Love and Truth
Weekly Reading
Monday: Deuteronomy 21, Romans 13-14
Tuesday: Deuteronomy 22, Romans 15
Wednesday: Deuteronomy 23, Romans 16
Thursday: Deuteronomy 24, 1 Corinthians 1
Friday: Deuteronomy 25, 1 Corinthians 2-3
Saturday: Psalm 92-95, Proverbs 21
Sunday: Isaiah 43-55
Tuesday: Deuteronomy 22, Romans 15
Wednesday: Deuteronomy 23, Romans 16
Thursday: Deuteronomy 24, 1 Corinthians 1
Friday: Deuteronomy 25, 1 Corinthians 2-3
Saturday: Psalm 92-95, Proverbs 21
Sunday: Isaiah 43-55
Sermon Notes
Key Passage: 1 Corinthians 13:4-12
Romans 1:18-25
Philippians 2:1-11
Love does not rejoice with wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth
Consider the practice of the discernment of truth that is rooted in community
Love is not arrogant or rude
Proverbs 18:2
Love does not insist on its own way
Values of Diversity+Unity
1 Corinthians 12:4-6, Ephesians 4:2-3
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
“Love without truth is sentimentality; it supports and affirms us but keeps us in denial about our flaws. Truth without love is harshness; it gives us information but in such a way that we cannot really hear it. … God's saving love in Christ, however, is marked by both radical truthfulness about who we are and yet also radical, unconditional commitment to us. The merciful commitment strengthens us to see the truth about ourselves and repent. The conviction and repentance moves us to cling to and rest in God's mercy and grace.” -Timothy Keller, The Meaning of Marriage
"Now there is one further consideration which might persuade us the more to [love], that here we know by darkly and in part (1 Cor. 13:9-12), and therefore our knowledge, at best, is but obscure and inevident; often subject to many mistakes and misapprehensions of truth, because of the obscuring glass we are looking through. And therefore, there must be some latitude of love allowed one to another in this state of imperfection, else it is impossible to keep unity; … What is wanting in knowledge, let us make up in affection; and let the gap of difference in judgment be swallowed up with bowels of mercies, love, and humbleness of mind. And then we shall have hid our infirmity of understanding as much as may be. Thus we may go hand in hand together to our Father's house, where, at length, we must be together." -Hugh Binning (17th century Scottish puritan pastor), Christian Love
Romans 1:18-25
Philippians 2:1-11
Love does not rejoice with wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth
Consider the practice of the discernment of truth that is rooted in community
- Letting truth be established by 2 or 3 witnesses
- (Matthew 18:15-20 1 Timothy 5:19)
- Prophetic words being discerned
- 1 Corinthians 14:29, 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21
- Teaching and practice of Scriptures being discerned
- Acts 15 - Jerusalem Council, Acts 17:11 - Bereans searching the Scriptures daily (together)
Love is not arrogant or rude
Proverbs 18:2
Love does not insist on its own way
Values of Diversity+Unity
1 Corinthians 12:4-6, Ephesians 4:2-3
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
“Love without truth is sentimentality; it supports and affirms us but keeps us in denial about our flaws. Truth without love is harshness; it gives us information but in such a way that we cannot really hear it. … God's saving love in Christ, however, is marked by both radical truthfulness about who we are and yet also radical, unconditional commitment to us. The merciful commitment strengthens us to see the truth about ourselves and repent. The conviction and repentance moves us to cling to and rest in God's mercy and grace.” -Timothy Keller, The Meaning of Marriage
"Now there is one further consideration which might persuade us the more to [love], that here we know by darkly and in part (1 Cor. 13:9-12), and therefore our knowledge, at best, is but obscure and inevident; often subject to many mistakes and misapprehensions of truth, because of the obscuring glass we are looking through. And therefore, there must be some latitude of love allowed one to another in this state of imperfection, else it is impossible to keep unity; … What is wanting in knowledge, let us make up in affection; and let the gap of difference in judgment be swallowed up with bowels of mercies, love, and humbleness of mind. And then we shall have hid our infirmity of understanding as much as may be. Thus we may go hand in hand together to our Father's house, where, at length, we must be together." -Hugh Binning (17th century Scottish puritan pastor), Christian Love
Discussion Questions
- Read back through 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 very slowly. Think about each word. What word or phrase is God shining a light on for you? Why? What are you going to do in response to that?
- Consider our aim as a church to have an environment of secure love where truth can be both understood and applied. Where have you experienced this in your life? Not experienced it? With your experience (both good and bad) and this passage in view, what is God saying to you about creating an environment of secure love for truth to be understood and applied?
- Love does not insist on its own way. One of the ways that we can fall into legalism is by adding to the Scriptures and creating standards that go further than the principles of Scripture and then judging other people by them. Where have you seen this kind of legalism in action? Where have you been guilty of it? Are there people in the church that you have distanced yourself from that you need to consider better than yourself? (Philippians 2:1-11)
- Is there a hard conversation that you need to have someone with the motivation of love (confessing sin, asking for forgiveness, letting an offense be known)? Take a moment with a trusted friend to root yourself in the love of God and love for that person, and then make a plan to have that conversation.
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