THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT: LOVE



Sermon Notes, July 10, 2016
Rev. Garry McGlinchy
The first sermon in Pastor Garry’s sermon series on the fruits of the Spirit, based on Galatians 5:22-23, was titled “The Fruits of the Spirit: Love.”  He also included scripture from 1 John 3:11-18, and 1 John 4:7-28.  He asked us to think about definitions for love, and talked about the many songs written about it, from “Jesus Loves Me” to U2’s love songs.  The world is looking for love in all the wrong places.  Pastor Garry gave us an assignment for the week: to read through 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John.
In 1 John 3:11-18, John restates the message from the beginning: Love one another.  To love God and love others is the cornerstone of what we do as Christians.  Jesus said it, in Matthew 22:34-40.  These two commandments sum up the Law and the Prophets.
There is no hatred in love.  We are to love those we don’t agree with.  Jesus also told us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48).  Pastor told about his mom telling him not to go “on the wrong side of the tracks;” it’s dangerous.  But sometimes those are the people who need God’s love more than ever.  Don’t be afraid of that the world says. 
1 John 3:16 talks about Jesus laying down His life for us.  We ought to be willing to lay down our lives for each other.  We express our love for God in our actions and in truth.  We need to do what Jesus did.  Acts 2:42-45 shows how the early church did it.
The Bible is God’s love story to each of us.  God loved us so much He sent His son. (John 3:16) 1 John 4:7-8 tells us again to love each other, because love is from God.  If you don’t love, you don’t know God.  We love Him because He first loved us.  While we were still sinners He loved us. 
Our lives should point to Jesus Christ.  Keep hanging onto the cross, because that’s where our power comes from.  That’s where our freedom comes from.

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