Love is Serving

Welcome to the radio ministry at Cleveland church in Henderson. Margo is 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 for visit us online@clearviewb.org now join us for this week's message by Pastor items. Many of us have heard the name Vince Lombardi was football coach. He was known for his diehard determination to win in the face of incredible logs and a lot of stories about him because he had a big ego as well, but it was one where he was in the championship playoffs and for some reason his wife Marie could not go to the game and really disappointed him. Of course Green Bay one he was on cloud nine.

He got home and try to quietly slip into his bed, but his cold feet touched her legs and she kinda exclaimed sacrilegiously God, your feet are cold which he instantly replied, when, where, in bed, just call me Vince in the message were going to learn why love and pride cannot go together when I see response first Corinthians 13 and the message today is called love is serving starting in verse four.

Love suffers long and is kind love does not envy. Love does not parade itself, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely begin to see this in the weeks to come, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and doors all things. Love never fails. And now abide faith, hope, love, faith, what we believe about God would be believe about life, hope that God will work all things together for good in the end, he has the new heavens and new earth prepared for us, but love the greatest of these is love. Now, once again, keep in mind Paul wrote first Corinthians to the Christians in Corinth, Corinth was a Roman colony in Greece.

It was populated by freed slaves. People who had won their freedom. When you think about slaves don't just immediately think Africa they were slaves even from Britannia. There were slaves from other parts of the world who for either through their work or payment or their masters had set them free. They were the citizens of Corinth, who else was in Corinth Army veterans.

They have fought in Britannia. They had fought in Egypt they had fought in Persia, but now they had made Corinth their home. Who else was in Corinth well old Greek families. Their roots were deep into the Greek soil. Unlike the freed slaves.

Unlike the Roman veterans from the Army. These were the original Greeks who else was in Corinth, business people, never Corinth has two seaports.

A lot of money was coming in that business. Tycoons were there laborers were there who were getting rich. This was the population of Corinth. Let me ask you when you have all these people in one place. What else do you have disabled crime.

Bad stuff. True, I'm going for a deeper answer pride there there since that man in charge who was a freed slave. He won his freedom. He has pulled himself up by his bootstraps don't you try to move them. Don't you tell him excuse me, because he will cuss you out as what used to be, but now he is no longer slick. He has since a product who else is there that Army veteran. He can see bruises and cuts and and and and stitches all over him. Pride there since that family over there.

Their roots are deep mandate to go all the way back to Philip of Macedon there there there sitting there to. Unlike all of you we we were the original. Who else is there that fellow with a lot of money that labor that form at all these people and you had a sense of pride.

The pride that was in Corinth now was in the church.

It was threatening to destroy the unity of the body. Sounds like a church doesn't pride had come into and Paul had to address this. Listen to how he opens the letter to the Corinthians, chapter 1 verse 26 he says listen very carefully how he addresses them. He says for you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called not think with me for a moment if someone were to write a letter to Clearview and say keep in mind, smart people, strong people and noble people are not in church, but would you say that you just insult us. Did you just tell is there were a bunch of ignorance week degenerate people. Paul is being so He is being in their face.

He is saying this.

Keep in mind that wise mighty noble are not called. He says but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty and the famous things of the world and the things which are despised, God has chosen folks, this is not a compliment.

He is telling them you think you are somebody but keep in mind, God calls nobody apparently you must be the nobody was the purpose of all this Paul that no flesh should glory in his presence. It would pride is pride is forgetting where we came from and self glorying in God's presence was about to say God hates the proud but he gives grace to the humble. God doesn't hate the sinner but he will hate the person who says I am somebody because of look where I've come from. Look up Thomas Obama bootstraps look I'm better than them better than her are no more Bible been through stuff in life that he will you you you blow your mind what I've been through, you know what I think the root of all that is pride to me ask you this morning before getting the message of a tricky question. Do you have a pride problem, but be careful how you answer if you say you don't see pride is an equal opportunity employer.

It infects non-Christians as well as Christians. It infects the rich as well as the poor and I've been lived overseas. I've been in America, been all over the world and what I found. I found more proud poor people than rich people blows your mind is all know the rich are so full, not necessarily some, but many time is the one who may have nothing in his pocket, but a sense of pride in me tell you I am pride has killed more marriages has destroyed more friendships divided more churches and sabotage more hope than anything else. Would you agree is pride that says I am not budging you know what that means I'm wrong. Fine, I'll be wrong, but at least I I'm not I'm not judging mine honey business meetings and that way it destroys hope in the question I ask every week. Are you saved what I ask every week that question because refusing to be saved is saying that you don't need God. You are good enough that Jesus died on the cross for the rest of those sinners, but you're okay.

I don't need being saved not been in charge of my life and I pray daily and I read the Bible just as much of a bother not know as much as you think or or maybe I don't know as much about.

I'm on me and got a good your lost and God hates it. I'm praying this morning.

Not only would you learn something new about love that you would also leave your pride behind and come to him today. I repeat that statement again that verse, God hates the proud but gives grace to the humble. God is willing to give you grace not if you say I'm good enough. Just begin by examining the words that Paul gives in this statement, using the born keep us awake so love does not parade itself, is not puffed up, that's the statement we can look at now, what does it mean love does not parade itself, you know, there is no such statement in the Bible.

Actually, the Greek word is Perper ruled hi, this is the only time it is found in the New Testament Greek only time one more time is found outside of secular literature.

It has the idea of bragging by talking a lot about oneself. If our right appear to be pride with words. It comes from the Greek word Perper office. That's my opinion is my opinion that if you listen to that word carefully. Perper Ross something is being repeated. Perper Perper Ross Perper, have you heard the word murmur went over there.

She was murmuring under her breath wasn't mean to murmur your just like in a grumbling over here or barbarian. What is it was a barbarian somebody who does that are sophisticated enough to speak properly.

There just barbarian Barber Parker office is something I believe is my opinion it's like someone who is repeating things about themselves and after a while it just sounds like obnoxious now sometime back I was a meeting and the one was leading the meeting asked this question and you'll give us a chance to kind of interact and talk about what we thought about what he was saying in this one gentleman took the floor and he began talking every statement was prefaced with let me tell you who I am a limb and younger learn something about me the kind of person I am.

And when you get to know me initially was good initially was like okay this so-and-so has energy after lot. It was like are you going to say anything just to say or even a preface everything with how great you are, so I had this look on my face life so you how we do from the core of mama I'll begin to look and see what other people are thinking Juno thereby have the same smart and their foot on the face like gladly came to hear you brother is now we know how good you are and how prophetic the rest of us are.

The problem with this gentleman was. He was a wonderful man but unintentionally he had become a Perper Ross.

We were simply hearing the same sound the same noise being repeated about himself. It was pride with words in the Corinthian culture.

This was kind of normal you have to do that you can take one look at you are you must be a slave. Let me tell you the kind of things I used to work with Caesar is right.

I was Caesar slave, but they what he did everything for him, I knew more about the household I needed.

I you have to do that in the Corinthian culture but unfortunately that was contrary to the court charge culture in the church is not about diets about you is about the Lord and because this pride with words was coming into the church. It was destroying the unity of the body.

Love was dying out is very hard to love others when you're busy telling them why they should love you pride with words. Love does not parade itself. Love is not Perper Ross. Love is not pride with words, what is the next statement. What is a safe love is not puffed up the Greek word is for CO time for Seo time. It literally means to blow up to puff up or to inflate it is found six times in this letter. This was a real problem. The idea is of someone being full of pride and self-importance, but not necessarily with words. This is pride without words ride with words, talk, talk, talk about who you are what you been through what no one understands about you only knew this pride without words is no words are coming out, but other people can tell you are full of yourself again sometime back I met this young lady who was with a young man I knew that I was talking to him. I realize that she had this don't care to be here look on her face. Anybody seen that. I like that just don't want to be here.

She had this business. This attitude, and so I thought it must be because you know she's in a new place.

She doesn't know me and were having a conversation. She just left you like 1/3 wheel somehow turned to us and soaps away from and she gave me a very terse one word answer the name of this town closet all their someone right here. I know who is and she immediately cut me off that he heard that already. She was sending me a message that I am not interested in prolonging this conversation, please leave me alone what he thing I did, what would you guess what I did. I began to water.

I saw her get her little plate of food and sit down the corner and she had her phone and she began to go through it, but she had a look of disdain in her eyes towards everybody around her is also what I noticed everybody left her alone. If you still wanted to leave her alone because she was sending a message without words without words without sound, but people were hearing her loud and clear in what she was telling them I am better than you. Please don't come near. Did you know that in the Corinthian culture.

This was also kind of normal. Sometimes you have to use words. Many had to put yourself out there doing nothing wrong with that times you have to put yourself out there. Sometimes you have to explain people who you are or they want no, but pride is when it's all about you in the Corinthian culture that was also pride without words, when you walk into a room and people know you must you must be a big shot.

She must be from that rich family. Unfortunately this attitude was also getting into the church where this was not right. You see in the church you have to put put aside your pride. Make yourself vulnerable and reach out to people in this attitude of pride without words puffed up was killing the unity.

Listen again. It is very hard to love others. When you are busy telling them that you are too good for them. People can do that in various ways you can do that with Bible knowledge to you know that you can go just give that air that you are deep in the word. You have a deeper walk with God you are so much more a man or woman of prayer is what people do back off. Sometimes pride struts around and everyone can see it. Other times it struts sitting down and everyone can sense it.

The solution, the answer is pride with words has to we have to do here. You have to step back about pride without words has to step up in the common purpose in doing this to serve. Love cannot exist if there is pride with words of pride without words, the goal is to serve. Now how does God do this. How does God love us.

God has said the perfect example of this in Paul tells them starting in verse 25 chapter 1 of Corinthian's. He makes a statement that almost sounds blasphemous. The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men, and I don't understand everything by the Bible and this is one of those passages that still baffled me. What is Paul saying to understand what he's saying you have to read three previous versus non-Marine them to you and I want you to really pay attention.

Verse 22 for Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom. We preach Christ crucified the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God and then he says the foolishness of God is wiser than men in the weakness of God is stronger than men. What Paul is saying to the Corinthians is this you think you are smart you think you are strong you think your your your normal, don't you know that Jesus Christ on the cross became a full and a weakling for you.

Don't you realize that he put his pride with words aside in his pride without words aside.

He stepped back and stepped up and he came to serve. You don't you see that God became a fool for you and God became weak or you what right do you have, to have this while the Corinthians were strutting and puffing and pride.

Jesus was willing to become a servant, and died on the cross in the model for humility is not me or you or someone called her some grandmother.

The model for humility is Jesus Christ. He's said his power, his authority aside and he came down for us.

Member Philippians 2, who, being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant bondservant. Why because he loves us. Did you know that first Corinthians 13, you can pretty much take the word love out and put the word Christ in living read it to you about that Christ suffers long and is kind Christ does not envy Christ does not parade itself, Christ is not puffed up, that's really the message. Now, how should we love each other. Paul doesn't just say okay look to Christ. He said look to me to listen to first Clintons chapter 2, he says, I was with you in weakness, in fear and in much trembling folks. Paul was from Tarsus Tarsus was kind of like a almost like a college town. This was the place where Stoic philosophy was at its height, Paul was trained in rhetoric. He was trained in Greek philosophy was not a clueless Jewish person walking around going I don't know this is Athens, I guess, is that he knew everything that was happening. Not only that, but he was also trained in Jewish law. He studied under Gamaliel Bailey would be like a Harvard professor. But, he says, Corinthians, when I came to you, I came in weakness and fear and trembling. I could've come and prove myself.

I didn't do that.

Why didn't you do that Paul listen to what else he says in my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

He's I did all that I came down I stepped back. I stepped up to serve you so that you will not believe in me, you would believe in Jesus delivers first Clintons chapter 9 verse nine Paul says, for though I am free from all men. I have made myself a servant to all that I might win the more Paul could have been full of pride with words without words, but he gave it up and he served became a servant.

Why so they would be saved. Let me ask you this morning. How do you see those around you. Do you see them the way Jesus sees you. Are you willing to serve others the way Paul serve the Corinthians. What you think will happen in a marriage. When a husband and a wife. Instead of trying to get one up on the other. The begin to serve each other would happen in the church instead of posturing with each other. We actually become servants in what Jesus did on the night of his crucifixion, knowing that he came from God.

He was going to God, he picked up the basin of water and he washed the feet of his disciples what to say if I being your master have done this to you now you go do that to others you know what he was saying to them. The conversation was who is the greatest hope is the next in line to be the leader and he said put all this aside serve in today. If you're saying wino needs to hear this, you need to hear this now. Here are some objections out of someone's bound to say hey listen I'm just an extrovert highlight how I people I can help it if you're that person here's a here today. It's all right to be outgoing, just don't talk about yourself all the time. It's all right to be the one who reaches out and says hey how are you step back a little bit and let them talk. Love does not parade itself, let them share be listening intently, don't just look through them for the next and I know you can to sit there and give you time to just one person the whole day is impossible for either party, or a business luncheon.

Whatever you can do that. But, at least for that moment.

Give that person that that sense of service that you are there to serve them you to listen to them by would you know that this is in the business world to tell you that all the time to listen. Listen with your eyes. It tells you that I'm just an introvert. After supper, I've always been introvert in Alaska.

Raise your hand.

Because of George's full of them.

It's all right to be a quiet personality, but I'm about to step on your toes to is a whole different thing when you have an air of superiority that says if you want to talk to me you get off your butt and make your way over here because I'm not coming there so many of us do that only is this an introvert. What is really saying is you make yourself uncomfortable because I'm worth it if you don't think so forget it.

I'm not coming there you have the heart of being an introvert is pride is a totally different question. How do you see those who are proud. We talked about being proud and and how you need to be humble. How do you see people who are proud. Remember, I give you two illustrations in the opening when the guy who was talking about himself and the girl.

The girl who was yelp didn't care to talk to me and had that would you like to know who was more proud I was because I sat in judgment over him, and over her.

You see, pride is so subtle is in it. Just when you think you don't have it you have it. Many years ago I heard a preacher gives illustration heard it many times in a like they gave up a pin to this fellow.

He was so humble and even sick humble is not right.

By the way is humble.

He is such a humble person, but the took the pen away when you put it hung pride is so subtle. Just when you think I don't have it, you're the one Dietrich Bonhoeffer lived in Nazi Germany. He was a theologian, very smart man even came to America. He taught here. Hitler was coming in power and the tolling don't go back home stay here is very days and oh my people need me I'm going back and he did go back and he led a clandestine movement, a secret church is Hitler had shaken hands with the established church and it was it was Hitler's church now, and he even was part of a plan to assassinate him. The Gestapo got him through them into the concentration camp and eventually killed him. He wrote many books, but this is one of his my favorite books is called life together many statements worth quoting with this one that I think applies to our message today. He who is bearing others you know that fella who was running his mouth talk about. I'm this and I'm that I was bearing with him and we were bearing with his pride with words. He who is bearing others like that woman who, the girl who shut me off. I was bearing with her pride. He who is bearing others know that he himself is being born, not born, like birth, don't forget God is bearing with you and only in this trend can he go on bearing, how can we even serve those who are full of pride with words in pride without words, when you remember somebody serving you and who is a somebody Jesus Christ God love and pride cannot coexist with words without words. Thank you so much for joining us today. Sometimes to show love. You have to step back, other times you have to step up, but the goal is to serve just the way Christ came into this world to be a bondservant for more information please visit us online@clearviewbea.org and for today's sermon notes my blog site@avedonshaw.com