By Rev. Michael Mwangi
Senior Pastor, Fedha Church KAG
1 Corinthians 12:31, 13:1-3
The way of love
What is the most important thing for a believer?
Most Christians are busy in Christianity doing everything they can, without considering what is the most important thing. They are busy religiously attending church, praying, worshipping and sacrificing neglecting the most important thing.
- Love is the most important thing more than sacrifices, giving, or ministry.
- You can do all other good things but minus love, it is nothing
Love is the greatest thing and supposes all other things people hold to.
1 Corinthians 13:8, 13
[8] Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
[13]And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Matthew 22:37-40- [37] Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ [38]This is the first and greatest commandment. [39]And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ [40]All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
The summary of the whole bible is simply this love God and love people
First 4 commandments are about God, the rest 6 about fellow men
What does it mean to love God?
Loving God is not a feeling but a living. It means living in honour of him.
- When you love God everything else becomes secondary no matter how important, valuable or urgent it is. God must be all in all and pre-eminent in your life.
- The best you and all you have goes to him whether finances, time or resources.
Deuteronomy 5:7- You shall have no other gods before me.
No person, position or possession should ever precede Jesus in our lives. He loved and died for you, He expects nothing less in return.
Matthew 10:37- Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
It means living in obedience
John 14:15- If you love me, keep my commands.
lt means living in Holiness and truth
1 Corinthians 13:6- Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It means living in fear of God
Proverbs 8:13- To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behaviour and perverse speech.
It means living in love
- We are to love people because they are made in the image and likeness of God
- We tend to love things and use people
- We express our love for God by loving others
Matthew 25:40-42- The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
[41]“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
[42]For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
It is impossible to love God without loving others
1 John 4:20-21 - [20] Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. [21]And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
How do you love your neighbour?
- Love put others first and desire the best for them
- Love cares about the feelings and welfare of others be it physical, emotional or spiritual
1 John 3:17- If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be that person?
When you love you will not make others stumble
You must consider your actions and the effect it has on others. Making others stumble is a very grievous sin that attracts immediate judgment.
Matthew 18:6-9
[6]“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. [7]Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come
□ You can't love and make others stumble.
Romans 14:13,15
[13]Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.
[15]If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died.
Philippians 2:3-5- [3]Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, [4]not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. [5]In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
When we put the interest of others first, we are careful how we dress, we dress properly but not half-naked exposing our privacy in God's presence. We have a dressing code
Colossians 3:12- Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Even Our glorious God is covered
Psalm 93:1 - The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength; indeed, the world is established, firm and secure.
Conclusion
1 John 4:8- Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
If you don’t care about others, you are simply a good pagan.
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