1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,500 As Pastor Nathan said, I am Pastor Rick Ice. 2 00:00:03,500 --> 00:00:10,000 I run the youth ministry with the other great leaders that we have that help do that. 3 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:14,000 But today, I thought it'd be fitting. 4 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:16,520 You know, I deal with youth and youth get homework a lot. 5 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:19,000 Today's study actually has homework for everyone. 6 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:22,000 Oh, everyone's like, man, I haven't done homework in years. 7 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:23,320 What are you talking about? 8 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:26,480 But we actually have homework for you, or at least I have homework for you, but it's 9 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:27,480 good homework. 10 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:28,480 It's very important. 11 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,040 It's something that we need to do. 12 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:36,640 And today's study is really a reminder and an encouragement. 13 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:40,000 And this study, while I was studying it, was convicting to me as well. 14 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:44,480 It was a very convicting study of, man, Lord, I don't want to be this way. 15 00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:48,700 I want to love you, and I want to do what you've called me to do. 16 00:00:48,700 --> 00:00:51,940 So today's study is actually titled All We Need Is Love. 17 00:00:51,940 --> 00:00:53,600 And no, I wasn't going for a Beatles theme. 18 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:54,920 I actually don't like the Beatles. 19 00:00:54,920 --> 00:01:02,400 If you like the Beatles, like John does, it's OK, I forgive you. 20 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:08,920 But I want to just say this out the gate. 21 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:10,920 I'm not here to convict you. 22 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:13,400 I'm here to share God's word. 23 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:16,360 And if you're convicted today like I was, that's a good thing. 24 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:19,500 That means God's like, hey, there's something in our life that we need to work on. 25 00:01:19,500 --> 00:01:23,520 And the beautiful thing is, is with this new year, right, everyone's creating resolutions. 26 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,120 Well, what does a New Year's resolution need? 27 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:28,180 It needs self-reflection. 28 00:01:28,180 --> 00:01:31,200 What have I been doing or haven't been doing? 29 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:35,800 And this self-reflection is very important because I love you guys too much not to share 30 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:38,520 this and even have it shared in my own life. 31 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:42,880 And the fact is, is the importance of love in a Christian life. 32 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:45,120 That is what we're going to be talking about. 33 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:51,280 The reason it's All We Need Is Love is because love is so important, it's vital to a Christian, 34 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:54,720 and yet it's so easy to be forgotten. 35 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:56,640 So with that, we'll go ahead and pray in. 36 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,280 And we're not going to be in a single book today. 37 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:00,680 We're going to be jumping all over. 38 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:02,280 So there'll be words up there. 39 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:03,840 If I go too fast, it's okay. 40 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:06,400 If you want my notes, talk to me afterwards. 41 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:07,400 But with that, we'll pray in. 42 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:14,800 Dear Heavenly Father, we just thank you so much for your love, for your love for us, 43 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:19,440 the love that started everything that brought you to the point of sending your Son for us 44 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:20,440 to die for us. 45 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:24,440 We love this all in love, which is who you are. 46 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:25,920 You are love, Lord. 47 00:02:25,920 --> 00:02:27,400 And we just, we thank you for that. 48 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:29,680 We pray that you fill this room with your Holy Spirit. 49 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:35,240 Fill us all with your word and encourage us, Lord, to live out your love. 50 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:38,320 In Jesus' name we pray, amen. 51 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:41,200 So with that, we'll be starting in 1 Corinthians 13. 52 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:45,100 And most of you are like, oh, Rick's going to go through all the verses that, you know, 53 00:02:45,100 --> 00:02:46,400 tell you what love is. 54 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:48,240 And I'm not. 55 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:50,560 It's your homework. 56 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:54,900 So 1 Corinthians 13 verse 1 says this. 57 00:02:54,900 --> 00:03:02,080 If I speak with human or angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging 58 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:03,500 symbol. 59 00:03:03,500 --> 00:03:09,260 If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I 60 00:03:09,260 --> 00:03:16,640 have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. 61 00:03:16,640 --> 00:03:22,160 If I give away all my possessions and I give over my body in order to boast but do not 62 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:26,480 have love, I gain nothing. 63 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:28,360 These are very heavy words. 64 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:33,520 But to give you a little understanding, a little context of why Paul is saying this, 65 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:38,600 Paul is writing to Christians in Corinth, and these Christians are kind of obsessed 66 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:41,480 with spiritual gifts. 67 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:45,620 To a point where it's like, hey, I'm better than you are because I can do this spiritual 68 00:03:45,620 --> 00:03:47,720 gift, like it's bad. 69 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:50,160 They're so obsessed. 70 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:55,320 And Paul acknowledges it, which spiritual gifts aren't a bad thing to desire. 71 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:56,960 They're not a bad thing to want. 72 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:04,200 I mean, this list that he puts on there, really, really good things, right? 73 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:05,200 Very impressive things. 74 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaking in tongues, human or angelic, like that's a good thing to do. 75 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:13,160 Imagine you speak tongues and someone hears it and it blesses them and there's an interpreter. 76 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:14,160 It's amazing. 77 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:18,400 The gift of prophecy, able to speak into someone's life, hey, like this blessing's gonna come 78 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:19,560 into your life. 79 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:20,640 That's a good thing. 80 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:21,840 It's not a bad thing. 81 00:04:21,840 --> 00:04:24,760 You've also got understanding all mysteries and having all knowledge. 82 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:26,320 I wish I had that. 83 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:28,360 It'd make life a lot easier. 84 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:35,320 But there's even, he says, faith to move a mountain. 85 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:39,320 Like I feel like my faith can't even move a pebble. 86 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:44,000 And yet he's talking about faith that can move a mountain. 87 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:47,600 And yet the best part is the last one. 88 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:49,160 Give away all your possessions. 89 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:52,720 And when he says here, give away your body, that means die for someone. 90 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:56,960 Like willing to die and put down your life for someone. 91 00:04:56,960 --> 00:04:59,800 You could do all of these things and have all of these things, but if you don't have 92 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:03,120 love, it's pointless. 93 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:04,640 It doesn't matter. 94 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:06,740 And that's heavy. 95 00:05:06,740 --> 00:05:09,620 That's heavy words. 96 00:05:09,620 --> 00:05:13,040 Now Paul isn't saying that you shouldn't do these things, right? 97 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:14,040 You should. 98 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:20,680 These should be things that Christians do, but they should be done out of love. 99 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:26,780 And so that's why we're going to go over what love is and what love is to a Christian. 100 00:05:26,780 --> 00:05:32,040 So let's look at some scriptures that show us what love is that's not the continuation 101 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:33,040 of 1 Corinthians. 102 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:38,680 First, we're going to start off in the very beginning of what love should be to us. 103 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:48,280 John 3, 16, for God so loved the world in this way, he gave his one and only son so 104 00:05:48,280 --> 00:05:55,300 that everyone who believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life. 105 00:05:55,300 --> 00:05:57,960 Love is the reason we are saved. 106 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,340 It is the reason we are coheirs with Christ. 107 00:06:00,340 --> 00:06:04,480 It is the reason that we are part of the body. 108 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:07,680 This is all off of love. 109 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:10,520 God didn't just send Jesus for fun. 110 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:13,480 He didn't just send Jesus because, hey, I'm bored. 111 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:17,840 No, he sent Jesus because he loves you and I. 112 00:06:17,840 --> 00:06:22,520 Because he loves us so much he was willing to put his life down and raise again, beating 113 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:26,120 death so that we can have a relationship with him. 114 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:30,400 And he even loves us so much that he did all of this knowing that people won't even turn 115 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:31,400 to him. 116 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:37,000 But he loved them so much that he still did it and then still gives them the free will 117 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:42,200 to not choose him because he loves us that much. 118 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:49,360 Man, I do not have kids, but the idea of like a father doing all of this for their son or 119 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:53,240 daughter and then being like, but I love you so much I'm going to let you choose your path. 120 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:55,200 Like, that is extreme love. 121 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:59,320 And kids, if you've got your parents in here, you better be thankful because they love you 122 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:01,560 way more than you'll ever understand. 123 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:06,480 And God loves us way more than even that. 124 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:13,560 So from that, we accept God's love, we accept his gift, we as Christians here are saved 125 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:17,040 because of his love. 126 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:21,380 And now from that, we go to church weekly, we read our Bibles, we enjoy worship music, 127 00:07:21,380 --> 00:07:23,720 we do Christian things. 128 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:27,600 And 1 John 4 16 then gives us another understanding. 129 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:33,740 And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. 130 00:07:33,740 --> 00:07:37,180 God is love. 131 00:07:37,180 --> 00:07:42,760 And the one who remains in love remains in God and God remains in him. 132 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:48,160 So as we're going to church, as we're living our lives, as we have been saved by God's 133 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:56,760 love, by his actions, born out from his love for us, we find out that God is love. 134 00:07:56,760 --> 00:08:02,680 It's not that just God loves us or that love is a characteristic of God, but God is the 135 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:05,080 embodiment of love. 136 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:08,960 And true love, when you have true love for someone, when you actually love not according 137 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:14,540 to what the world calls love, but what the Bible and God defines love as to be. 138 00:08:14,540 --> 00:08:17,840 We're actually living out characteristics of God. 139 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:22,440 We're being godly and being Christ-like in loving people. 140 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:30,640 So this beautiful thing is through accepting God's gift, we understand God. 141 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:33,520 And we understand that love isn't just love, but love is from God. 142 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:35,000 It's not from us. 143 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:39,800 And we learn that all of these characteristics are how we have likeness in God. 144 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:45,040 And so a Christian really should be focusing on God's love and the importance of our love 145 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:46,840 to those around us. 146 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:49,200 And it also guarantees that we remain in him. 147 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:51,720 We remain within his will and his love. 148 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:53,080 So that's it, right? 149 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:54,080 That's love. 150 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:55,080 We're done. 151 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:56,080 Accept God's love. 152 00:08:56,080 --> 00:08:57,400 Come to church. 153 00:08:57,400 --> 00:08:58,800 Remain in his love. 154 00:08:58,800 --> 00:08:59,800 That's it. 155 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:03,920 A little more. 156 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:07,360 Matthew 22, 37-39. 157 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:13,400 He said to them, and this is Jesus speaking, love the Lord your God with all your heart, 158 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,080 with all your soul, with all your mind. 159 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:18,840 This is the greatest and most important command. 160 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:20,440 The second is like it. 161 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:24,080 Love your neighbor as yourself. 162 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:30,840 So not only did God save us because he loved us, and not only are we to stay in God's love 163 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:38,420 and understand that he is love, but we're commanded to love. 164 00:09:38,420 --> 00:09:42,680 As a Christian, we're commanded to love God. 165 00:09:42,680 --> 00:09:44,600 And these are the two most important, right? 166 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:47,160 Jesus has asked, what's the most important commandment? 167 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:53,120 First, love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 168 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:59,480 And this list is not a that's it, one and done, one, two, three, you're done, over. 169 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:05,000 No, this list is actually a list that is basically ending with an et cetera. 170 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:07,160 List every single thing in your life. 171 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:09,620 All of those things should love God. 172 00:10:09,620 --> 00:10:14,440 You should be loving God with everything, all of you completely. 173 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:16,680 That is how we're called to love God. 174 00:10:16,680 --> 00:10:21,280 Not hey God, I love you with like 80% of my life, but this other 20, yeah, I want to keep 175 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:22,280 that. 176 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:28,720 No, 100% full out for God. 177 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:37,640 Now this means God might call you to do something you don't want to do, but Jesus actually 178 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:43,260 example loving God and doing his will even when he didn't want to do something. 179 00:10:43,260 --> 00:10:44,600 Can anyone think of what that is? 180 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:45,600 Anyone? 181 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:47,940 Yes, garden. 182 00:10:47,940 --> 00:10:53,920 When he was about to be crucified, or the night before, Jesus is praying, Lord, take 183 00:10:53,920 --> 00:11:01,880 this cup, let this cup pass for me, but not my will, but your will be done. 184 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:07,160 Jesus was willing to face death, something he didn't want to do, because he's example 185 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:11,440 for us as Christians what it means to love God completely and to do what God calls us 186 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:14,320 to do completely. 187 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:23,480 And that is convicting, because it's like man, am I willing to do that? 188 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:27,240 And you have to think about that, am I? 189 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:33,160 And the beautiful thing is if you say no, guess what, you're not alone. 190 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:37,000 But that means there's something wrong in our heart and we need to pray, repent, and 191 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:40,740 seek to grow closer to God and start doing that and be like, Lord, you know what, I might 192 00:11:40,740 --> 00:11:43,980 not want to do this, but I'm going to do it because I love you. 193 00:11:43,980 --> 00:11:46,300 You love me and I love you. 194 00:11:46,300 --> 00:11:48,700 Second is, love others as yourself. 195 00:11:48,700 --> 00:11:50,720 And this means in all situations. 196 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:58,280 This doesn't mean love others as yourself when you guys are getting along. 197 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:05,500 You should choose to love people and put them first, just like we do with ourselves. 198 00:12:05,500 --> 00:12:08,700 When you're hungry, you go get food. 199 00:12:08,700 --> 00:12:13,380 When you see someone that's hungry, hey, maybe go get them some food. 200 00:12:13,380 --> 00:12:14,940 It's so easy. 201 00:12:14,940 --> 00:12:19,000 We live, especially here in LA, with a lot of homeless people. 202 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:23,580 It's very easy to go, ah, you know what, I don't want to give them money because they're 203 00:12:23,580 --> 00:12:24,660 going to go do drugs. 204 00:12:24,660 --> 00:12:26,420 And I don't give homeless people money. 205 00:12:26,420 --> 00:12:29,260 And you're like, oh, Pastor Rick doesn't give homeless people money? 206 00:12:29,260 --> 00:12:30,260 I don't. 207 00:12:30,260 --> 00:12:31,260 I buy them food. 208 00:12:31,260 --> 00:12:36,980 Because I know they can't get drugs with food, but they can have food. 209 00:12:36,980 --> 00:12:41,340 And I've found ways to where it's like, hey, I'm not going to encourage you to continue 210 00:12:41,340 --> 00:12:43,900 in sin and do wrong things, but I'm still going to bless you. 211 00:12:43,900 --> 00:12:46,380 And you need food, you need warmth, hey, we'll get you clothes. 212 00:12:46,380 --> 00:12:48,220 And I want to help people. 213 00:12:48,220 --> 00:12:53,340 And that is this love where we put others first, even if it means, man, I just bought 214 00:12:53,340 --> 00:12:54,340 this food for myself. 215 00:12:54,340 --> 00:12:59,540 Oh, well, here you go. 216 00:12:59,540 --> 00:13:03,540 On top of that, right, treat others how you want to be treated, not just for the homeless, 217 00:13:03,540 --> 00:13:05,620 but here at church. 218 00:13:05,620 --> 00:13:06,900 Think about this. 219 00:13:06,900 --> 00:13:11,060 Have you ever been like, there was one point in your life where it was your first time 220 00:13:11,060 --> 00:13:13,620 to Hosanna? 221 00:13:13,620 --> 00:13:17,060 And there must have been someone that came up and went, hey, nice to meet you. 222 00:13:17,060 --> 00:13:18,140 I'm glad you're here. 223 00:13:18,140 --> 00:13:19,140 What's your name? 224 00:13:19,140 --> 00:13:20,140 I love you. 225 00:13:20,140 --> 00:13:23,300 Awesome. 226 00:13:23,300 --> 00:13:27,500 You would want someone to come up and talk to you when it's your first day. 227 00:13:27,500 --> 00:13:29,220 So you should do the same. 228 00:13:29,220 --> 00:13:33,940 You realize how weird it is when you go to a brand new church and you don't know anyone, 229 00:13:33,940 --> 00:13:36,980 you're like, let me sit in the back left corner because I don't want anyone to see me and 230 00:13:36,980 --> 00:13:39,340 just hide, right? 231 00:13:39,340 --> 00:13:40,500 No. 232 00:13:40,500 --> 00:13:43,100 You get up and go, hey, that's a new person. 233 00:13:43,100 --> 00:13:44,620 I'm going to go say hi. 234 00:13:44,620 --> 00:13:48,020 I'm going to go bless them and I'm going to invite them and invite them to small groups 235 00:13:48,020 --> 00:13:50,620 or community groups that you run. 236 00:13:50,620 --> 00:13:54,460 This is loving other people to step out of your comfort zone and step out of the me, 237 00:13:54,460 --> 00:13:56,980 me, me and go, no, how can I love them? 238 00:13:56,980 --> 00:13:57,980 How can I love them? 239 00:13:57,980 --> 00:14:01,740 How can I love them? 240 00:14:01,740 --> 00:14:08,940 So remember, not only does Jesus say it's the number one commandment, but also Jesus 241 00:14:08,940 --> 00:14:10,660 commands us to do it. 242 00:14:10,660 --> 00:14:19,100 In John 13, 15, he says, or sorry, John 14, 15, he says, or I got that wrong, 14, oh no, 243 00:14:19,100 --> 00:14:20,420 yeah, 14, 15. 244 00:14:20,420 --> 00:14:24,860 If you love me, you will keep my commands. 245 00:14:24,860 --> 00:14:29,020 If we love Jesus, we will keep his command. 246 00:14:29,020 --> 00:14:30,660 What is his command? 247 00:14:30,660 --> 00:14:32,460 Love God completely and love others. 248 00:14:32,460 --> 00:14:36,100 Those are the two main important ones. 249 00:14:36,100 --> 00:14:42,940 And the beautiful thing is John 13, 35 says, and this is Jesus speaking, by this everyone 250 00:14:42,940 --> 00:14:49,700 will know that you are my disciples if you love one another. 251 00:14:49,700 --> 00:14:54,700 Love is a definer or an identifier. 252 00:14:54,700 --> 00:15:00,060 Just like if you see construction going on and you see people in their high vis gear, 253 00:15:00,060 --> 00:15:03,780 but then you see the dude who's got like a full on suit with a hard hat and you're like, 254 00:15:03,780 --> 00:15:05,180 oh, that dude's high up. 255 00:15:05,180 --> 00:15:07,780 He's probably the inspector, the manager. 256 00:15:07,780 --> 00:15:09,020 I could talk to him if I need. 257 00:15:09,020 --> 00:15:13,500 There's always something that identifies people as with work, with other things. 258 00:15:13,500 --> 00:15:15,500 Guess what? 259 00:15:15,500 --> 00:15:20,940 What should identify us as Christians is our love for one another. 260 00:15:20,940 --> 00:15:27,220 Us loving each other, not loving ourselves. 261 00:15:27,220 --> 00:15:31,760 And this especially is spoken to brothers and sisters in Christ. 262 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:35,940 We as Christians really are a motley crew. 263 00:15:35,940 --> 00:15:38,900 We are just a bunch of random people thrown together. 264 00:15:38,900 --> 00:15:44,220 Because I pretty much would guarantee that I wouldn't know half of you if we weren't 265 00:15:44,220 --> 00:15:46,100 all Christians. 266 00:15:46,100 --> 00:15:47,100 I wouldn't. 267 00:15:47,100 --> 00:15:48,580 And you wouldn't know me. 268 00:15:48,580 --> 00:15:50,900 And you wouldn't know most of the people in here. 269 00:15:50,900 --> 00:15:51,900 Why? 270 00:15:51,900 --> 00:15:54,860 Because God is the glue that brings us together. 271 00:15:54,860 --> 00:15:59,380 He's the one that brings us into his family so that now you and I are all brothers and 272 00:15:59,380 --> 00:16:03,540 sisters in Christ and we all are supposed to love each other. 273 00:16:03,540 --> 00:16:06,480 And the thing that identifies us is that love for one another. 274 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:13,680 And not just a selfish love, but a love that puts the other person first. 275 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:15,660 But loving others can be hard sometimes. 276 00:16:15,660 --> 00:16:18,140 I'm not going to disagree with you there. 277 00:16:18,140 --> 00:16:22,300 I am a very hard person to love because I am loud and annoying. 278 00:16:22,300 --> 00:16:23,300 Right? 279 00:16:23,300 --> 00:16:24,300 I get it. 280 00:16:24,300 --> 00:16:26,000 It can be that way. 281 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:28,980 My wife has one of the hardest jobs loving me. 282 00:16:28,980 --> 00:16:30,860 Like a lover to death. 283 00:16:30,860 --> 00:16:33,080 But I can be annoying sometimes. 284 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:34,660 But so can you. 285 00:16:34,660 --> 00:16:35,840 We're not all perfect. 286 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:43,020 So when you have that person that, man, is just really hard for you to love, guess what? 287 00:16:43,020 --> 00:16:46,300 Sometimes you're really hard to love too. 288 00:16:46,300 --> 00:16:49,380 And those people, I like to call them sandpaper people. 289 00:16:49,380 --> 00:16:50,380 Right? 290 00:16:50,380 --> 00:16:52,100 They rub you the wrong way. 291 00:16:52,100 --> 00:16:54,580 It doesn't feel good when you talk with them or interact with them. 292 00:16:54,580 --> 00:16:57,540 But guess what? 293 00:16:57,540 --> 00:17:03,900 What happens to wood after it's been sanded and gone through the different grits? 294 00:17:03,900 --> 00:17:07,300 It's nice and smooth. 295 00:17:07,300 --> 00:17:10,260 And that's when you get the better grade furniture. 296 00:17:10,260 --> 00:17:13,180 You don't want to sit on a wooden stool that's all just rubbed. 297 00:17:13,180 --> 00:17:16,700 No, you want it to be smooth as butter. 298 00:17:16,700 --> 00:17:20,500 Oh, sorry, sorry. 299 00:17:20,500 --> 00:17:23,740 Those sandpaper people are going to teach you patience and teach you how to love people 300 00:17:23,740 --> 00:17:28,420 that you don't really like. 301 00:17:28,420 --> 00:17:30,020 They're going to make you better. 302 00:17:30,020 --> 00:17:33,100 It might not be fun at first, but guess what? 303 00:17:33,100 --> 00:17:37,380 All growth requires pain. 304 00:17:37,380 --> 00:17:38,380 Not all growth. 305 00:17:38,380 --> 00:17:39,900 Sometimes you can be smart and not do it that way. 306 00:17:39,900 --> 00:17:45,260 But in general, growth requires pain. 307 00:17:45,260 --> 00:17:48,700 Your muscles, it hurts to work them out. 308 00:17:48,700 --> 00:17:51,820 But when you work them out, they get stronger. 309 00:17:51,820 --> 00:17:54,280 Now, why should we do this? 310 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:55,460 Because God loves us. 311 00:17:55,460 --> 00:17:56,940 And guess what? 312 00:17:56,940 --> 00:18:01,060 Not only do I think we're annoying to each other, but I think there's times that we're 313 00:18:01,060 --> 00:18:02,940 annoying to God. 314 00:18:02,940 --> 00:18:05,540 Like the Bible says we can grieve the Holy Spirit. 315 00:18:05,540 --> 00:18:07,220 I'm pretty sure we can also annoy him sometimes. 316 00:18:07,220 --> 00:18:09,620 There's times where he's like, really? 317 00:18:09,620 --> 00:18:10,620 Again? 318 00:18:10,620 --> 00:18:12,100 You're doing it again? 319 00:18:12,100 --> 00:18:14,420 Like come on. 320 00:18:14,420 --> 00:18:15,420 I don't know. 321 00:18:15,420 --> 00:18:16,420 I could be wrong. 322 00:18:16,420 --> 00:18:17,420 God could be like, hey, you shouldn't have said that. 323 00:18:17,420 --> 00:18:18,980 And I'm sorry. 324 00:18:18,980 --> 00:18:20,820 But maybe I was annoying him right there. 325 00:18:20,820 --> 00:18:27,020 I don't know. 326 00:18:27,020 --> 00:18:31,900 But what if someone makes me want to sin? 327 00:18:31,900 --> 00:18:33,700 Like someone cuts you off. 328 00:18:33,700 --> 00:18:37,300 Man, that person cut me off. 329 00:18:37,300 --> 00:18:38,780 That's not fair. 330 00:18:38,780 --> 00:18:39,780 Stop. 331 00:18:39,780 --> 00:18:40,780 Slow down. 332 00:18:40,780 --> 00:18:43,220 We're way too quick to things. 333 00:18:43,220 --> 00:18:45,500 That's why I love the Bible says don't be quick to anger, right? 334 00:18:45,500 --> 00:18:46,820 Don't be quick to it. 335 00:18:46,820 --> 00:18:49,660 I think the key word is quick. 336 00:18:49,660 --> 00:18:52,500 Because if we stop and think, how many times have you cut someone off because you're in 337 00:18:52,500 --> 00:18:54,820 emergency or you got to do something? 338 00:18:54,820 --> 00:18:59,220 But instead, no, someone messed with me and caused me to have an inconvenience. 339 00:18:59,220 --> 00:19:00,220 So how dare they? 340 00:19:00,220 --> 00:19:04,820 It's like, yo, I just did that two lights ago. 341 00:19:04,820 --> 00:19:11,820 So it really is a slow down and choose to love people. 342 00:19:11,820 --> 00:19:17,500 Now with this love, right, that has brought us all to the family, it is our identifier. 343 00:19:17,500 --> 00:19:22,140 We find out and learn that God actually is love and that we get to live out and be like 344 00:19:22,140 --> 00:19:24,660 him as we love others. 345 00:19:24,660 --> 00:19:28,700 Well, first Peter four eight then says, above all, maintain constant love for one another 346 00:19:28,700 --> 00:19:33,700 since love covers a multitude of sins. 347 00:19:33,700 --> 00:19:39,620 So someone cuts you off. 348 00:19:39,620 --> 00:19:40,620 Love them. 349 00:19:40,620 --> 00:19:47,140 Because then you won't sin against them. 350 00:19:47,140 --> 00:19:50,740 One of the things that I like to say is when you're actively loving someone, you won't 351 00:19:50,740 --> 00:19:53,420 sin against them. 352 00:19:53,420 --> 00:19:54,420 Keyword is actively. 353 00:19:54,420 --> 00:19:58,780 When you're choosing to love someone, you won't sin against them. 354 00:19:58,780 --> 00:20:01,620 Just like you won't lie or steal to someone that you love. 355 00:20:01,620 --> 00:20:03,820 It's like, man, I'm really loving this person right now. 356 00:20:03,820 --> 00:20:08,620 You could say you love someone as you pick their pocket and take their wallet. 357 00:20:08,620 --> 00:20:13,100 Or you can actively choose to love them because love isn't a feeling and say, you know what, 358 00:20:13,100 --> 00:20:14,500 I'm not going to do that. 359 00:20:14,500 --> 00:20:15,900 I'm not going to lie to my friend. 360 00:20:15,900 --> 00:20:18,220 I'm not going to shout at the guy that cut me off. 361 00:20:18,220 --> 00:20:19,220 I'm not. 362 00:20:19,220 --> 00:20:21,820 I'm going to choose to love them. 363 00:20:21,820 --> 00:20:26,700 And this works towards God and humans. 364 00:20:26,700 --> 00:20:31,100 Because when you sin, this is what I like to say to the kids. 365 00:20:31,100 --> 00:20:37,380 When you sin, I like to think of it as literally backhanding God in the face. 366 00:20:37,380 --> 00:20:38,380 Why? 367 00:20:38,380 --> 00:20:41,300 Because the Holy Spirit resides within us. 368 00:20:41,300 --> 00:20:47,540 He loves us and more often than not, we choose to sin. 369 00:20:47,540 --> 00:20:52,220 Especially now as you get older in your life and older in your walk with God, you know 370 00:20:52,220 --> 00:20:53,980 what sin is more often than not. 371 00:20:53,980 --> 00:20:57,340 There still are times where you don't know and it's like, hey, I didn't realize that 372 00:20:57,340 --> 00:20:58,340 was sin. 373 00:20:58,340 --> 00:21:00,460 But there's times where you're like, no, I just chose it anyways. 374 00:21:00,460 --> 00:21:04,300 That's an active backhand to God's face and he still loves you. 375 00:21:04,300 --> 00:21:07,340 Just like he still loves me when I mess up and fail. 376 00:21:07,340 --> 00:21:08,800 And that's the beautiful thing. 377 00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:14,500 So if we actively love, if we're like, no Lord, I love you so I won't do this thing 378 00:21:14,500 --> 00:21:17,020 because I love you too much. 379 00:21:17,020 --> 00:21:22,140 So choosing to actively love and be in love will keep you away from sin. 380 00:21:22,140 --> 00:21:25,900 So when you're tempted, choose to love the person. 381 00:21:25,900 --> 00:21:29,380 Now if you failed, that's okay. 382 00:21:29,380 --> 00:21:30,380 Repent. 383 00:21:30,380 --> 00:21:33,420 And repentance simply means to turn around and walk away. 384 00:21:33,420 --> 00:21:35,620 It's the easiest way I like to put it. 385 00:21:35,620 --> 00:21:37,220 You're walking this way, hey, I failed. 386 00:21:37,220 --> 00:21:38,220 This is how I'm living. 387 00:21:38,220 --> 00:21:40,820 I'm gonna turn away and I'm gonna go live this way. 388 00:21:40,820 --> 00:21:44,500 I'm gonna stop choosing the sin and start choosing to love. 389 00:21:44,500 --> 00:21:50,260 And the beautiful thing is if you read Ephesians 4, and I'm not gonna get into it and go through 390 00:21:50,260 --> 00:21:55,420 it, but it basically is putting on the new man and taking off the old. 391 00:21:55,420 --> 00:22:00,300 It's not a list, and some people will see this as a list of don'ts. 392 00:22:00,300 --> 00:22:01,300 It's not. 393 00:22:01,300 --> 00:22:02,540 It's not a list of don't do this. 394 00:22:02,540 --> 00:22:07,460 It's a list of do this instead because you love someone. 395 00:22:07,460 --> 00:22:09,980 Don't choose to do this evil, sinful thing. 396 00:22:09,980 --> 00:22:14,760 Do this new thing that is actually a part of you and who you are as a new person. 397 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:15,760 Don't steal. 398 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:17,520 Instead, have a job to do what? 399 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:20,680 Give to those that are in need. 400 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:22,340 That's a very loving thing. 401 00:22:22,340 --> 00:22:25,180 It's not have a job so you can take care of your own stuff. 402 00:22:25,180 --> 00:22:29,940 It's have a job so you can take care of those in need. 403 00:22:29,940 --> 00:22:33,380 Notice it's don't do the selfish thing which is stealing. 404 00:22:33,380 --> 00:22:38,340 Don't do the loving thing which is giving. 405 00:22:38,340 --> 00:22:44,380 And this, as we are Christians, a new person in Christ who is based off of love, saved 406 00:22:44,380 --> 00:22:50,220 by love, learns that God is love, identified by this love, we all should be putting on 407 00:22:50,220 --> 00:22:55,180 the new man and loving one another because it will keep us away from sinning against 408 00:22:55,180 --> 00:23:00,740 each other and against God. 409 00:23:00,740 --> 00:23:09,100 But there is a problem I've noticed within the American church. 410 00:23:09,100 --> 00:23:14,740 Now, I want to preface this because I don't want people to go, Rick pointed fingers at 411 00:23:14,740 --> 00:23:16,580 me and hates me and I is no. 412 00:23:16,580 --> 00:23:17,780 I'm sorry that was pretty loud. 413 00:23:17,780 --> 00:23:24,540 But because Hosanna is part of the American church, guys. 414 00:23:24,540 --> 00:23:29,040 We're here just like there's generalizations for things that you can see in characteristics. 415 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:33,340 Just like I talked about how we have to self-reflect, the American church has to self-reflect as 416 00:23:33,340 --> 00:23:39,660 well and if someone outside of America saw the church, I believe they would see that 417 00:23:39,660 --> 00:23:49,040 there's a characteristic amongst it that's not good and that is a church that lacks love. 418 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:52,820 And that's bold and I'm not saying that you here are lacking love. 419 00:23:52,820 --> 00:23:54,700 I'm not calling anyone out. 420 00:23:54,700 --> 00:23:59,020 I'm saying this is time for us to self-reflect and go, am I lacking love or am I not? 421 00:23:59,020 --> 00:24:05,860 Because, let me get into this. 422 00:24:05,860 --> 00:24:10,460 This characteristic of missing love shows itself in our actions. 423 00:24:10,460 --> 00:24:14,860 It shows us itself in why we do things. 424 00:24:14,860 --> 00:24:20,940 Because the American church, just like in 1 Corinthians, we've done great things. 425 00:24:20,940 --> 00:24:24,580 We're doing good things and we're doing good things for God, but if we don't have love, 426 00:24:24,580 --> 00:24:25,580 it's pointless. 427 00:24:25,580 --> 00:24:31,740 Oh, I gave food to the homeless guy the other day, but I had a snarl on my face because 428 00:24:31,740 --> 00:24:33,620 that was my lunch and I'm hungry and I... 429 00:24:33,620 --> 00:24:35,940 What does that help? 430 00:24:35,940 --> 00:24:37,980 Cool, he's got food. 431 00:24:37,980 --> 00:24:38,980 Thanks. 432 00:24:38,980 --> 00:24:41,300 You know, like, no. 433 00:24:41,300 --> 00:24:45,620 It comes out in our actions if we actually have love, especially for God, which should 434 00:24:45,620 --> 00:24:47,220 be the driving force. 435 00:24:47,220 --> 00:24:54,740 So the thing about the American church at large is I think it's let culture influence 436 00:24:54,740 --> 00:24:58,020 it, instead of us influencing culture. 437 00:24:58,020 --> 00:25:02,300 Because culture, actually, even though they like to say love is love and love whoever 438 00:25:02,300 --> 00:25:05,900 you want, it's not a very loving culture. 439 00:25:05,900 --> 00:25:08,100 It's a very selfish culture. 440 00:25:08,100 --> 00:25:12,180 It's you accept me and I call that love. 441 00:25:12,180 --> 00:25:15,260 Accept what I want and we'll call that love. 442 00:25:15,260 --> 00:25:17,060 That's not love. 443 00:25:17,060 --> 00:25:21,140 That's selfishness. 444 00:25:21,140 --> 00:25:25,140 One of the things that I've noticed is consumeristic Christians, right? 445 00:25:25,140 --> 00:25:30,540 We live in, especially California, but we live in America, a very consumeristic society. 446 00:25:30,540 --> 00:25:32,320 All about me, me, me. 447 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:33,320 Give me. 448 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:34,320 Give what I want. 449 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:36,860 What can I get out of this situation? 450 00:25:36,860 --> 00:25:43,580 And this kind of tends to plague more mega churches and nothing against mega churches. 451 00:25:43,580 --> 00:25:45,180 I think you guys are great. 452 00:25:45,180 --> 00:25:48,620 Nothing against really big churches, but it's really easy to be a consumeristic Christian 453 00:25:48,620 --> 00:25:50,820 there because it's really easy to hide. 454 00:25:50,820 --> 00:25:54,700 It's really easy to show up late to church, you know, show up in the middle of worship 455 00:25:54,700 --> 00:25:56,860 so no one sees you, walk in. 456 00:25:56,860 --> 00:25:58,980 I don't have to talk to anyone, sit down for the study. 457 00:25:58,980 --> 00:26:01,500 I got the study for me because that's what I needed. 458 00:26:01,500 --> 00:26:05,840 Check off my little box for the week and then leave during the last worship song so no one 459 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:09,700 else can talk to me and I don't have to love anyone and it was all about me. 460 00:26:09,700 --> 00:26:14,100 That is very easy to do at church nowadays. 461 00:26:14,100 --> 00:26:15,220 And guess what? 462 00:26:15,220 --> 00:26:17,460 There's been times in my life where I've been that way too. 463 00:26:17,460 --> 00:26:19,660 I'm like, I don't want to go early. 464 00:26:19,660 --> 00:26:25,140 I don't want to talk to people because I was being selfish and not loving. 465 00:26:25,140 --> 00:26:27,700 And that's a problem and that's why we need to self-reflect. 466 00:26:27,700 --> 00:26:34,660 And if you see this in yourself, man, repent because you're only coming for yourself and 467 00:26:34,660 --> 00:26:36,420 you're not coming because you love God. 468 00:26:36,420 --> 00:26:38,140 You're not coming because you love others. 469 00:26:38,140 --> 00:26:42,260 You're not doing the command that God has left you. 470 00:26:42,260 --> 00:26:43,260 This is heavy. 471 00:26:43,260 --> 00:26:46,700 Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying if you're late every once in a while, that's 472 00:26:46,700 --> 00:26:47,700 life. 473 00:26:47,700 --> 00:26:49,700 I'm not saying don't ever be late. 474 00:26:49,700 --> 00:26:53,180 But I'm saying if you've made a habit to come late so you don't have to interact with a 475 00:26:53,180 --> 00:26:57,940 single person and you can hide in the corner and mark off your box for going to church 476 00:26:57,940 --> 00:27:06,580 for the week and then you don't even apply the word, like that's, man, that's a sad place 477 00:27:06,580 --> 00:27:10,860 to be in because you're missing God's love. 478 00:27:10,860 --> 00:27:13,820 And I've, again, I've been there with you. 479 00:27:13,820 --> 00:27:14,820 If that's you. 480 00:27:14,820 --> 00:27:15,820 I don't know if it is or not. 481 00:27:15,820 --> 00:27:17,740 If it's not, praise God. 482 00:27:17,740 --> 00:27:19,580 I don't want anyone to be like this. 483 00:27:19,580 --> 00:27:24,180 But we need to look at ourselves and make sure. 484 00:27:24,180 --> 00:27:28,740 But this Christian really is full of selfishness and lacking love for others. 485 00:27:28,740 --> 00:27:34,300 Church worship and Bible reading is something they do because they're a Christian, not because 486 00:27:34,300 --> 00:27:35,300 I love God. 487 00:27:35,300 --> 00:27:36,780 It's no, I'm a Christian. 488 00:27:36,780 --> 00:27:39,540 So therefore because I'm a Christian, I go to church. 489 00:27:39,540 --> 00:27:42,740 Because I'm a Christian, I go here. 490 00:27:42,740 --> 00:27:44,580 What did Jesus say that identifier of a Christian was? 491 00:27:44,580 --> 00:27:48,020 That they go to church, that they worship, that they read the Bible? 492 00:27:48,020 --> 00:27:50,660 No, that they love each other. 493 00:27:50,660 --> 00:28:00,140 And all those other things stem from their love for each other and for God. 494 00:28:00,140 --> 00:28:05,300 John 15 13, Jesus says no one has greater love than this to lay down his life for his 495 00:28:05,300 --> 00:28:06,300 friend. 496 00:28:06,300 --> 00:28:10,300 The example we're called to have for love for one another isn't just willing to show 497 00:28:10,300 --> 00:28:13,340 up early and talk to people and pray for others. 498 00:28:13,340 --> 00:28:18,060 No, it's willing to put your life down for them. 499 00:28:18,060 --> 00:28:25,700 Willing to die for another person, to end your life short so that they can live longer. 500 00:28:25,700 --> 00:28:27,360 That's an example of love. 501 00:28:27,360 --> 00:28:29,500 This action. 502 00:28:29,500 --> 00:28:33,960 And it's displayed to us through Jesus. 503 00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:37,140 God doesn't call us to do anything he hasn't done. 504 00:28:37,140 --> 00:28:40,440 That's the beautiful thing. 505 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:44,980 He's already laid his life down and he calls us to do the same. 506 00:28:44,980 --> 00:28:51,020 Whether that be by not getting angry at the person that cut you off all the way to dying 507 00:28:51,020 --> 00:28:55,100 for someone to help them, to keep them alive, to save them. 508 00:28:55,100 --> 00:28:59,900 Man, I mean even Paul writes about how he wishes he could trade him for the Jews to 509 00:28:59,900 --> 00:29:02,780 know Jesus. 510 00:29:02,780 --> 00:29:04,340 That's the love we need. 511 00:29:04,340 --> 00:29:07,380 But that's not the only issue of lovelessness that I've noticed. 512 00:29:07,380 --> 00:29:09,840 There's another one. 513 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:13,620 The loveless worker. 514 00:29:13,620 --> 00:29:19,220 Someone who serves and does Christian works without love. 515 00:29:19,220 --> 00:29:27,140 This person is less selfish than the, in my mind, I could be wrong, but compared to the 516 00:29:27,140 --> 00:29:31,380 consumerist Christian because they understand like, oh I need to be doing something for 517 00:29:31,380 --> 00:29:32,380 God, you know. 518 00:29:32,380 --> 00:29:35,500 And I'm a Christian so that means I have to be doing something. 519 00:29:35,500 --> 00:29:39,260 But there's the problem in the thought and idea is because I'm a Christian I need to 520 00:29:39,260 --> 00:29:40,380 do this thing. 521 00:29:40,380 --> 00:29:46,480 It's not because I love God I'm gonna go do these things. 522 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:51,460 And the problem with this I've noticed and I don't know about you guys, like I like watching 523 00:29:51,460 --> 00:29:56,940 YouTube and putting on like podcasts and stuff and listening to apologists and people who, 524 00:29:56,940 --> 00:29:59,380 who, and evangelists and talk with Christians. 525 00:29:59,380 --> 00:30:02,900 And there's a bunch of great evangelists and apologists. 526 00:30:02,900 --> 00:30:07,520 I love listening to like Frank Turek and Mike Winger, Ray Comfort, I love them all. 527 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:12,380 But then there's others that I'm not gonna name because I don't want to deal with YouTube 528 00:30:12,380 --> 00:30:13,580 backlash. 529 00:30:13,580 --> 00:30:21,380 But that when I see them debate others, talk with others, especially those that aren't 530 00:30:21,380 --> 00:30:25,180 saved, there's no love. 531 00:30:25,180 --> 00:30:30,340 It's, it's, man it just feels like they're just condescending. 532 00:30:30,340 --> 00:30:32,940 And this really is stemming from, from technology, right? 533 00:30:32,940 --> 00:30:38,140 You, every kid nowadays and young adult wants to be a streamer and influencer. 534 00:30:38,140 --> 00:30:40,540 Well, what does every Christian kid want to be now? 535 00:30:40,540 --> 00:30:42,740 They want to be an apologist and a streamer and YouTuber. 536 00:30:42,740 --> 00:30:46,460 They want to share God on these, which is a great thing. 537 00:30:46,460 --> 00:30:50,220 But you have to make sure you do it with love. 538 00:30:50,220 --> 00:30:54,820 Because when I heard this debate between a progressive Christian who, right, not really 539 00:30:54,820 --> 00:30:57,100 a Christian, if you're progressive, I don't think you are. 540 00:30:57,100 --> 00:31:01,020 Because you don't believe in who Jesus is and you're like, oh, he get, they get into 541 00:31:01,020 --> 00:31:05,820 gay affirming and they get into do whatever sin you want and it's okay because God loves 542 00:31:05,820 --> 00:31:10,080 and they have the wrong understanding of love. 543 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:15,420 Another Christian was debating this guy, condescending the whole time, just railing at him. 544 00:31:15,420 --> 00:31:16,820 Oh, you're horrible. 545 00:31:16,820 --> 00:31:17,820 You're so stupid. 546 00:31:17,820 --> 00:31:19,260 Like literally called him stupid. 547 00:31:19,260 --> 00:31:23,020 And I'm just like, how is that showing God's love? 548 00:31:23,020 --> 00:31:28,380 Sure, you're debating with him because that's the right thing to do, right? 549 00:31:28,380 --> 00:31:30,940 You should be trying to correct people and point them to Jesus. 550 00:31:30,940 --> 00:31:37,540 Like you're not pointing to Jesus by beating them over the head with the Bible. 551 00:31:37,540 --> 00:31:41,700 You're not, it's, it's being an apologist or evangelist or doing God's work isn't like 552 00:31:41,700 --> 00:31:46,260 this free pass to be condescending to people and make you feel better and have this superiority 553 00:31:46,260 --> 00:31:51,660 complex. 554 00:31:51,660 --> 00:31:54,980 But this also applies so much to just other works. 555 00:31:54,980 --> 00:32:00,540 Man, I don't, I go to church and I'm the security guard, man, I don't want to come to this, right? 556 00:32:00,540 --> 00:32:04,460 The point is love should be the thing that causes us to do these things. 557 00:32:04,460 --> 00:32:08,020 I've even told my counselors at one point and I've even done this to myself and told 558 00:32:08,020 --> 00:32:12,820 myself, Hey, I love that you guys are here working, but if you don't love these kids 559 00:32:12,820 --> 00:32:18,540 and you're not here because you love them, get out. 560 00:32:18,540 --> 00:32:22,620 And I know that's blunt, but I even tell myself that because if I don't love the kids and 561 00:32:22,620 --> 00:32:26,260 I'm going to do all these great works and try and teach them and all this, guess what? 562 00:32:26,260 --> 00:32:27,260 What? 563 00:32:27,260 --> 00:32:30,140 Uh, uh, first Corinthians says it's pointless. 564 00:32:30,140 --> 00:32:31,140 There's no love. 565 00:32:31,140 --> 00:32:32,140 It's pointless. 566 00:32:32,140 --> 00:32:33,140 Doesn't matter. 567 00:32:33,140 --> 00:32:34,140 I could give the best sermon in the world, but no love. 568 00:32:34,140 --> 00:32:35,140 No one's going to hear. 569 00:32:35,140 --> 00:32:36,140 Why? 570 00:32:36,140 --> 00:32:41,260 Cause they're going to hear this loveless, pointless voice coming from me. 571 00:32:41,260 --> 00:32:45,780 It's sad. 572 00:32:45,780 --> 00:32:49,460 And you might be wondering, can a Christian really do this? 573 00:32:49,460 --> 00:32:55,620 Can a Christian come to church or share the Bible and do these works and not love? 574 00:32:55,620 --> 00:32:57,060 Like, that's not possible. 575 00:32:57,060 --> 00:32:58,060 There's no way. 576 00:32:58,060 --> 00:32:59,500 Rick is crazy. 577 00:32:59,500 --> 00:33:02,380 That's beside the point. 578 00:33:02,380 --> 00:33:10,220 Revelation two verses one through seven, right to the angel of the church of Ephesus. 579 00:33:10,220 --> 00:33:14,380 Thus says the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who walks among the 580 00:33:14,380 --> 00:33:16,740 seven golden lampstands. 581 00:33:16,740 --> 00:33:22,240 I know your works, your labor and your endurance that you cannot tolerate evil people. 582 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:26,580 You have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not and have found them to 583 00:33:26,580 --> 00:33:27,740 be liars. 584 00:33:27,740 --> 00:33:35,060 I know that you have perceived or persevered and endured hardships for the sake of my name 585 00:33:35,060 --> 00:33:41,100 and you have not grown weary, but I have this against you. 586 00:33:41,100 --> 00:33:44,680 You have abandoned the love you had at first. 587 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:46,820 Remember then how far you have fallen. 588 00:33:46,820 --> 00:33:49,660 Repent and do the works you did at first. 589 00:33:49,660 --> 00:33:57,180 Otherwise I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent. 590 00:33:57,180 --> 00:33:58,300 Let you do this. 591 00:33:58,300 --> 00:34:03,260 You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 592 00:34:03,260 --> 00:34:09,760 Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the spirit says to the churches. 593 00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:15,700 To the one who conquers, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in 594 00:34:15,700 --> 00:34:17,900 the paradise of God. 595 00:34:17,900 --> 00:34:21,980 So this, if you don't remember from Pastor Nathan going over it quite a while ago, because 596 00:34:21,980 --> 00:34:28,540 it's in the beginning of Revelation, is the letter to Ephesus from Jesus. 597 00:34:28,540 --> 00:34:32,780 And it starts off by saying, yo, you guys are doing great things. 598 00:34:32,780 --> 00:34:34,020 All of these things are good. 599 00:34:34,020 --> 00:34:36,540 You've been persevering for my name. 600 00:34:36,540 --> 00:34:41,300 You've been doing all of this, but there's one issue. 601 00:34:41,300 --> 00:34:45,180 You've abandoned the love you had at first or you've abandoned, you've left your first 602 00:34:45,180 --> 00:34:48,920 love. 603 00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:49,980 That love is for Jesus. 604 00:34:49,980 --> 00:34:52,060 That love is for God that he's referencing. 605 00:34:52,060 --> 00:34:55,680 You've left that love for me. 606 00:34:55,680 --> 00:34:58,980 You do these things because you're just a Christian. 607 00:34:58,980 --> 00:35:01,060 Yes, you're a Christian. 608 00:35:01,060 --> 00:35:02,500 You believe in truth. 609 00:35:02,500 --> 00:35:05,980 But the reason you debate and argue is simply for that. 610 00:35:05,980 --> 00:35:10,500 It's not for me, for my love, for the love you had for me at once. 611 00:35:10,500 --> 00:35:12,340 So turn back to it. 612 00:35:12,340 --> 00:35:13,340 Repent. 613 00:35:13,340 --> 00:35:16,060 Turn back and love me. 614 00:35:16,060 --> 00:35:23,700 And what's crazy is, he says, repent or I will remove your lamp stand. 615 00:35:23,700 --> 00:35:27,180 If you remember, lamp stand represents the churches. 616 00:35:27,180 --> 00:35:29,900 That's what the lamp stand represents in these. 617 00:35:29,900 --> 00:35:36,540 Jesus is saying, I would rather have no church in Ephesus than a church that does good works 618 00:35:36,540 --> 00:35:40,440 but doesn't love me. 619 00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:42,440 That's heavy. 620 00:35:42,440 --> 00:35:46,620 But that's Jesus speaking, not me. 621 00:35:46,620 --> 00:35:50,220 That's him saying, I want you to love me and do works because you love me, not because 622 00:35:50,220 --> 00:35:53,500 it's my obligation. 623 00:35:53,500 --> 00:35:55,620 I'm a Christian, I have to do it. 624 00:35:55,620 --> 00:35:56,620 No. 625 00:35:56,620 --> 00:35:58,700 I want you to love me. 626 00:35:58,700 --> 00:36:00,060 That's the main goal. 627 00:36:00,060 --> 00:36:02,060 That's the first and most important commitment. 628 00:36:02,060 --> 00:36:03,060 Love me. 629 00:36:03,060 --> 00:36:05,500 Because if you're loving me, then it will make it so much easier to love others and 630 00:36:05,500 --> 00:36:07,360 then you'll be identified as one of mine. 631 00:36:07,360 --> 00:36:10,300 And you'll do these works because you love me and others will become saved because they 632 00:36:10,300 --> 00:36:13,340 see the love of me in you. 633 00:36:13,340 --> 00:36:15,780 Jumping ahead a little bit, sorry. 634 00:36:15,780 --> 00:36:17,580 But why is this important? 635 00:36:17,580 --> 00:36:22,880 Second Corinthians 520, therefore we are ambassadors for Christ. 636 00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:29,380 Since God is making his appeal through us, we plead on Christ's behalf, be reconciled 637 00:36:29,380 --> 00:36:30,980 to God. 638 00:36:30,980 --> 00:36:37,140 Guys, we as Christians are ambassadors for Jesus. 639 00:36:37,140 --> 00:36:40,580 And if you're like, man, they're just, you know, high political people, that's all that 640 00:36:40,580 --> 00:36:41,580 means. 641 00:36:41,580 --> 00:36:42,580 No. 642 00:36:42,580 --> 00:36:49,860 Ambassadors, especially back then, had the authority of the king they represented. 643 00:36:49,860 --> 00:36:55,020 Whatever happened to the ambassador is as if you did it to the king himself. 644 00:36:55,020 --> 00:37:00,300 And whatever the ambassador said, it's as if the king said it. 645 00:37:00,300 --> 00:37:05,580 So think about that, about the times when you've been loveless and been angry and done 646 00:37:05,580 --> 00:37:10,860 something wrong and you weren't loving, you were misrepresenting Jesus. 647 00:37:10,860 --> 00:37:13,100 And guess what? 648 00:37:13,100 --> 00:37:16,540 I've done it too. 649 00:37:16,540 --> 00:37:21,980 It's hard because it's realizing you, I want you to think about this, right? 650 00:37:21,980 --> 00:37:24,740 We don't have Jesus walking this earth nowadays. 651 00:37:24,740 --> 00:37:26,480 But you are an ambassador. 652 00:37:26,480 --> 00:37:27,740 You represent him. 653 00:37:27,740 --> 00:37:32,880 So you might be the only Jesus that anyone sees. 654 00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:36,580 There might be someone in your life where you're the only Jesus they ever see. 655 00:37:36,580 --> 00:37:42,140 And what if they see you being mean all the time, unloving? 656 00:37:42,140 --> 00:37:45,300 Is that the right representation of Jesus? 657 00:37:45,300 --> 00:37:46,760 No. 658 00:37:46,760 --> 00:37:51,580 And that's why we need to look at our hearts, we need to self-reflect and repent if we are 659 00:37:51,580 --> 00:37:56,700 doing this wrong. 660 00:37:56,700 --> 00:38:04,180 So in closing, if you're convicted today by this study and you're like, man, that really 661 00:38:04,180 --> 00:38:09,560 hurts, I'm sorry, but I'm also thankful. 662 00:38:09,560 --> 00:38:15,780 Because if you're convicted, that means now you're one step closer to repenting. 663 00:38:15,780 --> 00:38:19,060 You can't fix something you don't know is broken. 664 00:38:19,060 --> 00:38:24,620 So when you learn that something's broken, now, hey, it can be fixed. 665 00:38:24,620 --> 00:38:30,140 And so just like me being convicted in this and going like, Lord, I am sorry. 666 00:38:30,140 --> 00:38:34,180 Turn back from this and return to your first love. 667 00:38:34,180 --> 00:38:39,820 Read about the love that God had for you and what he did for you and see his character. 668 00:38:39,820 --> 00:38:45,880 See the fact that he is love and then love him and live that out with others. 669 00:38:45,880 --> 00:38:50,020 Now if you weren't convicted today, good. 670 00:38:50,020 --> 00:38:52,180 I'm glad. 671 00:38:52,180 --> 00:38:55,180 I do have something for you. 672 00:38:55,180 --> 00:38:57,980 Pray for those that were. 673 00:38:57,980 --> 00:39:01,180 Be there for those that were. 674 00:39:01,180 --> 00:39:06,020 Go and talk to others and love others and see if there's needs or there's help. 675 00:39:06,020 --> 00:39:11,340 And for those that were convicted, hey, step up and ask someone for help. 676 00:39:11,340 --> 00:39:13,700 It's real easy to be like, man, I'm convicted. 677 00:39:13,700 --> 00:39:15,420 I'm going to go run and hide. 678 00:39:15,420 --> 00:39:18,500 No, repent, talk with other people, get an accountability partner. 679 00:39:18,500 --> 00:39:23,340 Guess what, because as the body, we're called to lift each other up, to pray for one another. 680 00:39:23,340 --> 00:39:26,020 Again, how are we identified as? 681 00:39:26,020 --> 00:39:29,540 We're identified as Christians because we love one another. 682 00:39:29,540 --> 00:39:30,820 So let's practice that. 683 00:39:30,820 --> 00:39:33,500 Let's do that. 684 00:39:33,500 --> 00:39:38,380 So again, I have homework for you guys. 685 00:39:38,380 --> 00:39:42,460 Go home and read 1 Corinthians 13. 686 00:39:42,460 --> 00:39:45,660 All the way through, it gives you a great understanding of what love is and what it 687 00:39:45,660 --> 00:39:47,540 means to love others. 688 00:39:47,540 --> 00:39:52,100 What love is beside the idea of it being this emotion. 689 00:39:52,100 --> 00:39:57,660 Emotion is with love, like it's alongside, it's a buddy, but the emotion isn't always 690 00:39:57,660 --> 00:39:58,660 there. 691 00:39:58,660 --> 00:40:02,220 Those that have been married for more than two years already know this. 692 00:40:02,220 --> 00:40:07,380 You choose to love your partner because love is an action. 693 00:40:07,380 --> 00:40:12,100 You choose to love them, even when the feeling ain't there. 694 00:40:12,100 --> 00:40:16,580 That is why we should read through in your homework, it's 1 Corinthians 13, because it 695 00:40:16,580 --> 00:40:21,700 gives you this beautiful list of love is, love is, love is, and it helps you write it 696 00:40:21,700 --> 00:40:22,700 down. 697 00:40:22,700 --> 00:40:24,980 Be like, hey, where do I need to improve? 698 00:40:24,980 --> 00:40:29,420 Where am I failing or where am I doing good? 699 00:40:29,420 --> 00:40:33,500 So I don't want to end this on a downer of, hey, here's homework. 700 00:40:33,500 --> 00:40:36,060 So here's our encouragement. 701 00:40:36,060 --> 00:40:39,780 1 Corinthians 16, 13 through 14. 702 00:40:39,780 --> 00:40:42,440 Be alert. 703 00:40:42,440 --> 00:40:44,460 Stand firm in the faith. 704 00:40:44,460 --> 00:40:46,360 Be courageous. 705 00:40:46,360 --> 00:40:52,060 Be strong and do everything in love. 706 00:40:52,060 --> 00:40:59,700 So with that, we'll pray and we'll invite up Pastor Nathan. 707 00:40:59,700 --> 00:41:07,700 Lord, thank you so much. 708 00:41:07,700 --> 00:41:12,940 We thank you for the love that you have shown us through you dying on the cross for us, 709 00:41:12,940 --> 00:41:17,300 through you sending your son, and the beautiful thing about that whole situation, Lord, is 710 00:41:17,300 --> 00:41:23,020 before even the foundation of the earth, you being an all-knowing God knew that you would 711 00:41:23,020 --> 00:41:26,860 have to do this, and you loved us so much before we were even born that you already 712 00:41:26,860 --> 00:41:29,940 had the plan for Jesus to die for us. 713 00:41:29,940 --> 00:41:31,260 Thank you so much, Lord. 714 00:41:31,260 --> 00:41:33,680 We love you so much. 715 00:41:33,680 --> 00:41:39,180 And I pray for anyone here who is convicted online, in person, anywhere that has been 716 00:41:39,180 --> 00:41:45,460 convicted that they're not loving, but doing out of Christian habit, Lord, which habits 717 00:41:45,460 --> 00:41:51,500 aren't bad, but Lord, bring us back to our first love. 718 00:41:51,500 --> 00:41:59,980 Help us to go back to our love for you, our love for God, Lord, and help us to love others 719 00:41:59,980 --> 00:42:05,660 and be right and good examples and ambassadors of you here to everyone that sees us, Lord. 720 00:42:05,660 --> 00:42:06,660 In Jesus' name we pray. 721 00:42:06,660 --> 00:42:09,660 Amen.