(Life after Pentecost
XIII)
Last week I presented you
ten concepts about agape love.
Eight of those were about what love is not or does not do (Does
not boast, envy, is not proud, is not rude… and so
on).
I will continue with five
more. This time love is or does.
11. Love rejoices with the truth.
For the Christian, truth
is Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the
way and the truth.” Last week I said
love does not rejoice when someone sins or falls. Now the opposite: love rejoices when someone finds the
truth. Love rejoices when someone finds
Jesus Christ in their life. Heaven
rejoices if one person responds to God.
I personally rejoice when I see any of you come closer to God through
Jesus Christ our Savior who himself is the TRUTH.
12. Love always will endure anything
It can also mean that
love can cover anything. It means it
will not bring out the mistakes of people, make jokes on them or point them
out. It means that God’s love can take
insult and injury.
There is a Chinese
saying, “Before marriage open your eyes. After marriage, close your eyes.” I have my version. Some say love is blind. I say God’s love is not blind. God’s love sees everything, but covers
them. Love will endure anything.
13. Love always trusts
Two dimensions:
a. Trust God. God’s love teaches us to trust God. This is a complete and not partial trust.
b. Trust others. We have difficulty in practicing this. We need divine wisdom to know how to trust
people, and when to be careful with cheaters and liars who can damage
relationships.
14. Love always hopes
One
of the worst things that can happen to anyone is when one loses all hope. Love does not give up easily from people and
situations. Love sees failures, but also
gives a chance to continue life with a new beginning.
15. Love always perseveres
This term is used in the
military. It means it stands firm during
the attack. This means love can
strengthen us and acts as a fortress during the attack. Love endures assaults that can come against
it. It is like a shield, it can endure.
16. Love never fails
If we have God’s love in
us, it will never fail. God’s love gives
us the ability to succeed. It will not
be easy, but because the source is God, and God is love, it will never fail.
When you build a house,
you want to build it in a way that will not fail. You have to have a solid foundation. Last week I finished my sermon with this
verse: “…And I pray that you, being
rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints,
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the
love of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:17-18).
Do you see that God’s
love has width, length, height?
Do you see how God has
put a firm foundation for our relationship?
If Einstein talked about a new dimension called time, Paul brings new dimension in human
relationship with God and each other called AGAPE.
We will continue in
English.