message 4 (1)

Transcript for Message 4: The Practice Of Charity - Part 2 (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) by Merlin

once again let's open our Bibles to the book of First Corinthians First Corinthians 15 as we carry on read series of mess and stud of Love great burden to exort the church in cing in even us this morning as we carry on to consider the practice of Charity and so if you are there let's take time to read beginning verse four five 6 and 7even of First Corinthians 13 1 Corinthians 13 reading Verses 4 to7 and let us read these verses in unison all together reading verse 4 to verse 7 ready charity suffered long and is kind charity enth not charity want not itself is not up that not behave itself unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked think it no evil rejoice it not in iniquity but rejoice it in Truth beareth all things believeth all things hope it all things endureth all things let us look to the Lord in prayer Our Father in heaven in this hour of the day we ask for your mercy to be upon us as we at this point carry on with our study of Thy word on the subject on charity being the greatest of all how we praise and thank you for sustaining us and bringing us this far in this ypg camp we are thankful for all that we have experienced thankful for all that we have learned thankful for all that we have received of thee even through the study of your word and in our fellowship with one another this morning we once again ask for your mercy and for your grace that thou would once can speak to us and that may the Holy Spirit be our teacher and our guide and that you would work in our hearts that we be yielded and totally surrendered to all that Thy word would have to teach us in this particular message oh father have mercy hear our prayers and bless us for we pray all this in Jesus name amen picking up from last night's message we we where we have started to consider the practice of Charity by looking at verse four this morning we will continue to consider the next four qualities of Charity as Paul writes in verse five I wonder how many of you have started to read and recite and memorize the 15 characteristics of love maybe we can try to go through verse four charity suff long and his patient charity in Vietnam charity wanted not itself is not popped up so it would be good that every message then we reach through in order for us to be refreshed be reminded and be able to to recite the qualities or if not the characteristics of Charity this morning we're going to focus on what Paul wrote in verse five in regards to love last night we partly have considered on what love is not now we move on to consider verse five as the Apostle Paul continue to write telling us the Finding Love by way of describing what love is not and verse five begins with his phras do not behave itself unseemly it tells us that charity is careful and mindful not to be engaged in any kind conduct uncoming a Believer not to engage in any conduct Unbecoming an unbeliever it is not [Music] engaging any person in ungodly activity sometimes we believers Christians somewhat unmindful of how we conduct ourselves not only among us but also not mindful of how we conduct ourselves before the world that perhaps people whom we know in the world may have had that preconceive conception or may have had that good impression about Christians and believers thinking for themselves that yes Believers and followers of the Lord may have had such standard that is way distinct and different from the standards of the world but somehow only to be disappointed and frustrated well there are just times that people in the world see from among the people that belongs to the Lord conduct that seems to be Unbecoming beli while we are supposed to conduct ourselves in a way becoming as followers of the lord we cannot help but notice that people in the world also have had that high expectation to see something different in US in our conduct in our Behavior but at times we can't help it that they end up frustrated sometimes they may have that thought about might as well join them in their meetings and in their fellowship and perhaps we can see how it is like to be a follower of the Lord and to be part of a church or a body of Believers but to their this appointment when they go in and somehow observe perhaps they may be shocked with not surpris to see things that they have been seeing in the world even practice and being done by people in the church and when Paul here said that charity does not behave unseenly which is all about abstaining from any conduct and becoming a Believer we are mindful to observe and keep such a definition of course not to impress the people in the world but for our obedience sake we are mindful how we conduct ourselves before the world not to impress the world but to be a testimony to the world and not to impress them but it is because it is what God expects from us of how we should conduct ourselves before the world and so it is with how we conduct ourselves in the area of service not engaging any person in ungodly activity remember the very context of our study is in view of spiritual gifts the exercise of spiritual gifts what should be our attitude what should be our motivation and how we should conduct ourselves using and utilizing the gifts that the Lord bestowed upon us in relation to other remember we have considered chapter 12 briefly of how the Apostle Paul reminded us that there are diversities of gifts differences of operation diversities in administration and we ought to co consider one another we ought to complement one another we ought to cooperate instead of competing and contending who's got the more it excellent here and that is what we are trying to see in here Paul says charity does not behave itself unseemly conduct Unbecoming and you know sometimes in our youthful Spirit at a very young age we can be so at times glad with the gift that we have the ability that we possess that we are able to do this in a more excellent way that without us realizing we have been showing up we have been promoting ourselves we have been parading ourselves in a way that it seems like we are utilizing the gift that the Lord has given us to exalt ourselves over the others and it is such a time that we are engaged in such an act that we can also provoke others steered up in their hearts you think you only you has that ability and skills I can also do that even better than you and so we just see the competition striving for vain glory and that is what charity is not love does not behave unseemly does not engage in any conduct un becoming not engaging any person in ungodly activity and putting it even more in application charity does not needlessly offend putting it in another way charity has good maners it is gous it is flying it is sensitive to others feelings [Music] sentiments and it always uses ATT and the very reason why at times we fall into temptation of engaging in any conduct and becoming is simply because we have the tendency to think highly and only of ourselves and not of others the word translated here and seemly would mean to conduct improperly or disgracefully in a manner that deserves reproach and that is why Paul makes it clear charity does not behave itself unseemly love seeks that which is proper or becoming in the circumstances and in our relationship in life this is more of our conduct in regards to our relationship with one another particularly in the exercise of our gift yes the Bible says iron sharpens iron true but let us be mindful that in pursuit of sharpening one another we will not be engaged in strife and weighing glory and this is something very common among the youth but we would want to Exel in whatever we are pursuing and sometimes we want to share with one another not realizing and not noticing that we have been engaging ourselves in vain glory in fact Paul here expounds more on this when he contined to say that not behave unseemly and look at the next part seek it not her own seek it not her own in other words it does not pursue after selfish Ambitions it is not selfish is not about self-promotion is not about showing off because charity according to Paul in verse 5 do not behave itself unly and Sheek it not her own in whatever issues and conflicts that you may encounter in a fellowship like this or in the church in a wider context realize that in every Discord in every issues under conflicts whether it be in the homes in our fellowship groups and in the church it is simply because somebody is seeking for or his own somebody is pursuing his or her own Glory somebody has just engaged himself or promoting oneself over the [Music] others we may not have thought about it this way but this thing called self centeredness is the root of many problems in the church not just within the church leadership but even conflicts among members yes not many have thought about it but we can trace it all back to our self centeredness the world would may call it one up manship promoting oneself over the others yes selfishness is the root problem of many problems be it in the homes be it in our relationship among our friends and even in the church that Paul would have to really emphasize it here again in view of the using and the benefit of exercising our individual spiritual gifts that in the exercise of our spiritual gifts we ought to exercise it to benefit the body of Christ and the best way to that it benefit the body of Christ is to exercise it with Charity we have been looking at this subject in this uh messages that we have been learning but we will try to stretch out the application not just in the area of our service in regards to our individual and distinct spiritual gifts and how we can complement complement with one another by coordinating by cooperating we can also apply the same principle in our everyday existence and how we relate to others and Paul here said love does not see his [Music] own Paul would write of the same idea in Romans 12 and verse 10 look with me for a while in Romans chapter 10 and verse uh Romans sorry Romans chap 12 and verse 10 it says here let love be without uh verse 10 sorry be kindly affectioned one to another with with brotherly love and then look at the last part in honor prefering one another you don't seek your own promotion you don't seek after your own honor you don't seek after your own praise but we are told here in honor refering one [Music] another in his letter to the Philippians Paul also wrote of the same idea in Philippians chapter 2 and look with me at verse 4 Philippians chapter 2 looking at verse 4 it says here oh might well begin in verse three let nothing be done through strive or vain Glory but in loneliness of Mind Let each esteem other better than themselves I hope you are seeing the thread charity does not seek its own Romans 12:1 it seeks to honor one another here in Philippians is bringing even further by saying let nothing be done to strive or wi Glory but in loneliness of mine Let each esteem others better than themselves so it would bring us back to what Paul said here in verse 5 of 1 Corinthians 13 love does not seek his [Music] own and if you look at verse four now of Philippians 2 Paul goes on to say look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others that as we reflect upon what Paul is writing in these verses he's actually bringing to our attention how it is like to be Christlike in a most practical way in a most basic way that if we are to be Christlike and if we are to walk in love and if we are to practice Agapi love let it be that we become others centered rather than being self centered not self gratifi Ying but gratifying others serving others prefering one another in love looking at others [Music] welfare for after all that is how we practice agape love agape love does not seek his own now we go back to 1 Corinthians 13 love does not behave unseemly love does not seek his own what is the next love does not according to verse five is not easily provoked last night we've learned about what love is in the first part of this three-part uh message on the practice of love and Paul in verse four says charity suffereth long in today's language love is patient and love is kind whereas patience is charity applied kindness is patience in action and I hope you are able to see it it is when you are kind that you extend something beneficial to others we have learned last that the word translated kindness is to be useful or be being being beneficial to others and we can be useful and beneficial to others if we are to Able by God's grace to exercise charity being patient and being kind now think about it what a great benefit we can bring to others by simply being patient and being kind you need not do Great and Mighty things to be ofuse to others just learn to be patient and just learn to be kind to them in that way you are being useful and beneficial to them and putting it in another way in here Paul said love is not easily provoked the word here means to sharpen alongside to exasperate to steer up as in to steer up anger and Paul here said that love is not easily provoke simply means it does not easily get angry it is not touchy or prone to giving into fits of Rage or anger it is that kind of character that you are not Hasty to express your excitement your emotion your passion of course in a negative sense you can just imagine in a church choir when the choir Master trying to lead the practice somebody have some of key and if so easily Steed up the anger in him now last night I shared with you that brother who patiently taught us how to sing in our church in subu you just imagine what could happen to the choir if one of particular moment he would just C up you canot all say h that's why to exercise agap and charity must cultivate this particular aspect that we should not be easily Prov yes there are just such a kind of personality and character that can be so sensitive that can be so touchy can so easily lose temper can so easily be this appointed can so easily be frustrated think of the damage it can do not only to the body of Believers and The Fellowship of the Saints but what it can actually do in your own self in your testimony in your own own weakness love is not easily provoked the idea here is that he who is under the influence of Agapi love is not prone to anger to fits of Rage to verbally and physically Express his disappointments and frustrations to the point that it can also steer up provocations among others and this kind of attitude is so common in the world but as I say not uncommon also in the church that we ourselves must examine and search our hearts of how we cultivate and how we should cultivate sometimes when we hear messages like this we always reflect and Ponder oh how I wish brother so and so or sister so and so is in this Camp you don't have to think of others think of yourselves examine yourselves at times we more inclined to think oh if only brother so and so and sister so and so is in this he should have learned and must have heard this message no you don't have to the message is for all of us to consider in order for us to examine ourselves how have I been doing in my walk more so in my service to the Lord and in my being participating or engaging myself colloring with one another in the church a person who is under the influence of love is not prone to such anger or provocation it is not his character to be Hasty and excited to express his emotion and sentiments in a negative if not in a destructive way because such a conduct and such an attitude surely can affect even destroy the communion the harmony of The Fellowship of the Saints a person that is under influence of Agape is calm sober minded patient he looks soberly at things and though yes he may have felt disappointed and frustrated yet he is able to govern his passions restrain his temper and subdue his feelings I say it again he is able to go his passions restrain his [Music] temper subdue his feelings one at times out of frustration sometimes we can even we ourselves maybe are into it we've been writing something we can been writing something and Indi end we realize something is missing I don't know about you here in Australia but in our context in Philippines brown outs are common and in most churches or in most homes we don't have like uninterrupted power supply like take for example I in the midst of doing my sermon or doing something in the computer and you have must have type like four or five pages already then all of a sudden the power G off G out there a out and then you're not able to save the fire what you do one back in the days when you do the the type factor a computer how I don't know if you have experienced it but it is so common an experience to us in the Philippines now without us realizing you we we all have the tendency to say oh it's a normal reaction but we are reminded charity is not easily that's why I I want to apply this to all of us and try to guard your heart from thinking of somebody else if only he or she is in this Camp let's look at ourselves let's apply the message to ourselves how have we been in this area of our life as we all often here the Lord would say from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks from the abundance of the heart we all act according to what is in our heart and the more we need to understand and realize how we need adop so badly how we need charity so badly and that is why and I hope by now you are able to really establish yourselves why Paul at the end of chapter 12 I write and tell you and show you a more excellent way and that excellent way is charity for indeed the more we look into these characteristics of Agapi love the more we realize all our shortcomings not easily provoked that is what Paul is saying in here it is that of being calm sober and patient being able to govern once and I am sure it would remind us of the fruits of the Holy Spirit one of which is what temperance love does not behave unseemly love does not seek his own love is not easily provoked the last it says there think no evil think of No Evil often times we would think of this phrase here to mean that we look at things without malice true it puts the best possible construction on the motives and the conduct of others it means that charity or love would not think of anything malicious would not question the motive behind the conduct of others it means that love or that person under the influence of Charity is not malicious not sensuous not disposed nor inclined to finding fault on others or impute improper motives on others at times we may have that tendency to think why is he doing this why why is he conducting and behaving like this then you start to entertain it could be that perhaps he has something or some intention or some motives in other words you are putting questions and putting some callers to the conduct and the practice even the manner and the behavior even the service of others but Paul he said think it no evil it is like simply taking and viewing what others are doing what others are attempting and pursuing in a positive even in a Godly way that as we think of Charity think no evil the person influenced by charity not only is not easily provoked not soon agitated he is also not exposed to think that there was evil intention in any way at times we can be suspicious at times we can be suspecting what could be the motive behind like when somebody extends courtesy somebody extends and show kindness and sometimes we may find it surprising or shocking how is it that this guy how is it that that that this brother this sister all of a sudden become kind become polite become nice to me I wonder what is he trying to do now be very careful with such a kind of thoughts for it can so easily bring you to thinking evil even behind such sincere and good intentions of others towards us particularly like in the case of the Corinthian Church all along they have been engaged in strife and vain Glory there has been posting among them many have been puffed up many have been showing off and it is not surprising that they have always been thinking evil against one another because they have been engaged in such an unhealthy and unedifying competition showing off and Paul is defining love here but by describing what love is and what love is not and obviously in describing what love is and what love is not Paul was actually dealing with the real problems of the Corinthian Church that many are engaged in glorying many are engaged in enying many are in boasting many have become puff up and that is why he is dealing with all these problems in the church by describing what love is not and that is what we see here love does not is not easily provoked and does not think and all thing no evil but more than just reminding us that charity is not engaged in any malicious thoughts or questioning motives of others the word here think it is that word that is often used in [Music] accounting yes interestingly the word that is translated in our King James Bible think it is a word that is often used in Commerce in accounting and in business because the New Testament word that is translated here as think it is that word that means to make an inventory to make an inventory in other words when you do inventory you do what counting you do calculating you do measuring and so when Paul here said that charity think it no evil it also mean that charity does not keep a tally or account of wrongs that others have done unto you charity does not keep a s of wrongs that others have done unto you it does not try to Monitor and to count and to measure how many times this person that brother or that sister have wrong you until you come to a point if we can use the term from boiling water until you come up to your boiling point in which and wherein you feel Justified when you lose your temper or when you lose your cool agap think it no evil it does not make a count it does not make an inventory of how many times this and that person have wrong you it doesn't trying to gain the upper hand by telling others and justifying your actions for after all you have done it to me so many [Music] times but sad as it is we all have that tendency to make inventory s it is we all have that tendency and the inclination to what keep it and hold on to it and even make a account but Paul is telling us here charity think it no evil we don't put in whatever malice or putting evil intentions behind others actions toward us and likewise we don't make an inventory we don't take accounts though yes we all do have have that tendency to make an inventory in fact it is something so common among us even among the apostles I'm sure you're familiar with that gospel passage when Peter at one point asked the Lord how often must I forgive how often must I forgive you analyze the words of Peter there that would give you that impression that Peter had in mind that it is his duty to forgive but he is concerned how long and how many times must I forgive he is mindful to know and ask the Lord how long because somehow he had that in his mind that if indeed seven times yes we're are good but after seven times I may have the liberty and the freedom to what retaliate to avenge myself why because we have the tendency to make inventory and after which when that brother or sister or that person has reached his quot you now can be justifiable on whatever response you will do unto him and that is why the Lord had corrected now you you are familiar with it but let me bring you to Matthew 18 Matthew 18 and look at uh verse 21 and 22 [Music] Matthew 18: 211 and 22 then Peter came to him and said Lord how of shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him till seven times now if you look into the words of Peter there firstly No Doubt Peter knows that he is Duty bound to forgive and to extend forgiveness because he asked how often must I forgive but somehow because the question comes in form that how often that word often indeed would give us that impression that he is somewhat into the kind of understanding of taking inventory how often how many times must we forgive and as we look at the words of Peter here it gives us an impression that yes it is established in him that he must forgive others but what he's mindful of is how long must I forgive that words of Peter there somehow give us that impression that he is inclined to taking or making inventory making account and you know what while Peter knows that he is supposed to forgive and it is expected of him to forgive but somehow his understanding of extending forgiveness has limitation because he asked how long taking inventory Peter knows that he is to forgive and has that understanding that he must forgive yet he is mindful the frequency and the number of times required for him to forgive perhaps he may be thinking and wondering that after he reached that point and that keeping point he would be at Liberty and be justified with whatever actions that he will do in response and as and reaction to whatever provocation that may follow thereafter and what else can we learn from here when Peter asked the Lord in verse 21 how of shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him he said till seven times Peter somehow showed the kind of understanding that yes he should take inventory because he mentioned a particular number till seven times and somehow Peter had in mind that by saying till seven times he believed in his heart that it was magnanimous of him to be able to extend forgiveness up until seven times why because more often than not in our sinful human nature we often times even fail at the very first instance at the very first instance we find it hard to what forgive especially if the wrong that has been done is indeed hurting embarrassing humiliating and yet here we find Peter how often shall I forgive my brother if he trespass till seven times what he had in his mind is it was magnanimous of him perhaps he may be wondering and thinking in his in his mind that the Lord would command you well and good Peter for you to be able to reach seven times to for forgive again showing you our tendency our inclination towards taking inventory yes if you examine carefully the words of Peter here you would have that impression that yes he's mindful that he must extend forgiveness although he is equally mindful of how many times must he forgive after which he may have thought that after you have reached your Tipping Point I can get even with you and I my actions will be justifiable after all I have given you this much I have given you seven times yet the Lord here is telling Peter in verse 22 I say not unto thee until seven times but until 70 * 7 some people would think that the Lord is giving Peter the idea or the numerical equation of how many times must he forgive or even to us of how many times must we forgive no the idea here that the Lord is teaching Peter and us this morning is that we ought to forgive as many times as we can and we can only achieve it and accomplish it when we apply what Paul there said charity think get no evil you don't take inventory and just when you think that it is easy you think again for I am sure Even in our uh personal lives sure we still have some memories of all those things that has happened to us brought about by others the hurt the pain and we can still remember well the accounts the faces the names persons involved we often hear people tell us forgive un forget let's learn from the Bible charity thinking no evil does not make inventory does not take any hold on any grudges and does does not hold on evil intent against the person the Lord is teaching us to forgive as many times as we can in other words we we must always be ready to forgive and think no evil if we look at it in the light of Luke chapter 17 this is what we read in verse 4 of Luke chapter 17 it says here and if he trespass against thee seven times in a day look at the next part and seven times in a day turn again to thee I Repent Thou shalt the Readiness to forgive just and how can we be ready to forgive put on charity put on charity and that is what Paul is telling us in First Corinthians 13 and verse five yes we often times would uh look into it and that we think of no malage that the words of Paul here indeed has that greater implication if we are to practice agap love in our everyday [Music] life and going through this characteristic in verse five I again we see more of the short list of Paul's describing charity of what it is and of what it is not and of what it can [Music] accomplish not only that we are able to see the problem affecting the Corinthian Church during Paul's time it also allows us to reflect and examine ourselves in these areas in our own lives whether there's anything that we need to change if there be anything that we need to repent of whether there be anything that needs to be corrected or if there be anything that we need to confess before God and also the need to comply if not to apply these lessons that we have learning in this Camp think of how it can benefit not only yourselves but others even the entire church the body of Christ we will learn more of this as we carry on with the third part of the practice of Charity in the light of these verses from First Corinthians 13 in the next message let us pray Lord once again we give the thanks for teaching us for instructing us for showing us how it is to practice the kind of love that you have extended unto us riched and undeserving as we are yet by that great love that you have extended thou has saved us from our sins and thou has made us worthy oh Lord to be called your sons to be called your daughters in order for us to walk and to be conformed more and more like your son the Lord Jesus indeed it is our prayer even our heart's desire that as we continue with our walk we would carry on to become more and more like him that we become not just a blessing to one another but even to the world the people around us that like us who were once in darkness they too that are still in darkness will be drawn out and brought into thy Marvelous Light oh father have mercy to hear our prayers and bless us oh Lord as we spend the remaining portion of our time here in this Camp continue to bless our fellowship one with another in Jesus name we pray amen