"Sincere Love" - Paul Matthies

This is a sermon on the Village Church website.

PLEASE listen to it.

I pray for those in this nation that don't know Him.

...but more strongly for those that don't WANT to know Him because another follower has hurt them.

That breaks my heart. It hurts that a cause that I (try to) completely devote my life to is being crushed because of the name of the Christian.

"I bet we can list lost people in our lives that are loving their neighbors better than we are." How terribly sad this is. It is true. That is why it's sad.

Our job is to work on our hearts. If our hearts are well... the spirit will FLOW from us. It will be easy to love. Love will be all we can do. Let the intensity of your love be a reflection of your heart.

Common theme in bible - the book we believe in and say is true! -->

1 Corinthians 16:14 - let all that you do be done in the name of love.

Galatians 5:14 - "The whole law if fulfilled in one word: you shall love your neighbor as yourself".

2 Timothy 2:24-26

24 And r the Lord's servant [4]must not be quarrelsome but s kind to everyone, t able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents u with gentleness. God v may perhaps grant them repentance w leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from x the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

In other words - Be nice (love). Through you, someone might be SHOWN THE TRUTH (Jesus).

• See the love of God. 1 John 3:1 - See how great a love that God has given us that we should be called Children of God. See what type of love God has given us. Its the love of the gospel. The love of God is mind blowing.
• God's love is God given. 1 John 4.
• God's love is gospel centered. Its a self sacrificing. People should look at us and see that we are willing to lay ourselves down! Go out of your way! People should see our love and KNOW that it's different. Its a sacrifice.
• Heaven centered. You are being perfected. This is love that is not of us. This love is a fruit of the spirit! We can only LOVE if we have the spirit.
• His love is others focused. 1 John 4:12 - No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
• SEEK the love of God - 1 Corinthians 13:4. - pursue love.