Love is Maturing

Welcome to the radio ministry at Cleveland church in Henderson Margo's to make Christ visible Clearview is a place of genuine worship with ministries for all age groups and all people. For more information, visit us at 3485 Oxford Rd. in Henderson or visit us online@clearviewb.org now join us for this week's message by Pastor items. Today's message is titled love is maturing. Have you ever said about someone he is so immature.

Have you ever said that she is so immature why we say that because they do something or they're doing something that is improper by when children do things that are improper. We laugh at them. We called it being childish. Many times immaturity is not funny sometimes it especially of kids do something. It is funny it's cute but when adults are immature.

Sometimes it can be very frustrating sometimes it can be very painful, very hurtful to people in our lives this morning were going to learn what immaturity and love cannot coexist immaturity and love cannot be in the same heart. Something has two change if you have your Bibles with you turn to first Corinthians chapter 13 and our message is called love is maturing.

Starting in verse four. Love suffers long and is kind love does not envy last week and we learned that love does not parade itself, is not puffed up in this morning. Love does not behave rudely, does not seek its own in the weeks to come is not provoked pink snow evil does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three but the greatest of these is love. The Corinthian church was unlike any church in Paul's ministry there were very immature, spiritually, and Paul was frustrated with them. In fact, I want you to hear his frustration as he addresses them in first Corinthians chapter 3 starting in verse one, I want to just here the frustration in his voice, and I brethren could not speak to you asked to spiritual people, but as to carnal, as to babes, meeting infants and children in Christ. Paul is saying. I wish I could talk to you as spiritual adults, but I can't. You are so immature spiritually.

I fed you with milk but not with solid food, for until now you were not able to receive it. And even now you are still not able Paul says when I was with you I fed you the formula of the word of God. I left you for many months, maybe even a year or so. You're still at the formula you are growing up you are still spiritually immature. Why listen to verse three for you are still carnal. What you mean, Paul. For where there are envy, strife, divisions among you, are you not carnal, are you not behaving like mere men.

What Paul is saying is you are still spiritually immature because you are so inconsiderate, hateful and rude to each other you are pushing, shoving and pulling each other and you talk about how much you know the Bible and how much you are walking with God and how much you can prophesy look at the way you act, you are so immature.

Did you know that spiritual maturity is connected to your treatment of others. Today's message takes it one step further. Love does not behave rudely.

Spiritual immaturity is being rude to people.

So also, if you say you love, you cannot be rude but you know the spiritual maturity and love are simply two sides of the same coin. If you're spiritually mature you treat people with dignity would honor with decency. If you love people. You will treat them with dignity with honor and decency. There one in the same basket this morning before we go any further.

Are you in my is spiritually mature person. Have you grown in your maturity in Christ or are you still living like the old you pout when you don't get your way say things without any regard for the other person's feelings. Do whatever you want to do and let them deal with the carnage.

Are you still that person or have you mature enough in Christ to say I love them and if I love them. I can treat them like that because love is decent honoring and shows dignity to the other person this morning. As we walked to this message, ask yourself a deeper question. Are you saved is that I know you says that all the time. I say it for a reason before. Because here's a statement before you can grow you have to be born common sense. You cannot say how old is your baby what has been born yet.

Okay. Before you can spiritually grow you have to be born again.

Are you born again. Have you ever received Jesus as your Savior because that's the moment you come into the spiritual world and you begin to grow some people grow rapidly. Some grow up and down, but there is a forward trajectory. There is growth. Are you born again were going to examine these words of Paul and you look at them in the Greek because sometimes words are lost in translation we been doing this in throughout the series looking at what they really meant. Love does not behave rudely, does not seek it, so let's focus on does not behave rudely of the Greek word is ask a Monet not this word comes from the family of words that convey the idea of an in appropriate behavior that we think love is not rude. We think of something like what he did open the door for me or so-and-so did not say thank you are please I'm sorry it's much more than that it has the idea of shameful behavior. It has the idea of a repulsive act in order to post about the semi desert Eagle. I'll give you some more when the Jewish people were translating the Old Testament from Hebrew into Greek, because they didn't know Hebrew anymore.

They were living in Alexandria, there were living in Corinth, there were living in Perth they needed to know the language the Bible in their own language.

So the translated into Greek. Did you know that every time they came across a word for nakedness, or private parts, or even sex. They went to this word group of ask a Monet something that is shameful something that is private. Paul uses that word several times in the New Testament. Once prominent one is in Romans chapter 1, when he talks about homosexuality when he talks about gay and lesbian behavior.

Did you know that he uses the word group of ask a Monet which means that behavior is shameful and indecent, and now he uses that same word group in first Corinthians 13 to describe love. Love does not ask him. Monet what is he saying he saying this if you love someone is much more than being polite to them and hold the door for them and say please thank you yes or no ma'am, it is more than that if you take the real meaning of the Greek word, it means this if you love someone.

Love does not ask him. Monet means love treats people with decency. Love gives honor, hope you understand what I mean. This is not just about yes ma'am you can do all those things and be very polite, we can in the South be very polite and never love the other person. But the idea here is much deeper if you take the real meaning it's about giving honor and showing decency and treating the other person with dignity know why did Paul say this to the Corinthians, because the Corinthians were being very disrespectful to each other. I will take you into the biblical world to some of these things will be very foreign to you.

Some of these things will sound strange to you because we live in a very independent world. In America we want to do what we want to do.

You can tell me how to live my life is good and bad in America in the West. We have the idea that I don't need the church. I can function fine me and Jesus we have a we have a quiet time every day. I got my favorite preachers I got my favorite books. I have my podcast I have my Kindle. I have whatever I don't have to have these people in my life. Listen, that is the most un-biblical thing that we do as Christians in America.

What were the Corinthians doing. Let me give you several examples.

The first one is in first Corinthians chapter 5 verse one Paul says it is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you and such sexual immorality as is not even among the Gentiles. What happened was happening Paul that a man has his father's wife.

What is that no he is not this man is not with his mother. He is with his stepmom.

We don't know what happened. Maybe his mother died. Maybe the father had to remarry or they'd went through a divorce. Whatever reason, this young man or this person has seduced his own stepmom even love the word ask him. Monet is not mention how shameful how indecent is this. Can you imagine what the father was going through how inappropriate it is to him that my son did this to me how dishonoring to his dad.

He doesn't care how about the woman. Imagine how dishonoring and degrading. It is to her because now in the community. People look at her elastic head is the one she is now with her son had tell you what she is so cheap dishonoring. What's more, now the couple is sitting in church without any sense of shame so young people who know the background there watching this and going uses against his arm, a look. Love is love.

You know I mean, love is love you love whatever makes you happy. Paul says this is unacceptable. This is shameful. This is inappropriate. This is sexually shameful behavior, and it offends me in on the West we have the idea that you can do whatever you want to do in not as Christians, how you live, how you add the decisions you made whether the blinds are down or the windows are up, it doesn't matter.

It is offensive to the body. Your lifestyle does make a difference because my children are watching you now to give another example.

Paul says in first Quinton 66 but brother goes to law against brother and dad before unbelievers.

What was happening in the Corinthian church even though the worker asked him Monet is not mention here Paul is saying in your church. One Christian is suing another. Now watch this people are coming into the church. One family walks in and they see the other family sitting over there in the second row stood back here.

Guess who is watching you.

Your children the other young people are watching what what's what's is what would've been fighting it is happening in the church body. How dishonorable. Paul says your behavior is shameful. It is relationally shameful. The first and was sexually shameful. The second one is relationally shameful is 1/3 one first Quinton chapter 11 verse 20. Therefore, when you come together in one place is not to eat the Lord's supper for in eating each one takes his own supper ahead of others is happening here in the early church, they would have a love feast almost every Sunday. Some people say that it was almost every day but I think was every Sunday they would have a big meal. People would come to church and they would have a big meal before the service. At the end of the meal they would have the Lord's supper and then have the time of worship.

What was happening was this some people were coming early and getting into the batter room. The better room was a try cleaning try cleaning them was a special room in Roman houses even in the church that was the dining room try is three clingy and is a couch.

Three couches was another way to say the formal dining room. Some of the Christians were getting. There are currently some of them were getting them back there because they were privileged and they would come into the try cleaning them sit down and eat their meals.

Other people would come in and it was squeeze into the atrium of the atrium is like the foyer out there hundreds would be squeezed under the atrium waiting for these people to finish eating so they could come and guess what these people would do.

Have you ever been to a restaurant is about 7 o'clock in the evening, you need to get home on time you go up and say a party of four arrive Thursday 15 minutes and you stand and you want to get that table, but this should be done, but are you really complaint you don't need anymore, so they want to have this conversation.

Waitress comes takes all the plates away and they're still sitting there and the get more drinks and this said there don't know that were hungry. Their babies hear their children are crying they don't care. That's one thing if it was happening in the world where you don't know the people. Imagine it happening in the church when one family and groups of people are sitting together at their eating, Paul says one is hungry.

The other is drunk because her saying oh there's a wide brim is a more one I need more of the Lord today and other people walking away hungry. Paul says what do you not have houses to eat and drink in or do you despise the Church of God listen to the work and shame. Those who have nothing what shall I say to you, shall I praise you in this. I do not praise you.

Paul was exposing their spiritually shameful behavior sexually shameful.

I can do what I want to I can live the life I want to. It doesn't matter sexually shameful. I can find with other people in the church and pretend to love Jesus but I do love you.

I want to shake hands with you, relationally, shameful behavior, sitting in the try cleaning them completely insensitive to the needs of others.

Some people are going away saying you know it's been three weeks. I still haven't had the Lord's supper by you don't care spiritually shameful behavior.

Here's another one. First Corinthians 12 verse 14 Paul says, for in fact the body is not one member, but many if the foot should say because I am not a hand, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body. Some people are saying you know I don't I don't get to sing in the pricing. I don't get to do this. I don't get to do that. Paul says hey, does that mean you're not important. Imagine if you would lose your foot. I would life be for you. You are important. But guess what was happening. People were treating each other as if you are not that important.

You not as important as I listen to what Paul says because I am not a hand, I I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body but of the ear should say because I am not and I I am not of the body.

Is it therefore not of the body. Give the whole body were an I can imagine that little eyeballs sitting in church that's all you are. Where would be the hearing if the whole were hearing. Everybody has ears just because you understand the things of God.

Just because you been in a great church somewhere just because you have read five books on spiritual gifts. Please don't look down on people who have no clue what you're talking about because you raise your hand and worship and worship the God and fit it in freedom in the spirit and somebody stands there and there there just staring at the words does not mean they are spiritually so immature and if they would only get to where you are buddy there would be so free in the Lord, please don't think that maybe their heart is broken today, but they're worshiping God just as much as you are. And because somebody is raising the hand over the known thing to look at him.

That's also flighty. I'm grounded in the truth don't do that we are different and yet we are part of the same body. Listen to what else Paul says in the eye cannot say to the hand.

I have no need a few, nor again the head to the feet. I have no need a few do you know why people are rude because we believe I don't need you. Are you ever rude to your doctor would you ever be rude to a surgeon you're about to go to surgery and call them a name. What a jerk. I hope it works out for me which never do that or are you are in a fire in a firefighter come to the window as a look at you moron help you would never do that you would be like you know when we are rude to people when we know we don't need him.

How many marriages people have said this, I would be so much better off if it wasn't for you.

That's when indecency dishonor and indignity comes and it flies fly the words come. The treatment comes the looking down on the other person comes I don't need Whited to behave this way Paul clarifies for us. He says love does not behave rudely. Love does not seek its own.

The reason there is this behavior is because of selfishness, rudeness because I don't need you. Why don't I think I need you as I'm selfish is all about me.

Love does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, so if you are seeking your own is because you are selfish in the process you're behaving rudely. The Corinthians were acting and behaving rudely. They only care about their own concerns pleasures and gives they did not care genuinely care about other people. What was the solution maturity. Hey listen, what did Paul say in the opening. He said you are like spiritual babies.

I wish I could talk to you as an adult I can't. You are still on formula when you should be on me you treat each other so hatefully why do you do that because you think you don't need them.

Why because your selfish.

No wonder you're so rude you are rude because you do sexual things my life you rude because you hate each other in the church you rude because you sit there and eat the Lord's supper, but you don't care if that person did not get it for three weeks you rude because you think are important.

Everybody should be like me. Now how does Paul do this even example for Clinton's letter in the context of the Lord's supper the abuse that was happening at the table. Paul says, for I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which he was betrayed, he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, take, eat, this is my body maturity is understanding it's all from Christ. This is my body says Jesus, which was broken for you.

Do this in remembrance of me.

See, when be taken out of context is just something to say during the Lord's supper, put it in context is about. You are so rude because you don't think you know need each other. Why because your selfish and immature. If you're going to be mature. Remember all of this belongs to Jesus in the same manner he also took the cup after supper, saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood.

This do as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me in remembrance of the pastor not in remembrance of the key people in the church, in remembrance of Jesus you take your eyes away from Jesus you will be immature, selfish.

You would think you would don't need people. No wonder you will have a rude church in rude marriage and rude family.

It's all connected to Christ and listen to what Paul says. Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. How do you show love you give preference to one another.

Something has to change. Something has to fundamentally change that I cannot treat people this way in the listen to what Paul says in first Clinton's 12 verse 26 if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it, or if one member is honored to see all the members rejoice with it is a culture of honor, dignity, decency heavier. Wonder where we get all this from in Western culture. Why do people open the door.

Why do people please. Thank you. Yes sir. No, ma'am yes ma'am. What you get that. Did you know that it's Christianity that changed us is change the way we treat each other is not there. In other cultures use.

How do you know that you look at me. It's not there one hand people say namaste which is what I worship the God and you know the moment, they'll climb all over each other try to get on a train.

There is no real dignity. Why because they're not connected to Christ is Christ in us that brings maturity that deals with selfishness and you begin to say I do need you. Hence I will treat you with honor, with decency and with dignity. When I gimme some practical things you will have to change the way you talk to people, not just in church, in your own life in your marriage.

Preaching this to myself. The first one you have to learn to say is I need you know I marriages fall apart because we get to a place where I don't need you.

I can make it on my own. I need you. We will have to fundamentally change what we believe. I actually need you in my life.

Here's another one. What you think. Let's work it out together we can make it.

Rudeness says I'll do what I have to do maturity says. Together we can make it.

You are where you are because of the loved ones in your life is the convicting message because we live our lives say I got here from own may not work hard.

I got educated your parents honey where these are your friends you your church family and then he got married loved ones, which you maturity says I do need you I want say what's coming in my mouth in my mind because it will not build you up in maturity says I'm just going to back out there put out there just because I like to stay like it is know you are a very rude person. Maybe that's how you were raised.

Many people did that to you but you did not care if the words are you mouth will tear people down because you tore people down and you were torn down. Now you do that other people all in the main aim of I like to say like it is. Are you mature in my mature along was to go folks love is maturing you know when you truly love someone, you treat them with honor with dignity and with decency the way Christ treats us is the way we treat others. For more information visit us online@clearviewbseed.org and for today's sermon notes my blog site@abbottonshaw.com