Walk in Love
Notes
Transcript
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15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
23 Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,
3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
What these selected passages of Scripture say is that faith and love need each other to flourish.
Without love, faith becomes harsh, legalistic, and misdirected.
Without faith, love becomes selective, limited, and conditional.
Living by faith (trusting in God and HIs Word) is hinged to living by love (valuing God and valuing people from God’s point of view).
Today I want to remind you that mature, godly faith must operate in the atmosphere of love.
Genuine Love for God Builds our Faith
Genuine Love for God Builds our Faith
Faith pleases God. Faith identifies our union with God. Faith embraces a life of trust and obedience to God.
But sometimes our faith seems weak, timid, and unsteady. One moment our faith in God is strong and clear—the next moment it seems that we even question whether we are truly believing in Him.
Then, there are those times when are faith is tested. Our security, health, finances, relationships can be shaken to the core.
What do we do? How can we build our faith—strengthen our faith to trust God completely—hold onto Him fully?
Love God!
Spend time with God.
Linger in His Word.
Do what He says.
Think about who He is and what He does.
Dwell in the fact that He loves you—and has extended His grace (unmerited favor) to you.
As you love God, your faith will grow!
Compassionate Love for Fellow Believers Nurtures our Faith
Compassionate Love for Fellow Believers Nurtures our Faith
We live among people.
When we participate in church life, it is done among a congregation.
When we value fellow believers—appreciate them—love them—we invite them to help us in our walk with God.
When we attempt to live by faith alone—we will eventually allow discouragement and frustration to adversely affect our faith in God.
We need people in have an open invitation to speak into our life.
Alone, the world, the flesh, and the devil will push and pull you in all kinds of directions (except the one God want you to do).
But when we live within a healthy community of believers (especially in a healthy small group), our faith can be nurtured, developed, and motivated to trust God completely. And, it helps to have a cheering section rooting you on!
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Empowered Love for the World Directs our Faith
Empowered Love for the World Directs our Faith
Faith has a purpose. When the Holy Spirit empowers that faith—our aim in life shifts to that of loving, serving, and reaching our community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
A Holy Spirit empowered love for our community enables us to fulfill our purpose to make discipleship.
Instead of being ruled by fear or hostility over our community, we will be ruled with power, clarity, and the mission of God to reach our world with the life-changing message of Christ.
This kind of love motivates us to give more, go more, and pray more.
Conclusion
Faith needs love to grow, be nurtured, and be directed.
As faith and love work together, we will be more apt to obediently follow God and His direction for our life.
When faith and love are joined, worship will grow, compassion for people will grow, confidence in Christ will grow, obedience toward God will grow!
Live by faith and live by love—and see what God can do through you!