Thanks for once again taking the time to read the sermon. I hope that everyone is doing well. If you have been affected by the storms, I hope that you are getting the help that you need. I thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to post the message this week.
Today, we will be looking at some more of what the Bible has to say about the characteristics of life that is lived with love at the center. We've been focusing our attention on the characteristics of love as found in I Corinthians chapter 13. In today's message I want us to look at 13:6. I like how the New Living Translation puts it, "It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out."
A person who is filled with the love of Jesus and is letting love lead the way in life is going to be a person who is opposed to the injustice that is in the world. This is due to the fact that a loving person cares about what is happening to other people, and he or she does not want to see others come to harm. A loving and caring person wants justice because that is what Jesus wants for others in this world.
There is a great deal of injustice in this world. It can't be right that a few people have a great deal of wealth while many people in this world live in abject poverty. It can't be just for the rich to oppress the poor and deny them a fair a living wage. It isn't just and right that people die from treatable diseases because companies that have life-saving drugs available demand payments for the treatments that many people and nations cannot afford. We as followers of Jesus know that it is unjust for there to be people going without food and in many cases starving to death when we live in a world of plenty.
The person who is filled with the love of Jesus is a person who does not approve of injustice, and that person also seeks to bring about what is just and right. If we are to be filled with love we have to advocate for justice and speak up and speak out for those who need help. We also need to help others as we are able. We need to give and lift up those who are downtrodden.
There are many types of injustices in the world besides the few that I have mentioned. The Christian who is imitating the loving life of Christ will see injustice and work to end it as enabled by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.
Now, let's look at the second part of the verse. Love rejoices when the truth wins out. To me, this means that a person who is filled with love will be the kind of person who wants good to prevail. They work for good in every way in which they are able, and then when a victory is obtained, they give thanks to God for allowing good to triumph over evil.
I also think that what this passage is telling us is that one of the characteristics of love is truthfulness over falsehood. Love tells the truth and want the truth to be manifest. It does not want lies and alternate facts and other types of deceptions to rule the day. The reason for this is that deception always harms people. True love seeks what is best for the other.
In His life and ministry, Jesus worked to help overcome injustice. He feed the poor and healed those who were afflicted. He spoke out against hypocrisy and the oppression of others by the religious authorities of the day. He treated women as equals and said suffer the little children to come to me for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus welcomed people in love even those who society despised. He calls us to do good to the least among us. He calls us to love our neighbor and to do unto others as we would have done to us.
I close with these words from Micah 6:8, " Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God." Amen
Prayer Requests
I am still not feeling that well. Please keep praying for me. I am some better, so I thank the Lord for that.
Keep praying for those affected by the storms here in the US. Some are still without power and clean drinking water. Pray that people will get the help that they need.
Pray that the m pox and Marburg virus outbreaks in Africa will end. Pray that vaccines will get to those who need them in a timely manner.
Please remember to pray for peace. The Middle East really needs our prayers. Pray that the hostages will be released. Pray for peace in Ukraine and Sudan.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Singapore and Syria. Pray that many will come to know Jesus.
Next week, we will continue with our current sermon series. I will post the verses on Monday. May God bless you all. Amen.
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