Sunday Sermon

Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places Dave Shaner September 12, 2004

Introduction: It's always been easy to pick a group of people not to like. There is an incredible abundance of phony love.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  - Romans 12:9

Why is love so hard to find?

I. Most do not have _______________________________________.

A. Love is not natural.

B. We all suffer from relational viruses.

II. I can not love consistently ______________________________.

A. Most of the love each of us experience is conditional.

B. We resort to unhealthy ways to keep our love tanks filled.

III. We will not live lives of love ____________________________.

A. We need a source of love that will never fail.

B. Luke 7:36-47

Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner." Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said. "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

C. Ephesians 5:1-2

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

D. I John 4:19

We love because he first loved us.

E. Psalm 13:5

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.

IV. You can not give your Father in Heaven ________________.

A. There is not anything you could do to make God love you more.

B. God's love is not based in your nature but His.

C. God's love is not invoked by your worth; it creates your worth.

D. Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

V. God will not move in a way ___________________________.

A. God will initiate but he will not invade.

B. Romans 5:5

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Conclusion: Some look for love in all the wrong places not knowing that God has already been looking for you.

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.  - Zephaniah 3:17

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