Amen.
Okay, the title of my sermon this morning is Genuine Love, Having Genuine Love.
Second Corinthians chapter 4, excuse me, 6 verse 4 says,
But in all things, approving ourselves as the ministers of God in much patience and afflictions
and necessities and distresses and stripes and imprisonments and tumults
and labors and watchings and fastings by pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness,
by the Holy Ghost, and I want you to notice this, by love unfaigned.
Now, what does it mean to have love unfaigned or what is unfaigned love?
It means real love.
Famed love is fake love.
It's dissimulated love.
It's a false love.
And the Bible is telling us here that we as God's people should be approved as the ministers of God,
the servants of God, by having these list of qualities.
And one of the things that it says here is that we need to make sure that we have genuine, sincere love.
Genuine, sincere love towards the Lord, towards others, towards our brothers and sisters in Christ,
towards the lost.
We should be characterized by a genuine love according to the Bible.
First Timothy chapter 5, you don't have to turn there.
Stay there in 2 Corinthians.
First Timothy 5 verse 1 says,
Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart
and of a good conscience and of faith unfaigned.
Romans chapter 12 verse 9 says this,
Listen, let love be without dissimulation.
Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good.
What is he saying here?
He's saying in Romans chapter 12,
Make sure that your love isn't fake.
It's not just this insincere love where you're just faking the whole thing.
It's simulated.
Make sure that your love is without dissimulation.
And I want you to notice that it says,
Abhor that which is evil.
Meaning that this is showing us that some people claim to have love,
but they also love that which is evil.
Whereas the Bible tells us that if we're going to have a sincere,
genuine love towards the things of God, towards others,
it merits us to abhor hate, despise that which is evil according to the Bible.
It goes on to say,
Be kindly affection one to another with brotherly love
in honor, preferring one another.
You know, obviously what the Bible is telling us here
is that we as God's people need to make sure that we have love.
And love is obviously a fruit of the spirit.
We know that God is love.
And so it's important for us to learn how to love.
We obviously know that the Bible tells us that once we get saved,
we become children of God.
We're taught of God how to love.
But that doesn't mean that we're not supposed to abound
and grow in our love as well
and learn how to become loving individuals.
Now, why is a sermon like this important?
Well, because of the fact that this world,
you know, lukewarm Christians,
compromising Christians are always defining for us
what it means to love.
Fake churches out there, fake pastors and fake preachers
are constantly condemning Christians
for their so-called lack of love.
Oh, these people are not loving.
Your preaching is not loving.
That doctrine is not loving.
You're just not loving enough.
No, actually, you just have a fake definition of what love is.
You actually just don't know what the Bible says
about what it means to love others.
And we have to stop allowing these internet-type people,
these fake pastors, these insincere individuals
to try to define for us what it means to love.
And for sure, we need to stop letting unsaved people
define for us what love is, right?
You know, and unsaved, oh man, that's very Christ-like.
You don't even know who Jesus is.
How are you going to tell me what it's like to be like Christ
when you've rejected him?
You claim you don't even believe in him,
but somehow you're going to hold me to that standard
even though you have no idea who Jesus is?
You've never read the Bible.
You don't know any doctrine.
You don't believe in God,
but yet you're going to tell me that I'm not Christ-like?
Oh, what would Jesus do?
He would do exactly what I'm doing.
And so, you know, the Bible says that we have the mind of Christ.
The Bible tells us that the natural man
referring to the unsaved person
received not the things of the Spirit of God,
neither can he know them for their spiritually discerned.
They should not take the covenant of God in their mouths
and try to condemn us, ask Christians and say,
well, you know, that's very loving as a Christian.
Yeah, actually it is very loving as a Christian,
but you wouldn't know that because you haven't read the Bible.
You know what?
I'm not going to allow unsaved people to tell me
what it means to love someone,
what love means because at the end of the day,
my God is love.
And he's taught me within his word
what that means and how that looks.
And so, you know, if you've gone to these weak,
you know, limp-wristed type churches,
these soft churches,
you probably have been infected with this fake love.
You probably have been demonstrated fake love.
You've been preached out with fake love.
You've been fellowshiped with fake love.
Maybe you might have a little fake love yourself.
You might have some sort of fake love in you
and it's my agenda today
to remove that fake love from you
and teach you what it's like to have genuine love
according to the Bible.
Now, you're in 2 Corinthians chapter 6.
Go to chapter 7 if you would.
Chapter 7, we're going to talk about genuine,
sincere love today.
And look, folks, obviously I understand
that sometimes Christians can become,
you know, quote-unquote,
fairesthaecal.
They can lack love.
They can't struggle in that area for sure.
You know, if a Christian is not walking in the spirit,
they're not reading the Word of God.
They're not fellowshiping with the Lord.
They can, you know, become cold-hearted
towards others, towards the things of God.
Okay?
And at the end of the day,
we need to make sure that we grow in our love.
Yeah, we have love in our hearts because of God.
But you know what?
The Bible also requires for us to grow in that area,
to cultivate that love as well
and work on it on a daily basis.
Now, the first point I want to make here
regarding genuine love is that genuine love,
listen to this, is an emotion.
Okay?
We don't want to go so far in the opposite extreme
and think to ourselves,
well, no, the Bible says other things about love
doesn't have to be an emotion.
No, actually, according to the Bible,
it is an emotion.
The Bible tells us to love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, soul, mind,
and strength, right?
It talks about loving God with our hearts
and with our strength,
meaning that God wants us to be emotionally involved
when we love God and when we love others.
Not just be this robot,
this person who's just emotionless,
just despondent towards others and towards God.
He wants us to have some emotion when we're praying,
some emotion when we're talking to others.
He wants us to have that genuine love
that exerts that emotion.
Look at 2 Corinthians 7, verse 14 says,
For if I have boasted anything to him of you,
I am not ashamed.
But as we spake all things to you in truth,
even so our boasting,
which I made before Titus,
is found a truth.
And his inward, listen to this,
his inward affection is more abundant toward you
whilst he remembered the obedience of you all,
how with fear and trembling,
ye received him.
What is the Bible telling us here?
It's telling us that Titus,
when he's reporting about the church at Corinth,
as carnal as they were,
as immature spiritually as they were,
he had this inward affection
towards the Corinthian church.
And obviously what we see here
is that Titus, because he's spending time
with the Corinthian church,
he's helping them grow in their faith.
He's leading them.
He's reporting about them.
He's thinking about them.
He ends up developing a love for them.
And what does this show us?
If you have a hard time loving someone,
just spend some time with them.
Invest time in that which you're lacking love in.
You know what happens?
You end up cultivating a love for that person,
for that thing.
You're like, I don't love church.
We'll spend time in church.
And the more you do,
you end up developing a love for that.
Oh man, I have such a hard time loving the Word of God.
Well, invest some time into reading the Word of God
every single day.
And what's going to happen is
you're going to develop a love for the Word of God.
How about this?
In marriage.
Oh man, I don't feel like I'm in love anymore.
Why don't you spend some time developing that relationship,
investing in your marriage,
and guess what will happen?
You'll fall in love again.
And then you'll fall out again.
And then you'll fall in love again.
And then you'll fall out again.
It's just part of how marriage is.
You're not going to be in love 100% of the time.
It's just not realistic.
Because we are sinners.
We fall short.
Our spouses fall short.
They can annoy us.
We annoy them.
We have characteristics and attributes
that they may not like.
But here's the thing,
is that the more we invest into that relationship,
the more we can keep that flame going.
That inward affection is what keeps it going.
The point being here is that love is,
genuine love is an emotion.
Genuine love is expressed through affection.
Genuine love is expressed through tears.
Genuine love is expressed through wanting to be
in the presence of that individual
that we care for and have love for as well.
You don't have to turn to 1 John 4.
But go with me if you would to 1 Peter 3.
We saw that in 2 Corinthians 7,
Titus had an inward affection
towards the believers.
We can say that he had sincere love
for the brethren.
I don't really like to go to church
because I just don't really click
with people at church.
You don't click with people at church
because you just leave church
as soon as it ends.
You don't give anybody time to click.
You unclick as soon as church ends.
I like to preach it and everything.
I'm not really a people person.
You know what, as a Christian,
you don't really have that luxury now, do you?
Because the Bible commands us to be people people.
We're supposed to be around people,
fellowship with people.
If you're like, yeah,
but I just don't know what to talk about,
trust me, in a church this size,
you will find someone as weird as you.
You can click with.
You can talk to.
There's a bunch of them.
The end result of that will be what?
An inward affection for others.
Make no mistake about it.
God commands you to love the brethren.
Part of that, of course,
is having that affection for them as well.
First John 4, you don't have to turn there.
You are in 1 Peter 3.
John 4.7 says,
Beloved, let us love one another.
For love is of God.
Everyone that loveth is born of God
and knoweth God.
This is showing us that one of the first things
that we learn as Christians,
when we get saved is what?
To love.
More specifically, to love the brethren.
Why?
For God is love.
He says in verse 8,
he that loveth not,
knoweth not God,
for God is love.
Basically, the fundamental attribute,
divine characteristic that we get
at the moment of salvation is love.
Now this kind of flies in the face
of those who think,
well, you know,
you have to love God to be saved
or something like that.
No, you have to believe on Jesus Christ
to be saved.
Okay?
Unsafe people don't know how to love God.
You know, Christians barely know how
to love God, right?
Because you have to learn from the word of God.
But the initial thing that we learn,
the initial thing that is given to us
is the love of God.
And it's our job thereafter
to develop, to cultivate that
for the Lord and for others.
It goes on the same verse 9.
And this was manifested
the love of God toward us
because God sent his only begotten son
into the world that we might live through him
here in his love,
not that we love God,
but that he loved us
and sent his son to be the
propitiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us,
we ought also to love one another.
This is nice and mushy, amen.
No man has seen God in any time.
If we love one another,
God dwelleth in us
and his love is perfected in us.
This is obviously demonstrating
that we should never have hatred
towards the brethren.
And let me just be very clear.
The brethren.
Meaning those who are saved, right?
Actual Christians.
Because sometimes it's just like,
oh yeah, but I saw a video of you
saying some pretty crazy stuff
about this one pastor.
Yeah, it's probably because
he's a false prophet.
He's probably not saved.
And I can't love those who love evil.
The Bible commands me to love the brethren.
And when we talk about the brethren,
we're referring to people who are saved.
And when I talk about people who are saved,
I'm talking about people who have believed
on the Lord Jesus Christ
exclusively for salvation.
Now repenting of your sins for salvation.
Not baptism for salvation.
Not the keeping of commands for salvation.
Not works for salvation.
We're just talking about believing
on Jesus Christ.
And it's not believing on Jesus Christ
plus something else either.
So why believe in Jesus?
But I do believe that you have to,
oh, you're not saved.
Because now you're adding something
to your faith in Jesus Christ
and the Bible tells us,
and if by grace there is no more of works,
otherwise grace is no more grace.
Romans 11-6.
So when the Bible talks about brethren,
don't take that label
and place it upon just anything
that calls itself a Christian.
And look, we need to wake up here
and recognize that not everyone
on the internet calls themselves
the Christian are actually Christians.
I.e. Catholics.
Oh, there are brothers.
No, they're not.
They worship Mary.
They believe in a workspace salvation.
I heard they were the first Christians.
They might have been the first Christians
that went apostate.
I'll give you that.
But just because something calls itself
a Christian, a believer,
doesn't mean it's true.
We need to make sure
that we prove all things,
hold fast that which is good,
that we test people
based upon what they profess to believe.
And if a person claims to believe
in salvation and they assert
that salvation is anything else
other than through their faith
in Jesus Christ,
mark it down.
They're not saved.
Oh, are you allowed to save?
People are not.
Yeah.
You know, the Apostle Paul said,
I'm afraid of you.
What is he saying?
I'm worried that you're probably
not even saved.
That's what he told the Galatians
in Galatians chapter two.
It's important for us to recognize
that when we talk about the brethren,
we're talking about those
who have placed their faith
exclusively upon Christ
for salvation, folks.
And look, if you're not 100%
sure that if you die today
that you'd go to heaven,
if you fall into
the category in the camp
that I just described for you,
you need to get saved today.
Oh, I thought baptism
saves you, though.
Well, that's funny.
What happened to the thief on the cross?
Today, thou shalt be with me in paradise,
and he didn't come down from the cross
and get baptized.
The Bible tells us,
therefore, we conclude
that a man is justified by faith.
Listen to this,
without the deeds of the law.
There's your faith alone, by the way.
Without the deeds of the law.
I mean, by faith alone.
And so the point being here
is that we are to love the brethren.
That's what the Bible teaches us.
But obviously we know
we're supposed to love
unsafe people as well
enough that we would go
and give them the gospel.
Okay?
Now, you're in 1 Peter chapter 3.
Let me read you one more verse
before we get into chapter 3.
1 Peter chapter 122 says,
Seeing ye have purified your souls
and obeying the truth through the Spirit.
Unto unfaigned love of the brethren,
see that ye love one another
with a pure heart.
Listen to this, fervently.
So the Bible says
that we should have a sincere love
for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
And it communicates that
by talking about a pure heart,
unfaigned love.
But then it says
we should be fervent about it.
Now, what does that mean?
What's another word for fervent?
Passionate.
You should be passionately
loving the brethren.
Okay?
Meaning that we should, you know,
we should favor
our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Let us do good unto all men,
especially those
of the household of faith.
The Bible tells us.
And so what do we see here?
Genuine love is an emotion.
And specifically when we see it as an emotion,
we see that it should be geared towards
the brethren,
that we should have fervent love,
unfaigned, pure love
towards our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Look at 1 Peter chapter 3.
Verse 7 says,
Likewise ye husbands,
dwell with them according to knowledge,
giving honor unto the wife,
as unto the weaker vessel.
And as being heirs together with the grace of life,
that your prayers be not hindered.
Of course, 1 Peter chapter 3,
the initial part of 1 Peter 3,
are instructions for husbands and wives.
And of course, the first part talks about
the fact that a wife should be in subjection
to her husband,
submit to her husband,
that he is essentially the boss.
Right?
And it goes on to say that the husband
should likewise give honor unto the wife.
Why?
Because according to the Bible,
she is the weaker vessel.
Okay?
She's weaker emotionally.
She's weaker physically.
And in some cases,
she is weaker spiritually.
Okay?
Which is why Eve, you know,
was deceived by Satan.
So he says, you know,
we need to honor them,
dwell with them according to knowledge.
And what happens when you have this harmony
within the home?
What happens when the wife
submits unto her husband,
and the husband honors his wife?
Well, the latter part of verse 7 says this,
that your prayers be not hindered.
So if you want a life hack
for prayers in your marriage,
get this,
have harmony in your home.
Make sure that you're living in accordance to
the structure of the Bible
when it comes to marriage.
And what happens is
you will get your prayers answered.
If not, your prayers can be hindered.
Your petitions will not be answered
because you have no harmony in the home.
Verse 8 says,
finally, be all of one mind.
This is another way of saying,
be on the same page.
Okay?
Having compassion one for another.
And I want you to notice this,
love as brethren,
be pitiful, be courteous.
Now, this is obviously addressing,
you know, husbands and wives,
but this is very much applicable
all across the board to just Christians in general.
Right?
You know, to love as brethren,
what does that mean?
It means you should be friends.
Okay?
You know, my wife and I, yes.
She's my wife.
I'm her husband.
But guess what?
We're friends too.
You know what we do as friends?
We cut up.
We laugh together.
I make fun of her.
She tries to make fun of me,
but she's not as funny.
You know, we cut up.
We laugh.
We joke.
We cry.
We are like friends.
And so obviously the Bible promotes
friendships and Christianity.
And the Bible tells us that when we have
this sincere, pure, genuine love
one toward another,
the result of that is that
we end up loving as brethren.
We end up being like good, close friends.
And the byproduct of that
is that we are pitiful one toward another.
So what does it mean to be a friend?
It means that you have sincere love
and you pity someone
when they're going through a hard time.
You're courteous towards them.
You favor them.
You mind what they're going through
more than yourself.
You put their needs
and their desires above your own.
This is what it means to have
sincere love.
Look what it goes on the same verse 9.
Not rendering evil for evil.
You know what that means?
We shouldn't be vengeful
towards other Christians.
Right?
We should not have vengeance
towards other Christians.
If someone in our church wrongs you
or does, you know,
offends you or whatever it may be,
you know, the Bible says
that the answer for you,
the solution for you,
should not be to render evil back.
Right?
Okay?
Because genuine love,
forgiveness, genuine love is pitiful.
It's courteous.
It doesn't render evil for evil.
Listen to this.
Or railing for railing.
What is railing?
It means lying, slander.
You should not have vengeance
towards someone
and lie about them
because they lied about you.
Okay?
The point being here is
that genuine love is not vengeful.
He says,
but contrary to wise blessing,
knowing that you are called there unto,
that you should inherit a blessing.
Turn with me if you would.
Go to 1 John 3.
1 John 3.
We're talking about genuine love this morning.
Genuine love is an emotion.
Inward affection.
Don't be despondent
emotionally towards others.
Now, I get it.
You know what I mean?
Maybe to some of us,
that doesn't necessarily come as easy.
We're kind of stoic
or we try to act like we're stoic.
Other people are just a lot more easy
to become emotional with people
and just have that visible affection
towards others.
We should try to meet people
in the middle though, right?
To some people,
when they're just overly affectionate,
you need to chill out a little bit.
You're just a touchy type.
But if you're a dude,
go hug a dude
and you don't have to be hugging the ladies.
And vice versa.
Oh, but I got inward affection.
Yeah, I bet you do.
Obviously, this is with the...
the rules should be
that we should be appropriate.
The point being here
is that genuine love is an emotion.
We don't want to disregard that
or think that love,
according to the Bible,
this is the exception.
We don't have to be emotional
about this stuff.
And to a certain degree,
I kind of felt like that
for a while
because of the fact
that I've seen so much fake...
so much fakeness in churches
amongst Christians
where they had this visible,
emotional love towards God.
But they were super off-doctrinally.
They didn't have love for souls.
They didn't have love for the truth.
And so it's just like,
well, this is just fake.
You act like you...
you draw on nines of God
with your lips,
but your heart is far from him.
You're acting like you love God.
You're acting like you love the Word of God.
But when you're given the truth,
you reject it.
That's not real love.
That's a fake love.
And so just seeing that for years on end
kind of gave me
somewhat of an aversion
to that emotion, right?
But that's not right either, though.
Because we need to recognize
that love is an emotion.
It's an inward affection.
And we need to balance it
with all the other descriptions
of love that we see in the Bible.
So genuine love is an emotion.
Number two,
genuine love is demonstrated
by actions, okay?
Meaning that, yes,
we should have affection
one toward another,
have a love in our hearts one for another,
but they should also be demonstrated
in our deeds as well.
Look at 1 John 3
and verse 16.
It says,
hereby perceive we the love of God
because he laid down his life for us.
And we ought to lay down our lives
for the brethren.
But whoso hath this world's good
and seeeth this brother have need
and shutteth up his bowels
of compassion from him,
how dwelleth the love of God
in him.
Now, let me just
help you to understand something here
because along with this
fake love that people have,
people also end up,
you know, asserting that
if someone doesn't have
love in their hearts,
that means they're not saved, right?
And that's not
necessarily true either, okay?
Because sometimes people
don't cultivate
the spiritual virtues
that they have, you understand?
They don't cultivate it.
How do you cultivate it?
By going to church,
by reading the Bible,
walking in the spirit
that you should not fulfill
the lust of the flesh, okay?
How is the fruit of the spirit
produced?
By walking in the spirit.
It doesn't come naturally.
You know, when we get saved,
the Bible tells us
that we're in doubt
with the Holy Spirit of God
in whom you also trusted.
After that you heard
the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation
in whom also after
that you believed
you were sealed
with the Holy Spirit of promise
which is the earnest
of our inheritance
unto the redemption
of the purchased possession.
The Bible says we're sealed
unto the day of redemption
with the Holy Spirit of God.
We have the spirit of truth.
But hold on a second.
If we want to benefit
from the indwelling spirit,
we've got to walk in the spirit.
You actually have to
yield to the spirit.
And so if a person gets saved,
listen to this,
if a person gets saved
to come to the saving
knowledge of Christ,
they're indwell
with the Holy Spirit,
but they don't go to church.
They're not reading the Bible.
They're not getting
godly fellowship.
They're going to be
a corner person,
not absent of the spirit,
but weak in the spirit.
I mean, folks,
this is why the Bible tells us
be strong in the Lord
and in the power of his might.
Well, why would he have
to command us that
if that just comes naturally?
I'll tell you why,
because it doesn't come naturally.
It's something that has
to be cultivated.
And you know what?
I know weak Christians.
I've seen weak Christians.
You want to know a weak Christian?
It's a Christian
who just doesn't
live according to the Bible.
They're giving themselves
over to the lust of the flesh.
But if you're to talk to them,
are you safe to say,
well, I remember
when I got saved years ago,
yeah, I believed on Jesus Christ.
I'm just living a backslidden life
right now.
That's a weak Christian.
It's a carnal Christian.
You're like, oh, there's
no such thing as a carnal Christian.
Really?
Because the Apostle Paul said
in Romans 7, I am carnal.
And I'm assuming that, like,
he's a better Christian than you.
Just throwing that out there.
It's possible that the Apostle Paul
was better than you
in regards to, you know,
his Christian practices
and living a godly life.
Yet he himself said,
in me, that is in my flesh,
dwelleth no good thing.
For the things that I would,
I do not.
The things that I do not,
that I do.
You know, he's talking about
that inner turmoil
that he experiences.
Why?
Because when we get saved,
it doesn't mean that God
extracts the old man from us.
He's still there with us.
Which is why the Bible says
to put off the old man
according to the deceitful lust.
Make sure that you put off
the old man,
put on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Why?
Because we have both natures
on us 100% of the time.
And you say,
well, what's the difference
between the person
who actually has love
and is a Christian
and the person who doesn't
have love
and is a Christian?
I'll tell you what.
The person who has salvation
and they don't have love,
they're not reading the Bible.
They're not walking in the Spirit.
They're not in church
being taught
how to have sincere love.
They're not here today.
Listen into the sermon.
So yeah, you know what's going to happen to them?
They're going to become bitter
towards people who rung them.
They're going to have hatred
in their hearts
towards brothers and sisters in Christ.
They're going to have fear
in their hearts.
They're going to have inner turmoil.
They're going to have constant
battles in their mind.
They're backslidden.
They're involved in sin.
Why?
Because they're not really growing
in their faith now.
Are they?
Okay?
And so the Bible tells us here
that how dwelleth the love of God in him
if he's shutting up his bowels of compassion
meaning that
when the Bible talks about the bowels
it's referring to kind of like our intestines.
We like to say,
I love them with all my heart.
The Bible is like,
I love them with all my bowels.
I have a bow movement for you.
I feel something.
And it's kind of like
maybe it's referring to
like if I were to conjecture
what's the exact interpretation here?
It would be like, you know,
I have butterflies in my stomach.
Right?
Got one laugh.
One man who knows what I'm talking about there.
You know, the bowels of compassion
is simply referring to
when you see a brother in need.
Maybe they have like a physical need.
A financial need.
Some sort of,
you know,
they're lacking something in their life.
You know,
the Bible says that we should have
some sort of bowel of compassion.
Like man, I want to help this person.
Okay?
I want to help fulfill that need
as best as I possibly can.
He says in verse 18,
my little children,
let us not love in word,
neither in tongue,
but in deed and in truth.
What is it saying?
You know, it's nice that you say you love people.
It's great that you claim to love God.
It's great that you claim to have sincere love,
but the Bible says
don't love in word and tongue,
do it in deed and in truth.
Meaning do it according to the Bible
and then do it by doing something about it.
Now, what is the clearest example
of this in the Word of God?
Well, James chapter two tells us
if a brother or sister
be naked in destitute of daily food
and one of you saying to them,
be warmed and filled,
you know,
but give them not those things
which are needful to the body.
What does the prophet
even so faith that the path
and our works is dead,
being alone?
What the Bible is saying there
is like, oh,
you have love with your words
because you're like,
oh, be warmed and filled.
I hope you get your needs met
and God bless you.
You know,
yeah, that's a very loving thing
to say,
but the Bible says here
that if we're to have,
you know,
a mature, perfect faith,
we need to make sure
that we provide for the needs
as best as we possibly can.
What is the Bible telling us?
It's telling us that
sincere, genuine love
seeks to go out of its way
to provide for the needs
of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Okay?
As best as we can.
Obviously,
in some instances,
maybe you're not financially able
or you're just not,
you don't have the possessions
or the resources available,
but if you do though,
the Bible says you should have
bowels of compassion
for your brother and sisters
in Christ.
John chapter 15,
turn with me if you want to
John 13.
Go to John 13.
You're in 1st John.
Go to John chapter 13.
I'm going to read to you
from John 15 in verse 12.
It says,
this is my commandment
that ye love one another
as I have loved you.
Greater love hath no man
than this,
that a man lay down his life
for his friends.
Obviously,
one of the greatest expressions
of love,
as far as an action is concerned,
is to actually give your life
for your friends.
And that's a major sacrifice,
is it not?
You know?
And I think I speak
for all dads when we say
like, we would willingly
give our lives
for our children.
You know,
if my son,
my daughter,
was in some sort of danger
if they're drowning
or whatever it may be,
and it would require
my death to save them,
I would willingly
make that trade.
That's obviously,
I think that's more
of an easier trade
rather than just anybody.
You know?
But the Bible says,
you know,
that's like the greatest
expression of love there
as noted by the fact
that Jesus Christ
obviously sacrificed
himself for us.
I remember years ago,
maybe it was like
10, 15 years ago,
this is in a different church.
There was a youth activity
and I think it was
at a beach or something
but it was a youth activity
and the teens were swimming
and one of the teens
got caught in a riptide.
You know,
he got caught in a riptide
which is extremely dangerous,
you know,
and he got caught in a riptide
and one of his friends
saw that he jumped in.
I think he jumped in
with like a boogie board
or something like that
and he saved his friend
but he drowned.
He was about 15, 16 years old
or something,
he was a teenager,
he drowned.
He gave his life for his friend
and that is the greatest
expression of love right there
and of course he's a hero
but this is demonstrating
that greater love
has no man to this.
He had enough love for his friend
to want to save him
even if it meant giving
his life for him.
Jesus goes on to say
in verse 14,
ye are my friends
if you do whatsoever
I command you.
John chapter 13,
let me just spend some time
on that actually real quick.
Ye are my friends
if you do whatsoever
I command you.
So don't prep
friend of Jesus
on your bio
if you're not obeying the Bible.
Don't put
I'm a follower of Jesus.
Really, how's your obedience though?
You kind of look like
a godless person.
Don't tell me you're a friend
of Jesus
and you've got
only fans or something like that.
Look at John 13 verse 33,
little children
yet a little while
I'm with you
ye shall seek me
and as I said
into the Jews
whether I go you cannot come
so now I say to you
a new commandment
I give unto you
that ye love one another
as I have loved you
that ye also love one another.
What is the Bible telling us?
It's telling us here
that this is a major,
major command in the New Testament
that we should be characterized
by our love
towards other brothers
and sisters in Christ.
And you know what?
It should be said
that we have a greater love
for our sisters
and brothers and sisters
in Christ
than the unsaved.
You know obviously
if you're working out
in the world
you go to school in the world
you are involved
in the secular realm
you're going to come
in contact with a lot
of unsaved Christian
unsaved people.
A lot of people
who don't adhere
to religion
they're not Christian
but let me say this
you know you should
obviously befriend them
in order to win them
to Christ
but you should never favor
an unsaved person
over your brothers
and sisters in Christ though
and it should not be
that you're closer
you feel a lot
you feel this kinship
towards unsaved people
more than you do
towards your brothers
and sisters in Christ
towards Christians.
Why?
Because of the fact that
the Bible tells us
being not unequally
yoked together with unbelievers
for a fellowship
that's righteousness
with unrighteousness
we'll conquer that
with Christ with Belial
we'll party at the
that believers with
an infidel
obviously we want to
win them to Christ
we want to get them saved
help them come to the
saving knowledge of Jesus
but hold on a second
if you're just
super comfortable
with the unsaved though
you just love being
around them
you know something wrong with you
you need to develop
a sincere genuine love
for Christians
because this is
literally commanded
by Jesus himself
he says a commandment
I give it to you
that you love
one another
and he's talking to his disciples
and that command
extends unto us as well
you don't have to turn there
but go with me
if you would to
Matthew chapter 5
I'm going to read to you
from 2nd Corinthians chapter 8
you go to Matthew chapter 5
if you would
2nd Corinthians 8 7
says therefore is he
a bound in everything
in faith and utterance
and knowledge
and in all diligence
and in your love to us
see that you bound
in this grace also
when it says a bounder
means to grow
so if you're sitting there
like man I don't
actually love the brethren
as much as I should
but well you know
join the club
because we all get there
at one point or another
where our love
for the brethren
is not where it should be
we don't necessarily
have an inward affection
towards the brethren
but you know the Bible says
we need to a bound
in that area
just as you a bound
and growing
your utterance
and your knowledge
of the Bible
God says you need to
work on your love
stop being such a cold
hearted person
such a stoic
and actually develop
some inward affection
towards your brothers
and sisters
in Christ
and of course
we're in the point of
actions right
it goes on the same verse 8
I speak not by command
but by the occasion
of the forwardness of others
and to prove the sincerity
of your love
this is in 2 Corinthians 8 verse 9
for you know
that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
that though he was rich
yet for your sakes
he became poor
the etherist poverty
might be rich
and herein I give my advice
for this is expedient for you
who have begun before
not only to do
but also to be forward
a year ago
now therefore
perform the doing of it
of course the context here
is that he's saying
you know
provide for the needs
of the church at Corinth
you know you claim to have
love in your hearts
express that love
by your actions
and by your sacrifices
now let me say this
when it comes to loving
the brethren
and this is important
we should love the brethren
not expecting anything
in return
now the natural
byproduct is just like
can you show me some love
back though
can I get some love
can you favor me
like I favored you
and you know what
that's a natural response
but it should not be
an expectation though
okay
you know we
why because
genuine sincere love
loves not expecting anything
in return
genuine sincere love
loves
and just is satisfied
is content
is happy
we're just leaving it at that
making it just a one
one way road
like well you know
I always tell this person
I love them
they never tell me they love me back
I mean that's just
some people are like that
now you know
I think every once in a while
you know
in its appropriate way
you should you know
reciprocate that
so you don't come off
as a jerk
you know what I mean
you know like
ditto bro
or something you know
but you know
don't do things for people
because you want something
in return
don't express by your works
the sincerity of your love
your inward affection
because you want people
to express that to you
as well
that's not right
because sincere love
doesn't expect it
they do it without expecting
any type of return
or expect for it to be reciprocated
look at Matthew 5
verse 44
but I say it to you
now this of course
is talking about your enemies
but you know
we can
place this also in the context
of just anybody
love your enemies
bless them their curse
you do good to them
that hate you
pray for them which
despitefully use you
and persecute you
that you may be
the children of your father
which is in heaven
for you make it the sun
to rise on the evil
and on the good
and send it's rain
on the just
and on the unjust
for if you love them
which love you
what reward have he
do not even
the publicans
the same the Bible says
okay
so this is like
oh man
you know unsay people
act like that
okay
we need to make sure
that when we love others
we're not expecting like
aren't you going to say
something
you know
don't you want to say it back
you know
or you did something
for someone who's just like
well you know
remember when I did that
for you
well obviously
that didn't come from
a heart of sincerity
when we help others
give gifts to others
we bless others
we should see it
as mission accomplished
I can move on
with my life
and not wait for that
person to reciprocate
that in return
okay
like oh man
I'm just a person who kind of
needs that
well you need to learn
not to need that
okay
and you know what
if you are not
receiving that type of
compassion
love for one another
from others
then you know
find your solace in the Lord
because the Lord
always reciprocates that
we love the Lord
he loves us back
and let's just be honest
we don't reciprocate that
to the Lord
as much as we should
so when he extends
his love towards us
his compassion
and mercy towards us
his grace towards us
you know
we're not always
hopping on
in our prayer life
thanking God for those things
sometimes he just
blesses us with rain
with blessings
with resources
and finances
and possessions
and spiritual blessings
and we don't say nothing back
so everyone does that
okay
the point that I'm making
is that
genuine
sincere love
gives
not necessarily expecting
anything in return
okay
and let me also say this
sincere genuine love
we're talking about works here
for Gibbs
the Bible tells us
go with me if you would to
let's see here
go to 1 Peter chapter 4
1 Peter chapter 4
if you would
and after 1 Peter 4
we're gonna go to Galatians
chapter 4
1 Peter chapter 4
so point number 2 is that
sincere genuine love
demonstrates works
right
for one another
and part of the works
is just being
willing to forgive people
when they wrong
forgiveness needs to be
a major attribute
and characteristic of a Christian
that's something that we
definitely need to develop
on a daily, weekly, monthly,
yearly basis
okay
because people offend us
they wrong us
they
you know do evil unto us
and we need to learn
how to forgive
the Bible says
the Bible tells us
in Ephesians chapter 4
let all bitterness
and wrath
and clamor
and evil speaking
be put away from you
with all malice
be kind unto another
tender heart
of forgiving one another
even as God for Christ's sake
has forgiven you
you know what that means
it means that
you should forgive people
in your heart
like well I don't forgive them
because they haven't asked
for forgiveness
well you should still
forgive them in your heart
though
and if they come to you
in person
asking for forgiveness
forgive them
and look folks
forgiveness is probably
one of the most
pleasurable things to do
you know as a Christian
I'll be honest with you
when you forgive someone
you're just able to release them
of that debt
of that burden
of that offense
it's great
and it
ensures you
and it ensures me
that we will be
forgiven of God
obviously we know that
we're forgiven of God
of past, present and future sins
for eternal damnation
but guess what
we need daily forgiveness
of sins
because we offend God
on a daily basis
if we say we have no sin
we deceive ourselves
and the truth is not in us
if we confess our sins
he is faithful and just
to forgive us our sins
and cleanse us from all
unrighteousness
well you know what
if you want that promise
to be true
you have to forgive
your offenders
okay
and the Bible says
for Christ's sake
have he forgiven you
so we need to make sure
we do it as unto the Lord
right
look at 1 Peter chapter 4
verse 8
and above all things
listen to this
have fervent charity
among yourselves
charity is just
another way of saying love
have passionate love
but then he says
for charity
shall cover the multitude of sins
now this doesn't mean
you sweep things under the rug
okay
you know these churches
that sweep pedophilia
and crimes under the rug
that's not fervent charity
it's criminal
okay
when it says
the covers of multitude of sins
is referring to the fact
that when you forgive someone
you don't bring it back up again
you bury that offense
you bury it
and you don't hang it
over their heads
for the rest of their life
right
you know
you want to have good relationships
in your marriage
you want to have a good relationship
amongst your friends
don't be the person
who just brings up the past
all the time
have fervent charity
listen to this
have fervent charity
that covers the multitude of sins
okay
and so that's important
go with him
if you would
go to a Galatians chapter 4
genuine love
is an emotion
genuine love
is demonstrated
in actions
but let me also say this
genuine love speaks the truth
okay
this is my favorite part
right here
amen
let's get all that mushy
gushy stuff out of the way
real quick
let's get down to brass
taxier
okay
genuine love
speaks the truth
okay
and this is something
that churches
don't like to talk about
they love those first two
points
you know
and if you're a Lib Christian
you love what I just said
right there
like man
just finish right there
just just
amen right there
and we're good to go
but hold on a second
we're expounding upon
what it means to have genuine love
and according to the Bible
genuine love
actually tells you the truth
and let me say this
you know
the word nice
is not in the Bible
nice doesn't exist in the Bible
obviously the Bible tells us
to be kind
to be gracious
but let me just tell you
something right now
sometimes the truth hurts
and you know what
sometimes the Bible commands us
to tell the truth
in a very rude manner
and in fact
the apostle Paul said
though I be rude in speech
yet not in knowledge
that's like
that's like my live verse
right there
you know because people are like
oh man he's so rude
look how he says
all these
what he's saying in these letters
and he's like yeah
I'm rude in my speech
yeah
the way I say things
is not nice
but I'm not rude in my knowledge
because I know what I'm talking about
I'm giving you the truth
and you know what
you'll never find
a spirit filled prophet
of the Old Testament
be nice
and I didn't say
there's not any nice prophets
in the Old Testament
because there are
but they're false prophets
they're all false prophets
study it
the false prophets
of the Old Testament
they're the ones who are just like
no judgment is coming
you're going to have peace
in your day
don't listen to this guy
he's being mean
he's guilty of treason
you know
you're going to go and prosper
you're going to win this war
Ahab dies
liar
that's the result of nice preaching
whereas Micaiah is like
you're going to die
you're not coming back
and he's like this guy
never preaches good concern to me
but only evil
he doesn't like the truth
but you know what
the truth sometimes hurts does it not
and let me tell you something right now
the Bible tells us
that we need to be in church
hear the preaching of God's word
and it says that we
henceforth be no more children
tossed to and fro
carried about with every wind of doctrine
by the sleight of men
cunning craftiness
whereby they lying away to deceive
and then it tells us
but speaking the truth in love
and this is
the liberals favorite
verse right here
oh he's not speaking the truth in love
right and I get accused of this
all the time
it doesn't offend me though
at all
because I don't get offended by people
who don't know the Bible
if they try to use the Bible against me
I'm not like how could you
I'm like this person just doesn't know the Bible
because what do they mean by
oh he's not speaking the truth in love
he's saying it mean
it's just the way he says it
and you know
if I had a dime
for every time I heard this
we would have the building already
where they'll say something like this
they're like
well it's not what he says
it's how he says it
you know
preach about fornication
preach against Jews
preach against Muslims
preach against the Godars
preach against false religion
and then you know
I'm ripping face
I'm lifting up my voice
like a trumpet crying out loud
and sparing not as the Bible commands me
and they're like
well it's true what he's saying
but I just
it's how he says it
you know
it's good that he's preaching
fornication is a sin
yeah but you know
it's just how he says it
why does he have to say it like that
and it's just like
how do you want me to say it
you want me to be like
fornication is wicked
don't do it
yeah you would laugh at me
exactly
you would laugh at me
because you would not take me serious
and there's a reason why God commands
a certain dynamic
in preaching in the Bible
he would literally
command his prophets
you better make sure you yell this
when you're preaching this
you better make sure
you stomp with your foot
preach against the nation
and the leaders
you got to get the people's attention
you know he didn't say
hey make sure you're like
nice about this whole thing
you know
don't go overboard
you know
make sure that you display Christ
but you know what
Christ was a hard preacher though
and people are always
like you don't preach like Jesus
and I tell them
yeah you're right
because I'm not flipping over tables
you actually
you're actually right about that
because you know
I don't remember
ever flipping over a table
when I'm preaching
because that's exactly what he did
and again
people have this perception
of who Jesus is
that's not in the Bible
this is the perception
of people of Jesus
the protruding Catholic heart
it's all bleeding
it has a crown on it
for whatever reason
he has long
he's got the A1s
you know
he's got the robon
lights
what does this mean
and they think he just
like floated around
and just
that's not the Jesus of the Bible
when the Bible says
to speak the truth and love
let me explain to you
what this means
speaking the truth and love
meaning
means that you tell people
the truth out of a heart
that loves them
in love doesn't mean
how nice you say it
it means you're telling them
because you actually love
the person that you're talking to
that means sometimes
people tell you the truth
not because they love you
they just want to be
condemning towards you
they have a holier
than now complex
they're hyper spiritual
so that is a temptation
for people
and so the Bible commands is
make sure when you preach
the truth you give the truth
you do it in love
meaning you do it out of a heart
that actually desires
their exhortation
their spiritual growth
you want them to repent
of that sin
lest they should come
to destruction
and desolation
you want them to come
to the truth of this
particular subject
so that they don't
destroy themselves
that's what it means
to speak the truth and love
not like the decibels
of your voice
well you don't have to yell
like that
you know
why do you have to be mean
why do you have to call them
homos and fags
and why do you have to say
Jews
and why do you have to say
all these words are so offensive
well because you know
gotta get your attention
and you know what
look at all the stuff
that God had Ezekiel do
when he preached
and look
people who criticize
this dynamic
preaching
have obviously never
actually studied
how the Old Testament
prophets behaved
God's like
lay on your side for
360 days
390 days
and then he's like
eat cows dung
and he's like
just doing crazy stuff
I mean one of the crazies
is like you know what
I'm gonna take the desire
from your eyes
and I don't want you to mourn
meaning that he was gonna
allow Ezekiel's wife to die
and he's like
when you rise up in the morning
go and preach
and don't mourn
that's not very nice
you know what the Bible says
in the morning
she died
and he rose
and he did as he was commanded
not very nice now is it
yeah no one likes to talk
no non-denom church
likes to talk about that story
because it doesn't fit
into their nice narrative
where God says
I'm gonna take the desire
from your eyes
and I don't want you to mourn
when she dies
I want you to get up
and preach the word of God
and he said why
just to use it as an illustration
just to say
you know
when I destroyed Jerusalem
the destruction is gonna be
so heavy
it's gonna leave everyone speechless
just to illustrate that
like man
why did God do that
because he's God
he can do whatever he wants
and you know what
Ezekiel is boss
he's a Chad
okay
because he did it
and he's one of the prophets
of the Old Testament
who was said of more
probably more than anybody else
that the spirit of God
came upon him
okay
the point being here
is that get the word nice
out of your vocabulary
when we're talking about preaching
because according to the Bible
sometimes you need to hear the truth
okay
look at Galatians chapter 4
if you would
Galatians chapter 4
and sometimes you know Christians
they get offended at that
but it's because
they just been in churches
they're just too nice
but let me give you the equivalent
of nice in the Bible
when it comes to preaching
because the word nice
is not found in the Bible
but you know
there is an equivalent
too nice
when it comes to preaching
in the Bible
it's called deception
it's called flattery
when people are being overly nice
behind the pulpit
flattering you
they're deceiving you
you know like Joel's theme for example
bro's nice
super nice
I mean I don't know
if there's a sermon where he's not smiling
it's got the million dollar smile
everyone loves him
he's just a really nice guy
he doesn't condemn anybody
but he's just full of lies and deceit
because he doesn't really love people
he's not really telling them the truth
look at Galatians 4 verse 13
you know how that
infirmity of the flesh
I preach the gospel to you at the first
and my temptation which was in my flesh
he despised not nor rejected
but receive me as an angel of God
even as Christ Jesus
so what's going on here
Apostle Paul is writing this letter
to the churches of Galatia
who have been Judaized
in his absence
you have these false brethren
who crept in unawares
these Jews
who were coming in after the Apostle Paul
trying to teach people to come back
under the law
and they created a lot of chaos
in these churches
because people started thinking
well I gotta make sure I keep the law
in order to be saved
and so he writes this letter
and he's just getting on them
he's calling them stupid
he's saying that they're foolish
I mean he's ripping their faces off
and I want you to notice this in verse 15
where is then the blessing is he spake of?
I bear you record that
if it had been possible
you would have plucked out your own eyes
and have given them to me
what is he saying?
you know when I first came
you guys were
you guys loved me
you guys were willing to sacrifice
things for me
you saw me as an angel
you were just
kindly affection towards me
but now you don't like me anymore
he says in verse 16
am I therefore becoming your enemy
because I tell you the truth
is it because now
I'm exposing all this stuff
that now you don't like me
because of that
is that what it is?
you just don't like the truth
you know what folks
this is still common today
in 2026
that when you preach the truth
people are gonna get offended
and I'm sure I've offended
a lot of people in our church
over the last couple of years
for sure
I run the risk of offending you
yeah I know that
I run the risk of offending people
that I love
people that I have inward affection towards
because I gotta give you the truth
but you know what
at least I'm willing to give you the truth
and if you decide
well I'm never gonna come back to this church
because I was offended at what you said
I didn't agree with that
I don't like the way you said it
I don't like when you say whore
I don't like when you say
you know whatever
I don't like when you preach again
so and so
I don't like that
I'm never gonna come back
well at least you know
that there was a prophet
who gave you the truth though
and that doesn't mean
I won't hurt for you
like I hurt when people leave for sure
for wrong reasons
it hurts me
it breaks my heart for sure
you know
because I do have genuine love for the brethren
I have inward affection towards the brethren
and it burdens me when people leave
for that reason for sure
but I'm just
I'm just not gonna stop doing my job though
because my job
yeah my job is to pastor you
but my job is to give you the truth though
and it's a gamble sometimes
because I gotta think to myself like
if I preach this
if I say this
I run the risk of running these people out
but it's a risk
I have to take every single time
because at the end of the day
though I'm serving you
sorry I'm serving the Lord first
and I have a job to do
okay
and so I'm telling you that
to demonstrate that
you know what
genuine love actually gives you the truth
it doesn't just allow you to remain in that sin
and just be that type of person
and have that characteristic
and that quality
with no correction whatsoever
no my job as an under shepherd
is to sometimes whack the sheep
on the top of the head
and if the sheep wants to leave the fold
then that's the sheep's prerogative
that's what he wants to do
that's what she wants to do
but you know at the end of the day
it's not gonna stop me
it's not gonna prevent me from the future
but maybe I shouldn't preach that
because you know I just scare people away
no I'm just gonna have to keep doing it
I don't have to change
the way I deliver my preaching
you just have to start loving the truth
I don't need to change my delivery
you need to change how you receive it
you know the Bible tells us to be spear-filled
but like the song leader says right before he prays
give a spear-filled ears
he the hath an ear
let him hear what the spear says unto the churches
you know what that means
it means that it's my job to be spear-filled
to give you the truth
but it's your job to receive the truth
to accept it
especially if there is biblical
substantial proof to back it up
and you know what we live in a society today
just offended about everything
just get offended about everything
and everyone cancel the culture of this
and I don't like the way he said
let's cancel this person
let's expose this person
and people bring that into the church
people bring that into the church
and they're so offended at everything
you need to develop some thick skin
I'm not your enemy because I tell you the truth
it's actually an expression of genuine love
let me say this
the Bible says open rebuke
is better than secret love
faithful are the wounds of a friend
but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful
meaning that God interprets genuine love
as openly rebuking you
rather than secretly telling you how much they love you
think about Judas Iscariot
Hail Rabbi
gives him a kiss as he's betrayed Jesus Christ
that's what the pastors are doing today
they're giving you a deceitful kiss
on the cheek on Sunday mornings
all the while they're betraying you
by not giving you the truth
and so it's important for us to recognize
the importance of genuine love
because genuine love truly tells you the truth
and look folks let's be real
when I say have sincere love
I'm saying be a genuine person
you know here's the great thing about our church
is that you could just be yourself
now I will say this though
I want you to be yourself
but improve yourself too though
because sometimes yourself is just too much
it's too worldly
you should work at living a sanctified life
but you don't need to be fake around me
you don't need to act like some sort of
hyper spiritual giant around me
and you got it all together just be real with me
I'll be real with you
I know you're not perfect
I know that you're not perfect
everyone knows you're not perfect
I'm not perfect you're not perfect
just be real
be a sincere genuine person
you don't have to try to overcompensate
just be genuine
and at the end of the day
when you are a genuine person
you don't have to worry
about what people think about you
this is who I am
I love the Lord
I'm coming to church
I'm reading my Bible
I'm trying to win souls to Christ
I'm trying to fellowship here
and that's all
that's my agenda
that's my prerogative
that's my goal in life
praise God
the person you have to worry about
is the person who cakes on the spirituality
that's the one you have to worry about
let me read you a verse here
Proverbs chapter 26 verse 23 says this
burning lips and a wicked heart
are like a pot shirt covered with silver dross
he that hadith
dissembles with his lips
and layeth up to seat within him
when he speaketh fair
believe him not
for there are seven abominations
in his heart
what does it mean to be fair
it's referring to beautiful
when someone's just like
hey brother
brother I'm just
this is the Lord's day
you're right bro
like
you know
I'm just in love with the Lord
you know
okay
you don't have to be fake
hey church
you know just this overly flowery
here's how the Bible calls it
great swelling words of vanity
that's what the Bible refers to it as
you know the Bible says
when you find a person who's like that
very flowery
very vainly puffed up with their words
they have deceit in their heart
they're trying to trick you
you run into a neighbor that
flatters you constantly
a friend that's constantly flattering you
is just being over the top
it's probably because they're trying to like trick you
they're trying to deter attention
from their true motives
why because a sincere person is just sincere
they're just pure
even if it means they're just a little too pure
a little too sincere
but you know I'd rather have the guy
don't come up and do this after the service
but I'd rather have the guy come up
and just drop an F bomb on accident
or on purpose
you know
and you know just it's sincere
but they're trying to win souls to Christ
they're trying to grow in their faith
they love the Lord
they're faithful to church
and they're going in the right direction
then the person who's just completely clean
with his language
but he has deceit in his heart
give me the other guy
give me David's mighty man
give me the motley crew
I'd rather work with people like that
than people who are just fake
because the person who's actually working towards that
is a sincere individual
and they're not laying up to seat in their heart
okay
go with me if you would to
let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 13
1 Corinthians chapter 13
talk about genuine love
I got two more points and I'm done
let me just breeze over this next point here
before I get into my last
and that is that genuine love
obeys the Lord
genuine love obeys the Lord
Bible says if you love me
keep my commandments
okay
and so obviously genuine love
does obey the Lord
and the person can't say well I love God
and they're not going to church
they're not reading the Bible
they're drinking alcohol
they're smoking weed
they're living a Godless life
notice that in
by the way notice the Bible doesn't say
if you're saved keep my commandments
notice it doesn't say
if you have everlasting life keep my commandments
it just says if you love me keep my commandments
okay
and so it's important for us to recognize
that if we want to express love towards
towards the Lord
we need to be obedient
now here's the great thing about this
think about it
because sometimes people are like man I struggle
I feel like I don't have a love for God
right and more often than not
they're referring to like the emotion
right
like they don't have the motivation
they feel apathetic towards
the things of God
you guys know what I'm talking about
sometimes you're just like man
you know and let me just explain something to you
I don't wake up every morning like jumping out of bed like
trying to read the Bible
you know
if that's you you're the guy that I was just talking about
in the previous point
you're lying okay
nobody wakes up like that
I mean I wake up
I got six kids
you know my wife and my six kids
and you know what I don't want to talk to anyone
until I got my cup of coffee and get ready
like I'm not a morning person at all
some of you are morning people I'm not a morning person at all
I have to transition
into the morning
and you know I got to work on that
but you know I don't wake up just like oh man
I love the Bible so no sometimes I
read it out of duty
and a lot of times Christians
think man if I don't have that
burning desire within me to read the Bible
to go soul winning
to go to church like it means like I'm a
really bad Christian
because I don't have that love in my heart
that emotion that loves the Lord like that
but you know what
you're okay I got an answer for you
because according to the Bible
if you obey the Lord
if you do those things even if you
don't have a heart for it
the Bible God still interprets
that as love because if you love me
keep my commandments
and here's the great thing folks
and this is what mature Christians
this is how mature Christians behave okay
they read the Bible when they're in love
with the Bible but they read the Bible even if they're not
they go to church
when they're excited and they go to church
when they're not
they win souls to Christ
when they're excited about soul winning
and they win souls to Christ even if they're not
there's times when I go out soul winning
and I'm just like gun haul I'm like
man I'm excited Lord please help me see someone
saved I'm excited to talk to people
I'm just you know knocking on doors
but there's other times it's just like
I'm not in the mood right now
I'm not in the mood to go knock on doors
especially in this hot weather
with all my kids
get off the load you know just like
just having to you know
lead that sometimes I'm not
but you know I do it anyways
because that's what mature Christians do
because genuine love is
not only an emotion
genuine love is also obedience
so you know if you don't have the emotion
don't feel bad but make sure you're doing
what you're supposed to do
and obedience
is the vehicle that leads you to the next
mount on top of emotion
so when you're on the mount you're like oh man
I'm zealous for the Lord
I'm passionate I have
zeal for God and then you just drop into
the valley keep obeying God
because obedience to him
and his word is like the momentum
you need to get back to the top again
but whether you're at the top
or at the bottom obey God
emotion is great
I love having
being you know
emotional about the things of God
I love feeling emotions towards my wife
right I love having
that inward affection towards my brothers
but you know what if I don't
because I'm a carnal person
because I'm a weak Christian at times
because I'm not perfect guess what
the Bible says that I can still
demonstrate genuine love
through my obedience to his word
so I don't have to feel guilty
just because I don't
feel like I'm in love with the Lord
feel like I'm in love
with the Bible feel like I'm in love
with my wife feel like I don't
have an inward affection towards
the brothers and sisters in Christ because the Bible says
well if you do those things
God still interprets that as love
if you obey the Lord
you do those things
God says you love
and that's important because I'm telling you
churches like well you know
something's wrong with you then
something's wrong with you if you don't have that emotion
well I would say something is wrong
if you don't have the emotion and you're not obeying the Lord
but if you're obeying the Lord
you don't have the emotion
you're good
here's what it's called
life
that's just how life is
very important
let me read you one last verse here first John
or should I say passage first John 5
1 says who shall I believe that Jesus is the Christ
is born of God
and everyone that loveth him that beget
loveth him also that has begotten of him
by this we know that we love the children of God
when we love God and keep his commandments
for this is the love of God
that we keep his commandments
and his commandments are not
grievous the Bible says
so again genuine love
is obedience to the Lord
and here is
actually I have two more points
two more points
let me skip that last one here
I'm going to go into this one where do I have you turn
where
okay
go to Romans 13
I just want to make sure you guys know where 1 Corinthians 13 is
genuine love hates evil
right
genuine love hates evil the Bible tells us
ye that loveth the Lord
hate evil
now let me say this right now
and that is that genuine love
works no evil
it hates evil
but it worketh no ill
towards his brethren or towards others
meaning that you know I can't say
that I love Cody
and doing evil unto Cody
right
I can't say that I love my children and do evil to my children
that's not real love
because love according to the Bible works no ill
look at Romans 13 verse 8
oh no man anything
but to love one another
for he that loveth another
hath fulfilled the law
for this thou shalt not commit adultery
thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness
thou shalt not covet
and if there be any other commandment it is briefly
comprehended in the same
namely thou shalt love thy neighbor as I self
listen to this
love worketh no ill to his neighbor
therefore love
is the fulfilling of the law
what is it saying
it's saying that if we have genuine
love towards others
we're not going to do evil towards them
right
now let me go ahead and talk about
the whole Lindsay Clancy situation
to give you a Biblical
perspective on this entire
case here okay
you know obviously most of us
know about this situation
Lindsay Clancy
murdered her three children
in 2023
she strangled her three children
and right now they are
you know she's going through
there's a
there's an entire case going on whether she's
going to be guilty of
or she's going to plead insanity
if she's guilty of insanity or not
okay and here's the thing
folks is that let me say a couple things regarding this whole
situation just to make sure you have
a Biblical perspective on this
entire case okay first and foremost
let me say number one
that I as a pastor
as a Christian and as a husband I
do sympathize with people
who or women who go through
postpartum depression
I sympathize with that
100% that is a
legitimate thing
okay my wife went through that
a couple years ago where she went through a state of psychosis
and she was very ill
and you know it was a hard time
for my wife and I it was extremely difficult
okay and
it helped me to realize like man
you know women are the weaker
best one in that regard especially
because you know their hormones can just
kind of drive them crazy
okay so I know
that's a legitimate thing and you guys know
that I preach about that
not regularly but I do mention it a lot
tell husbands to make sure you check on your wives
after they give birth
because they can go through a lot of mental stuff
okay
however
I don't believe this is a situation
where a person
can use
postpartum depression as an excuse
to kill her children
okay now I'm not saying
that didn't play a role
in what she did
but I personally believe
according to the Bible
that that woman is demonically possessed
demonically possessed
why because love
work at no ill
towards their neighbor
and folks you know
it's important for us to talk about this because of the fact that
you know this whole situation
has not produced women
who want to defend this
it's exposed that women today
are willing to defend this crap
and we live in such a
godless society today
where feminism has infiltrated churches
and America to the extent
that a woman can literally
strangle her three children
and women by and large in this country
will try to defend that
oh man you know
her husband folks the whole trial
it's not about whether
she did it or not she said she did it
yup yeah
and I was like
the conspiracy to her husband
she said she did it
the trial is not whether she did it or not
the trial is whether she was
sane or not now let me also say this is the mosaic law
doesn't carve out insanity
as a defense
in the way modern courts do
I was like well you know
she's insane so
okay she's insane
yeah she is
but she
we need her
yup
it's not another person
she can't separate herself and say
well the insane part of me is the one that did it
no you did it
the mosaic law
doesn't carve out insanity as an excuse to murder
right
we have such a stupid judicial system
where I was just like well if she's insane
then we'll just put her in an insane asylum
and let me just be very clear
she deserves the death penalty
she deserves a millstone
to be tied about her neck
to be drowned in the depths of the sea
because she murdered her children
and you know what anybody who advocates
for that woman and her actions
you know you're just as wicked
you're godless and you know what
you should be reported
and you know do you have children
you know how are these women
like literally defending them
with their children along their side
if I was their kid I'd be like
hey
do you agree with this
like
she deserves the death penalty
okay and I do believe
that she was satanically possessed
you're like well wouldn't you agree then
that she shouldn't be convicted
well you know Judas Iscari was also satanically possessed
when he betrayed Jesus Christ
and he still held responsible
he was mentally insane
because satan took over
he possessed them
yet God held him accountable for that
and so yes she does deserve the death penalty
for that she is godless and wicked
and you know what
I'm not standing up here standing in judgment of women
who've gone through postpartum depression
let me tell you this as someone with the experience
of someone who's dealt with situations like that
my wife who went through something like that
you know what she eventually came out of it
and you know what when she came out of it
she realized like all those thoughts I was having
all the feelings
and the emotions that I was experiencing
I know that they're wrong
Lindsay's not doing that
and look people need to wake up and realize
do you understand that she's pleading
not guilty
what do you mean
so everyone knows she did it
she claims
but she's pleading not guilty because she's saying
well I was insane when I did it
so that's not repentance
that's not sorrow
let me just explain something to you
let me just be real with you
if I ever did something like that
and I was insane
I go up there and say I'm guilty
and you better kill me now
I want to die now
and if you don't put me to death now
every single day that I'm on this earth
I'm going to look for a way to put myself to death
because as a father
as a parent I don't know how I would be able to live with myself
knowing that I took my children's life
is that what she's doing
not guilty because of insanity
insane
and you know what
the only thing I'm sad for the children
but you know I'm also sad for her
I'm sad that she didn't finish the job when she jumped out the window
jumped out the window, she paralyzed herself
and you know what
I would say we don't even have to do this trial
I don't care if I'm insane or not
I want the death penalty
just end my suffering now
because what parent in their sane mind
thereafter
would be like yeah I'm not guilty
that's not postpartum depression my friends
postpartum depression ends
people don't keep it
for the rest of their life
because it's a hormonal thing
you know hormones go up and down
they change
you know women you know that
not not
they go through
hormonal changes and you know what
postpartum depression is an
extreme
extreme version of that
where they lose the progesterone
their estradiol the testosterone
goes up but eventually
over months
monthly periods it actually ends up leveling out
and obviously should people have helped her
of course
should she have gone to help
when she cried out for it yes
of course but you know it's still
that doesn't excuse what she did
it doesn't excuse the fact that she did it
hormones level out
and when hormones level out
and people are no longer under that state
of psychosis they recognize wow I was crazy
and I guarantee you moms in here
who have gone through something like that
baby blues or whatever months later
a year later you're like yeah I was thinking
some dumb stuff
like you recognize whatever thoughts you were having
were wrong you recognize like
I'm not that sad you recognize
the world's not falling apart
like you come to your senses
eventually
she's not
I mean she's literally
saying well I don't deserve
to be put
in prison for life just
you know put me in a mental
mental institution no you're right
you don't deserve to be put in prison for life
you deserve to die is what you deserve
and I can't even get into
all the specifics because there's a mixed crowd
here but
just understand first and foremost think about this
okay those
people who want to claim well
postpartum depression that can do that to you
well number one there was three children
that she did this to
meaning once she did it to one
she did it to the other
and then the other while they're there
you understand that
number two strangulation
and that's all I'm going to say
of that strangulation
takes a long time
put it that way
you know
a person
who maybe under the influence
realizes like what am I doing
she finished the job and then went to the next
and went to the next
she's demonically possessed
she's satanically
possessed she's a godless woman
and yes she is a reprobate
because you know what
she's past feeling
she doesn't have natural affection
because no person
and look you say well you know
I've gone through postpartum depression
and I've had emotions like that
where I feel like I've gone crazy and I've had emotions like that
but most of the time
when people have emotions like this
when women have emotions like that
it's not a matter of that she ends up wanting
she's tempted to harm her children
most of the time it's just like
I feel like I'm so crazy I might harm my children
which is the major difference between the two
it's like
tempted to harm your children
and worrying that you're not
in the right state of mind that you might harm your children
two different things
number two
most women who go through this postpartum depression
and they feel this way
they want to take themselves out of the picture
yeah
not others
right
and so you know
I have no sympathy for her
and you know on Thursday I called her a reprobate
and then Friday I was kind of looking to her
I'm like oh she went through postpartum depression
maybe there's some legitimacy to this
I think I answered a matter before I heard it
let me investigate this a little more
and then I got all the details
I was like nope spirit of God was upon me
I was right
yeah
she's a reprobate
you know
and here's the thing folks
there was like a chaplain that came afterwards
some dyke chaplain
afterwards and came up to her
and she's like yeah I visited her
and why are you visiting her
this woman deserves no sympathy
no sympathy
she's a murderer
and he's like oh and I went up to her
and this is what she said she's like
I'm just happy they're in heaven now
what
folks you understand
how much insanity
like a parent would go through
if they would commit something like that
I feel like if I were to do something like that
it would just drive me mentally insane
right
you wouldn't be able to live with yourself
it would just drive me mentally insane
I wouldn't be thinking well my children are in heaven
and just kind of happy go lucky
that's a godless
reprobate
no love
she has no sincere love
there is no genuine love there
and you know what the state in which women are in
today in 2026
is disgusting
I hate feminism
and you know what all these women
who are promoting this we better keep an eye on them
and you better make sure that you as a woman
are not falling into the same trap
sympathizing with women
who murder their children
trying to make excuses calling her the victim
the children are the victim
not her
but she's paralyzed
yeah
we need to continue the paralyzation
we need to keep feminism out of the church
this godless attitude
out of the church
this attitude that says
well you know
and by the way if Lindsay would have killed
like three dogs
these same feminists would have wanted her head
on the platter
that's a fact
right
if she would have killed three kittens
and three dogs for measure
they would have wanted her head on the platter
and make no mistake about it
there's a bunch of reprobates out there
who are promoting this
they're for her because they want to enable
and create a society
that despises children
that allows women to just behave like absolute
beast
without any consequences
it's disgusting
I know the trial is still going
hopefully she does get
life in prison
because that's the best our country could do apparently
I prefer that over the mental institution
and hopefully
when she's in prison she hangs herself
oh she can't she's paralyzed
but you know
oh that's so
I can't believe you would say something like that
oh should I talk about the kids again
are you sympathizing
with murderers of children
let me
what would Jesus say
tie a millstone
about their neck
and drown them in the depths of the sea
you know that's called strangulation
asphyxiation
drowning
my Jesus said that
that's not genuine love friends
you know
and my heart breaks
for the children
obviously it happened three years ago
and you know
I try not to think about it too deeply
because it's so severe
it's such a disgusting thing that happened
and it shatters my heart
and look folks
just look at a picture at Lindsay
there's nothing there
you guys know what I'm talking about
look at right here nothing there
love work with no ill to his neighbor
there is no love there
and it's showing us that we're just
we live in a disgusting world
and after I was done researching I'm like
I hate this world
I
hate this place
I just hate it
I hate that we live in a society like this
I hate that women defend this stuff
I hate that women exist like this
I hate that she has accumulated
a million dollars
from literally people giving to her
like what
I hate that
women are blaming the husband and
I don't know the husband he might be a piece of crap
I don't know probably is
I don't know
and I don't care but you know what he didn't do it
I hate that
they're out there with pink shirts
and you know oh man
she's a victim
I hate the fact that
there's literally thousands
and thousands and thousands of women out there
who are saying yeah see
it was his fault
yeah see
the system failed her
she did it
hold people accountable for their
actions my friends
and so what's the sermon today
genuine love
do you have genuine love? I have genuine love
for the kids who died
and the Bible says you that love the Lord hate evil
that's why I hate Lindsay
can't you love both? Nope
how can I love her when she
literally violated and took the lives of her children
a baby
you know that's disgusting
so it's important for us
to recognize the importance of having
sincere love
and recognizing that that's not at the exclusion
of hating
it's not at the exclusion of judging
that's not at the exclusion of telling the truth
it's not at the exclusion of that
we need to make sure that we cultivate
sincere genuine love
and that we define it
according to the Bible
not according to Gandhi
not according to
you know unsaved people or your favorite
poet
you define it according to the Bible
thank you so much for your word
Lord I pray that you
help us as your people to develop and cultivate
sincere genuine love Lord
for the innocent
for the righteous
and Lord I pray that
Lindsay would get
the fullest extent of the law
upon her Lord that you would judge her
severely and obviously we know that
ultimately when she does die you will punish her
severely and we thank God
for that Lord because
in our hearts we grieve over
the injustices of this world
and I pray that Lord you would help
us as your people to have
have solace in the fact that
those children are in heaven
and I pray that Lord you would
again help us as your people to just
continue to love
those who
merit our love Lord but even the unsaved
who don't merit the love we need to give them the gospel
we need to get them saved and pray for their salvation
we need to pray that
backslitting Christians
would return back to the fold
and we need to pray that
we could be a blessing to those around us as well
and we love you Lord we thank you
pray this in Jesus name amen