VIDEO: 3-29-20 Sermon "RADICAL HOPE: Perseverance Produces Character"

Welcome,

This morning we are expanding our worship experience online.  There are a few videos of worship songs for you to sing to the glory to God.  There are  some words I sent out earlier this week about communion.  There is a suggestion for prayer.   Finally, there is a video sermon about moving from suffering to hope and how perseverance plays a role in this process.

God bless.  We may be separated by miles, but we can still be together in spirit.  Have a great Lord's Day.

His servant,

Todd

WORSHIP

COMMUNION

We want to encourage you to take the Lord’s Supper in your home at 10:00am on Sundays.  In this way, we can take communion together even though we are apart.  We ask you to use grape juice and crackers as is appropriate.  Feel free to take communion at another time if you cannot join us on Sunday morning at 10:00am.  

Read 1 Corinthians 10:16, 17 with a time of silent reflection followed by a prayer.  1 Corinthians 10:16,17 NIV says, “Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf."  Here is a possible communion prayer to say before you take the bread and the juice.  “Our Father, we join with Your church in observing this supper which has been preserved for two thousand years.  We rejoice that we are in the succession of those who, in every generation, have kept the name of Jesus alive.  Accept our thanks, O God, as we celebrate His supper today.  Amen.” – adapted from S. S. Lappin.  Take the Lord's Supper.

PRAYER

As prayer has always been an important part of our worship, let us pray for those with COVID-19.  We are hearing of more cases in our area.  In fact, Audrey Cassabon, Mike Wrobleski's mom, was recently positively diagnosed with this coronavirus.   Pray for God's help as doctors and researchers work to find therapies and vaccines.  Pray for nurses, techs, and aids as they treat those who are infected.

SERMON

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:1-11‬ ‭NIV

CHALLENGE

Memorize and/or meditate upon James 1:2 & 3. Write down 3 times when you gave up (did not persevere). Write 3 better strategies you could have utilized in those situations. On a scale from 1-5 (1 little chance and 5 overwhelmingly likely) how close are you to quitting on God, on your spouse, your job, your kids, right now? You cannot make it to hope without going through perseverance. To get there you must get there.  You must keep on keeping on.

Pray for one another often. Encourage one another with texts, emails, calls, IM’s, and any other means necessary. 

RADICAL HOPE: Perseverance Produces Character - Romans 5:1-4 Sermon Outline (a blog post for a video sermon for Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, from March 29, 2020)

RADICAL HOPE:  Perseverance Produces Character (Romans 5:1-4) - March 29, 2020

INTRODUCTION

Radical Hope is not the run of the mill hope. It is not something between a wish and a certainty. Hope that is worth having and worth holding onto is neither cheap nor easy. It is not simple, nor is it immediate. It is developed from suffering and perseverance.

Lou Ferrigno, Franco Columba, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson didn’t get the physiques they have by accident, easily, or immediately. If I told you that you could look like them and didn’t help you understand the work, effort, commitment, and hardship that it takes to become like one of them, my omission would really be a lie. They don’t do this to punish themselves. They have a goal in mind.

Anyone who wants hope must press on, work hard, be committed, and never give up. There is no other way.

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:1-11‬ ‭NIV‬

I. WE SHOULD BE THRILLED TO ENDURE SUFFERING

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

‭‭James‬ ‭1:2-8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

temptation

From peirazo; a putting to proof (by experiment (of good), experience (of evil), solicitation, discipline or provocation); by implication, adversity -- temptation, try.

A. The testing of your faith produces perseverance.

B. Perseverance allows us to become what we are supposed to become.

II. PERSEVERANCE IS NOT THE END IN ITSELF

Testing from James 1:3

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 1383: δοκίμιον

δοκίμιον, δοκιμιου, τό (dokimee];

1. equivalent to τό δοκιμάζειν, the proving: τῆς πίστεως, James 1:3.

James and Paul use the same word for perseverance (hypomonan)

By perseverance the snail reached the Ark. - Charles Spurgeon

“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

‭‭ Hebrews‬ ‭12:7-11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you.” The goal is growth which can hurt.

Vincent’s Word Studies

Perfect and entire (τέλειοι καὶ ὁλόκληροι)

The two words express different shades of thought. Τέλειοι, perfect, from τέλος, fulfilment or completion (perfect, from perfectus, per factus, made throughout), denotes that which, has reached its maturity or fulfilled the end contemplated. Ολόκληροι, from ὅλος, entire, and κλῆρος, a lot or allotment; that which has all which properly belongs to it; its entire allotment, and is, therefore, intact in all its parts.

A. “So that” you may be MATURE.

1. Reached its maturity.

2. Fulfilled the end contemplated.

B. “So that” you may be COMPLETE.

1. The entire allotment

2. Intact in all its part

Thus Peter (Acts 3:16) says of the restored cripple, "faith has given him this perfect soundness (ὁλοκληρίαν). Compare the familiar phrase, an accomplished man. Note, also, James' repetition of the key-words of his discourse, rejoice, joy, patience, perfect.

C. “So that” you may not be LACKING ANYTHING.

Vincent’s Word Studies

Wanting nothing (ἐν μηδενὶ λειπόμενοι)

Rev., more literally, lacking in nothing. Note James' characteristic corroboration of a positive statement by a negative clause: entire, lacking in nothing ; God that giveth and upbraideth not; in faith, nothing doubting. The conditional negative μηδενὶ, nothing, is used, rather than the absolute negative οὐδενὶ, as implying nothing which may be supposed ; no possible thing.

III. PERSEVERANCE PRODUCES CHARACTER

HELPS Word-studies for “character”

Cognate: 1382 dokimḗ (a feminine noun derived from 1384 /dókimos) – proof of genuineness ("approval, through testing"), a brand of what is "tested and true." See 1381 (dokimazō).

Character is what does not change when it can.

A. There is a purpose.

B. There is a result.

C. There is a hope.

CHALLENGE

Memorize and/or meditate upon James 1:2 & 3. Write down 3 times when you gave up (did not persevere). Write 3 better strategies you could have utilized in those situations. On a scale from 1-5 (1 little chance and 5 overwhelmingly likely) how close are you to quitting on God, on your spouse, your job, your kids, right now? You cannot make it to hope without going through perseverance. To get there you must get there.  You must keep on keeping on,

Pray for one another often. Encourage one another with texts, emails, calls, IM’s, and any other means necessary. 

VIDEO: 3-22-20 Sermon "RADICAL HOPE: Hope Starts with Suffering"

Today is the beginning of a new sermon series.  "Radical Hope" will help us see how God wants to produce hope in our lives.  I have included a sermon outline in the blog post before this one.  You can reference it later if you would like.  Please read Romans 5:1-11 prior to watching the video.  Pay special attention to the bold, italicized section which is Romans 5:1-3 which I will cover today.  Thank you for joining me.

His servant,

Todd

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:1-11‬ ‭NIV‬

RADICAL HOPE: Hope Starts with Suffering - Romans 5:1-3 Sermon Outline (a blog post for a video sermon for Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, from March 22, 2020)

RADICAL HOPE:

Hope Starts with Suffering (Romans 5:1-3) - March 22, 2020

INTRODUCTION

Radical Love series is over. I have been planning these series for a very long time, and who would have thought that we would finish a series on love and begin a new series on hope as the coronavirus pandemic would strike. God did.

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:1-11‬ ‭NIV‬

“There are no hopeless situations; there are only people who have grown hopeless about them.”

― Clare Boothe Luce (politician, first female ambassador abroad, conservative figure)

We have reason for hope.‬

A. Peace with God is our foundation for hope.

1. Faith

2. Justification

3. Access into this grace

4. We boast in the hope of the glory of God.

I. SUFFERING

A. Hope and suffering

1. The glory of God

2. The suffering of this life

3. Hope points to something greater

“They preached the gospel in that city (Derbe) and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭14:21-22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

B. Suffering and God’s will

1. Why do we believe that “suffering can’t be God’s will”?

Nouwen, McNeill, and Morrison “Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life” includes the idea of our suffering God

2. Look back on your life. How often can you see suffering connected to God’s will?

3. The lie of Satan - You are only suffering because . . .

II. BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF SUFFERING

Paula and her life of suffering. I have told her ever since I met her that she needs a book written about her life. Abused, unloved, kidnapped, chronically sick, betrayed, isolated, diseased, injured, kidney stone sufferer, afflicted with disabling trauma. Yet . . . She rises up and praises God anyway.

A. Job

“and (Job) said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.””

‭‭Job‬ ‭1:21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

B. Joseph

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭50:20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

C. Paul

In 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 Paul reluctantly recounts his resume of suffering:

• whipped with 39 lashes (5 different times)
• beaten with rods (3 different times)
• pummeled with stones (1 time)
• shipwrecked (3 times)
• adrift at sea (one night, one day)
• journeys (frequent)
• danger from rivers
• danger from robbers
• danger from his own people
• danger from Gentiles
• danger in the city
• danger in the wilderness
• danger at sea
• danger from false brothers
• toil and hardship
• sleepless nights (many)
• hungry and thirsty (often)
• cold and exposed
• the pressure of anxiety for all the churches (daily)

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:7-12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

D. Jesus

1. His life

a. Hated

b. Forsaken

c. Accused

d. Beaten

e. Killed for crimes he did not commit

2. His death

a. The penalty of sin

b. Separation from his Father

c. The weight of the world

III. SUFFERING PRODUCES PERSEVERANCE

Bob Ross is one of my favorite artists. A few years ago Paula and I looked into what it would take to buy “a Bob Ross.” Needless to say I don’t have one of his originals. If you watch Bob Ross paint, you know that when he begins it is very difficult to see a picture in his sweeps and swooshes. In the end though, there is always a beautiful seen with happy little trees and and reminders that “We don’t make mistakes. We just have happy accidents.”

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

produce, perform, work out.

From kata and ergazomai; to work fully, i.e. Accomplish; by implication, to finish, fashion -- cause, to (deed), perform, work (out).

A. There is a purpose.

B. There is a result.

C. There is a hope.

CHALLENGE

Memorize and meditate on 1 Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” Write down 10 reasons for the hope you have. Share those reasons with someone else this week. Pray for one another. Contact one another.

Video Sermon will be up Sunday Morning, March 22, 2020

My latest message will be up on this blog and www.kenwoodchurch.org this Sunday morning,  March 22, 2020.  I am beginning a series called "Radical Hope."  We will spend 4 weeks looking at Roman's 5:1-11.  We will specifically see how we can develop hope.

Preaching in the Age of the Coronavirus

My sermon is ready.  It is the first in a series on hope.  The Radical Hope series will challenge us to find hope in a hope depleted world. 

The Radical Love series I just finished challenged us to love as God has graced us.  The words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 pressed us toward a love that never fails (ceases).

This series demonstrates our basis for hope.  We are a people of hope who have a reason for hope.  Join me this Sunday on www.kenwoodsermons.blogspot.com or www.kenwoodchurch.org as we study Roman's 5:1-11.

His servant,

Todd

VIDEO: 3-15-20 Sermon "The Greatest of These" (6 segments)

3-15-20 Introduction (1 of 6)

3-15-20 Sermon "The Greatest of These" (2 of 6)

Transcript for this sermon is available in the previous blog post. 

3-15-20 Sermon "The Greatest of These" (3 of 6)

3-15-20 Sermon "The Greatest of These" (4 of 6)

3-15-20 Sermon "The Greatest of These" (5 of 6)   

3-15-20 Sermon "The Greatest of These" (6 of 6) 

RADICAL LOVE: The Greatest of These 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 Sermon Outline (a blogpost for a video sermon for Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, from March 15, 2020)

RADICAL LOVE - The Greatest of These - 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 - March 15, 2020

Prayer

INTRODUCTION

Love is patient.

Love is kind.

It does not envy.  It does not boast.  It is not proud.

It does not dishonor others.  It is not self-seeking.

It is not easily angered.  It keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

They will know you are my disciples by your love.

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

‭‭ 1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:1-13‬ ‭NIV‬

The importance of words

Greatest - from the root mega

A.  The temporary nature of important things

1.  Prophecies

2.  Tongues

3.  Knowledge

B.  The temporary becomes irrelevant when the permanent arrives

1.  Knowledge and prophesy have an expiration date.

2.  Maturity leaves childhood behind.

3.  A picture is not the person.

4.  Partial is not total.

“Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.”

‭‭ 1 Peter‬ ‭1:17-21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I.  FAITH

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

‭‭ Hebrews‬ ‭11:1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A.  Trust, belief

Illustration of boy in house fire

B.  The object of our faith is God.

C.  The assurance of our faith is Christ.

“There are bridges all the way”

A young girl, unaccustomed to traveling, was taking a train ride through the country, and it happened that in the course of the day her train was obliged to cross two branches of a river and several wide streams. The water seen in advance always awakened doubts and fears in the child. She did not understand how it could safely be crossed. As they drew near the river, however, a bridge appeared, and furnished a way over. Two or three times the experience was repeated, and finally the child leaned back with a long breath of relief and confidence.

“Somebody has put bridges for us all the way!”

II.  HOPE

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,”

‭‭ 1 Peter‬ ‭3:15‬ ‭NIV‬

A.  A way of living in faith

The Dying Boy

The school system in a large city had a program to help children keep up with their school work during stays in the city’s hospitals. One day a teacher who was assigned to the program received a routine call asking her to visit a particular child. She took the child’s name and room number and talked briefly with the child’s regular class teacher. “We’re studying nouns and adverbs in his class now,” the regular teacher said, “and I’d be grateful if you could help him understand them so he doesn’t fall too far behind.”

The hospital program teacher went to see the boy that afternoon. No one had mentioned to her that the boy had been badly burned and was in great pain. Upset at the sight of the boy, she stammered as she told him, “I’ve been sent by your school to help you with nouns and adverbs.” When she left she felt she hadn’t accomplished much. But the next day, a nurse asked her, “What did you do to that boy?” The teacher felt she must have done something wrong and began to apologize. “No, no,” said the nurse. “You don’t know what I mean. We’ve been worried about that little boy, but ever since yesterday, his whole attitude has changed. He’s fighting back, responding to treatment. It’s as though he’s decided to live.”

Two weeks later the boy explained that he had completely given up hope until the teacher arrived. Everything changed when he came to a simple realization. He expressed it this way: “They wouldn’t send a teacher to work on nouns and adverbs with a dying boy, would they?”

Bits and Pieces, July, 1991

He believed and had faith.

B.  The way we make it to tomorrow

C.  The missing ingredient for so many today

D.  Meaninglessness without a reason for hope

“There are no hopeless situations; there are only people who have grown hopeless about them.”

― Clare Boothe Luce (politician, first female ambassador abroad, conservative figure)

III.  LOVE

A.  “Living out the life of God”

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 

We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”

‭‭ 1 John‬ ‭4:7-21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

1.  Loving God

2.  Loving Others

Caleb, my son, posted this on his Facebook account on March 13, 2020, at 8:34pm in response to the Coronavirus Pandemic.

“If you being out of work is having a downfall to your family or kids, let me know. I can't help from a monetary standpoint, but I can get some bread, lunchmeat, cereal or something on the table. Just ask, free of judgement. Send me a private message, if you'd like.”

CHALLENGE

Read 1 Corinthians 13 every day.  Memorize 1 Corinthians 13:8a.  When have you ceased to love?  Try to demonstrate an unceasing love by working to repair that which is broken.  Love God and love others.

VIDEO: Coronavirus Update for March 14, 2020

Video Transcript for "Coronavirus Update for March 14, 2020"

Hi, this is Todd from Kenwood Church.  I have a special message for our Kenwood family.

With Coronavirus (COVID-19) being reported in our area including Livonia, we have decided to NOT hold our Sunday services for March 15th.  We have also canceled all events at the church for next week.  While the virus is really not dangerous to the vast majority of people, it is very dangerous to some, and we want to care for the vulnerable, which in this case are the elderly and the those with underlying health conditions.  This is not out of fear, but out of love.

We are canceling our Sunday gatherings, but we are not canceling church.  We are the church.  If there has ever been a time the world has needed the church, it is now.  People are scared, overwhelmed, anxious, angry, and isolated.  We need to be loving, compassionate, friendly, and helpful.

 

Let us be a light in the world.  We shine when we pray.  We shine when we contact the fearful.  We shine when we study the Word.  We shine when we help the vulnerable.  We shine when we explain why we have a reason for hope.  We shine when we act like Jesus.

 

Here are a few things you could do to help me.  (1) Please pass this information on to those in our Kenwood family who may not have or do not regularly check their email.  (2) Please send me contact information for people you know that attend Kenwood Church that may not have given us their information.  (3)  Please let me know of ministry opportunities that arise within your circle of influence where we might be able to help.

These are uncertain times, but we have a God we can certainly trust.  As Psalm 56:3 says, “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.”

God bless you all.

Radical Love: Love Never Fails - Sermon outline for March 8, 2020 (a blogpost for a sermon to be preached at Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on March 8, 2020)

RADICAL LOVE - Love Never Fails - 1 Corinthians 13:8a - March 8, 2020

Prayer

INTRODUCTION

Love is patient.

Love is kind.

It does not envy.  It does not boast.  It is not proud.

It does not dishonor others.  It is not self-seeking.

It is not easily angered.  It keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

They will know you are my disciples by your love.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

The importance of words

Never

1. I OFTEN FAIL

A.  In life

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

‭‭ Romans‬ ‭3:23‬ ‭NIV‬

‬ 1.  Work

2.  Relationships

B.  In love

A.  Good intentions

B.  Good behavior

C.  Good at failing

1. LOVE NEVER FAILS

A.  Love never fails, but I do.

1.  Love is not dependent upon my ability to love.

2.  Love never fails even when I do.

B.  Love never fails! Amen, Jesus!

1.  When I fail, He still loves.

2. He loves even when I am unlovable.

C.  Love never fails.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever  believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his  Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

‭‭ John‬ ‭3:16-17‬ ‭NIV‬

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

‭‭ Romans‬ ‭5:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into  the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but  that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

‭‭ 1 John‬ ‭4:9-10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

CHALLENGE

Read 1 Corinthians 13 every day.  Memorize 1 Corinthians 13:8a.  Have you ever failed to show God’s love to someone?  How does “love never fail” if we do?  Ask God to fill you with an abundance of His love.  Ask forgiveness from someone you have failed to love.  Love someone you have failed.