THE FORCE OF LOVE
Rev. Lyle W. Pettit Wynne
Chapel
Back in the 1960s while I was a college
student in
He was one of the great minds of the 20th
century.
A reporter asked: -- "Mr. Barth, what
is the most profound thought you have ever had?"
Without hesitation -- he replied: "It was what my mother taught me in this
little song: -- 'Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.'"
In
This celebrated chapter -- is perhaps the
best known portion of all of Paul's correspondence to the Churches.
Its poetic lines present some of the
grandest writing & loftiest teachings of the Bible.
While the
It has often been suggested that if we
substitute the name of Christ for the word "charity" -- or
"love" -- in this magnificent chapter -- we will discover a beautiful
portrait of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I encourage you to try that sometime --
& see how it reads.
But the main message of this chapter is that
the greatest thing in the entire world is to experience God's agape love --
& to become a transmitter of that love to the lives of others!
Love is the most eloquent & universal
language in the entire world.
According to I Cor.
The picture presented here is not a lustful
kind of love -- nor a self-seeking -- or self-satisfying kind of love.
Rather --
I am going to read just a small portion of
this thrilling chapter -- verses
Love is
very patient & kind.
Love is
not jealous -- or boastful -- or proud -- or rude.
Love
does not demand its own way.
Love is
not irritable (or touchy).
Love
keeps no record of when it has been wronged.
It is
never glad about injustice --
but
rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
Love
never gives up -- never loses faith -- is always hopeful --
and
endures through every circumstance.
Verse 8 begins with the words -- "Love
will last forever..." -- that means that love is Eternal!
When everything that seems permanent is gone
-- our buildings, budgets, bureaucracies, books, works, programs, nations --
when all of those things are gone -- love will endure! -- Love is Eternal.
You see -- love is Eternal -- because the
Bible tells us that -- "God is love" (1 John. 4:17) -- & God is
Eternal -- & therefore, Love is Eternal.
The greatest love story ever told is found
in the words of
"For God so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish,
but have everlasting life."
Jesus Christ -- God's only begotten Son --
was both the message of love -- & the messenger of love -- sent to us from
God.
Jesus came to this sin-filled world bringing
us all of God's love!
And the moment you or I receive Jesus as our
Lord & Savior -- all of the love of God is at our disposal.
What our world needs today is what each one
of us needs today. -- It is real genuine love!
-- There is no substitute for love!
Love is the most positive & powerful
force in the entire world.
Every time we choose to love -- we release
the powerful force of God's love into our world!
Love has a way of breaking through the most
impossible barriers.
Let me explain the kind of powerful & mighty
force love is!
1. Love
is a Winning Force!
When you put God's kind of love into
practice you will always win.
My friends -- Be a lover & you will be a
winner!
Do you have someone at work -- at school --
at home -- in the family -- with whom you cannot get along?
Plant the seeds of love; -- keep on planting
the seeds of love; -- & you will reap a harvest of love!
With love you will win -- not once -- not
twice -- but again & again!
Did you know that you can always catch more
flies with honey than you can with vinegar?
Confrontation seldom wins; -- Love is always
the greater force!
If you want to win someone over to your side
-- don't brow beat them with confrontation -- or argumentation.
Instead -- show them that you care for them
-- & that you truly love them!
People do not really care what you know
until they know that you really care.
The Quakers have a saying: -- "If thou differ
with thy brother, show him that thou lovest him."
Love has won many a battle -- & many a
person!
Let me site a couple examples of the winning
force of love.
A story I have enjoyed for years concerns a
10-year-old retarded boy -- who goes shopping with his older sister.
The clumsy boy bumps up against the shoe
rack -- & knocks it over.
An irate salesman -- who has had his fill of
shoppers that day -- grabs the boy -- applies pressure & starts yelling at
him to pick up every shoe -- not paying any attention to the fact that the boy
is retarded.
The boy shakes his head -- & yells: "No, no, I’m not going to do it."
The wise older sister sizes up the situation
quickly -- kneels down & begins to pick up the shoes.
As she smiles at her brother -- loving him
-- the boy soon begins to respond by helping to pick up the shoes.
When the shoes are all picked up -- &
they rise to leave -- the sister looks at the store clerk & says: --
"Mister, you got to love him into doing it"
Here is another very moving story.
On a cold, windy Sunday morning in
The friendly greeter standing just inside the
door says to him: -- "Glad to see you, Ralph; -- sure is cold out there
today."
With a smile Ralph said: -- "I sure did get cold walking this
morning."
Surprised -- the older man inquired: --
"You mean, Ralph -- that you walked in this cold wind to church this
morning?"
Ralph replied: -- "Yep, I didn't have
money for bus fare."
"Well -- how far did you walk, Ralph?"
-- "I walked 4 miles."
The greeter asked: -- "How many
churches did you pass along the way walking your 4 miles?"
Ralph thought for a moment: -- "I
probably passed about 22 churches."
Impressed -- the greeter said: -- “Ralph,
why did you pass 22 churches to come to this church on this cold morning?"
Ralph -- with a big Jimmy Carter sort of
smile -- said: -- "Because I've discovered that they love a fella like me
here."
Young or old -- people will inconvenience
themselves & go many miles to attend a church where they are truly loved!
It's not the size -- or the location -- that
makes a church great.
It is the spirit of love that makes a church
truly great!
That is exactly what God has called us as
members of the church to give to each other!
And we are to keep extending the circle of
love to those -- not only inside the church -- but on the outside as well!
2. Love
is a Unifying Force!
In the prayer of Jesus recorded in
We are not isolated individuals! -- We truly
do need each other!
But unity can only become a reality where
God's kind of love is put into practice.
Oneness springs from a deep love for Jesus
Christ -- & for one another!
There is so much diversity within our church
family here at Wynne Chapel.
We come from different backgrounds --
religious roots -- occupations -- training -- parts of the country --
educational levels;
We are not all the same age; -- we certainly
don't all look alike!
But diversity is not division!
Love for Christ & love for one another
-- is what enables us to have unity in the midst of diversity!
Though we are unique persons -- we belong to
the same Lord -- & we belong to the same family of God!
At Wynne Chapel -- Jesus Christ is our unity
-- & His gospel is our message.
We show love & generosity toward all --
including those with whom we may differ. -- Love is the irreducible mark of the
Christian!
The kind of love that allows for this unity
is the love that overlooks the faults in & differences with others!
Love respects the uniqueness of each person.
Love accepts the uniqueness of other's
personality.
Love accepts each person's spiritual gifts.
Love looks for & finds the best in the
other person!
One night a man had a most remarkable dream!
People were sitting along both sides of a
mouth-watering banquet table -- that was covered with delicious food of every
variety.
But everyone at the table had a severe
handicap!
Their arms were stiff -- & their arms
would not bend at the elbow!
They could reach the food -- but were unable
to get it into their mouths!
What a frustrating experience!
With food right there in front of them --
they were going hungry!
Finally -- someone got smart! -- &
started feeding his neighbor!
His neighbor -- in return -- fed him!
Before long -- everyone was enjoying that
appetizing banquet!
Wonderful things happen when loving people
learn to feed & help each other!
Remember,
the Bible says: -- "Bear ye
one another's burdens -- & so fulfill the law of Christ!"
3. Love is a Healing Force!
A 9-year-old boy fells off his bike,
wounding his pride, skinning his knee & elbow -- & in tears goes
running into the house.
Mother immediately sized up the situation --
& gives him lots of tender loving care -- as she not only washes his wounds
-- but also kisses his "owies."
Somehow it's mother's special medicine of
"owie kissing" -- that makes the little boy stop crying!
Now we know there is no medical healing in
kissing an "owie."
In fact it might even spread germs; -- but
it sure works wonders for a hurting boy! -- Nothing in this world heals like
love!
All of us have fallen off our bikes at one
time or another.
In fact -- in our society multitudes of
people are perishing daily from a variety of diseases of the mind & body
& soul!
Many of these diseases result from a lack of
love in people's lives!
What can heal our hearts & our hurts?
What can put lives shattered into a million
pieces back together again?
What can make us feel good about
ourselves? -- One Word -- that world is
Love! -- Love is the most potent of all medicines!
Jesus announced His earthly ministry by
saying He had come to heal the broken hearted.
You & I are God's agents of healing in a
broken world.
Nothing in this world heals like love!
Show genuine love, acceptance &
forgiveness -- & broken people will become whole people.
Show love -- real non-judgmental love --
& you have released a powerful, healing force in people's lives.
I read once about a young lady who committed
suicide.
She had been alone -- dead -- in her
apartment for seven days before her body was discovered.
The neighbors told the police that before
the apartment next door had become silent -- they had heard the young lady
crying for days & days.
When I read that, I thought, Oh -- if only
someone could have reached out to her broken world with love!
Nothing in this world heals like love!
People all around us are crying out in their
brokenness for a healing sort of love!
-- Nothing in this world heals like love!
Conclusion:
-- My friends --Love is the most positive & powerful force in the world!
Have you ever noticed that the word
"love" is a verb?
Love is something we do!
We do it by choice -- regardless of how we
feel.
We do it no matter what the other person
does -- or does not do.
Love is not dependent upon people treating
us right.
Love is dependent upon living in fellowship
with God in the power of the Holy Spirit.
An interesting & exciting picture is
presented to us in Rom.
It is a picture of God's Holy Spirit pouring
His love into our hearts!
God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill
our hearts with His love!
When God's love is being poured into our
hearts -- we are then able to give out that same love to others.
And the more we give out -- the more the
Holy Spirit keeps pouring in!
Oh, that you & I would simply love God
-- & love people!
When you act in love --
You win even if the other person still
misbehaves -- or rejects you.
You bring a spirit of unity into the midst of
diversity.
You provide healing to broken lives in the
midst of a broken world.
You can create a better world around you
through love!
Loving one another is always pleasing to
God!
There is a couple who live near Palominos --
down on the other side of Bisbee -- in an area that has often been called
"Miracle Valley" -- who had heard a great deal about our church here
at Wynne Chapel.
They came here one Sunday morning -- in an
attempt to discover what it is that has enabled our church to grow -- while the
church they had been attending was stagnant -- & lacking growth for years!
They even came to one of our Spiritual Gift
Seminars -- hoping to learn our secret of church growth.
Every once & awhile they would call me
-- asking questions on how we do it here at Wynne Chapel!
They were looking for better ideas! --
Trying to discover our secret!
They asked me over & over -- what is the
secret of the phenomenal success & growth of your church.
I've replied: "We practice many different church
growth principles."
But not satisfied with my answers -- my
friends pressed me a little further -- & asked: -- “But what is the one
thing that makes your church successful?"
Finally I smiled at them -- & said: "The secret of our growth is love!"
The three cardinal Christian graces are
Faith, Hope, & Love -- but the greatest of these -- declares Paul -- is
Love!
My friends -- don't let any body -- or any
thing take that love away from us! -- If we are to reach the hurting hearts of
people in this valley -- we must do it through loving them in Jesus Christ!
Love & compassion will do far more in
ministering to others -- than condemnation & judgment.
May our lives always be filled &
overflowing with the love of God!
Pastor
Lyle W. Pettit
Wynne
Chapel --
www.wynnechapel.org