Love

Theme Verse: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.(NKJV)

As Americans, we have so many things that we love, but we only have one word for it. And we use that word to describe so many things. I mean, I can be like I love my mom, and I love cheeseburgers. But there is a vast difference between loving a cheeseburger and loving your mom. However, in the bible, there are four different words for love. Eros refers to passionate love, or romantic love. This is the type of love that you see in Hallmark movies. And it is, in my opinion, the most emphasized form of love in our culture. The second type of love that is found in the bible is Storge or familial love, which is the type of love that a parent would have for his child. The third type of love found in the Scripture is Phileo, which is brotherly love. This type of love describes the way brothers or sisters love each other. The final form of love that is found in the bible and probably the most important kind of love is Agape, which is the love that God has for us. An excellent example of God's love is when Jesus dies on the cross. (Matthew 27: 45-55)

I think that Paul defines love the best way in 1 Corinthians 13 which says 13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Love is God's greatest commandment. When we don't love others, we are just noise. You can feed the poor, preach a sermon that brings people to Christ, or even lead a huge revival, but without love, it means nothing. So, brothers and sisters, I encourage you to love one another and uplift one another. Don't tear each other down.