WEBVTT 00:00:03.359 --> 00:00:06.480 Welcome to this week's message from the church at Chelsea Westover. 00:00:06.719 --> 00:00:12.640 Our core values are vibrant worship, intimate fellowship, fulfilling service, and clear biblical truth. 00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:15.199 We pray that this message changes your life. 00:00:15.359 --> 00:00:19.679 Let's tune in to today's message and see what God has in store for you. 00:00:20.320 --> 00:00:22.960 Now, during the week, I was praying about it. 00:00:23.199 --> 00:00:26.160 So, okay, you got a lot of stuff in you. 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:27.679 I'm a Methodist. 00:00:29.920 --> 00:00:33.039 I was part of Pentecostal church for a long time, so I don't know. 00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:36.079 So you might see a little, I think he called it Bapticausal. 00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:37.600 I think I'm Methodicostal. 00:00:37.759 --> 00:00:40.479 So if I get a little loud, I'm sorry. 00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:42.719 I gotta tell you, I gotta tell you the story too. 00:00:42.880 --> 00:00:46.240 When my wife first met me, she said, You are so loud. 00:00:47.280 --> 00:00:49.520 Why do you talk so loud? 00:00:50.719 --> 00:00:54.719 You know, being the military, I you know, I'm still trying to win a deal, of course. 00:00:54.799 --> 00:00:56.479 You know, I said, Well, I'm well traveled, you know. 00:00:56.560 --> 00:01:01.600 I lived in Germany, I lived in North Carolina, but you just can't take this country out of me. 00:01:01.920 --> 00:01:04.400 I've been to college, I'm sorry. 00:01:04.480 --> 00:01:09.760 I'm just loud, so and this is the first time I'm using the mic like this, so if I get too loud, pray for me. 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:11.120 Pray for me. 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:13.920 But we're gonna go straight into the word today. 00:01:15.599 --> 00:01:19.439 Um, talk about she basically said love. 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:24.799 Now, growing up, uh, I always like sports and stuff. 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:29.439 A lot of people debate about who's the greatest and this and who's the greatest and that. 00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:32.319 People have different debates and they talk. 00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:36.079 You know, some of the intellectuals they debate about who's the greatest writer. 00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:43.040 Some says Shakespeare, some says Charles Dickens, some says Hemenway, some says Mark Twain. 00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:45.040 A lot of the Christian people like C.S. 00:01:45.200 --> 00:01:45.920 Lewis. 00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:48.719 And then art, I really like art. 00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:51.920 Some people think it's Picasso, Monet. 00:01:53.760 --> 00:01:55.840 But I think it's Michelangelo. 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:01.599 But now, my athlete now, now, this is to my men, nothing against the women. 00:02:02.719 --> 00:02:06.239 But mostly, there are a lot of women nowadays. 00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:07.680 They love sports too. 00:02:07.760 --> 00:02:10.240 But we always debat about the famous athlete. 00:02:10.719 --> 00:02:13.520 Jack Nicholas, known as one of the best golfers. 00:02:14.240 --> 00:02:17.680 You got Larry Bird, was an outstanding basketball player. 00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:21.199 I'm telling my age now, because some of the young people are like, who is Larry Bird? 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:26.639 Okay, now let's fast forward. 00:02:26.800 --> 00:02:27.599 Michael Jordan. 00:02:27.840 --> 00:02:28.960 Everybody knows Michael Jordan. 00:02:29.199 --> 00:02:31.759 They say he's the greatest basketball player. 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:38.879 But one of the reasons I joined his church, uh, Pastor Dan, his personality just drew me in. 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:41.919 He's loud, he's exciting. 00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:46.000 And I like people like that. 00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:48.879 So I'm gonna tell you who my childhood athlete was. 00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:52.400 It was Muhammad Ali. 00:02:53.199 --> 00:02:55.759 He called himself the greatest. 00:02:56.400 --> 00:02:58.800 So this morning, that's what we're gonna talk about. 00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:00.479 The greatest gift. 00:03:01.759 --> 00:03:04.319 That's what we're gonna talk about, the greatest gift. 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:11.759 Now, in talking about the greatest gift, we gotta bring up my brother Paul. 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:14.960 And he wrote a letter to the Church of Corinth. 00:03:15.199 --> 00:03:18.800 In fact, it's the 13th chapter, and it's called a love letter. 00:03:18.879 --> 00:03:25.759 If you want to know anything about love, you always gotta deal with 1 Corinthians the 13th chapter, and it's actually 13 verses. 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:31.439 But now to fully get the scope of this thing, to really understand, right? 00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:33.759 I'm starting to start programming, say scope. 00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:34.800 I'm sorry. 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:39.599 But really get the understanding here. 00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:51.120 We gotta know the background of what was going on in Corinthians and who was Paul and why he was qualified to write to the church of Corinth. 00:03:51.280 --> 00:03:52.479 Because there was a young church. 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:53.919 Now I want you to notice them. 00:03:54.080 --> 00:04:00.000 I said, now this letters to the church, not to unbelievers, but to believers. 00:04:01.120 --> 00:04:04.319 Let's talk about old, let's talk about old Saul. 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:08.159 First of all, this letter was written in 55 A.D. 00:04:08.719 --> 00:04:10.319 The letter to Corinth. 00:04:11.840 --> 00:04:14.319 His original name was Saul. 00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:15.840 That was his Hebrew name. 00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:18.639 Paul was his Greek name. 00:04:22.720 --> 00:04:24.720 Paul was his Greek name. 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:30.000 Now, Paul had a conversion, just like the believers in here. 00:04:30.160 --> 00:04:31.680 We all have conversion. 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:36.000 Paul was going around killing Christians. 00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:38.399 He was killing Christians and killing Christians. 00:04:38.560 --> 00:04:41.519 In fact, uh, in my old church, I told you I used to be a Pentecostal. 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:50.560 When I was in the Church of God in Christ, I was a deacon, and one of the first uh characters we had to learn about, well, the first person we had to learn about it for his deacon was Stephen. 00:04:51.680 --> 00:04:54.160 Stephen actually was martyr for the gospel's sake. 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:55.120 He was preaching that word. 00:04:55.199 --> 00:04:58.079 He was fired up preaching, telling about Jesus. 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:04.480 He had laid down the tradition of the Jews to the Sanhedrin court, the court, and they actually killed him. 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:05.839 But guess who was on the scene? 00:05:06.079 --> 00:05:07.439 That's when he was Saul. 00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:10.399 He was there and he watched that. 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:12.720 He observed that. 00:05:13.360 --> 00:05:17.920 Now Saul observed that, and then you move on to the ninth chapter. 00:05:18.160 --> 00:05:21.279 After he observed that, I mean he was consenting to the death. 00:05:21.439 --> 00:05:24.399 You move on to the ninth chapter, and that's when you have his conversion. 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:28.240 Like I said, he's persecuting Christian actually, he goes to Damascus. 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:34.000 And when he goes to Damascus, he's on a mission, a persecution campaign. 00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:37.120 But something happened on the road to Damascus. 00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:40.720 Go to Acts the ninth chapter and the third verse, please. 00:05:46.319 --> 00:05:47.600 You have it, say amen. 00:05:53.519 --> 00:05:55.040 Okay, let's read. 00:05:55.360 --> 00:06:02.399 He fell to the earth and heard a voice saying, Saul! Saul! Why persecute? 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:05.600 It is hard for thee to kick against the prick. 00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:09.920 So Saul was headed to Damascus on a mission. 00:06:10.399 --> 00:06:11.839 He was on a mission. 00:06:12.160 --> 00:06:13.279 So he thought. 00:06:13.519 --> 00:06:16.720 And he was on a mission, but he had a different agenda. 00:06:17.360 --> 00:06:23.120 He met the living God face to face while riding his horse. 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:26.160 He met him face to face. 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:33.199 And as a result of meeting the living God, the Savior, he he he met God and God nature's love. 00:06:33.680 --> 00:06:35.360 It changed Saul. 00:06:35.680 --> 00:06:37.680 It changed him tremendously. 00:06:38.879 --> 00:06:41.360 I mean, it really changed Saul. 00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:43.120 He was a whole different person. 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:45.120 But it blinded him, too. 00:06:45.360 --> 00:06:46.639 He became blind. 00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:49.759 And actually, he was blind for three days. 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:54.639 Now we're gonna start talking about some of the spiritual gifts here. 00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:56.160 Somewhere. 00:06:56.480 --> 00:06:59.759 It was another disciple by the name of Ananias. 00:07:00.959 --> 00:07:03.040 Ananias had a vision. 00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:05.199 It's a scary vision, too. 00:07:05.279 --> 00:07:10.560 He had a vision, he's supposed to lay hands on Paul for him to receive his sight. 00:07:10.720 --> 00:07:14.399 But the only problem was now, wait a minute, wait a minute. 00:07:14.480 --> 00:07:20.480 Now Ananias said, now he's talking to, you know, he had the vision, and the Holy Ghost showed him what to do. 00:07:20.560 --> 00:07:22.879 And you know, if we love the Lord, we keep his commandments. 00:07:22.959 --> 00:07:24.319 He wanted to obey. 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:27.279 But Ananias said, like, hold on, now, hold on. 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:29.680 Now, everybody familiar with ISIS, right? 00:07:31.199 --> 00:07:35.600 I mean, he's just beheading people on national TV. 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:37.360 Well, this is what Saul was known for. 00:07:37.439 --> 00:07:41.759 I mean, it was known throughout the community, even though they didn't have the internet and television. 00:07:42.079 --> 00:07:44.879 Ananias had heard about Saul. 00:07:45.360 --> 00:07:48.879 So he questioned, you sure him? 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:54.560 You want me to lay hands on him so he can receive sight? 00:07:54.959 --> 00:07:56.240 The Holy Spirit said yes. 00:07:57.120 --> 00:08:00.879 The Holy Spirit said, Yes, I want you to lay hands on Saul. 00:08:01.759 --> 00:08:03.600 But you know why he said he won't lay hands on him? 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:06.079 He said, Because he's my chosen vessel. 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:09.439 Now, how many chosen vessels do we have in the house? 00:08:09.759 --> 00:08:11.279 Do we have any chosen vessels? 00:08:11.519 --> 00:08:12.800 Ain't about the chosen idea? 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:14.639 Have God chosen you? 00:08:15.759 --> 00:08:17.040 Because he chose me. 00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:18.879 He said he's my chosen vessel. 00:08:19.040 --> 00:08:20.319 Don't worry about his past. 00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:22.879 See, now man, we always want to keep up with your past. 00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:25.439 So that's what God came for. 00:08:25.519 --> 00:08:26.720 Don't worry about your past. 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:28.959 He said, He's my chosen vessel. 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:30.319 I'm gonna do great things with him. 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:33.200 But something else happened too, though. 00:08:33.440 --> 00:08:44.159 When he laid hands on him in Acts, the first chapter, in the eight verse, and said, And ye shall receive power after the Holy Ghost come up upon you. 00:08:44.879 --> 00:08:47.039 The Holy Ghost came on Paul then. 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:47.679 Amen. 00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:49.759 That's power. 00:08:50.879 --> 00:08:51.600 That's power. 00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:53.200 But guess what? 00:08:53.840 --> 00:09:00.320 Every believer in the house, when you gave your life to Christ, you have that same power on the inside of you. 00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:03.039 Now you ought to get excited about this power now. 00:09:03.360 --> 00:09:08.159 Because this Holy Spirit, this spirit is the same spirit that rose Jesus Christ from the dead. 00:09:08.799 --> 00:09:10.480 It's resigning on the inside of you. 00:09:10.639 --> 00:09:11.840 Now you might not get excited. 00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:20.399 Now, some people get excited about football, they get excited about celebrities, but I get excited when I think about Jesus' power is on the inside of me. 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:23.120 On the inside. 00:09:23.519 --> 00:09:26.159 Wherever I go, it's on the inside of me. 00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:30.399 So once Paul got this power, then it's amazing. 00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:31.919 He received his sight. 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:34.799 Now remember I told you he was a professional killer, just killing everybody. 00:09:35.200 --> 00:09:37.679 You say you're a Christian, he was killing, killing, killing. 00:09:37.840 --> 00:09:38.320 You know what? 00:09:38.399 --> 00:09:40.159 You follow in the next couple verses. 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:47.759 As soon as he gets saved and get filled with this Holy Spirit I'm talking about that you and I have, he starts witnessing. 00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:48.879 He starts preaching. 00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:52.639 You know, a lot of people said, now don't start off like Paul. 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:53.840 You know, you gotta take your time. 00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:57.679 I mean, he starts off preaching, and they amazed in the synagogue. 00:09:57.919 --> 00:09:59.600 Because he used to run with them, kill himself. 00:09:59.759 --> 00:10:03.759 Now he's standing in front of them preaching, telling them about a risen Savior. 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:06.240 He was telling them about the greatest gift. 00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:09.600 He told them about love up front. 00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:12.000 I mean, he had a major transformation. 00:10:12.480 --> 00:10:14.320 A major transformation. 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:19.440 So, Paul, since we know a little bit about Paul now, his name is Paul now. 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:22.159 Paul's writing at the church of Corinth, like I said. 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:25.759 Now, Corinth, let's let's just talk about the landscape of Corinth. 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:29.919 There was a diverse group of people. 00:10:30.399 --> 00:10:40.240 They was comprised of Jews, they had Gentiles, they had slaves, landover, they had people that was rich and poor. 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:42.720 They had people that was educated. 00:10:43.039 --> 00:10:45.279 They had people that was uneducated. 00:10:47.519 --> 00:10:48.799 They had them all. 00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:53.120 And they were like in different places, different sets. 00:10:53.279 --> 00:10:54.559 Kind of like America today. 00:10:54.799 --> 00:10:58.159 You know how you got the rich on one side, the poor on one side, and you got the educated. 00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:04.080 But the major problem power was writing this letter to Corinth was because it was not it wasn't unity. 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:06.399 And we know where there's unity, there's strength. 00:11:06.799 --> 00:11:09.039 And like I told you, this is a church. 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:10.879 So it wasn't in unity. 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:12.559 And so that's what he had to deal with. 00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:18.720 That's when his main purpose for writing this letter, because he wanted them to be unified, to be one. 00:11:19.759 --> 00:11:25.279 And so he started off basically the first chapter, and he tells them it's all about unity. 00:11:25.440 --> 00:11:30.639 That God, when he died, he paid the same price for everybody on the cross. 00:11:30.799 --> 00:11:32.799 He didn't pay more for you than he paid for you. 00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:33.919 He paid the same. 00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:37.679 He basically told everybody that we are fundamentally equal. 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:39.600 We are the same. 00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:41.440 Nobody's different. 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:44.879 Rich, poor, black, white doesn't make a difference. 00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:45.919 We are the same. 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:48.720 That's what he that's what he informed about. 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:51.519 Now in the second chapter, this is a familiar passage of scripture. 00:11:51.600 --> 00:11:55.039 He talked about uh, it's in 1 Corinthians 2 and 4. 00:11:55.759 --> 00:11:57.120 And Paul said it like this. 00:11:57.200 --> 00:12:08.000 And he said, My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but with demonstration of the spirit and power. 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:09.919 Now, Paul could say that. 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:12.320 Paul was a very powerful man. 00:12:12.559 --> 00:12:16.799 As you know, like I said, he went on to write two uh thirds of the New Testament. 00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:18.320 But let me tell you something else about Paul. 00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:21.360 I thought about David told me a joke this morning when I came in. 00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:22.559 He was talking about the clock. 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:27.360 You know, we had daylight saving time, so the clock spring forward. 00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:29.600 However, they were not able to do it in the back. 00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:31.840 So he told me, don't be long-winded. 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:34.480 Now, Paul was a very gifted man. 00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:39.120 Now, I gotta tell you a story about this. 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:41.679 Now, Paul was a very gifted preacher. 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:43.840 I know we have some Bible scholars in the house. 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:46.639 Like I say, he wrote a lot of books in the New Testament. 00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:51.519 But let me tell you, God does not give everybody all the gifts. 00:12:51.840 --> 00:12:57.120 Now, if you go back to Acts the 20th chapel, I really don't think he was a sighted preacher. 00:12:57.200 --> 00:12:58.320 See, he wouldn't run like me. 00:12:58.399 --> 00:12:59.360 So I'll run. 00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:00.960 Paul wouldn't do that. 00:13:01.919 --> 00:13:05.120 I'm gonna tell you why I think Paul wasn't really a sight and preaching. 00:13:05.200 --> 00:13:08.720 But he had, now he, if you give him a pen, oh my goodness. 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:11.919 He'll write to the church of Rome and just transform people. 00:13:12.399 --> 00:13:16.799 But now when it comes to speaking and being like, you know, hype and jumping, no, no, Paul wouldn't. 00:13:17.200 --> 00:13:19.919 I'm gonna tell you why I came with that analysis. 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:24.000 If you go to Acts the 20th chapter, I think it's about the ninth verse, he was preaching. 00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:29.120 He was preaching, and he was preaching, and he was preaching. 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:32.399 It was a brother sitting in the window. 00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:40.000 And Paul was preaching, and I guess it, you know, in the old Baptist, and I'm getting ready to close. 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:43.919 And he said it over and over and over. 00:13:44.240 --> 00:13:47.200 And what Paul did, the guy named was Eudicus. 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:52.000 He he fell out the one, the third cloak and broke his neck. 00:13:53.200 --> 00:13:57.519 But now, I know you're laughing about that, but let me tell you how anointed Paul was though. 00:13:57.679 --> 00:13:58.799 This was in Trobas. 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:01.120 Let me tell you how anointed he was, though. 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:02.879 Oh, Pastor, don't worry about it. 00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:03.600 Come here. 00:14:03.840 --> 00:14:09.519 He laid on top of, he laid on top of that person, and that was the first time they rose from the dead. 00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:11.279 So that's what he was talking about. 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:13.840 So don't get caught with my words, what he was saying. 00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:17.679 It's not about the words, it's about demonstration and power. 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:19.440 So we're talking about the greatest gift. 00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:23.039 So once you get exposed to the greatest gift, God's gonna give you other gifts. 00:14:24.639 --> 00:14:29.120 Now, like I said, this church of Corinth was doing everything, but I mean, now listen, I said church. 00:14:29.200 --> 00:14:31.039 They had problem with fornication. 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:32.960 You know, that's having sex outside of marriage. 00:14:33.120 --> 00:14:35.919 I'm talking about marriage ordained by God, man and woman. 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:37.279 I had to put that in now. 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:44.399 Someone was puffed up, they was worshiping idols, they was doing some everything. 00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:49.600 And then Paul said, okay, when you do these, they would do these, but he said, do it to the glory of God. 00:14:49.759 --> 00:14:51.039 It's not about you. 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:53.840 They was having a problem with the Lord's Supper. 00:14:54.799 --> 00:15:00.080 And then, lastly, and that's what we're gonna address with the spiritual gifts. 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:06.000 People had different spiritual gifts, and they felt like my gift is better than your gift. 00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:09.279 You don't operate in this gift, Sylvester. 00:15:09.440 --> 00:15:10.879 So you're not on my level. 00:15:12.320 --> 00:15:13.840 That's the attitude they had. 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:17.679 So basically, Paul was writing to them to put the house in order. 00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:23.360 Now, Corinth was actually one of the first church when they responded in letters, they actually responded back. 00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:25.360 So they was responding back to each other. 00:15:28.879 --> 00:15:31.440 Now, so Paul started off in the 12th chapter. 00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:32.879 He got to get everything established. 00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:37.039 Let's go to the 12th chapter of uh Corinthians 12 and 4. 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:38.480 Okay, it's already up there. 00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:44.639 He said, For by one spirit, we're all baptized in one body. 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:50.720 Whether we be Jew or Gentile, whether we be born or free or being made to drink into one spirit. 00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:54.720 So, so basically he was saying here, it's one spirit. 00:15:55.039 --> 00:15:57.519 All the gifts come from one source. 00:15:57.840 --> 00:15:59.600 So, why are you gonna be all there? 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:01.440 It's coming from the same place. 00:16:01.679 --> 00:16:05.679 They all come from God, they all come from God. 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:08.639 They all come from God. 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:13.279 And let's go to uh 1 Corinthians, the 13th chapter and the first verse. 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:24.000 And so, Paul, he's ready to start talking to the church of Corinthians, lay out the agenda on why love is the greatest gift. 00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:37.360 He said, though I speak with the tongues of men of angels, and have not charity, I become as a sounding breast and a tumbling symbol. 00:16:38.879 --> 00:16:50.960 First thing I want to do, uh, when you see charity, the Bible actually, the English language is like it doesn't do it justice for us, charity. 00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:57.919 The original word was written in the Greek, and the original version of the Bible is written in the Greek, and that's the way Paul was writing. 00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:02.720 And so from the Greek perspective, there are three ways, three words that mean love. 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:12.160 Let's talk about these three ways, three words that mean love from the Greek perspective, and then we can move on because it's very important you understand this type of love. 00:17:12.799 --> 00:17:17.359 Because now when you start talking about love, you know, we just had Valentine Day. 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:22.000 My daughter called me a couple weeks ago, and she said, Dad, I had no idea. 00:17:22.160 --> 00:17:24.559 People, it's a$20 billion industry. 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:26.480 That's how much they take in on Valentine's Day. 00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:30.079 Because everybody said, I love you, I love you. 00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:32.400 But that's not the love we're talking about. 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:33.920 We're talking about from the Greek perspective. 00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:39.039 Okay, the Greek words, or the first one is eros, and it's a romantic type love. 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:43.839 This is where the English word version comes from, erotic. 00:17:44.319 --> 00:17:53.200 Now, the second love is filial love, it's a friendly love based on emotion and feelings. 00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:57.519 Now, you know how feelings are sometimes up, sometimes down. 00:17:58.640 --> 00:18:00.640 Emotion and feely love. 00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:06.160 And some theologians call it selfishness when they talk about this love. 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:10.400 But then the last love is agape love. 00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:13.759 And that's the one we're gonna really put our focus on today. 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:16.240 The greatest gift, agape love. 00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:18.880 Agape love is the highest form of love. 00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:22.160 Let me tell you what agape love definition is. 00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:25.599 It's selfless, it's sacrificial. 00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:30.319 It love is love that goes beyond anything that you could ever understand. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:32.400 We're talking about God love. 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:34.000 That's the highest form. 00:18:34.160 --> 00:18:38.960 It doesn't concern itself with self, it's all about what you can do for the other person. 00:18:39.279 --> 00:18:42.960 It's not about you, it's about pleasing the other person. 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:48.559 Now let's look at some examples of uh fiddlove. 00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:54.319 Let's go to John, the 21st chapter, 15th through the 17th verse. 00:18:57.839 --> 00:19:00.880 And you have a passage here, actually, Jesus had risen. 00:19:01.119 --> 00:19:02.880 He was he had risen from the dead. 00:19:03.039 --> 00:19:05.680 And this was shortly before he departed back to heaven. 00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:12.720 And he actually had they say he dying, he actually had dinner, dying, had dinner with the disciples. 00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:15.519 So this is after Peter denied him all that. 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:17.680 So they got in a conversation. 00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:20.160 And so this is what he said. 00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:25.839 Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these. 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:30.160 He said unto him, Yea, Lord, thou knowest I love thee. 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:32.720 He said unto him, feed my lambs. 00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:37.839 He said to him the second time, Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me? 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:43.359 He said unto him, Yea, Lord, you know I you know that I love thee. 00:19:43.599 --> 00:19:45.839 He said unto him, feed my sheep. 00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:48.559 And then he went on to say it the third time, too. 00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:58.799 But now the point I want you to, the point I really want you to understand here is when Jesus was talking to Peter, when he said, Do you love me? 00:19:58.960 --> 00:20:01.279 He was saying, Do you agape me? 00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:05.759 Peter responded, Yes, I love you. 00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:07.519 But that was photo love. 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:12.720 That was the next level of love, that emotional type love. 00:20:12.880 --> 00:20:17.759 So he asked them again, Peter, do you love me? 00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:22.799 Now Peter's getting upset because y'all know he Peter cussed y'all, chopped some ears off. 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:24.720 Peter was getting upset. 00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:29.599 I know you risen, but now he basically, you heard me the first time. 00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:31.119 Yes, I love you. 00:20:32.319 --> 00:20:34.079 So then he asked him again. 00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:36.960 But this time when he asked him, he asked him, Peter Lo. 00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:38.960 Peter, do you love me? 00:20:39.119 --> 00:20:43.279 And Peter responded with the only type of love he knew at that time. 00:20:43.359 --> 00:20:45.119 But let me tell you something about Peter then. 00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:46.880 Remember I said at that time? 00:20:47.599 --> 00:20:49.279 Now Peter becomes a bad man. 00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:51.519 Peter had not got filled with the Holy Spirit yet either. 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:55.519 So that was before the Holy Spirit. 00:20:57.759 --> 00:20:58.880 There you go, brother. 00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:01.680 That was before the Holy Spirit. 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:05.519 So now I got a question to ask you. 00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:11.440 If Jesus asked you the same question, Kelly, do I love you? 00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:13.359 David, do I love you? 00:21:13.519 --> 00:21:17.519 Would you respond with philo love or agape love? 00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:19.519 That's to everybody in here. 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:21.440 How would you respond? 00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:23.920 Would it be agape love? 00:21:24.079 --> 00:21:25.119 Sacrificial? 00:21:25.359 --> 00:21:26.559 Unconditional? 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:33.359 I mean, people talk about this love, and I tell my kids all the time, you know, people say, oh, I love you, I love you. 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:35.200 But most of it is philo love. 00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:37.119 They love you as long as you do what they said do. 00:21:37.839 --> 00:21:38.720 They in control. 00:21:38.799 --> 00:21:40.000 Some people just straight manipulate. 00:21:40.160 --> 00:21:41.279 I call it manipulation. 00:21:41.759 --> 00:21:42.960 They just manipulate. 00:21:43.359 --> 00:21:44.960 It's just straight manipulation. 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:46.720 If I like you, yeah. 00:21:46.880 --> 00:21:48.960 If you do what I said do, yeah, I love you. 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:51.200 Now cross the line. 00:21:51.359 --> 00:21:53.359 I'll show you another side. 00:21:55.200 --> 00:21:58.559 But we're talking about agape love, the greatest love. 00:22:01.279 --> 00:22:05.119 Now, but another example of agape love is the prodigal son. 00:22:05.599 --> 00:22:07.839 Everybody heard the stories in Luke. 00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:18.720 Oh, you had the two sons, and this guy was rich, and they had inheritance, and just like in the and you know, it's just like some people do, we go through different cycles. 00:22:19.039 --> 00:22:22.640 One of the son ended up staying with the with the dad and worked with the business. 00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:24.319 The other son said, wait a minute. 00:22:24.880 --> 00:22:28.240 Dad, you had all these rules, it's time for me to go. 00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:30.000 I want to see what the world is about. 00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:31.599 So they went out into the world. 00:22:31.680 --> 00:22:32.160 They had fun. 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:33.119 What did they call it? 00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:35.200 So you wild oaks. 00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:37.519 They drank, whatever. 00:22:37.680 --> 00:22:40.880 The Bible said, basically, I heard some people explain he was in the pig pen. 00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:43.119 So he basically was a sinner. 00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:48.079 But what was so impressive about it, for those of us as parents, we love our kids. 00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:50.559 No matter what, they are kids and we love them. 00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:52.079 They're gonna make mistakes. 00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:54.799 This father showed agape love. 00:22:55.359 --> 00:23:00.480 Now, the youngest son, the other son got mad because he came back to the fold. 00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:02.960 Because that's why I said train up a child the right way. 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:05.440 Dad must have lived a good example in front of him. 00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:07.680 Because he came back. 00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:11.680 But when he came back, um wide open. 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:13.599 That's that agape love. 00:23:13.680 --> 00:23:16.400 We're talking about the greatest gift, that agape love. 00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:18.559 The other son, he had on so open. 00:23:18.640 --> 00:23:23.039 The other son, like, wait a minute, I've been here all the time working with you, and you giving him a party. 00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:26.640 You're gonna give him a party. 00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:28.400 You haven't given me a party. 00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:31.920 See, he got jealous, but that was agape love. 00:23:32.559 --> 00:23:39.519 But now the best form of agape love, you you know the story on the best form agape love, is John 3.16. 00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:43.759 That's the best example of agape love. 00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:46.000