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We Need Less Love!

TEXT1 Cor. 13:1-313

INTRODUCTION:

A.      THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT LOVE IS THE GREATEST GIFT – AND DUTY.

B.      WE DON’T LOVE ENOUGH – OR CORRECTLY (1 John 3:18).

C.      SOMETIMES THERE IS TOO MUCH LOVE AMONG BRETHREN – A BAD SIGN.

2 Tim. 3:1-4

…for men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money

lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God

D.      WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE LOVE TOO MUCH.

I.      WE NEED LESS LOVE FOR SELF.

A.      OFTEN WE THINK OF SELF MORE HIGHLY THAN WE MERIT (Rom. 12:3).

          1.       All are important to the work (1 Cor. 12:22).

          2.       NO ONE is All Important (1 Cor. 12:20-21).

B.      TOO OFTEN WE TAKE SELF TOO SERIOUSLY.

          1.       Easily offended, no sense of humor or patience.

          2.       We must be patient (Eph. 4:2Longsuffering.!

          3.       We must be forgiving (Col. 3:12-13).

C.      LOVE DEMANDS A DIFFERENT VIEW OF OTHERS (Phil. 2:3-5).

II.     WE NEED LESS LOVE FOR MONEY.

A.      A LOVE OF MONEY IS A ROOT OF ALL KINDS OF EVIL (1 Tim. 6:9-10).

B.      IT IS NOT THE KEY TO HAPPINESS – THE POOR CAN BE HAPPY, TOO (vs. 8).

C.      A MAN’S LIFE … (Luke 12:15-21).

D.      THIS WORLD’S TREASURES PASS AWAY (Matt. 6:19-21;  1 Tim. 6:7).

III.    WE NEED LESS LOVE FOR PLEASURE.

A.      SIN CAN BE PLEASUREABLE (Heb. 11:25).

          1.       The pursuit of pleasure leads to submission to the flesh (Rom. 6:12;  Titus 3:3).

          2.       Submission to the flesh will rob us of our prize (Gal. 5:19-21).

          3.       The pursuit of pleasure is a distraction ( Luke 8:14).

B.      Heb. 11:25PLEASURE IS FOR A SEASON (Eccl. 12:1).

C.      WHERE DOES THE DEVIL ATTACK US TODAY?

IV.   WE NEED LESS LOVE FOR PRE-EMINENCE.

A.      THE BIBLE CONDEMNS AN ATTITUDE THAT IS TYPICAL (Matt. 23:5-10).

          1.       There is more to this than desiring attention.

          2.       Condemned is the pride that demands we be served (vs. 11-12).

B.      DIOTROPHES COULD NOT BE INVOLVED UNLESS HE WAS IN CHARGE

          (3 John 9-12).  Compare Diotrophes and Demetrius.

C.      PREACHERS AND ELDERS ARE NOT TO HAVE THIS ATTITUDE (1 Pet. 5:2-3).

          1.       Be careful of one who would be the Big Fish” in the “Little Pond.”

          2.       The eldership is not merely an office, but a work!  So with preachers (2 Tim. 4:5).

V.    WE NEED LESS LOVE FOR THIS PRESENT WORLD.

A.      DEMAS LOVED THE WORLD TOO MUCH (2 Tim. 4:10).

B.      THIS WORLD AND WHAT IT HAS TO OFFER PASSES AWAY (1 John 2:15-17).

C.      THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME … (Phil. 3:20;  1 Pet. 2:11)

VI.   WE NEED LESS LOVE FOR OTHERS.

A.      WE MUST LOVE JESUS MORE THAN OUR DEAREST FRIENDS (Matt. 10:37).

B.      MUST CHOICES BE MADE?  (2 Cor. 6:12, 14). 

CAN WE LOVE EACH OTHER TOO MUCH?

CONCLUSION:

A.      WE SURELY NEED TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER MORE (Eph. 5:1-2).

B.      BUT GOD AND JESUS AND THE TRUTH MUST COME FIRST

          (Matt. 6:33).