Sermons / September 27, 2026

Date: Sept. 27, 2026  Theme: Love in Action   Passage: 1 Corinthians 13-5 Main Idea: Since God has demonstrated His love toward us, we must act in love toward one another. Love in Action: 1. Love doesn’t self-seek:  a. Spiritual Reality: We Naturally Self-Seek (Phil 2:21) i. Most seek their own interests without genuine concern for the welfare of others (Phil 2:21). ii. Religious people can be zealous for God yet seek their own right standing with Him, not the right standing He has made available in Jesus Christ (Rom 10:3). http://iii.the one seeking their own life ends up losing it; the one losing their life for Christ will save it (Luke 17:33). http://iv.self-seeking’s telltale sign: speaking a lot about oneself (John 7:18). b. Christ’s Example: He sought His Father’s Glory (John 5:30). i. Jesus did not seek glory for himself (John 8:50). http://ii.jesus sought to please His Father (John 5:30; 7:18). http://iii.jesus’ servants should not seek glory from others but from God in their service (1 Thess 2:6). c. Proper Seeking: i. Seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness (Matt 6:33). He will provide what is needed for the rest of life (7:7,8). http://ii.seek the realities of heaven over the things of earth (Col 3:1; Rom 2:7). http://iii.seek to excel in gifts that build up others (1 Cor 14:12). 2. Love doesn’t easily get angry a. Biblical Perspective on Anger: i. God displays His wrath (anger) in judgment on those who persist in sin (Rom 1:18; 12:19; Rev 6:16–17). http://ii.sin and idolatry should cause believers to become angry (Acts 17:16; Eph 4:26) yet act appropriately. http://iii.anger epitomizes those who misunderstand God’s love (Luke 15:28). http://iv.our anger leads to judgment (Matt 5:22). v. Church leaders are not characterized as angry (Titus 1:7). b. Commands regarding our Anger: i. Rid yourself of anger by acting with kindness and forgiveness (Eph 4:31–32; Col 3:8). http://ii.pray (1 Tim 2:8). http://iii.be slow to anger by fleeing sin and submitting to God’s Word (James 1:19–21). 3. Love doesn’t keep records of wrongs a. The legalistic tend to calculate that their righteousness outweighs the sinner’s transgressions (Rom 2:3). b. God’s record keeping is different: i. He chooses not to count people’s transgressions against Him against them (2 Cor 5:19). http://ii.rather, He chooses to count us righteous based on our faith in the work of His Son (Rom 4, esp. 1–12; 20–25). http://iii.he can do this because He chose to count Jesus among the transgressors (Lk 22:37, Isa 53:11-12). c. Application i. Count yourself dead to sin (Rom 6:11). http://ii.think on those things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy (Phil 4:8). iii. Request God’s mercy toward those who wrong you (2 Tim 4:16). Application Questions: - Why is it that we so easily seek out only what is best for us? How does self-seeking and selfishness display itself in your life? - What can be done to help us seek God’s kingdom and Heaven’s realities over self and the things of this world? - Why is God allowed to be angry and act on it while we shouldn’t? - How do you biblically combat anger in your own life? - Read Romans 4 and take note on the various ways God credits/counts. How does this change your understanding of holding onto another’s sin against you? - What are ways we can give our minds over to the list of right thoughts in Phil 4:8?