1. the power of love

2. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

3. If you actually expressed love like that - what kind of power would you have in your life?

4. I Corinthians 13:1-3 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

5. I Corinthians 13:4-6 Love is patient, love is kind
I Corinthians 13:4-6 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

6. I. Love Gives Power to the Spiritual Gifts!
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. - v1-3

7. I. Love Gives Power to the Spiritual Gifts.
A. Love gives power to the gift of tongues.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. - v1

8. I. Love Gives Power to the Spiritual Gifts.
A. Love gives power to the gift of tongues. 1. What did the gift do? a. Some could speak so others could hear in their own languages - Acts 2:1-13

9. I. Love Gives Power to the Spiritual Gifts.
A. Love gives power to the gift of tongues. 1. What did the gift do? b. Some today claim a special prayer language.

10. I. Love Gives Power to the Spiritual Gifts.
A. Love gives power to the gift of tongues. 2. But - what happens in the absence of love? It’s a source of pride & boastfulness!

11. I. Love Gives Power to the Spiritual Gifts.
B. Love gives power to the gift of prophesy.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. - v2

12. I. Love Gives Power to the Spiritual Gifts.
B. Love gives power to the gift of prophesy. 1. What did the gift do? a. Foretold the future. b. Spoke for God supernatur- ally.

13. I. Love Gives Power to the Spiritual Gifts.
B. Love gives power to the gift of prophesy.
1. What did the gift do?
a. The promise:
Matthew 10: But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

14. I. Love Gives Power to the Spiritual Gifts.
B. Love gives power to the gift of prophesy. 1. What did the gift do? b. Philip’s daughters & Agabus were New Testament prophets (Acts 21:8-10)

15. I. Love Gives Power to the Spiritual Gifts.
B. Love gives power to the gift of prophesy. 1. What did the gift do? c. Today we associate this gift with powerful preaching!

16. I. Love Gives Power to the Spiritual Gifts.
B. Love gives power to the gift of prophesy. 2. But - what happens in the absence of love? It doesn’t profit God!

17. I. Love Gives Power to the Spiritual Gifts.
C. Love gives power to the gift of intellectual knowledge.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. - v2

18. I. Love Gives Power to the Spiritual Gifts.
C. Love gives power to the gift of intellectual knowledge. 1. What did the gift do? Help us understand God’s word & God’s way!

19. I. Love Gives Power to the Spiritual Gifts.
C. Love gives power to the gift of intellectual knowledge. 2. What happens in the absence of love? Knowledge can be very cold, snobbish & prideful.

20. I. Love Gives Power to the Spiritual Gifts.
D. Love gives power to the gift of faith.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. - v2

21. I. Love Gives Power to the Spiritual Gifts.
D. Love gives power to the gift of faith.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. - v2
Matthew 17:20 - Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.

22. I. Love Gives Power to the Spiritual Gifts.
D. Love gives power to the gift of faith. 2. But - what happens in the absence of love? It’s useless to God!

23. I. Love Gives Power to the Spiritual Gifts.
E. How about giving your life in total sacrifice?
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. - v3

24. I. Love Gives Power to the Spiritual Gifts! - v1-3
II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living!
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. - v4-6

25. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
A. Love means patience.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. - v4
1. Patience (μακροθυμέω) = slow to express your temper.

26. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
A. Love means patience. 2. The problem today is family abuse.

27. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
A. Love means patience.
2. The problem today is family abuse.
Ephesians 6: In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

28. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
A. Love means patience.
2. The problem today is family abuse.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. - v7

29. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
B. Love means kindness.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. - v4

30. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
B. Love means kindness.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” - John 8:11

31. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
C. Love means not being jealous.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. - v4

32. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
D. Love means not bragging or being inflated with your own importance.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. - v4

33. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
D. Love means not bragging or being inflated with your own importance.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. - v4
Romans 12:3 - Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

34. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
D. Love means not bragging or being inflated with your own importance. 1. What do you think about your own abilities & achievements?

35. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
D. Love means not bragging or being inflated with your own importance. 2. Your prayer needs to be, “Lord, help me to look at myself realistically.”!

36. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
E. Love means acting with grace & not insisting on your own rights.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. - v5

37. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
E. Love means acting with grace & not insisting on your own rights. 1. Grace (χάρις) = showing unmerited favor, kindness, good will.

38. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
E. Love means acting with grace & not insisting on your own rights. 2. When you make decisions, what is your primary concern?

39. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
E. Love means acting with grace & not insisting on your own rights. 2. Where does your freedom in Christ end and your respon- sibility to others begin?

40. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
E. Love means acting with grace & not insisting on your own rights.
2. Where does your freedom in Christ end and your respon- sibility to others begin?
Colossians 2: He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.

41. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
E. Love means acting with grace & not insisting on your own rights.
2. Where does your freedom in Christ end and your respon- sibility to others begin?
Romans 14:15 - If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died.

42. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
E. Love means acting with grace & not insisting on your own rights.
2. Where does your freedom in Christ end and your respon- sibility to others begin?
Romans 15:1 - We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.

43. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
E. Love means acting with grace & not insisting on your own rights.
2. Where does your freedom in Christ end and your respon- sibility to others begin?
Romans 14:21 -  It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.

44. II. Love Gives Power to Practical Living
E. Love means acting with grace & not insisting on your own rights. 3. Sacrificing your own desires becomes an expression of God’s love!

45. Let’s do something besides just talk about love
Let’s do something besides just talk about love! Start doing something about it!

46. Let’s do something besides just talk about love
Let’s do something besides just talk about love! Start doing something about it! Love will put power in your life!