WITHOUT LOVE, I AM NOTHING (5 OF 7)
Scripture: I CORINTHIANS 12:31, I CORINTHIANS 13, I CORINTHIANS 14:1
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Without Love, I Am Nothing (5 of 7)
THE "WITHOUT" SERIES
Dennis Marquardt
I Corinthians 12:31-14:1
INTRO: Do you remember when you first fell in love, how blind you were to the faults in your loved one, how you could not do enough for them ... and how they occupied your every waking thought? Then came an Uncle or Aunt and said to you, "you'll get over it!" -- meaning of course that in time this passionate love will ebb, in time you will settle down building careers and developing your gifts, building a productive home life and gone will be this passionate love that consumed your every waking moment.
This is what happened to the church in Ephesus by the time John had written the book of Revelation, they too had "gotten over it" -- meaning their first love for God had settled down to a cool temperature! It was still a productive church, but one that had lost its first passion! It was still a gifted church; it did much work and was praised for its labors and doctrinal purity. The church was even praised for their consistency and for not fainting! But, they had lost their first love – the love that had moved them to do whatever was needed to live for God! God warns them that without love being restored as at the beginning He will come quickly and remove their testimony as a church! Nothing is more important to God than LOVE; it reflects His very nature and is to be the very nature of us as Christians. It will be by His love that all men will know that we are His disciples – this was Jesus' own statement!
Even Sigmund Freud stated, "Love is the first requirement for mental health."
A "gifted" church is neither the highest goal ... nor a church that has the greatest programs! The highest goal of a church ought to be a loving church, only then can its programs and gifts find their greatest expression!
PROP. SENT: Without love a church is just another human institution that lacks the power to effect eternal changes in the lives of people! The Bi ...
THE "WITHOUT" SERIES
Dennis Marquardt
I Corinthians 12:31-14:1
INTRO: Do you remember when you first fell in love, how blind you were to the faults in your loved one, how you could not do enough for them ... and how they occupied your every waking thought? Then came an Uncle or Aunt and said to you, "you'll get over it!" -- meaning of course that in time this passionate love will ebb, in time you will settle down building careers and developing your gifts, building a productive home life and gone will be this passionate love that consumed your every waking moment.
This is what happened to the church in Ephesus by the time John had written the book of Revelation, they too had "gotten over it" -- meaning their first love for God had settled down to a cool temperature! It was still a productive church, but one that had lost its first passion! It was still a gifted church; it did much work and was praised for its labors and doctrinal purity. The church was even praised for their consistency and for not fainting! But, they had lost their first love – the love that had moved them to do whatever was needed to live for God! God warns them that without love being restored as at the beginning He will come quickly and remove their testimony as a church! Nothing is more important to God than LOVE; it reflects His very nature and is to be the very nature of us as Christians. It will be by His love that all men will know that we are His disciples – this was Jesus' own statement!
Even Sigmund Freud stated, "Love is the first requirement for mental health."
A "gifted" church is neither the highest goal ... nor a church that has the greatest programs! The highest goal of a church ought to be a loving church, only then can its programs and gifts find their greatest expression!
PROP. SENT: Without love a church is just another human institution that lacks the power to effect eternal changes in the lives of people! The Bi ...
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