Christian Sermon

Life is in the Love

By Scott Phillips

In Him By Him Through Him

The Life of Righteousness is in the Love

Can you hear it? Weeping, crying deeply and yearning for that missing piece of life, not knowing where peace may be found. Sure we see a façade of together lives and smiling faces, but truly what this generation seeks is to belong and to be loved. There is a great sense of aloneness in this struggle we call life. You can see it in people's eyes, a seeking and searching for that which is real. You can hear it in their voices, you can feel it when you pray, there is a great need today.

The scripture says, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul."Leviticus 17:11The Life of the Flesh is in the Blood.The Life of the Spirit is in the Love.This morning I was directed to read 1st John. This disciple that the Bible designates as the "disciple whom the Lord loved."

John had a special understanding of love for he was singled out by the Lord Jesus and received with this designation a special revelation  because he had a special ability not only to receive, but also to reflect this guiding principle of God.God is Love.If we dwell in God, and God in us, we love. Can a body live without blood? We know the answer to that question is no.

Just as a man of the flesh cannot live without this life-giving fluid, we know that without love we are not truly Spirit living people.Forty times love is mentioned in this single book of 1st John, signifying the theme of this epistle.It is possible to be excited without love and possible to be motivated without love and possible to be visionary without love.It is possible to do all of the religious things that must be done without love, but the question to ask us is, "Will these things survive, if they do not have the life of love in them?" I submit to you everything we do without the motivation of God's love in the mare dead and will never live.This word has been cheapened by our culture.

It is connected to so much that is not love. I love chocolate. I love crossword puzzles. I love you man. Let's make love.In the Greek there were three words translated into the English word love.Eros sensual desire Phileo friendship, I have heard it described as a you love me, so I love you Agape pure, undemanding, unquestioning unconditional,self sacrificing love Can you guess the Greek word used in the context of 1st John? Give that man a prize! Agape is the right answer. Throughout scripture we are made to understand that the only way we can demonstrate our love for the God we cannot see is how we conduct ourselves with the people in the world we do see. Toward our brothers, mothers, believers, the poor and even our enemies, we are commanded to Agape them.The proof that the Spirit is flowing through us is that Agape is our first reaction. I don't have to look at my hand and say, "Blood Flow to my fingers."

The fact that I am alive, the heart pumps,the blood flows and the wonder of life is in my fingers.My prayer today is, "Lord let your heart beat in me. Let the life's blood of the spirit flow in me to bring the blood of Jesus to those I meet."We think of blood as messy, however blood that is contained in the body is not red, but blue, or so I have been told. As long as it is in the body, the blood is blue. It is only when blood ceases to be where it is supposed to be, that it becomes messy.We know, we all know, the great need of our world is for them to catch a glimpse of the Love of God. The only way they will ever see it is for us to truly be alive spiritually. To be walking in the Spirit, to be working in the Spirit, to be sensitive to the Spirit, to be led by the Spirit.I don't think love is this icky, sticky, religious love you see plastered on some peoples faces. So often those that talk about the love of God, don't love God at all.

It seems they are looking for an excuse for their own lack of morality. I have heard people goon and on about love, but their life was one that was devoid of His spirit, though I think they had some kind of spirit working in them.Is it not interesting, that in this Love book, John warned of False Prophets and the proof of the Love of God. He that doeth righteousness is a child of God, but those that do not righteousness are the children of the Devil.

There is a direct correlation between righteousness and love. In my service toward right, there will be the spirit that flows through is effort that animates, sanctifies and authenticates this righteousness, and it is life of the Spirit.We know it is possible to do right and still be dead spiritually.It is possible to even do right and be motivated by a spirit that is not one described as love. Is it not interesting in this Epistle about love that we find a warning about false prophets and even the spirit of Antichrist?So the lesson is this, love is the life of the Spirit that is portrayed in the righteousness that we do. One without the other is like faith without works; righteousness without love is dead being alone."Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." 2 Cor 3:6We have seen the self righteous kill those with the very thing that should have brought life. When we should be a rescue team, we as can become mercenaries.

The Red Cross gone wrong, instead of healing the hurting, cutting limbs off and severing hope.Oh Lord help us to be a holy order of orderlies. To be specialist of surgery to bring wholeness and healing through the power of God.For your purpose found in the reason of your annointing. Let us as your church find that same annointing today.The Life of Righteousness is found in Love.Fill my way everyday with love, As I walk with a heavenly dove, Let me go all the while, With a Song and a Smile, Fill my way everyday with love.

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