1. Welcome

2. Grow ~ Increase ~ Abound
Growing in Love
“And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:” 1 Thes. 3:12
Grow ~ Increase ~ Abound
Increase in amount or degree
To develop or reach maturity
Superabound, abundant
Enough and to spare

3. Importance of Love First commandment – Matt. 22
Fulfillment of the Law – Rom.13
Greatest – 1 Cor. 13:13
Fruit of Spirit – Gal. 5:22
Bond of perfectness – Col.3:14

4. Growing in Love Love ~ ‘Agape’ = desire best
“Strong feeling of affection”
Three ways of demonstrating:
Selfish
Mechanical
True

5. Love is the Character of God
“God is Love” 1 John 4:8

6. Love is like a bright light
The reflector bounces the light in many directions
Christians are to reflect the light – the love of God
The sun comes down and warms the earth.

7. We Should Love God and Christ Matt. 22:37 ~ love God
Eph. 6:24 ~ love Jesus
John 14:15
1 John 5:3

8. We Should Love 1 Jn. 4:20 – love God – hate Christian brethren
Jn. 13:34-35 – one another
1 Jn. 2:9-11 – love brother
“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:” Peter 1:22
If brethren can’t love one another on earth, how do you suppose they could enjoy heaven together ?

9. We Should Love Family Parents – Eph. 6:2 Mate - Col. 3:18-19
Children – Titus 2:4

10. We Should Love
Enemies
Matt. 5:44 “love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them…”
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Rom. 12:19
“Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” Rom. 12:20-21

11. We Should Love
The Lost
Rom. 10:1 “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.”
Matt. 9: compassion

12. How Do We Show Love ? Sacrifice liberally Strive to please
Like to be with them
Love to talk to them
Concerned about them
“And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:” 1 Thes.3:12

13. There is Great Power in Love
Most powerful force in the universe
“For the love of Christ compels us” Cor. 5:14

14. There is Great Power in Love
On ourselves
On our fellowman
On God
“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” John 14:23

15. Growing in Love
We are shaped and fashioned by what we love !
Love is not like a reservoir
Love is like a natural spring
“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;” Phil. 1:9

17. Growing in Love
Growth in love
For God,
His word
His church

19. Nelson Chapel Church of Christ
5039 Six Mile Road
Maryville, Tn
July 29, 2018
Sermon by Arthur Pigman
2705 Druid Hill Dr.
Maryville, Tn
CCL