Agape - the Virtue of Love
Rex Yancey
1 Corinthians 13:4
We learn about God and the character of God in the Bible. If we should ask the question what is God like, we would answer that ''God makes his sun to shine on the just and the unjust.'' We would answer, ''The goodness of God should lead men to repentance.''
Jesus came to show us what the Father is like. A man is known by five things. He is known by his conduct. That is what he does. He is known by his conversation. That is what he says. He is known by his character. That is what he is. He is known by his creed. That is what he believes. And, he is known by his contribution. That is what he gives. Jesus was perfect in all of these areas, and it is the kind of character he died for us to have.
There are many who love this ungodly world. The problem is that most people who love the world love it in the wrong way. It is more lust than love. It is more take than give. It is not a virtuous love.
We have looked at the value of love. Today, I want us to look at the virtue of love.
1. AGAPE IS RESTRAINED.
''Love is patient...''
I would hate to think of where I would be today without God's patience toward me. There would have been no cross, no salvation, and no heaven. But the Bible tells us God loves us and that his love is patient.
-The word referred to here is patient with people. It means to burn long. God does not have a short fuse. He takes the heat a long time before bursting into flames.
Edwin Stanton despised Abraham Lincoln. He called him a clown and the original gorilla. What did Lincoln do? He made him his Secretary of War. In that position he made a speech in which he called Lincoln a fool. Lincoln said, ''Maybe he's right.'' But when Lincoln was assassinated, Stanton stood beside the coffin and said, ''There lies the greatest ruler of men the world has ever seen.'' It was Lincoln's patience that won Stanton's respect.
Why is patience such an important part of Christian lo ...
Rex Yancey
1 Corinthians 13:4
We learn about God and the character of God in the Bible. If we should ask the question what is God like, we would answer that ''God makes his sun to shine on the just and the unjust.'' We would answer, ''The goodness of God should lead men to repentance.''
Jesus came to show us what the Father is like. A man is known by five things. He is known by his conduct. That is what he does. He is known by his conversation. That is what he says. He is known by his character. That is what he is. He is known by his creed. That is what he believes. And, he is known by his contribution. That is what he gives. Jesus was perfect in all of these areas, and it is the kind of character he died for us to have.
There are many who love this ungodly world. The problem is that most people who love the world love it in the wrong way. It is more lust than love. It is more take than give. It is not a virtuous love.
We have looked at the value of love. Today, I want us to look at the virtue of love.
1. AGAPE IS RESTRAINED.
''Love is patient...''
I would hate to think of where I would be today without God's patience toward me. There would have been no cross, no salvation, and no heaven. But the Bible tells us God loves us and that his love is patient.
-The word referred to here is patient with people. It means to burn long. God does not have a short fuse. He takes the heat a long time before bursting into flames.
Edwin Stanton despised Abraham Lincoln. He called him a clown and the original gorilla. What did Lincoln do? He made him his Secretary of War. In that position he made a speech in which he called Lincoln a fool. Lincoln said, ''Maybe he's right.'' But when Lincoln was assassinated, Stanton stood beside the coffin and said, ''There lies the greatest ruler of men the world has ever seen.'' It was Lincoln's patience that won Stanton's respect.
Why is patience such an important part of Christian lo ...
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