Building on a prophecy that was brought a couple of weeks ago, saynig that we are a "Fire Church", Phil looked at 1 Corinthians 13 and how the church needed to demonstrate each of these qualities to each other and to the outside world.
Introduction
• Word from Tim Banfield, Sunday visitor from Wales.
• We are a fire church
• Go and light some fires
Don't know if you have considered what a fire church looks like?
What does that mean?
I have been thinking and praying about it since we had this word. As you we listened to the recording we can get excited about that but what's the reality look like
So what does a fire church look like?
A place where we experience the presence of God?
A place where Gods kingdom breaks into people's lives?
A place where we can expect healing and deliverance to take place?
A place where people are saved?
A church through which God demonstrates his Kingdom rule and reign into every place he has given us influence
As I prayed God led me this one main thing a place where his love in experienced and lived out
Jesus said this to his disciples, that means us.
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.””
John 13:34-35 NLT
How are you expressing his love to One another?
In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul is writing about spiritual gifts, leadership, and the importance of embracing your gifting. In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul continues this line of reasoning as he talks about leaders sounding a clear call.
But right in the middle is 1 Corinthians 13, commonly known as “the love chapter.” If you have ever attended a Christian wedding ceremony, you have most likely heard a verse or two quoted.
1 Corinthians 13 is a chapter on how to love one another in the church, not how to be a great husband or wife.
We cannot be effective as a people if we do not know how to love one another.
What If we applied 1 Corinthians 13 to every area of church life, what difference would that make?
The whole point of Jesus coming was that the world would know the love of the Father.
The whole point of the church is that through the church the world would get to se and experience this love.
Who's this letter to ?
“To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:”
1 Corinthians 1:2 ESV
Consider what love is:
• Love is patient.
Am I giving others the same room to make mistakes as I want them to give me?
Do we get exasperated with one another when they don't do what we want them to?
• Love is kind.
Do the people actually like being around you? If you want to know the answer to this question, just ask yourself how much they ask to hang out with you outside of a church meeting.
• Love is not Jealous or boastful or Proud or rude
Are you jealous of someone's gifting or anointing or maybe of who they are and what they have?
Or do you boast or have pride in your heart?
Or are you rude to people, ignoring them even when spoken to? Or brushing them of as though they are nothing?
Do we do want we do out of selfish ambition?
What if you were asked to give up what you do? How would you handle it? Could you do it?
• Love does not demand its own way
Will we only give of ourselves on our terms?
If it's done my way that's ok but if it's not I'm out.
• Love always protects.
Do we have one another's back?
Do we speak well of on
