Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.
The other day I purchased a brand new chain for my chainsaw, and I was planning to go and cut some firewood for the winter, and spent ten minutes hooking up my trailer and mixing up chainsaw gas for the afternoon. I had my skidding cables ready, and my bar oil prepared, but when I went to put the chain on the saw, I couldn’t find my chainsaw tool anywhere! I looked for a half an hour, but rather than wasting time, I put the chainsaw away and did something else instead. Sometimes we can get very involved with something, but if you are missing just one item, everything that you prepared really doesn’t matter at all.
Most of us like to cook, and we might spend a labor intensive hour adding ingredients together and preparing a meal to put on the grill. After it’s finally prepared, you walk outside to start the grill but quickly realize that you are out of propane. Even though you had everything prepared, you were missing just one item, and that prevented everything else from happening.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
People can have many Spiritual gifts from God, and be busily involved with good works in the name of Jesus, but if they are void of Divine charity, then they are missing the most important item of all.
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (KJB) Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Someone can possess numerous Spiritual gifts from God, but without charity in one’s life, they are nothing at all. In fact, the teachings of the New Testament are summed up in two basic commandments, love for God and love for your neighbor.
Matthew 22:37-40 (KJB) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
People can do very religious activities, even providing for the needs of the poor, but if they are not done in charity then they are pointless. This is because charity is the end of the commandment.
1 Timothy 1:5 (KJB) Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
Charity will suffer through things for a long period of time. When you suffer, it means to experience pain, distress, injury or loss. This is a quality that our precious Lord is filled up with.
2 Peter 3:8-9 (KJB) But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Charity is kind, which is having a good or benevolent nature and disposition. It is to be thoughtful of others by thinking about their needs, rather than intently being focused on your own.
Ephesians 4:31-32 (KJB) Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Charity does not vaunt itself which is to brag or make a vain display of one’s own worth. It does not behave unseemly which is behavior that is unacceptable or inappropriate. It also thinks about others first before themselves. It is not easily aroused to anger, kind of like somebody who has a short fuse. It also does not think about evil, but focuses the mind upon that which is good.
Philippians 4:8 (KJB) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Galatians 6:10 (KJB) As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Charity does not rejoice in evil, kind of like people who boast about the wicked things that they did over the weekend.
1 Corinthians 5:2 (KJB) And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
The Apostle teaches that charity will bear, believe, hope and endure all things, as it is an eternal flame that never dies.
Romans 8:38-39 (KJB) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Charity is forgiving.
1 Peter 4:8 (KJB) And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
Charity is perfection.
Colossians 3:14 (KJB) And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Although there are rebukes and corrections throughout the New Testament, they are there for the purpose of us learning to love God and our neighbor. Those who are completely void of this quality, are missing the most important thing of all, and in my own mind, are really no different than someone who spends hours preparing dinner, only to find out that they are…
…..Out of Propane
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.
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