Love Never Fails
By: Pastors Rodney & Adonica Howard-BrownePublish date: 05/13/2018
Foundation Scriptures:
Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. 5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. 6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. 7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. 8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 AMPC
1. Love Endures Long and Is Patient and Kind.
a. Love and patience are fruits of the spirit.
b. Love endures – love does not give up, or stop loving, when people or situations are difficult.
c. 2 Timothy 2:24 KJV – “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient.”
d. Love is kind.
e. Ephesians 4:32 KJV – “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
f. Colossians 3:12-14 NKJV – “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.”
2. Love Is Never Envious or Jealous.
a. Love is not envious of others, nor jealous of what they have.
b. James 3:14-17 AMPC – “But if you have bitter jealousy (envy) and contention (rivalry, selfish ambition) in your hearts, do not pride yourselves on it and thus be in defiance of and false to the Truth. 15 This [superficial] wisdom is not such as comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual (animal), even devilish (demoniacal). 16 For wherever there is jealousy (envy) and contention (rivalry and selfish ambition), there will also be confusion (unrest, disharmony, rebellion) and all sorts of evil and vile practices. 17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure (undefiled); then it is peace-loving, courteous (considerate, gentle). [It is willing to] yield to reason, full of compassion and good fruits; it is wholehearted and straightforward, impartial and unfeigned (free from doubts, wavering, and insincerity).”
c. While you are envious of others, you are missing the blessing God has for you.
d. Titus 3:3-7 KJV – “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
3. Love Is Not Arrogant or Prideful.
a. Love is not boastful or vainglorious.
b. Love does not display itself haughtily.
c. Love is not conceited – arrogant and inflated with pride.
d. Love is not rude – unmannerly – and does not act unbecomingly.
e. 1 John 2:16-17 AMPC – “For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things] — these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself]. 17 And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.”
4. Love Is Not Selfish – It Is Selfless.
a. Love does not insist on its own rights or its own way.
b. Love is not self-seeking.
c. Love is not touchy, or fretful, or resentful.
d. Love takes no account of the evil done to it – it pays no attention to a suffered wrong.
e. Luke 6:35-36 AMPC – “But love your enemies and be kind and do good [doing favors so that someone derives benefit from them] and lend, expecting and hoping for nothing in return but considering nothing as lost and despairing of no one; and then your recompense (your reward) will be great (rich, strong, intense, and abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind and charitable and good to the ungrateful and the selfish and wicked. 36 So be merciful (sympathetic, tender, responsive, and compassionate) even as your Father is [all these].”
5. Love Never Fails.
a. Love does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness.
b. Micah 6:8 KJV – “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
c. Love rejoices when right and truth prevail.
d. 3 John 4 KJV – “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”
e. Romans 13:8 KJV – “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”
f. Romans 13:10 KJV – “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
g. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes.
h. Love is ever ready to believe the best of every person.
i. Love’s hopes are fadeless under all circumstances.
j. Love endures everything, without weakening.
k. God’s love in me never fails – it never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end.