Love Them In!

       5th Sunday of Easter!                   

Introduction: Forsyth has seen her attendance go up and down over the years.  It seems she can=t seem to break over the hump.  We had a good Sunday last week for Mother’s Day!  We have had several new people attending lately! How can we continue to get people in? How can we get people to come back?  How can Forsyth grow?  What is the key?  That's what I want to look at today!  I've entitled the message "Love Them In!"

 

                            Prayer

 

                           I Cor. 13

 

I.   In order to see how we can bring people in let's look at    some ways we won't bring them in!

 

A.   We won't bring them in by sounding "religious"!

(v.1)  We will just make a religious noise!

 

          1.   The world is sick today of people who "have a

              Form of Godliness but deny the power thereof!"

              (II Tim. 3:5)  We must have the walk with the

              talk!

 

          2.   There are a lot of people who talk and claim to

              be religious.  They will tell you about it!  They

              will put signs up about it!  They will try to

              talk you into conforming to what they think or

              even force you to live according to their

              understanding of how you should live! There are a

              lot of people making a religious noise!

 

          3.   We have to talk in a language people can  understand!

 

B.   We won't bring them in by our much knowledge; through argumentation! v.2

 

ex.

Someone says, "I can study and learn about God better at home than at church with those                              Hypocrites!"

 

We might respond with,   "The Bible says not to Forsake the assembling of ourselves together!"

 

They say, "I assemble with my family and the Bible

says where 2 or 3 gather together there am I

in the midst of them!"

 

This is a person who has been hurt deeply and we won't reach them through arguing scripture! They know the

scriptures, but they have been hurt by people making a lot of religious noise!

 

C.   We won't bring them in with a self-righteous attitude!  v.4  We are all sinners saved by grace!

 

     1.   If they sense that we are judging them to make

them like ourselves, they will be turned off!

 

          2.   If they sense that we feel that we have all the

answers, we won’ bring them in!

 

          3.   If they sense that we feel that we have arrived,

we won’t bring them in!

 

II.  But we can bring them in by "Loving them in!"

 

A.   Love is patient!  v.4

 

Def. (Bible Knowledge Commentary)

Patience =     the capacity to be wronged and not  retaliate!

 

Patience helps us be willing to give a second chance!

 

B.   Love is kind!  v.4  Kindness instead of retaliation! Goodness!

 

1.   Helping other people!

 

2.   Taking food at times of death, a call, a card!

 

1.      Working in service projects of the church! Ex.

Thrift Store etc!

 

4.      Hospitality!

 

C.   Love is not puffed up, boastful, or arrogant!  v.4

But instead realizes we are all sinners saved by

grace! That brings an understanding spirit!

 

1.   It realizes that we haven’t arrived!  We are all

on a journey to become God’s perfect ideal for

our lives!

 

          2.   It realizes we aren’t in any position to judge!

 

D.   Love does not seek its own way!  v.5

But instead seeks the Lords will!  Wants God's best

for people!

 

E.   Love isn’t rude, irritable, or resentful!  v.5

 

1.   It isn’t resentful when others are blessed!

 

2.   It isn’t rude or resentful when others lash out!

 

3.   But gives people the benefit of the doubt!

 

4.   It isn’t always ready to judge!

 

F.   Doesn't rejoice over the sin and hurt of other people!  v.6  But hurts when they hurt and cries when they cry!

 

G.   Love rejoices in the truth!  v.6

Rejoices when someone finds God's truth!

 

H.   Endures all things!  v.7

 

Def. (Bible Knowledge Commentary)

perseverance (NIV) =     "remains steadfast in the face of unpleasant circumstances."

 

Someone others can count on!

 

     I.   Love believes all things and hopes all things! V. 7

 

          1.   When the world crashes in, love helps us to keep

believing that God makes a difference and we are

willing to convey that to others!

 

          2.   Love helps us to always have hope that in God

things can be better!

 

          3.   People are drawn to people who have hope!

 

 

Recap:  We can "Love them in" because love is:

 

1.   patient

2.   kind

3.   not puffed up or arrogant

4.   seeks not its own

5.   not always ready to judge

6.   doesn't rejoice over sin and hurt

7.   rejoices in the truth

8.   perseveres

9.   retains belief and hope

 

III. "Love never fails!"  v.8

We can "Love Them In."

 

     A.   Love never fails! Vs. 8

         

          1.   One day this tongue will cease to prophecy and to

preach!

 

          2.   One day the things I have collected and cherish

will deteriorate or be sold at a used store or

flea market!  You can’t take it with you!

 

          3.   One day this body will fail!

 

          4.   But those who I have influenced by loving in

God’s name will be eternal.

a.   They will continue the ministry after me!

b.   They will love as I have showed them to

love!

              c.   I will get to take that with me in that I

will see them again!

              d.   Love doesn’t fail!  Love matters!

 

Read:  I John 4: 7-13

 

     B.   This Spirit of God, this Spirit of Love is what is going to help us to draw people to Christ! It is what

          is going to help us to grow!

 

          1.   Love each other!

 

          2.   Love your neighbors and friends!

 

          3.   Love those who are different than you!

 

          4.   Love those on the outside that have yet to come into the church!

    

     C.   People are looking for relationships.

 

          1.   Make sure they find them here.

 

          2.   Look for those who are standing around and don=t

              seem to be connected.

 

          3.   Offer them Love and Forsyth UMC will grow like

              you won=t believe.

 

2.      The fields are white unto the harvest! (John 4:35)

 

Conclusion:    Do you have this spirit of God; the spirit of Love?  Or do you need to recieve this Spirit of  God as we encounter Christ at the table  this morning?

 

Remember: God (Christ) loved us and as Christians  we are to reach out to the world with  this same Love!

 

Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion