“Summer Love Series - Where Is The Love? pt. 2”
Pastor Jim Lowe III
Sunday Morning, 9:30am Stream 03/22/25 (4th Sunday Message)
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{All scriptures are NIV84 unless stated}
“Summer Love Series - Where Is The Love? pt. 2”
John 13:34-35
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Love is important.
It shows that we are Christ’s disciples. It shows that we are believers.
But it’s not just SAYING we love one another either.
1 John 3:18
18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
This means that we have to actively SHOW our love. We have to make an effort to SHOW others who we are!
Because if we don’t have love… we don’t have anything!
1 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. 2 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. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
There are many actions you can do. speaking in tongues
having gifts and using them
having faith that can move mountains even giving everything to the poor!
But if we don’t SHOW love… we have nothing…
Love Is What Separates Us From Being Real And Being Fake!
What did we read that love is?
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
We talked about patience last time.
It’s something that caught us off guard…
but it was the FIRST one on the list!
Starting with the next two:
Love IS kind.
Because we should love in actions and not in words only…
Love Is SHOWING Kindness!
If we are NOT showing kindness… we are not showing love.
People don’t care about how kind you say you are… if you never show it.
Kindness (Eerdmans Bible Dictionary):
a benevolent (well-meaning) attitude or action between individuals.
The bible says we are the salt and light of the world. But what good is it to be light only to hide it?
but when we SHINE our light
others see our works and praise our Lord
God’s Love Is Shown When We Are Kind To Each Other!
Colossians 3:12
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
What’s a quick example of kindness? In Luke chap 10
An expert in the law asked a question to test Jesus.
He asked what he must “do” to get eternal life. what work is necessary?
Jesus reversed the question on him.
what did you read in the law?
So he says to Love God with everything.
also to love your neighbor as yourself.
The man asks who is his neighbor?
Luke 10:30-35
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A PRIEST happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, A LEVITE, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a SAMARITAN, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
The first two men should have helped.
The priest and levite…
the ones who are supposed to know…
THEY turned their backs instead of show kindness.
The samaritan chose to help.
he chose to show kindness.
The jews and samaritans didn’t get along at all. Yet this one showed love to his enemy.
This goes into a big reason kindness is a form of love.
We Are Supposed To Be The Example Of Love. If We Don’t Show Kindness, Who Will?
We are supposed to be different.
We are the ones who represent God.
Our good acts will point others back to him.
You never know what a kind act will do for someone.
If you don’t show kindness…who will?
Don’t let others do the things you should be doing.
You Never Know How An Act Of Kindness Can Change Someone’s Day!
3 Ways To Offer Kindness To Others:
3 Ways To Offer Kindness To Others:
3 Ways To Offer Kindness To Others:
**We will talk about other ways to offer kindness Wednesday at our small groups**
{repeat:}
“God Called Me To Be Different!”
Let’s now talk about Envy.
Envy - painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage.
In short:
wanting something someone else has. if you can’t have it…
then you feel like they shouldn’t either.
But we can fall into this easily.
Things People Can Be Envious Of:
{Material Things}
Car, Home, Career, Money
{Relational Things}
Spouse, Children, Family Dynamic
{Personal Things}
Physical Appearance {pretty smile, confidence, body shape}
There are MANY things we can be envious of others about.
We Live In A Social Society Where It’s VERY Easy To Compare Our Lives To Others!
It’s all over social media…
People tend to share all the good things that happen in their lives.
It makes it easy because it seems like someone is ALWAYS progressing…
and people don’t normally post when things aren’t going well. it makes us compare us to them.
This happened in the bible also.
But envy can be deep and very ugly.
Genesis 29:16-18
16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was lovely in form, and beautiful. 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”
2 daughters here Rachel and Leah
Rachel was lovely in form… Leah had weak eyes.
The story is kinda messy already. Jacob wants Rachel.
he is in LOVE with Rachel.
He works 7 years for her.
Laban sets up a wedding…but AFTER the wedding…
he sends Leah into the tent with him for the evening. Jacob is too drunk to notice.
Genesis 29:25
5 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?” 26 Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. 27 Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.”
Jacob is furious Leah was there. He was in LOVE with Rachel.
Now he has to give 14 years of work for her.
And be married to the one he initially didn’t want.
So he works the 7 additional years.
And he gets Rachel.
He now has 2 wives.
but he didn’t want 2 wives he wanted Rachel.
The bible states multiple times that he loved Rachel more than Leah.
Genesis 29:31
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
Because Leah doesn’t have the love… she WILL have the children…
and Rachel will not.
But she doesn’t just have ONE son.
She has 4 children pretty quickly.
before the Lord closes her womb.
But Rachel still has NONE.
Rachel wanted a family she didn’t have to share with Leah.
But it was personal also…
in those times…women were looked down on who couldn’t give their husband children.
Rachel doesn’t just watch Leah have one child… she has FOUR
after the third one…Leah actually says now Jacob will be with her… because she’s having children.
ALL of this makes Rachel jealous.
Leah is jealous of the love Rachel is getting. Rachel is jealous of the children Leah is having…
This is how Envy creeps in.
So Rachel comes up with a plan… similar to Sarah…
Rachel tells Jacob to sleep with her maidservant.
- considering women were looked down upon for not having children…
- it wasn’t uncommon for them to give their maidservants.
Rachel’s SERVANT gave Jacob 2 sons.
Genesis 30:7-8
7 Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.” So she named him Naphtali.
What was the struggle?
they both were fighting for different things.
Leah has 4…Rachel has 2…sorta.
But Leah believes Jacob will love her the MORE children she has. but the Lord had closed up her womb also…
so LEAH comes up with an idea.
She will now give HER maidservant to Jacob. so she can have more children.
This is the 4th woman Jacob is sleeping with.
Jacob probably just wants to be left alone at this point… This is a very dysfunctional family!
This dysfunction continues for years.
Genesis 30:14
14 During wheat harvest, Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants, which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”
Reuben got mandrakes for his mother Leah. Rachel wanted some.
“give me some of YOUR son’s mandrakes.” What’s the big deal?
Mandrakes were supposed to help with fertility.
they were in competition on who would continue to give him kids.
Rachel still wanted her first actual child.
Leah takes offense to the question.
Genesis 30:15
But she said to her, “Wasn’t it enough that you took away my husband? Will you take my son’s mandrakes too?” “Very well,” Rachel said, “he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.”
This is crazy!
Verse 16
16 So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. “You must sleep with me,” she said. “I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he slept with her that night.
Rachel has “taken away” Leah’s husband? Leah has to “hire” Jacob?
Apparently Rachel was keeping Jacob away from Leah.
Rachel didn’t want the risk of Leah having more children with him. because she’d never catch up.
But the Lord has a sense of humor… the mandrakes worked…
and Leah got pregnant that night!! So where is the envy?
Rachel Was Envious Of Leah’s Family
she watched as Leah continued to beat her at something she wanted so badly
Leah Was Envious That Jacob Loved Rachel
the older usually marries first…
she watched her husband give 7 years for her sister. he didn’t want her.
she’s now married to a man who won’t look at her.
Envy Gets You Caught In A Game That Doesn’t Benefit Anyone
James 3:16
For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
It’s destructive to others as well as yourself.
Proverbs 14:30
30 A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
Each of us are having our own walk with the Lord. He will bless them…but will also bless you!
If You Can’t Be Happy When God Is Blessing Others, That’s Not True Love!
Keep in mind that God wants the best for you also. Celebrate others when he is working in them.
because if you keep the focus on you… your time is coming!
3 Ways To Manage Envy:
always be grateful for what you do have.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Don’t be the gatekeeper of someone else’s blessings.
we don’t know how long they’ve been praying for what they have what they went through.
3 Ways To Manage Envy:
see it as an inspiration for what the Lord can do with you.
if they have a blessing…
know you can have one too! if they received a healing…
know you can receive one too!
“eyes haven’t seen ears haven’t heard…”
3 Ways To Manage Envy:
Ephesians 4:29
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
{recap}
Love IS Kind
It is our duty to love as Christ loved.
a little kindness can go a long way.
3 Ways To Offer Kindness To Others:
-
Give Genuine Encouragement or Compliments
-
Practice Patience and Grace More Often
-
Give A Gift: Your Time, Support, Resources
Love is NOT Envious
you can’t love someone trying to decide if they deserve what they have ESPECIALLY if it was the Lords gift.
3 Ways To Manage Being Envious:
-
Shift Your Thoughts To Gratitude
-
Look At The Situation As In What’s Possible
-
Change Your Words To Celebrate Them
We WILL discuss more methods for kindness and more check-lists on Wednesday!
