Sermon: Seeks Not Its Own
Becoming Agape
#1670B
Bill Onisick
Given 10-Sep-22; 34 minutes 2022-09-10
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description: (hide) When the apostle Paul, in I Corinthians 13:11, made the comparison of childish things to adult things, declaring that "when I became a man, I put away childish things," he was not referring to the innocence or guilelessness of a child, but was instead referring to childish, selfish tendencies referred to in verses 4-6, which sadly mirror the prideful spirit of Satan the devil, which saturates carnal human nature, the long step to spiritual maturity requires agape love. Though as a Pharisee, the apostle Paul had abundant faith, knowledge of God’s law, and obedience, he was a spiritual babe because he lacked agape love, the incentive to love God with all his heart and his neighbor as himself (the two great commandments, Matthew 22:34-40, Deuteronomy 6:4-9), instructions for loving ourselves and our fellow human as God the Father loves us. The definition of love has been polluted by carnal behavior, replacing self-centered lust for outgoing concern for others. God is omni-agape, moving far beyond a shallow feeling or emotion to concrete action, exemplifying the way of give rather than the way of get. Our patriarchs Abraham and Isaac demonstrated for all of us by seeking earnestly to please their father, satisfying the will of the Father, just as Our Lord and Savior pleased Our Heavenly Father by offering Himself as a sacrifice. Abraham put aside his double-minded carnal human nature (which all of have a generous stockpile), seeking single-mindedly God’s purpose. The rest of us must emulate our patriarch Abraham, putting aside anything and everything which separates ourselves from God and His purpose for us.