LIVING LOVE – IN MY HOME

Sept. 25, 2011

Sermon in a sentence: My true, heartfelt love must always be clearly displayed to those in my home.

Scriptures: 1 Cor. 13:4-7; Eph. 5:15-6:4; Col. 3:12-21; 1 Pet. 2:13-3:12; 1 John 4:7-21 (too good to ignore: Eph. 4:17-32)

Main points: Just as the word ‘love’ has many interpretations and connotations, so does the word ‘home’. In its most basic sense, it speaks of the place someone lives, whether alone or with their family. It can also mean:

-  The place someone is from, or the place they’re going to – (home province, home country, home church, eternal home).

-  The place where something originates or flourishes – (home of hockey, home of the blues, home of pizza).

-  A family – (she comes from a good home).

-  The headquarters of a group or organization – (home team, home office)

-  Close friend or associate – (‘homeboy’)

For the purpose of this lesson, we’ll focus on home as the place and people we live with.

It doesn’t seem to matter who we are – there’s always a place we consider ‘home’ and people we consider ‘family’ – (whether or not we’re related by blood). If we have a choice, there’s a place we want to be – a place of acceptance, comfort, familiarity, togetherness, sameness, and most importantly: love.

On a daily basis, there’s a place we go, (or in some cases, a place we never leave), that we consider our home.

Of all the places in the world, this is the ONE place we want to be able to live together in peace, harmony and love.

Home is the one place we desire to be able to speak freely without fear, be ourselves without a care, share a laugh, share a hug, share a kiss, share a meal, share a bed, share a dream, shed a tear or discuss a fear.

Home is where we can have conflicts and resolve conflicts, live in want or live in plenty, freely give and freely receive, all in the context of pure, uncompromising love!

Right now, you may be wondering what kind of utopian dream world I’m talking about, but in fact, this is all possible – through love.

The question I’d really like you to answer is this: “What part am I playing to make this ‘dream’ come true? It’s all about living love.

The scriptures listed above are sacred texts – words from God Himself. They are to be read, internalized, and lived.

People in the church today are no different from the Israelites of Bible days. We have the Word, prophets and teachers, yet we have a host of messed up homes, families and marriages. It is the Word of God that contains the answers we need, but we must be willing to let it change us. It’s useless until it’s applied.

Some steps to take:

-  Welcome your spouse at the front door with a hug and a kiss. Tell them you’re glad they’re home.

-  Send a random text your child to say “I love you”; “I’m proud of you”; “Keep up the good work”. (Don’t lie. Pay attention to your child and you will actually observe them doing something you can commend!)

-  Perform a household chore without being asked

-  Speak affirming words, words of appreciation, words of encouragement

-  NEVER speak demeaning words to anyone in your home.

-  NEVER be dismissive of anyone in your home or deny them access to you.

-  Do what is right, because it is right, not because it’s your turn.

Homework:

-  Memorize 1 Cor. 13:4-7

-  Read all of the scripture passages above at least twice this week.

-  Remove all unkind words from your interactions with others. ONLY speak words you would be pleased to have someone else speak to you, or about you.

Scripture Readings:

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NASB) Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Ephesians 5:15-33 (NASB) Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. 22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. 28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;

29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are members of His body. 31 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife , and the two shall become one flesh. 32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

Ephesians 6:1-4 (NASB) 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3 So that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth. 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Colossians 3:12-21 (NASB) 12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. 18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. 20 Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.

1 Peter 2:13-25 (NASB) 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.

15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. 17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. 18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. 19 For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. 21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

1 Peter 3:1-12 (NASB) In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2 as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. 3 Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; 4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. 5 For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands;

6 just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. 7 You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. 8 To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; 9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. 10 For, "The one who desires life, to love and see good days, Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. 11 "He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it. 12 "For the eyes Of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

1 John 4:7-21 (NASB) Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 19 We love, because He first loved us.

20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

Ephesians 4:17-32 (NASB) So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. 25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry , and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity. 28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. 29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

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