Love Christians are being accused of being hateful What does it mean to love people? What is Biblical LOVE? 2

Week 1 God is love. Jesus said “Love God and love people.” We are made in the image of God All have sinned Something deep within us changed, soured, poisoned I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do... Romans 7:15 1 Cor 3:8 Love is patient and Love is kind 3

Week 2 The first crime- Cain killed Abel ; Jealous Love is not jealous or envious or boastful or proud

Week 3 5 Love is... never haughty or selfish or rude. Love is not... Full of yourself About the spotlight Acting like a jerk Love is about Seeking the benefit for others Letting others shine Filled with graciousness Gentlemanly- Respectful and honoring

Week 4 Love does not demand it’s own way Loving “self lessly” results in: Living for others Real fellowship Experiencing God I wear a thousand masks: being real,

Love is not… Easily angered Likely to keep a record of wrongs, 7

Love is not easily angered Who has control over you? 8

Love is not easily angered Paul is consistent Galatians 5: 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these…” NASB Anger is a healthy emotion. Anger: “a strong feeling of displeasure and usually of antagonism” God gets angry 9

Love is not easily angered Are you a pawn controlled by your emotions? Are you in charge of your own emotions? Do people “make” you angry? Do you choose to be angry? “I want this ___________ to do what I want.” MG: I want to be able to park my MG with the others; Pride? Reward? Validation? Success? I don’t like being “outsmarted.” I am not Mr. Spock! 10

Love is not= God is not “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; Ex 34:6 The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; Numbers 14:18 Now return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And relenting of evil. 14 Who knows whether He will not turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him, Joel 2:13 11

Love is not… Easily angered Likely to keep a record of wrongs, 12

Love does not keep a record of wrongs “If you mess up one more time…” A feeling of condemnation hangs over you Love does not expect you to sin Love is not shame based “You call yourself a Christian and you did this, and this, and this, and this…” Love does not shame or humiliate or belittle Be careful of your language of loved ones in public Even joking can hurt/ embarrass 13

Love does not keep a record of wrongs Ps 103:10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. NASB

Removing sin; not covering sin “…if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:7-9 NASB God is faithful and Just To forgive To cleanse 15

So What? Next time you’re angry: Step outside yourself to try to see yourself Step away What corrective could a person have done? What are your expectations? What are you holding against your loved ones? Who is walking on thin ice? 16