Love Suffers Long

by Steve Hale

(I Corinthians 13:4)

Thesis: Christian love is enduring, and suffers through many trials and tribulations.

Introduction:

  1. Quote I Corinthians 13.

  2. In the Scriptures, "longsuffering" has to do with injurious persons and does not let their ignorant, mean, or malicious actions arouse the resentment and the anger which they deserve.

    1. What empowers a Christian to do this..."love suffers long."
      1. Martin Luther translated the Bible while imprisoned in the Castle of Wartburg.
      2. John Bunyan wrote Pilgrim's Progress while confined to a Bedford jail cell due to his views on religion.
      3. Sir Walter Raleigh wrote History Of The World while imprisoned for thirteen years!
    2. Indeed, "love suffers long" and is kind.
  3. Among the fruit of the Spirit, there is love (Gk. agape) and longsuffering (Gk. makrothumia).
    1. These with the other "fruit" of the Spirit, are only possible by the revolution that takes place in one's soul in the battle of the flesh and the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-18; Romans 7:22-25).
      1. The flesh (Gk. sarx) is not inherited depravity (Eze. 18:4, 20), but that bridgehead against which sin enters our lives.
      2. Spirit is the Holy Spirit, given to the Christian at his/her conversion (Acts 2:38; 5:32).
    2. There needs to be no debate as to the fact the Spirit dwells in the Christian (Romans 8:9).
      1. We may legitimately disagree as to how He dwells in us, but not as to the fact that He does dwell in us.
      2. So long as we recognize we are brought to Christ by the gospel
        1. (Romans 1:16), and are led by God by means of the Scriptures
        2. (II Timothy 3:16, 17), and that miracles through the agency of the spirit by human hands has ceased
        3. (I Corinthians 13:8-13),there should be Christian love and charity in regard to the indwelling of the Spirit.
      3. I believe the Spirit personally dwells in the Christian, and does much, not to him, but for him.
        1. The Spirit is the earnest (Gk. arrabon) of our salvation (Ephesians 1:13; II Corinthians 5:4-5).
        2. The Spirit is the seal of our redemption (Ephesians 1:13, 4:30).
        3. The Spirit assists us in prayer (Romans 8:26-27).
      4. These are not things He does to us, but for us.
  4. As the battle rages for the soul, and that bridgehead loses ground at the hands of the Lord, the empty vessel, with the works of the flesh pushed aside, must then fill the vacuumn.
    1. Among the fruit of the Spirit in the life of a Christian is:
      1. love (Galatians 5:22).
      2. longsuffering (Galatians 5:22).
    2. Here is a look at each of these.

Discussion:

  1. love (Galatians 5:22).

    1. As Paul paints the portrait of a good man, he lists the qualities in the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
      1. At the head of the list is love:
        1. God is love (I John 4:8).
        2. The greatest of these is love (I Corinthians 13:13).
        3. It is the bond of perfection which binds everything together in perfect harmony (Colossians 3:14).
        4. It is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:10).
      2. The English language is really in poverty to describe love as we love: pizza, cars, football, wives, husbands, children, UT, Vandy, Tech, vacations, golf, bridge, the ocean, etc.
    2. The Greeks had four words for love, each with a different shade of meaning:
      1. eros;
      2. storge;
      3. philia;
      4. agape. Barclay -- "...is the spirit in the heart which will never seek anything but the highest good of its fellow men" (Flesh and Spirit, p. 65).
    3. Everything begins with the love of God, because God is love (II Corinthians 13:11).
      1. Christian love is a reflection of God's love, and from His love it draws its pattern and power!
      2. It is a completely undeserved love (Romans 5:8).
      3. It is a productive and transforming love (Romans 5:3-5).
      4. It is an inseparable love (Romans 8:35-39).
      5. It is a great love (Ephesians 2:4-7), because:
        1. it loved us when we were dead in sins.
        2. it quicked us to newness of life.
        3. it goes beyond life into the heavenly places.
    4. As it is the love of God, so it is also the love of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:35-39).
      1. It passes all knowledge (Ephesians 3:19).
      2. It is the pattern for the Christian life (Ephesians 5:2).
      3. It is the controlling dynamic of the Christian life (II Corinthians 5:14).
    5. The powerful connection between faith and love (Ephesians 1:15; Colossians 1:4; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; Phm. 5).:
      1. The highest praise for a church is that it has faith in Christ, and love for one another.
      2. There is a double connection here:
        1. Paul prays that the Ephesians will have faith with love (Ephesians 6:23).
        2. Then, he speaks of faith working through love (Galatians 5:6).
        3. Love must be based on faith, or else why would we evangelize or desire our country to seek God.
    6. Love is:
      1. The atmosphere of the Christian life (Ephesians 5:2; Colossians 3:14).
      2. The universal motive of the Christian life (I Corinthians 16:14; Matthew 5:21-48).
      3. The means to Christian unity (Colossians 2:2; Ephesians 1:15; Colossians 1:4; 1 Thessalonians 3:12).
        1. We love leaders in the church (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).
        2. We love our fellow Christian (I John 4:19-21).
        3. We love all men.
      4. The accent of Christian truth (2 Thessalonians 2:10; Ephesians 4:15).
      5. The ground of the Christian appeal (Phm. 7; Romans 15:30).
      6. The motive for preaching (Matthew 23:37).
      7. The controller of Christian liberty (Galatians 5:13; Romans 14:15).
      8. Love is clear-sighted (Philippians 1:10; II Corinthians 2:4; I Corinthians 16:24).
      9. The pursuit of the Christian (I Corinthians 14:1; Philippians 1:8).
  2. longsuffering (Galatians 5:22).
    1. Whereas we are familiar with short-tempered, makrothumia is a Greek word for "long-tempered."
      1. In the Vulgate, makrothumia is translated into the Latin word longanimias.
      2. The first editions of the Roman Catholic Rehims Bible tried to introduce into the English language longanimity: "The longanimitie of Lord count salvation" (II Peter 3:15).
      3. "...in all patience and longanimite" (Colossians 1:11).
      4. Though wonderfully expressing makrothumia, the words did not endure in English.
    2. Longsuffering means:
      1. Patience with people, never turning into bitterness:
        1. it is the basis for forgiveness (Proverbs 19:11).
        2. it is the basis for humility (Eccles. 7:8).
        3. it is the foundation of fellowship (Proverbs 15:18).
        4. It is the basis of all good personal relationships (Proverbs 25:15).
        5. It is the basis of all true wisdom (Proverbs 14:29).
        6. It is the basis of all true power (Proverbs 16:32).
      2. Describes God Himself!
        1. The LORD is merciful, gracious and slow to anger (Ex. 34:6; Neh. 9:17; Psalm 103:8; 86:15; 145:8; Jon. 4:2).
        2. Thus, it is:
          1. The sinner's hope (Joel 2:13; II Peter 3:15).
          2. The sinner's warning (Num. 14:18; II Peter 3:9; Romans 2:4).
          3. The sinner's doom (Romans 9:22).
        3. For the Christian, we must:
          1. Wear it as a badge of the Christian life (Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:12; II Corinthians 6:6; I Corinthians 13:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:14).
          2. As preachers and teachers, patiently work through false doctrines (II Timothy 3:10; 4:2).
          3. Respond with longsuffering to circumstances and events (Colossians 1:11; II Corinthians 6:6; James 5:7-10).
          4. For practical Christian living, this is among the greatest virtues!
    Conclusion: 1. "love suffers long, and is kind" (I Corinthians 13:4). 2. The death of Robin...and the letter a grieving father wrote his mother. 3. "Why did My Savior Come To Earth, And to the humble go? Why did He choose a lowly birth? Because He loved me so! Why did He drink the bitter cup Of sorrow, pain and woe? Why on the cross be lifted up? Because He loved me so!

    Till Jesus comes I'll sing His praise,
    And then to glory go, And reign with Him thru endless days,
    Because He loved me so!

    He loved me so, He loved me so;
    He gave His precious life for me, for me, Because He loved me so."

    J.G. Dailey, 1892 --

    July 5, 1998



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