WEBVTT 00:00:00.140 --> 00:00:07.140 Someone invite you to a passage of scripture that's familiar to us, but I think an important ending to our series that we're in together called an 00:00:07.140 --> 00:00:08.420 entitled, this thing called love. 00:00:09.120 --> 00:00:16.120 First Corinthians 13 is where we're going to be, which you, if you're familiar with this passage, notice as the love chapter 00:00:16.120 --> 00:00:23.160 in scripture and how in the world could you ever end a series without talking about the love chapter to any depth or degree. 00:00:23.220 --> 00:00:23.930 I don't know. 00:00:23.980 --> 00:00:26.460 So we're going to go through first Corinthians 13 this morning. 00:00:26.500 --> 00:00:27.250 I'm going to set the backdrop. 00:00:27.840 --> 00:00:34.840 We're going to start and in verse 13 but here's my hope and what we've communicated throughout the 00:00:34.840 --> 00:00:38.100 series together, at least for the foundational thinking of love. 00:00:40.300 --> 00:00:41.380 God made you for a relationship. 00:00:44.960 --> 00:00:48.580 God didn't primarily create you first based on what you can do. 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:53.760 We're not here this morning to achieve greater status and God's eyes. 00:00:53.780 --> 00:00:55.180 We're not here to perform religion. 00:00:56.020 --> 00:01:03.120 we're here to connect to him and relationship and everything that we do this morning is a response out 00:01:03.120 --> 00:01:08.900 of love towards him because he first loved us and seeing the demonstration of God's love. 00:01:09.060 --> 00:01:11.790 It then provokes us to love and response. 00:01:12.680 --> 00:01:15.020 It's a relational connection to the Lord. 00:01:15.020 --> 00:01:17.960 And so what truth, we're people of God's word. 00:01:17.960 --> 00:01:22.120 We're creatures of the word is what they actually determined to use in the first century, creatures of God's word. 00:01:22.540 --> 00:01:29.540 And they would we come to God's word to understand the truth, not so that we can become more puffed up in knowledge and not so we can brag 00:01:29.540 --> 00:01:32.130 about being right and other people being wrong. 00:01:32.380 --> 00:01:36.440 The basis for understanding God is so that we can walk in better relationship with him. 00:01:36.760 --> 00:01:39.800 And so truth isn't the end, it means in itself. 00:01:39.800 --> 00:01:43.160 But truth is the tool by which we better understand God and connect to him. 00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:46.740 The Bible tells us, he, worship him in spirit and truth. 00:01:46.800 --> 00:01:48.280 Romans four 24. 00:01:48.380 --> 00:01:53.300 And so we connect to him in truth and then he lives within us. 00:01:53.300 --> 00:01:56.200 And so spiritually we connect to the Lord in that way. 00:01:56.200 --> 00:02:03.160 We love him and we see him, it in his word, the truth and Paul and telling us how to communicate God's word. 00:02:03.160 --> 00:02:04.760 He says, speak the truth in love. 00:02:04.760 --> 00:02:11.780 And Ephesians chapter four in verse 15 meaning if your truth is an undergirded with love, it becomes legalistic and it misses 00:02:11.780 --> 00:02:15.570 the point of the truth in which God has given us, which is to connect with him relationally. 00:02:16.580 --> 00:02:21.720 And all of us come to God in different places in our, from different places, in our lives, different experiences. 00:02:21.780 --> 00:02:25.240 And we're all in different, different places in our understanding of him. 00:02:25.300 --> 00:02:30.560 And the best way for us to receive truth, understand truth is for it to be undergirded in love. 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:33.660 And so truth for us is the foundation for life. 00:02:35.140 --> 00:02:37.100 But love builds that bridge connection. 00:02:37.140 --> 00:02:38.620 We relationally with the Lord. 00:02:39.460 --> 00:02:41.040 And so both are important. 00:02:41.100 --> 00:02:44.320 So I hope you understand that we go through this series talking about law. 00:02:44.320 --> 00:02:49.780 We haven't forsaken truth as if love is exclusive from it as if you just love and you don't need truth. 00:02:50.180 --> 00:02:52.720 But truth is the very foundation for which we operate on. 00:02:52.840 --> 00:02:57.820 So that love in the truth of that love can build a bridge between our relationship with the Lord. 00:02:57.820 --> 00:02:59.440 And when we relationship each other. 00:02:59.440 --> 00:03:06.920 I can't remember who sang the song, but I feel like just breaking out in chorus now you're gonna love Ken [inaudible] bridge. 00:03:07.060 --> 00:03:09.270 Whoever that was that carpenters or something. 00:03:09.340 --> 00:03:09.760 I don't know. 00:03:10.360 --> 00:03:17.560 That just shows your age I guess if you know that song, but so we have truth and we have love 00:03:17.560 --> 00:03:19.080 and the love chapter. 00:03:19.080 --> 00:03:26.240 That's how Paul starts in the beginning of this talking about religion or relationship and he says, and if I give all my possessions to feed the poor 00:03:26.240 --> 00:03:31.700 and if I surrender my body to be burned but do not have love, it profits me nothing. 00:03:36.200 --> 00:03:41.100 Love is such a foundation for us in life. 00:03:41.960 --> 00:03:46.240 Truth is what undergirds on, but love unites us. 00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:53.340 It's looking at an individual who's living this maybe religious performing type lifestyle, but really finds himself empty in all of it because 00:03:53.340 --> 00:04:00.460 love, love is the point for which we're created and experiencing what God desires for us is what 00:04:00.460 --> 00:04:07.540 Jesus demonstrated to us by coming to earth and giving his life and we talk 00:04:07.540 --> 00:04:08.780 about love together. 00:04:08.820 --> 00:04:16.860 I think one of the important things to consider as to why love is so significant is because in every relationship we ship, there 00:04:16.860 --> 00:04:17.620 is a gap. 00:04:19.959 --> 00:04:23.080 Now we think about this theologically and our relationship to God. 00:04:23.080 --> 00:04:30.120 We'll often use the term for that gap as sin, the effects of sin or the curse of sin, whether it was a sin that we've conducted or it's 00:04:30.120 --> 00:04:37.260 just the curse of sin upon us, that in our relationship with God, there is a gap and you can work all 00:04:37.260 --> 00:04:37.700 day long. 00:04:37.700 --> 00:04:43.480 We try to bridge that gap, but it's impossible because there's nothing that you've ever done that can undo the sin that you've brought against the Holy God. 00:04:43.500 --> 00:04:44.410 It lasts for eternity. 00:04:45.300 --> 00:04:50.620 And so in order for that relationship to experience the wholeness for which it was created, that gap has to be bridged. 00:04:50.620 --> 00:04:52.210 And the only one that can bridge that gap is Jesus. 00:04:52.400 --> 00:04:57.700 Because his forgiveness is what needed to be offered for us to experience the relationship with God for which we were created to have. 00:04:59.220 --> 00:05:02.160 And so in every relationship there is a gap. 00:05:02.660 --> 00:05:07.300 There's a separation, a divide, a chasm, a rift, whatever, whatever word you want to put into that. 00:05:09.860 --> 00:05:12.220 But what bridges that gap? 00:05:15.780 --> 00:05:24.100 In fact, when you look throughout the Bible, communication 00:05:24.100 --> 00:05:31.380 to God's people is for us to be bridge builders, to be the one that God works 00:05:31.380 --> 00:05:31.980 through. 00:05:32.040 --> 00:05:39.200 To see the chasm of separation to be bridged, and the demonstration of love undergirded by truth is that very 00:05:39.200 --> 00:05:41.640 thing that helps us bridge that gap. 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:46.900 In fact, in Matthew 28 and the word love is not even used there, but it says, go therefore make disciples of all nations. 00:05:47.880 --> 00:05:51.730 And so God in this verse, he's thinking about the ethnos, the people group. 00:05:51.980 --> 00:05:54.780 He's thinking about all the, all the individuals in this world. 00:05:54.820 --> 00:05:56.960 By the way, this is just a side note. 00:05:57.520 --> 00:05:59.160 The Bible doesn't talk about races. 00:05:59.420 --> 00:06:04.660 The Bible only sees one human race, but it does talk about ethnos, the different ethnic groups. 00:06:04.760 --> 00:06:09.280 And so, and with the mind of the world on his heart, God tells his people to go. 00:06:09.520 --> 00:06:16.600 And when he says go, we're, he calls us to be bridge builders, to communicate the truth of who God is, that they can understand him and walk in him 00:06:16.600 --> 00:06:17.950 and live in light of him. 00:06:17.980 --> 00:06:21.420 But this word for go actually means as you are going. 00:06:23.460 --> 00:06:30.580 And so what is communicating is you have different areas in this world in which you have influence over different environments in which you engage people that might 00:06:30.580 --> 00:06:33.420 be different than the people that I have opportunity to engage. 00:06:33.580 --> 00:06:40.900 And so the Lord uses me as a light for him to be a bridge builder to the truth of who God is, that they can see the love of God demonstrated 00:06:40.900 --> 00:06:41.800 in their lives. 00:06:44.200 --> 00:06:49.820 In talking about the church and Ephesians four he says this, being diligent to preserve the unity of the spirit, the bond of peace. 00:06:49.820 --> 00:06:53.020 There is one body, okay? 00:06:53.020 --> 00:06:54.400 Some God sees his people. 00:06:54.460 --> 00:07:03.580 He sees his people as bridge builders communicated in the love of God together in 00:07:03.580 --> 00:07:10.340 Matthew 19 five and maybe talking about the one gap that we know relationally we often go to in our mind. 00:07:10.520 --> 00:07:17.740 Jesus says this in Matthew 19 five for this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one 00:07:17.740 --> 00:07:18.290 flesh. 00:07:20.260 --> 00:07:23.380 God's desire is to span that gap. 00:07:23.380 --> 00:07:29.510 And love is the thing that builds the bridge between the gap that exists in our relationship. 00:07:30.980 --> 00:07:35.450 So we can see the truth for who God is demonstrated in our lives. 00:07:38.100 --> 00:07:45.400 And one of the things I've recognized even in living in Utah is I think no matter where you live, God desires for 00:07:45.400 --> 00:07:46.140 our relationships. 00:07:46.300 --> 00:07:48.740 God's goal for our lives is that they thrive. 00:07:48.920 --> 00:07:53.330 And God's goal for our relationships is that they thrive, not just survive. 00:07:54.600 --> 00:08:01.640 And I've seen it even living here because of the economy and the way things have transitioned in the statement growth, that we get a 00:08:01.640 --> 00:08:05.000 lot of people that are transplants, not from the area. 00:08:06.140 --> 00:08:13.340 What I've noticed about lives of individuals that live in Utah is that those that make the opportunity to build bridges or find it easier to build bridges 00:08:13.340 --> 00:08:21.100 or use the opportunity to build bridges seem to do better at thriving in Utah and making new 00:08:21.100 --> 00:08:24.020 roots in an area than those that isolate themselves. 00:08:24.100 --> 00:08:27.240 And I think it's because God has created us for this purpose. 00:08:28.980 --> 00:08:36.159 When you think in Jesus saying March, 1229 and 30 the commands are loved God and then love others, that the natural fruit 00:08:36.159 --> 00:08:44.800 of us and our relationship with God should then be to extenuate itself beyond us to 00:08:44.860 --> 00:08:47.720 demonstrate the love of the Lord through our relationships with others. 00:08:49.580 --> 00:08:56.780 So it's a very natural thing to want to belong, to want to be a part to experience connection of what relationships 00:08:56.780 --> 00:08:57.720 are. 00:08:57.780 --> 00:09:04.120 And I think the health for those relationships are rooted and founded in our understanding of who God is and who we are in light of him. 00:09:07.340 --> 00:09:14.380 When we talk about the gap that exists, one of the themes that we've discussed throughout this series is that in 00:09:14.380 --> 00:09:16.760 order to bridge this gap, you have to be intentional. 00:09:19.940 --> 00:09:23.800 Bible tells us, or excuse me, not to buy with the slogan of shared throughout the series together. 00:09:24.060 --> 00:09:30.320 It's, it takes a pulse to fall in love, but it takes a plan to stay in love. 00:09:32.180 --> 00:09:36.480 What you put in that gap becomes important to how that bridges is built. 00:09:38.120 --> 00:09:41.220 In fact, if I just, she has a weird word to throw in there. 00:09:41.280 --> 00:09:42.480 What needs to go in that gap? 00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:47.320 I would say according to what Paul is going to reveal in first Corinthians 13 it's love fruit. 00:09:48.700 --> 00:09:49.120 I don't know. 00:09:49.540 --> 00:09:50.800 It's love for that. 00:09:50.800 --> 00:09:57.840 He describes in first Corinthians 13 when you read the rest of this passage and here, here's what is interesting where I dive into this passage to 00:09:57.840 --> 00:10:04.420 just take note as you get ready to read this, as first Corinthians 12 Paul just talked about the body of believers. 00:10:05.860 --> 00:10:13.020 He's talking about working together in the Lord and seeing God really worked through a people that care for him 00:10:13.020 --> 00:10:15.080 and desire to be used by him. 00:10:15.320 --> 00:10:22.320 And he, and he describes the body of believers as one body working in unison, that God has gifted us all differently 00:10:22.320 --> 00:10:29.480 and that God wants us to use those gifts to make this holistic, beautiful description of Jesus being lived out 00:10:29.480 --> 00:10:30.340 in our lives. 00:10:31.740 --> 00:10:38.920 And so then first Corinthians 13 he described sort of the fruit of what that is that we would put into those relationships, what spans 00:10:38.920 --> 00:10:43.060 that gap to show the unity of the body that Jesus has demonstrated through our lives. 00:10:45.080 --> 00:10:49.760 And so he describes love, but I think in love he gives us a sort of this fruit of what love is. 00:10:49.820 --> 00:10:57.060 It's not just this arbitrary, I love you know, but it's the specific look of how love is communicated in 00:10:57.060 --> 00:10:57.680 this passage. 00:10:57.700 --> 00:11:04.900 And so he says this as a way for us to examine ourselves to see if this is, this is the fruit that's coming out of what I 00:11:04.900 --> 00:11:07.180 describe as love in my life. 00:11:07.180 --> 00:11:14.280 And so he says in first Corinthians 13 four well, this patient, I'm all right at that right love 00:11:14.280 --> 00:11:17.520 is kind, it is not jealous. 00:11:18.380 --> 00:11:25.400 Let's the jazz lose does not brag, is not arrogant, does not act 00:11:25.520 --> 00:11:33.640 unbecomingly and does not seek its own love is not provoked, does 00:11:33.640 --> 00:11:38.550 not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness. 00:11:39.480 --> 00:11:42.580 Look rejoices with the truth. 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:51.700 Paul's talking about the fruit of what love is and an understanding has. 00:11:51.820 --> 00:11:58.840 God calls us into the that in every relationship there is a gap and God desires for us and the platform of truth 00:11:58.840 --> 00:12:05.880 to be used by him to bridge that gap and the fruit that we display in love should be represented in these adjectives he 00:12:05.880 --> 00:12:08.380 uses to attribute to what love is. 00:12:12.220 --> 00:12:15.440 We talk about this gap that exists exists. 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:18.600 This one reminded us of the motivation for bridging the gap. 00:12:20.180 --> 00:12:26.260 We approached this desire of being loving and experiencing relationship for what God calls us to. 00:12:26.380 --> 00:12:33.520 It's important to remind ourselves that the motivation before, before us as to why we want to do this isn't because of 00:12:33.520 --> 00:12:35.270 what we get from the relationship. 00:12:38.420 --> 00:12:45.540 Rather what we give to the relationship and the reason that we're motivated to bridge such a gap isn't because 00:12:45.540 --> 00:12:52.540 someone else completes us, but rather we find ourselves complete and our identity of who we are before 00:12:52.540 --> 00:12:52.860 Christ. 00:12:55.760 --> 00:13:02.980 The strength for us to love is because we've been loved and the place for which we have been loved is in a place of 00:13:02.980 --> 00:13:04.700 which love does not run dry. 00:13:06.500 --> 00:13:13.560 A place where our identity and worth and value and meaning is discovered and that discovery is made in Christ 00:13:13.560 --> 00:13:20.760 who has gone to the extent of giving his own life, that we could understand him and walk in truth with him and 00:13:20.760 --> 00:13:23.160 love him and find our freedom through him. 00:13:24.980 --> 00:13:34.320 Well, Paul is communicating in this passage is that what you put in this gap makes 00:13:34.400 --> 00:13:34.660 a difference. 00:13:36.780 --> 00:13:44.060 Well, you put in the gap in your relationship with others makes the difference in how that bridge is built because 00:13:44.060 --> 00:13:47.300 love isn't the only thing that can go in this gap. 00:13:48.760 --> 00:13:51.340 In fact, the opposite of love. 00:13:51.380 --> 00:13:58.580 If you just think about pull bluff at the source this morning and think about the antonyms to what he, what he's describing in 00:13:58.580 --> 00:14:00.000 this passage. 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:05.700 If you want to do the exact opposite of building a bridge, then the exact opposite of what's displayed here. 00:14:05.700 --> 00:14:06.740 We'll produce that. 00:14:06.740 --> 00:14:13.080 And so love isn't the only thing that you can put within this gap to experience what God desires for us in relationships. 00:14:14.060 --> 00:14:16.690 And so what you put in this gap makes a difference. 00:14:17.140 --> 00:14:20.260 Having a love, it just, it just requires a pulse. 00:14:20.260 --> 00:14:22.320 But staying in love requires a plan. 00:14:24.880 --> 00:14:27.100 You just illustrator, right? 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:34.120 And pictures depending on the way that you intentionally put in this gap, what you 00:14:34.120 --> 00:14:39.580 put in this gap determines if you drive closer together or you're pushed further apart. 00:14:41.240 --> 00:14:46.260 And when we talk about the idea of love, love doesn't have to be all fluffy and roses. 00:14:46.260 --> 00:14:48.000 Love can be expressed in discipline. 00:14:51.200 --> 00:14:52.640 Love can approach conflict. 00:14:53.960 --> 00:14:56.100 In fact, I think love does approach conflict. 00:14:56.100 --> 00:14:57.860 It's what Jesus did for us. 00:15:00.900 --> 00:15:08.080 But when you began to put in this gap, the things that are expressed by what Paul says in first Corinthians 13 three we need to become intentional 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:08.920 about those things. 00:15:09.020 --> 00:15:14.970 To bridge that gap brings you together, right? 00:15:17.300 --> 00:15:18.390 Sometimes a little too close. 00:15:21.870 --> 00:15:24.820 The reality is how you build solid relationships. 00:15:27.160 --> 00:15:29.310 That's how you build a solid marriage. 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:32.970 It's how you make babies. 00:15:35.700 --> 00:15:38.540 I mean, look at it there faces make a heart. 00:15:38.580 --> 00:15:39.600 How do they even do that? 00:15:39.620 --> 00:15:42.160 They got a heart shadow coming between them. 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:44.640 Impressive, right? 00:15:46.550 --> 00:15:53.700 Man, on one sense, I know we talked about this a few weeks ago in a first part of the series, but when 00:15:53.700 --> 00:16:00.260 we describe love, oftentimes when we communicate love, we're not talking about giving ourselves away. 00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:02.860 Rather what we're talking about is getting selfishly what we want. 00:16:02.880 --> 00:16:08.040 And so the only reason I say I care about you is because of something in specific that I want you to address for me. 00:16:11.220 --> 00:16:16.980 Well, I think guys, ladies are good at sniffing that out sometimes. 00:16:20.620 --> 00:16:27.720 What I mean is this, that love talking from a male perspective, 00:16:28.310 --> 00:16:32.095 what drives our love can often be very selfish and take advantage of people. 00:16:34.200 --> 00:16:38.010 If you really want to enjoy a relationship, what you put in the gap matters. 00:16:38.330 --> 00:16:45.510 What I'm saying to us guys this morning, especially on mother's day and appreciation just for women in general, 00:16:45.550 --> 00:16:52.630 is that, no, just say it like this guys, learn to speak to her heart before 00:16:52.630 --> 00:16:54.140 you're concerned with her body. 00:16:59.990 --> 00:17:01.030 What you put in that gap matters. 00:17:04.430 --> 00:17:08.290 Unless you're not married then don't take that advice that I just said. 00:17:08.290 --> 00:17:15.490 But what God's interested in is your heart relationally to him and what God desires 00:17:15.490 --> 00:17:22.130 for us to reflect as an interest in each other's heart and bridging that gap and what you put in that gap matters. 00:17:22.450 --> 00:17:28.329 And here at Alpine Bible church, we love when people intentionally bridge that gap. 00:17:29.250 --> 00:17:32.590 And I know you're asking this morning, how much do you love it? 00:17:32.590 --> 00:17:39.950 I just to throw this out there, I love it so much that when that gap is bridged like this, I like to show up and 00:17:39.950 --> 00:17:41.950 then just put, give me a click Mike. 00:17:42.110 --> 00:17:42.560 One click please. 00:17:43.970 --> 00:17:44.390 I lost control. 00:17:45.290 --> 00:17:48.210 I put my head right in the middle of that guy. 00:17:48.990 --> 00:17:50.150 I love that gap. 00:17:50.170 --> 00:17:54.170 So that's a bear the moment in my life there. 00:17:54.170 --> 00:17:57.510 But bridging that gap is so important to us. 00:17:57.510 --> 00:17:58.950 That freaking Marissa here, good. 00:17:58.950 --> 00:18:03.900 We can keep this up uncomfortably as low as the Brizzy mega becomes. 00:18:04.330 --> 00:18:06.160 You don't know how long I've waited to put that in a sermon. 00:18:06.390 --> 00:18:09.710 So what is he doing back there? 00:18:09.710 --> 00:18:11.670 I'll tell you, it's the Carebears stereo. 00:18:11.710 --> 00:18:16.030 Let's, let's get the bridging that gap. 00:18:16.030 --> 00:18:23.130 You can click off that kind of weird, but that's what the Lord wants 00:18:23.250 --> 00:18:25.090 in our lives, right? 00:18:25.210 --> 00:18:32.290 In fact, believe it or not, you guys, you can try this later, but um, I think that moment can even be 00:18:32.290 --> 00:18:33.730 a worshipful moment before the Lord. 00:18:35.170 --> 00:18:35.600 I'm going to try. 00:18:35.750 --> 00:18:37.050 I'm going to try later on my wife. 00:18:37.050 --> 00:18:37.830 I'm worshiping Jesus. 00:18:37.990 --> 00:18:38.690 Come here. 00:18:40.970 --> 00:18:45.610 But it's honoring him what you put. 00:18:47.410 --> 00:18:48.000 And that gap. 00:18:48.030 --> 00:18:55.630 And you know, one of the beautiful things about relationships is that they're flexible and 00:18:55.630 --> 00:19:00.110 w and what I mean is when you talk about putting things in this gap, you don't just do it one time. 00:19:02.450 --> 00:19:07.550 And the reason is because the person I was 20 years ago is not the person I am today. 00:19:08.290 --> 00:19:12.990 And if you knew who I was 20 years ago, everyone would've said amen as loud as they've ever said it, right? 00:19:13.010 --> 00:19:16.050 I mean, it's like thank God I'm not that. 00:19:16.190 --> 00:19:23.450 But at the same time, love works in such a way that we get the places in our lives where we may not be as well off as what we were 20 years ago, 00:19:24.830 --> 00:19:27.410 but I think love sees the best in each other. 00:19:28.230 --> 00:19:36.070 If I were going to look at a verse that says that in just a moment, but love continues to motivate into that relationship, 00:19:36.110 --> 00:19:43.130 to build that build, that bridge, the truth of who God is, can just be demonstrating the lives of others that we can find healing through that relationship with each other. 00:19:44.410 --> 00:19:50.250 And here's the good thing about relationships, not being flexible, not always this dogmatic thing. 00:19:50.290 --> 00:19:51.050 We're not always the same. 00:19:51.110 --> 00:19:55.910 I know guys tend to, as a kid, I've always liked baloney sandwiches and I think I live on them the rest of my life. 00:19:55.910 --> 00:20:00.810 I don't know that that's ever going to go away, but there's other places in me that have changed. 00:20:00.810 --> 00:20:07.810 And here, here's the beauty of it changing is that in changing my wife has an opportunity to not just get in a rut of the way 00:20:07.810 --> 00:20:14.910 she loves, but to truly in the changing of us as individuals to see if she's continuing, continuing to 00:20:14.910 --> 00:20:17.410 love and challenge her in her in the way that she loves. 00:20:17.410 --> 00:20:24.450 And the same is true for me that I, I'm learning about my relationship with God and what I'm putting into the gap by the way, 00:20:24.530 --> 00:20:28.570 that God grows her and learning how to continue to love her in different ways throughout her life. 00:20:30.470 --> 00:20:32.660 And it doesn't just stop in that type of relationship. 00:20:33.250 --> 00:20:40.370 It's every relationship we go through us as parents with kids, your kids are not the same as they were last week, let 00:20:40.370 --> 00:20:42.330 alone Latin your last year or whatever. 00:20:44.130 --> 00:20:48.070 We go through seasons of life and changes in life and different in life. 00:20:48.370 --> 00:20:55.490 And love is about the desire to help one another on that journey, to bridge that gap, to help us to see the beauty of 00:20:55.490 --> 00:20:56.170 who God is. 00:20:56.170 --> 00:21:03.000 And then, and then in verse seven Paul says something interesting, look at verse four, five and six and I see the way loves communicated. 00:21:03.350 --> 00:21:06.800 Then you get to verse seven and I just being honest, it's a little bit confusing. 00:21:07.630 --> 00:21:16.610 He says, love bears all things, believes all things, hopes 00:21:16.610 --> 00:21:19.510 all things, endures all things. 00:21:21.450 --> 00:21:29.170 you look at this in the, in the Greek, this idea for hope, it means to conceal or to keep secret, sort 00:21:29.170 --> 00:21:36.550 of the sheltering in the relationship to guard someone for their wellbeing and the 00:21:36.550 --> 00:21:39.510 idea of believing all things cares. 00:21:39.510 --> 00:21:46.870 The thought of trust or interesting or this idea of hope means to expect or look forward 00:21:46.870 --> 00:21:47.870 to. 00:21:50.390 --> 00:21:54.350 And to endure is to remain patient with bravery. 00:21:56.850 --> 00:22:04.010 You look at this and maybe you're wondering why in the world I find it maybe a slightly confusing as to what it's communicating and maybe 00:22:04.010 --> 00:22:09.290 you've read it and thought the same thing, but when you, when you look at this verse in verse seven it says, believes all things and hopes all things. 00:22:11.570 --> 00:22:18.830 What in the world is it talking about what does believe all things mean and hope 00:22:18.830 --> 00:22:19.250 all things. 00:22:21.130 --> 00:22:24.930 Does that mean love is blind to believe all things are? 00:22:26.450 --> 00:22:28.020 What about this is love naive? 00:22:30.370 --> 00:22:31.690 Surely it can't believe everything. 00:22:33.670 --> 00:22:37.730 I mean this kind of sounds maybe even codependent, a little unhealthy. 00:22:39.890 --> 00:22:45.110 What's Paul communicating in this passage that to just believe in the, have hope in what? 00:22:45.110 --> 00:22:45.760 What does it mean? 00:22:49.490 --> 00:22:50.690 Well, Paul's referring to the gap. 00:22:54.710 --> 00:22:56.710 What you put in that gap matters. 00:23:00.110 --> 00:23:07.210 Every relationship has a gap and sometimes the divide is bigger than others and 00:23:07.210 --> 00:23:14.250 sometimes it may seem that you're in one of the more intimate places in your life, but what you put in that gap matters and you 00:23:14.350 --> 00:23:22.050 can choose in those moments to believe the best in someone or assume 00:23:22.050 --> 00:23:29.460 the worst and the reason we want to talk about this last in the 00:23:29.490 --> 00:23:37.070 series together is because we've really laid the foundation to talk to discuss what we put in that gap because 00:23:37.070 --> 00:23:44.730 what we tend to do as people is that when you play something in that gap, you either place what you've experienced, are 00:23:44.730 --> 00:23:46.910 you your position or authority? 00:23:49.810 --> 00:23:57.250 What I mean by what you've exert experiences this, all of us have baggage from our past, whether it's healthy 00:23:57.250 --> 00:23:58.310 or bad. 00:24:00.010 --> 00:24:08.090 All of us have experiences that we've gone through that we carry into our new relationships and what 00:24:08.090 --> 00:24:11.380 we've looked at in the first couple of weeks is just the example of Jesus. 00:24:12.470 --> 00:24:16.410 Because all knowing, all of us at some point have had some relationship that's not been healthy. 00:24:16.630 --> 00:24:24.310 We need to understand what the ultimate goal is in every relationship and the only example that can declare that to us as who Christ is, but 00:24:24.310 --> 00:24:31.410 in the midst of our sin, Jesus still gave his best and Jesus still loves sacrificially even 00:24:31.410 --> 00:24:38.570 when he had excuses not to and so in John 1334 and 35 love as I have loved you in Philippians chapter 00:24:38.570 --> 00:24:43.090 two in verses three and on have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus. 00:24:44.570 --> 00:24:51.670 The point of those messages is to help us to recognize that when we respond to relationships, what we tend to put in those gaps is exactly what we've 00:24:51.670 --> 00:24:59.050 experienced in our past relationships in life, either their health and your bed, but 00:24:59.110 --> 00:25:00.770 for us we need an example. 00:25:03.750 --> 00:25:10.850 What's accurate, what's true when 00:25:10.850 --> 00:25:13.210 he's saying this, believe all things and hope. 00:25:13.210 --> 00:25:19.570 All things is the example of Christ is what we demonstrate when we place those things into this gap. 00:25:19.570 --> 00:25:26.670 Because what you do is that we tend to assume either the worst in 00:25:26.670 --> 00:25:33.970 people or expect the best in people and what Paul calls 00:25:33.970 --> 00:25:41.190 us in this is the hope and believe, so we put in the gap is what we've experienced 00:25:41.190 --> 00:25:48.770 or we've put in the gap, our position or authority, who 00:25:48.770 --> 00:25:52.350 I am, my authority. 00:25:54.890 --> 00:25:57.970 If somebody calls your spouse calls, I'm going to be a little, little bit late. 00:25:58.090 --> 00:26:02.910 I'm sorry, things happen at work and all of a sudden you have an opportunity in that moment to put something in that gap. 00:26:03.730 --> 00:26:05.020 I can't believe that you would do that. 00:26:05.390 --> 00:26:05.490 Right? 00:26:06.430 --> 00:26:10.370 Assuming the worst we're even though maybe you any reasoning behind it. 00:26:10.490 --> 00:26:10.730 I can't. 00:26:10.730 --> 00:26:11.490 You don't care about me. 00:26:11.590 --> 00:26:12.910 Do you know who I am? 00:26:14.910 --> 00:26:20.250 Position authority. 00:26:20.250 --> 00:26:27.410 We looked at the last two weeks resolving conflict and Philippians to have this mind in you, which is also in Christ Jesus. 00:26:27.550 --> 00:26:27.910 Jesus. 00:26:28.550 --> 00:26:35.590 Shane saying to us that though he's in the form of God, he thought it wasn't robbery to equate himself with God, but he lowered himself to death, even death on 00:26:35.590 --> 00:26:35.990 the cross. 00:26:36.390 --> 00:26:38.130 And he was the most important person in the room. 00:26:38.130 --> 00:26:43.010 But he assumed the best for us, even in our sin. 00:26:44.650 --> 00:26:51.930 In fact, the reason we oftentimes find ourselves in conflict, and James told us in James chapter four do you know the reason 00:26:51.930 --> 00:26:56.690 for conflict among you and when we're supposed to, he asks that question, we're supposed to answer, yes, it's everyone else. 00:26:56.690 --> 00:27:02.310 And he says, no, it's actually the members at war within you and you kill and you destroy because you do not have. 00:27:03.930 --> 00:27:06.350 So what happens is we're communicating, there's something wrong. 00:27:06.830 --> 00:27:11.110 And so rather than work through it in a Christlike manner, we demonstrate our authority. 00:27:11.110 --> 00:27:14.800 We come in the room like terrorists and we tell people to bow down because I am the most important. 00:27:17.970 --> 00:27:20.180 So what you put in the gap is essential. 00:27:20.490 --> 00:27:24.830 And what we typically put there as what we've experienced or our position and authority. 00:27:28.190 --> 00:27:36.190 I mean, you may even know what it's like to be on the other end of that or 00:27:36.190 --> 00:27:40.630 someone's position or authority is placed over you. 00:27:41.790 --> 00:27:46.050 You ever had a boss where no matter what you did, you just started from the negative. 00:27:46.850 --> 00:27:47.590 You couldn't win. 00:27:49.530 --> 00:27:53.890 You probably would categorize it as one of the more fantastic relationships you've ever had in your life, right? 00:27:57.610 --> 00:27:59.770 It felt like you wanted to be close to each other. 00:27:59.770 --> 00:28:01.780 You couldn't wait to see each other's faces. 00:28:01.930 --> 00:28:02.070 Right? 00:28:02.630 --> 00:28:04.570 The bridge was really being built there. 00:28:05.870 --> 00:28:07.380 Look forward to going into work today. 00:28:08.530 --> 00:28:10.320 It's probably one of the longer jobs you've held to. 00:28:15.520 --> 00:28:16.790 What do you do in those moments? 00:28:19.170 --> 00:28:26.290 Well, Paul is saying for us that love and the bridge that it builds us to believe in 00:28:26.290 --> 00:28:26.830 hope. 00:28:26.830 --> 00:28:33.870 It's to earnestly expect what God can produce in that relationship to not assume the worst, but believe the best to look 00:28:33.870 --> 00:28:38.430 forward to what God desires to accomplish in your relationship together. 00:28:39.050 --> 00:28:43.450 Why is it helpful we see in Jesus's life? 00:28:45.130 --> 00:28:46.330 How's Jesus' expecting? 00:28:46.870 --> 00:28:48.170 Best heals? 00:28:51.390 --> 00:28:53.300 We love him because he first loved us. 00:28:54.670 --> 00:29:00.950 You think about relationships that you have in this world that what they start on is hope and trust. 00:29:01.990 --> 00:29:03.530 It's what brings you together. 00:29:04.170 --> 00:29:08.870 It's what spans that gap to, to bring closeness and intimacy. 00:29:10.430 --> 00:29:11.650 And it keeps it going. 00:29:14.170 --> 00:29:23.430 In what Paul is saying in this passage, that relationships that are successful, they have, they have trust or belief in one another rather 00:29:23.430 --> 00:29:25.650 than accusation and choosing to believe the worst. 00:29:27.810 --> 00:29:31.290 It's helpful because we've seen it demonstrated in Jesus his life. 00:29:32.750 --> 00:29:40.990 The half how someone believing and trusting and giving his life for the benefit of others heals on 00:29:40.990 --> 00:29:41.770 the same thought. 00:29:44.630 --> 00:29:48.050 No one wants to be on the opposite side of a relationship that assumes the worst. 00:29:50.770 --> 00:29:52.310 It doesn't breed healthy growth. 00:29:55.110 --> 00:30:01.390 Being in a friendship or relationship where someone assumes the worst is, does not feel great. 00:30:03.770 --> 00:30:09.550 And when in our relationships, when we immediately go to the negative, what we communicate is this. 00:30:09.570 --> 00:30:17.010 Now, no matter what you do or how hard you try, you're 00:30:17.050 --> 00:30:17.850 never going to be good enough. 00:30:22.730 --> 00:30:27.830 And so when you put someone in that position, wedges the gap further. 00:30:31.110 --> 00:30:34.990 Paul is saying in this passage, trust builds the bridge. 00:30:37.790 --> 00:30:39.210 Disappointment rather destroy. 00:30:41.490 --> 00:30:43.590 Let me give us two, two thoughts of advice. 00:30:45.670 --> 00:30:53.730 One, if you're in the relationship where you feel the other person makes be expressing things negatively, or 00:30:53.730 --> 00:30:59.990 if you're in the relationship where you don't want to be negative but the other person makes it really easy to do that, what do you do? 00:31:01.250 --> 00:31:02.130 Let me just say this first. 00:31:02.150 --> 00:31:07.110 If you're, if you're in a relationship where someone goes to the negative, let me, let me just tell you can't change them. 00:31:07.890 --> 00:31:11.470 Okay, here's what I, here's what I don't want to achieve this morning. 00:31:11.490 --> 00:31:18.690 I don't want to walk out this morning and something pricks something somewhere in a relationship with you and you go to that person, you're like, they just preached a message 00:31:18.690 --> 00:31:21.100 on it and this is why you stink. 00:31:21.270 --> 00:31:22.600 You know, that's not what we want. 00:31:22.770 --> 00:31:26.240 We don't want anything, anything to that degree or any sort of degree happening. 00:31:26.490 --> 00:31:28.710 You're not going to change a heart that way. 00:31:28.750 --> 00:31:35.050 That's not gonna work like that and it's not helpful for you demonstrating a behavior that bridges the gap. 00:31:35.050 --> 00:31:43.910 Because on the other end of that, you're now guilty of doing the various same thing that we're saying in relationships that aren't healthy, so 00:31:43.910 --> 00:31:44.570 you can't change. 00:31:45.990 --> 00:31:48.110 It's not helpful to tell them where they're wrong. 00:31:49.550 --> 00:31:56.610 I think in some cases when you experience those things on the continual, a walk with someone in a relationship, boundaries helps. 00:31:56.610 --> 00:32:04.190 So that way you don't get hurt to a, to a certain degree and what they're behaving with. 00:32:04.190 --> 00:32:07.090 But I think one of the important things you could do is pray for them. 00:32:08.810 --> 00:32:15.750 And you've seen this passage of scripture, what Paul says that where our hearts can rest and how helpful that is. 00:32:15.790 --> 00:32:22.650 I would say pray for them because when someone demonstrates that in their lives, you don't know what it took for them to get there. 00:32:25.690 --> 00:32:26.770 We don't always know the baggage. 00:32:26.970 --> 00:32:36.130 People have gone through the hardships they face and they need some grace and 00:32:36.130 --> 00:32:43.150 you this morning and hearing how Paul communicates that to be a liaison to demonstrate this and the 00:32:43.150 --> 00:32:44.330 goodness of who Christ is. 00:32:45.930 --> 00:32:53.450 And so you can pray for them and just show them by example what it means to believe and 00:32:53.450 --> 00:32:54.210 trust. 00:32:54.210 --> 00:32:57.250 And honestly to some degree you can prove them wrong. 00:32:59.290 --> 00:33:06.450 I mean an example of a boss who may be difficult and an employee you can demonstrate from your life the exact opposite 00:33:06.450 --> 00:33:07.370 of the accusation. 00:33:07.370 --> 00:33:09.570 Just let the character speak for itself. 00:33:11.030 --> 00:33:17.950 I know it sometimes takes longer in relationships for that to be demonstrated, but in your life, even still, Jesus is worshiped. 00:33:19.370 --> 00:33:20.450 I mean, God is glorified. 00:33:21.110 --> 00:33:25.670 And that sort of response to the midst of hardship. 00:33:27.570 --> 00:33:36.210 In fact, could I say it's most like Jesus because it's exactly what Jesus did for you on 00:33:36.210 --> 00:33:41.920 the other side, what if, what happens when a person responds disappointing? 00:33:44.130 --> 00:33:46.980 And at that moment you can't believe or you can't trust. 00:33:49.410 --> 00:33:56.090 And what do you do when you are in that relationship and you see what Paul says here, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 00:33:56.090 --> 00:34:03.110 How do you respond when someone gives you exactly the opposite of being able to trust in and believe in them 00:34:03.110 --> 00:34:05.990 and then this is what I say is address it when it happens. 00:34:09.370 --> 00:34:16.370 Don't assume the worse cause that divides but when it happens, address and then if it 00:34:16.370 --> 00:34:23.290 doesn't, don't go there because what God desires is for you to still work towards the best in each other. 00:34:26.449 --> 00:34:28.389 Trust doesn't mean you don't address the trouble. 00:34:30.670 --> 00:34:39.090 Rather what it's saying is you look for reasons and explanations that's honoring to someone else and uniting with them until 00:34:39.090 --> 00:34:47.389 there is no excuse and when there is no excuse, you have a conversation but 00:34:47.389 --> 00:34:48.070 you don't accuse. 00:34:50.190 --> 00:34:51.270 You don't live in the negative. 00:34:52.870 --> 00:34:58.730 Rather you look for the solution in the trial in order to get past the negative so you can move forward together. 00:35:00.250 --> 00:35:07.270 I want to say this before I give you the last, last way to respond to that person, but because we've talked the last four weeks in love, one of the things I want to 00:35:07.270 --> 00:35:14.110 talk about next week is just boundaries because there are certain areas in our lives or those are healthy, but we'll get to that in the future. 00:35:14.210 --> 00:35:15.050 But I want to say this. 00:35:15.510 --> 00:35:16.330 What happens? 00:35:16.760 --> 00:35:24.010 What happens when you respond to someone that's disappointing, when you know they've done something that may not be worthy of believing in or trusting in 00:35:24.010 --> 00:35:33.230 the first is you address the one that happens in the second as this healthy relationships happen when 00:35:33.230 --> 00:35:36.960 the focus is on the target and not on the peripheral. 00:35:37.610 --> 00:35:37.710 Okay? 00:35:38.950 --> 00:35:46.110 What I mean is when someone responds negative, I think it's important to address, address it when it comes up, if it's essential 00:35:46.110 --> 00:35:48.940 to the relationship or helpful for the individual. 00:35:49.070 --> 00:35:56.090 I think when that moment happens, you don't just assume you live in a life of assuming, but you believe and your bear and your hope 00:35:56.510 --> 00:35:57.010 and you endure. 00:35:59.540 --> 00:36:06.990 But the goal of all of it in the midst of the conflict is to address the conflict so that in the relationship 00:36:06.990 --> 00:36:09.720 you can begin to pursue the target again. 00:36:11.590 --> 00:36:12.310 What's the target? 00:36:14.720 --> 00:36:19.980 I think it's through your relationship with the Lord being able to express this goodness and your relationship with one another. 00:36:22.810 --> 00:36:29.870 We've demonstrated it and John 13 and Philippians chapter two and Paul's talking about the unity and in this 00:36:29.870 --> 00:36:37.050 passage, first Corinthians chapter 13 we don't live our lives trying to address 00:36:37.050 --> 00:36:44.270 everything that's wrong with every relationship that we have because you'll never have the opportunity to enjoy what God has given you and grow 00:36:44.270 --> 00:36:45.630 towards that goal together. 00:36:47.150 --> 00:36:50.090 Rather, you believe all things and you hope all things. 00:36:50.310 --> 00:36:57.750 I mean you continue to look towards that target with one another's, that you can experience what God has created that relationship 00:36:57.750 --> 00:36:58.110 for. 00:37:02.310 --> 00:37:09.570 When it comes to gaps, you're always going to have a gap, but relationships are 00:37:09.570 --> 00:37:16.770 about bridge building to experience the love that's built on God's 00:37:16.770 --> 00:37:16.990 truth. 00:37:18.970 --> 00:37:22.430 Every time you have a gap, you make a decision. 00:37:24.650 --> 00:37:25.880 What are you going to put into that gap? 00:37:28.730 --> 00:37:36.090 Some of us have come from broken, messed up backgrounds, poor 00:37:36.090 --> 00:37:43.430 examples, not having had a target to shoot for understanding the reason which God's created relationships. 00:37:45.750 --> 00:37:52.910 Tried to kind of figure it out, but maybe muddle along hopefully in the series 00:37:52.910 --> 00:37:59.970 together we've looked and we examine what love really is and where are you find your 00:37:59.970 --> 00:38:07.070 worth and what to do in conflict and what God has called you to 00:38:07.070 --> 00:38:12.910 in relationship in this world and how to build in the gap. 00:38:14.490 --> 00:38:15.490 Yeah. 00:38:15.490 --> 00:38:22.870 I think as we leave here this morning, we have a choice to not only put in the gap of our relationships, but 00:38:22.870 --> 00:38:30.030 to really model for this world what it means to love as God has called us to love and demonstrate the love 00:38:30.030 --> 00:38:32.670 in which Jesus has lavished upon us. 00:38:34.810 --> 00:38:41.850 I more than any generation for us in America, our culture needs to know that love is possible and 00:38:41.850 --> 00:38:43.910 to live in intimacy and joy. 00:38:43.950 --> 00:38:51.150 Relationships that thrive is possible because of the law that Jesus has given to us and you have an opportunity to 00:38:51.150 --> 00:38:54.070 make an impact on your culture, on your culture, in this generation. 00:38:54.850 --> 00:38:56.450 In demonstrating this love. 00:38:58.970 --> 00:39:06.850 Can I tell you maybe the most important thing when you read first Corinthians 13 I think 00:39:06.850 --> 00:39:12.350 it's just worth ending and noting that Jesus has loved you this way. 00:39:14.430 --> 00:39:16.010 Love is patient. 00:39:18.750 --> 00:39:19.360 Love is kind. 00:39:21.330 --> 00:39:22.070 Love is not jealous. 00:39:24.510 --> 00:39:27.140 Love does not brag and it is not arrogant, does not act on becoming. 00:39:27.310 --> 00:39:28.210 It does not seek its own. 00:39:28.270 --> 00:39:29.110 It is not provoked. 00:39:29.310 --> 00:39:35.230 It does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in truth. 00:39:35.330 --> 00:39:43.290 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, and then he says this in verse eight love 00:39:43.290 --> 00:39:44.930 never fails. 00:39:49.410 --> 00:39:55.880 The only reason we can talk about love to this degree, it's because this little hub has been demonstrated in Christ. 00:39:58.750 --> 00:40:00.770 His love has been demonstrated for you. 00:40:01.350 --> 00:40:03.270 That you could connect to him. 00:40:03.270 --> 00:40:09.510 Jesus has spanned the gap that has separated you and your relationship with him because of sin. 00:40:11.950 --> 00:40:19.050 Can I tell you in everything that we've talked about this morning, the most important thing, it's to reach out 00:40:19.050 --> 00:40:21.090 to that God that has span that gap for you. 00:40:22.770 --> 00:40:28.250 Look, if you never done that, I think this morning it starts like this. 00:40:29.790 --> 00:40:36.950 I love you and how you've covered my sin by dying for me and I want to embrace that 00:40:36.950 --> 00:40:41.660 to experience you and the love for what you've created me to experience. 00:40:45.410 --> 00:40:52.250 Bible tells us from there, we become new, create new creatures, able to demonstrate his love in the world around us.