Sermon Tone Analysis

*How Christians Should Celebrate Valentine’s Day *

How Christians Should Celebrate Valentine’s Day \\ *1 Corinthians 13:8-13 \\ *1 Corinthians 13:8-13 (NIV) \\ \\

8 Love never fails.

But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.

When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.

Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.

But the greatest of these is love.

Saturday  is Valentine’s Day.

\\ For those who aren’t aware of it… \\ There was a man and wife who had a tradition for the special days in the year.

\\ For instance this Saturday is valentine's day.

So he would take her to Wal-Mart, they would stand together in the Greeting cards section \\ and he would read Valentine Cards to her. \\ Now, that seems to work fine for them… \\ But I don't think many men could get away with doing that.

\\ \\ Have you ever wondered how Valentine’s Day got started?

\\ Here’s the story: \\ Approximately 250 years after Jesus was born in Bethlehem,

there was a priest by the name of Valentine.

He lived in Rome.

At that time, Claudius was the Emperor of Rome.

Some people called him Claudius the Cruel.

St. Valentine didn’t like Emperor Claudius, and he wasn’t the only one!

Many people felt the same way.

Claudius wanted a big army.

He thought men should volunteer to join.

Many men just did not want to leave home and go off to fight in wars.

They did not want to leave their girlfriends and wives.

So, not many men volunteered for the Roman army.

This made Emperor Claudius very angry.

He had a crazy idea that if men were not married, they would be more inclined to join his army.

So Claudius decreed that there would be no more marriages.

Young people thought his new law was really cruel.

Valentine thought it was ridiculous!

One of his favorite duties as a priest was to marry people.

After Emperor Claudius passed his law, Valentine kept on performing marriage ceremonies – but secretly.

He would whisper the words of the ceremony, while listening for soldiers on the steps outside.

\\ We’ll get more of the St. Valentine story a little later!

\\ The title of today’s sermon is: \\ \\ *“How Christians Should Celebrate Valentine’s Day”.*

\\ Point #1 Stand up for the truth and proclaim the Gospel of God’s love

\\ *Psalm 40:9-10 (NIV) \\ *9     I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O Lord.

10     I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.

I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.

\\ \\ Sometimes it is dangerous \\ to stand up against injustice, hatred, and prejudice.

\\ Sometimes it is difficult to oppose the world’s view of things.

\\ Sometimes it’s difficult to proclaim the truth of God’s Love.

\\ But that is what St. Valentine did! \\ And that is what we are called to do! \\ 1 Cor.

1:18 says: \\ For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing… \\ \\ So we can expect opposition from the unsaved!

\\ \\ Our message is foolishness to them! \\ \\ It’s not always going to be easy to stand up for Jesus!

\\ \\ It won’t always be easy to tell of His love! \\ But that doesn’t give us an excuse for remaining silent!

\\ \\ Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit \\ \\ The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 1:16 \\ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

\\ \\ Paul explains how boldness to proclaim the truth comes to us.

\\ \\ Romans 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

\\ \\ It was Holy Spirit power and agape love for Jesus \\ \\ that transformed a band of scared disciples \\ \\ on the day Jesus was crucified \\ \\ into a bold team of Gospel proclaimers.

\\ \\ \\ According to tradition, \\ \\ all of Jesus’ disciples except John \\ \\ died horrible deaths rather than deny their Lord.

\\ \\ They all went out under dangerous conditions… \\ \\ to spread the Gospel.

\\ \\ Paul wrote a letter of encouragement to Timothy.

\\ 2 Tim.

1:8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, \\ Paul tells Timothy to not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord!

\\ And then he tells Timothy what he might have to face! \\ “share with me in the sufferings for the gospel” \\ Not everyone we speak to about Jesus will want to hear it!

\\ Some people may try to stop us! \\ Some people may choose to avoid us! \\ \\ Now, let me make one thing very clear!

\\ We should be willing to tell people about Jesus! \\ But we should never try to ram it down their throats!

\\ Jesus said in John 3:17 \\ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

\\ \\ Unfortunately, many Christians think they are doing right \\ By running around shaking their judgmental fingers \\ At lost sinners!

\\ They hit people over the head with a bunch of Bible verses \\ Trying to convince them that they are going to hell \\ If they don’t change their ways!

\\ We should never try to lead them to Christ \\ by being mean-spirited and hateful!

\\ The Gospel is a message of Love! \\ God loves the sinners!

\\ Jesus loves them so much He was willing to die for them!

\\ But you won’t convince them that the Gospel is true.. \\ And that God really does love them… \\ If they don’t see some love in you! \\ Let’s get back to our story about St. Valentine!

\\ \\ One night, Valentine did hear footsteps at his door.

The couple he was marrying escaped, but he was caught.

He was thrown in jail and told that his punishment was death.

\\ And that brings me to the next point of this sermon!

\\ Point #2 \\ Die to self for the sake of others.

\\ John 15:13 \\ Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

\\ Jesus says that genuine love is seen in a person \\ Willing to lay down his life for his friends.

\\ When I meet with couples before performing their marriage \\ I ask them if they would be willing to die for the other.

\\ They always say, "Yes!" \\ They would die for the one they love.

\\ But in our daily lives \\ Not many ever face a life or death situation.

\\ We may never ever get a chance to die for another person!

\\ \\ However, every day we do get opportunities to die to self.

\\ We are presented with many situation \\ to sacrifice our wants for the wants of another.

\\ \\ 1 John 3:16 \\ By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.

And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

\\ \\ Jesus said in John 15:13 \\ Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

\\ \\ Now again, this doesn’t have to be confined \\ \\ to actually dying for another person!

\\ \\ It can also mean sacrificing your wants for the needs of others!

\\ \\ It can just as easily mean \\ \\ placing other people’s feelings above your own! \\ \\ Galatians 2:20 says: \\ I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

\\ Paul explains further in Galatians 5:24 \\ And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

\\ \\ The old carnal nature within us that causes us to be selfish people \\ \\ must be crucified!

\\ \\ The Holy Spirit within us persuades us to think of others!

\\ \\ Ephesians 5:2 says: \\ And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

\\ \\ You can not “walk in love” and be selfish at the same time!

\\ \\ \\ Try it this Valentine’s Day.

\\ Sacrifice what you want for what your loved one wants.

\\ \\ Let’s get back to our Valentine story!

\\ St. Valentine tried to stay cheerful.

Many young people came to the jail to visit him.

They threw flowers and notes up to his window.

They wanted him to know that they, too, believed in love.

\\ One of these young people was the daughter of the prison guard.