, or I do that, or I share the gospel. All of that's nice and good, but preeminently, repeatedly the focus on how to be godly and to imitate him is to walk in love okay and so
[00:28:21] this is what god has called us to do we see in uh in john 13 35 jesus says by this will the world know you are my disciples by what how you love one another how you love one another the people
[00:28:39] who don't go to church come by the church oh look how well they love one another no they say why are there so many denominations why is that church and that church split there's another one over
[00:28:48] there and they're here what's going on with the church Jesus says truly my disciples how will people know you're my disciples what's the key mark how they love the fruit and here specifically how they love one another and by the way Angelo mentioned fruit the fruit of the spirit what's
[00:29:07] the very first one listed in Galatians 5, love. People say, well, I don't need to go to church, pastor. There's nothing in the Bible that says you should. Oh, yes, there is. Actually, in Hebrews
[00:29:19] chapter 10, verse 24 and 25, it tells us not to forsake the assuming of ourselves together.
[00:29:24] And it gives us a reason, because Pastor Joseph would be mad at you. No, it doesn't say that.
[00:29:30] What does it say? Just look at these two verses, Hebrews 10, 24. You might be surprised as to the biblical reason that we should be in church, not just on Sunday, but whenever the doors are open,
[00:29:41] as much as possible.
[00:29:42] Why?
[00:29:42] That's a little too much, Pastor Joseph.
[00:29:44] You might get me on Sunday every once in a while, but this stuff during the week, forget it.
[00:29:48] Why are you coming to church?
[00:29:50] For yourself?
[00:29:52] Look what the Bible says, Hebrews 10, verse 24, 25.
[00:29:55] Don't come to impress me.
[00:29:57] It's God will be your judge, not me or Pastor Andy.
[00:30:01] Notice verse 23.
[00:30:02] Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful at promise.
[00:30:08] And now listen, here's the reason.
[00:30:09] Why should we be at church as much as possible, according to this passage?
[00:30:13] And let us consider one another.
[00:30:16] How do we consider one another?
[00:30:19] To provoke unto love and to good works.
[00:30:23] How do we do that?
[00:30:24] Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day of prayer.
[00:30:33] He's saying, you need to be coming to church.
[00:30:36] There's many reasons, to worship the Lord, to be obedient, but for others, if you love one another, you will want to be here to encourage one another and to provoke one another to love, to exhort one another, to serve one another.
[00:30:49] Ah, that pastor wants me at church all the time.
[00:30:52] You got it completely wrong.
[00:30:53] You should love to come here because this is your body.
[00:30:57] This is your brothers.
[00:30:58] This is your sisters.
[00:30:59] This is your family.
[00:31:00] This is the way that you manifest the chief grace of the Christian life, which is love.
[00:31:04] You say, well, I just stay home and I love God and I'm good with God.
[00:31:07] Don't browbeat me.
[00:31:09] If you're good with God, you'll be good with your brothers and sisters.
[00:31:12] And you'll feel a loss when you don't come to church because you weren't able to be with them.
[00:31:17] And not that, oh, I didn't get them to tell me how good I am.
[00:31:20] No, you didn't get to come and encourage them and exhort them and provoke them to love and serve them and love them.
[00:31:26] Jesus said, I didn't come to be ministered to.
[00:31:31] I didn't come to be served, but I came to minister, to serve, and to give my life as a ransom.
[00:31:40] We're supposed to provoke one another to love, and we're supposed to emulate his example.
[00:31:47] 1 Peter 4, verse 7 through 10, for time's sake I won't read, but it says that we should have fervent charity, fervent love.
[00:31:56] What does that look like?
[00:31:58] Now, we're not talking about some kind of sex scene in the movies.
[00:32:03] Fervent love.
[00:32:04] What does that look like in between brothers and sisters?
[00:32:07] We're called to, yeah, yeah, I love everybody here.
[00:32:10] When can we go?
[00:32:11] No, no, no.
[00:32:12] Fervent love.
[00:32:13] You're calling them.
[00:32:14] You're praying for them.
[00:32:15] You're encouraging them.
[00:32:16] You're knocking on their door if you haven't seen them.
[00:32:19] You go by and check on them.
[00:32:21] And you send them a note or you send them a text.
[00:32:24] You try to pray for everyone in the church because these are your brothers and sisters.
[00:32:28] You're to love them, not just as yourself, but as Christ loved us.
[00:32:31] This is the commandment.
[00:32:34] You say, well, nobody can do that, Pastor George.
[00:32:36] Only Christ.
[00:32:36] I understand, but this is still the commandment.
[00:32:39] And by His grace and by the power of His Spirit, we can do so much more.
[00:32:44] And people, we talk about revival.
[00:32:46] You know, I hope this is a loving church when people come in.
[00:32:48] I'm pretty sure you'll get greeted if you come here.
[00:32:50] But people should come in and be amazed at how we love one another and how we're praying for one another and encouraging one another.
[00:32:57] And I think that's where true church growth, biblical church growth, comes from, when people come in and see how we love and care for one another.
[00:33:06] That's the way it should be.
[00:33:08] Is that the way it is, 100% here at Cornerstone?
[00:33:13] Help us, Lord.
[00:33:13] Romans chapter 12, verse 10 says that we are to, in some translations, outdo one another in showing honor and preferring each other.
[00:33:24] Love one another and seek to outdo one another in showing each other honor.
[00:33:31] And it says the same thing in Philippians 2.
[00:33:32] Esteem one another more highly than yourself.
[00:33:36] Do we really do that?
[00:33:37] How often do we do that?
[00:33:40] And if we don't, where is the love?
[00:33:43] The example is clear.
[00:33:46] Did he esteem us higher than himself?
[00:33:49] He gave his entire life so that we might have life.
[00:33:54] That's what we're called to do, brothers and sisters.
[00:33:57] Be living sacrifices.
[00:33:59] Just a couple more passages before we come to hear from the choir and then the table.
[00:34:06] Colossians chapter 3.
[00:34:07] I do want to read this one.
[00:34:09] Very powerful.
[00:34:11] After we are encouraged and exhorted to seek things above, to seek heaven, to seek to live in that risen life of Christ at the right hand of God the Father that has been purchased for us with his precious blood.
[00:34:29] Chapter 3 of Colossians, verse 12 and following.
[00:34:32] Put on, therefore, Christian, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bows of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
[00:34:53] And listen, and above all these things, put on what?
[00:34:58] There it is.
[00:34:59] How many times it said, this is first, this is the most, this is the most important, this is the main reason, this is the, above everything, put on charity or love, which is the bond of perfectness, perfectness, holiness, unity with Christ.
[00:35:15] This is the key, charity above all else.
[00:35:19] and then he goes on to say and let the peace of God rule in your heart.
[00:35:23] You can't have peace with God if you don't love him and if your relationship vertically is not right, you're not going to have peace with others.
[00:35:33] But if you're filled with his love for him and for others, you're forgiving, you're humble, you're forbearing, you're meek, you're desiring to do them good will even if they're nasty and don't like you.
[00:35:48] You're patient, just like he was with us.
[00:35:50] That's the example God's calling us to walk in.
[00:35:55] I don't know about you, but I'm getting awfully convicted around it.
[00:35:59] Because when I was preparing for this sermon, yes, yes, yes, that's right, that's right, that's right, that's right, that's right.
[00:36:06] And then it's like, and how are you doing, Pastor Joseph?
[00:36:12] No, no, no, no, no, no.
[00:36:15] If I'm having trouble, it's possible that maybe at least one person in here may sometimes have a problem too.
[00:36:23] And so all the more important to take heed of this as we draw towards the close of this message.
[00:36:31] And that is to reconsider how all this started.
[00:36:36] When we were created in God's image, God is love.
[00:36:40] Adam and Eve were love.
[00:36:42] Not in the same sense, he's infinite and eternal, but in a limited sense, love towards God, love towards one another.
[00:36:49] And I imagine Adam and Eve had a wonderful time.
[00:36:52] I don't know how much time it was.
[00:36:54] We don't know if it was hours or days or weeks or what, but they had a wonderful time.
[00:37:00] Not knowing anything about nakedness, not knowing anything about shame, not knowing anything about self or age or sickness or anything bad, no sin whatsoever, nothing at all that would hurt in any way, no sadness.
[00:37:16] I mean, what a wonderful life.
[00:37:20] But then when sin entered in, and how did it enter in?
[00:37:23] Through the self.
[00:37:24] God's holding you down.
[00:37:26] It's time for you to climb the corporate ladder.
[00:37:29] You know, you can be a God yourself.
[00:37:31] I'll take that.
[00:37:33] And immediately you go to hell.
[00:37:34] Christ says, he who exalts himself, I will abase.
[00:37:38] But he who humbles himself, I will exalt.
[00:37:41] So this is what we still deal with today.
[00:37:45] Why, when I read these things, do I get convicted?
[00:37:47] I hope you are.
[00:37:48] In a good way.
[00:37:49] Conviction should bring about change.
[00:37:51] that we submit to God to fill us with His Spirit, to fill us with His love, that we can better love one another and love the Lord.
[00:37:58] What's the answer?
[00:38:00] Well, we find it in our last passage in the book of Revelation.
[00:38:04] Revelation chapter 2.
[00:38:07] Now, we read from the book of Ephesians, certainly Paul ministered in Ephesus, but now the risen Christ is giving his seven letters to the churches in Asia, which means Turkey today, essentially.
[00:38:22] And Revelation chapter 2, there is a message to the church at Ephesus.
[00:38:26] This will be our final passage.
[00:38:29] Beginning in verse 1, the risen Lord Jesus says, Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write, These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.
[00:38:46] I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not and hast found them liars
[00:39:02] and you've borne and had patience for my namesake and you have labored and you have not fainted.
[00:39:10] Boy, what a great church.
[00:39:11] What a commendation.
[00:39:13] So God says, you guys are perfect.
[00:39:15] Pastor Joseph's nuts.
[00:39:16] Just go home.
[00:39:18] No, forgive me, Lord.
[00:39:18] That's not what he's saying.
[00:39:20] Because, wait, the next verse, verse 4.
[00:39:23] Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee.
[00:39:29] What is it?
[00:39:30] What is it, Lord?
[00:39:32] Because thou hast left thy first love.
[00:39:40] What's this?
[00:39:41] Left your first love.
[00:39:42] What's that about?
[00:39:44] Who's our first love?
[00:39:48] When did it happen?
[00:39:49] All the way back in the God.
[00:39:52] The first love is God.
[00:39:54] And Adam and Eve left their first love, God, and turned that inward and made it all about them first.
[00:40:05] And ever since then, mankind has left their first love.
[00:40:10] This church, the people come to Christ.
[00:40:13] Usually if someone truly gets born again, they're excited about the Lord.
[00:40:16] But then sometimes that kind of cools down.
[00:40:21] And we get back to reality.
[00:40:24] And that love of self creeps in again.
[00:40:27] You've left your first love.
[00:40:30] And it's not just first in order, but it should be first in preeminence.
[00:40:35] And so what he's saying is, you're good Christians, you've got good theology, you go to an ARP church, you can't do better than that.
[00:40:42] Forgive me, Lord. Forgive me.
[00:40:46] But you have made love for yourself greater than what is first, which is love for me.
[00:40:54] And so if that's the case, all the rest is, What is it?
[00:41:02] I say, Pastor Joseph, he's not talking about the Garden of Eden.
[00:41:04] He's not talking about that.
[00:41:05] He's just talking about this church.
[00:41:06] They got saved, and they're just not quite as loving as they should be.
[00:41:10] Read on.
[00:41:12] Remember, therefore, from whence thou art fallen.
[00:41:17] Fall of mankind, garden, interesting connection.
[00:41:21] And repent and do the first works, or else I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent and then he commends him for one other thing but this thou hast that thou
[00:41:36] hatest the deeds of declations which i also hate now listen here's the commendation for him who will now listen this is where we are we're going to end here with this one verse and then we're
[00:41:45] going to hear them at the song and come to the tables i want you to get this please what's the response pastor joseph what are we going to do okay yes you're right i you know i just don't
[00:41:55] love him the way i should he should be first in my life what's the response here it is he that hath an ear. Jesus says, he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear. He, she that hath an ear,
[00:42:06] let him or her hear what the Spirit says unto the church. And that is to repent and to just simply say, that's right. I'm not walking in the love that I should be. I see how serious it is.
[00:42:18] Lord, please forgive me. Fill me with your love that I might love you aright, that my passion for you might burn ever hotter, that I might be a greater and more fervent shining light for you
[00:42:30] day after day and that I might be someone who blesses others when they see me they say oh there's that leech again no that they would say wow here he comes I wonder what he's going to do
[00:42:39] for us today he's such a blessing we love this guy because your love in us is overflowing and we're able to love others the way you loved us and gave yourself even to the people who are nasty to
[00:42:50] us he says you can overcome if you'll repent and if you'll believe and if you'll trust him and if you'll open up yourself humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and allow his love to flow in
[00:42:59] you and to fill you. He is the spirit of love. To him that overcometh I will give to what? Eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Isn't that interesting? You think
[00:43:09] there's a connection there with the garden and the fall? Adam and Eve, did they get to eat of the tree of life? Why? Tree of life is a picture also of everlasting life, of salvation. They never got
[00:43:24] to eat of it. Why? Because they turned from their first love of God to the love of the self so quickly that they never even got a chance to. And they ate of the tree of the
[00:43:39] knowledge of good and evil, and they fell away from their first love. But if you will repent, and if you will go the other way by the power of the Holy Spirit, repent of your
[00:43:52] sins. Trust in God and his love manifest for you in giving the most precious thing imaginable and even thinkable in the universe, his own divine son for you. And receive that love, confessing his name and trusting in his glorious resurrection and defeat of death and sin and hell and power
[00:44:13] of the grave and Satan himself. And receive the salvation and that love within you. I will give to you to eat what Adam and Eve couldn't, of the tree of life, not in the old garden
[00:44:26] of Eden, but in the new heavens and the earth that he's going to create for each and every one of you who trust in him, to eat of the tree of life, perfect and eternal salvation,
[00:44:39] based on how good we are, right?
[00:44:43] And based on how perfect he was, and based on how wonderful and amazing his love was for you and me, who he set his love upon, not just before you were born or before your grandparents knew you existed,
[00:44:57] but if you're his, he set his love upon you before anything else was created, before the very foundations of the earth.
[00:45:07] Now that's love.
[00:45:10] And that's the love that he wants us to have.
[00:45:13] I can't love like that, but God can.
[00:45:15] And he did for you through his son, who he promises to give to you if you will just receive him.