https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SKZ_vvkyZo
Welcome to Covenant of Hope Ministries and our combined written and live Sunday sermon. You will normally see us posted in written and live form on Sunday. I am Rev. Laura A. Neff. Our ministry was built on the truth of God’s love and sharing the Word of God, the Spirit of Christ Jesus in a way that we believe embraces the ways Jesus taught us to manage. We bring His Word to the many as opposed to the few, in order to continue the legacy created by the ministry of Jesus Christ.
You will find us in the following location: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Rev. Laura’s other sites: Facebook & Blogspot & Twitter & Linkedin & USAlife & YouTube
Wedding officiant page: Wedfolio
Prayer List: We have many on our prayer list. Some wish to remain anonymous, and others only wish to have their first names mentioned. Our prayer list grows or changes every week. This is our current list.
- Evangelist Cal Jennings and his dog Scrappy are thankful for your prayers.
- Pray for my daughter and son-in-law’s family members as they work through some serious family issues.
- Pray for my friend Janice who has just been diagnosed with COVID 19 this past week. Let’s hope that the medication her doctor prescribed helps get her well sooner.
- Pray for Janice’s mother who has also been sick and is still having issues after a stroke last year.
- Pray for a high school classmate of mine, her name is Kelly, who has been diagnosed with cancer and is going through a lot of emotions and more as a result.
- Pray for a friend who has had a lot of issues to deal with in their life and is working hard to straighten them out. A lot of questions in regard to their health and more have plagued this person for quite a while. They have said they appreciate our prayers.
- Pray for those who were killed in accidents and violent criminal actions this past week, and for the families who are saying good-bye.
- Be thankful for each day as we do not know what tomorrow brings.
- Pray for our nations that the voice of God be heard through the Holy Spirit.
- Pray for our friends and families that their tomorrows bring blessings and pray our own be the same.
- Pray for those who have lost their lives in
the pursuit of faith and
hope.
- Pray for our sick and wounded that they may heal.
- Pray for those who are serving our countries around this world.
- Pray for peace on earth and good will to men
as Scripture shares as
Christians everywhere are
celebrating the season of Lent.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we have so many we bring to You for healing and comfort through their trials and tribulations. We pray for my friends Kelly, Mary, Joy and her family, and Janice and her mother. We continue to pray for Cal and Scrappy as well. We pray for those who have been brought to harm around this world last week. We add to that those who have been falsely imprisoned and all who are being punished unjustly. We add to this with those who are fighting through their health conditions far and wide. We pray that they each hear Your voice and feel Your warm and loving presence in their lives. We pray for all of this in Your Holy Name, through our Savior Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.
Opening Song: Put Your Hand in the Hand https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh4Y9lT75Kw
Sermon: Today we are continuing the twelfth chapter of Romans. Do you know the components of truly unconditional love? If you do, then that’s exactly what God wants you to know. Everything we do either adds to or subtracts from that unconditional love. Here we see how Paul defines the components of unconditional love.
Romans 12:9 KJV –Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
NIV –Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
God and Jesus both have shared the components of Unconditional Love with us. We just have to learn how to see, hear, and know them. These connecting verses help with the definition of what Unconditional Love should be. Let’s begin with the words from King David.
Psalm 36:4 KJV – He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
NIV – Even on their beds they plot evil; they commit themselves to a sinful course and do not reject what is wrong.
Psalm 97:10 KJV – Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
NIV – Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
We continue with the description with the poetic book of Amos where the description continues.
Amos 5:15 KJV – Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.
NIV – Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.
Paul also continues this with his second letter to the church at Corinth, the church at Thessalonica, and also his letter to Timothy.
2 Corinthians 6:6 KJV –By pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
NIV –in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;
1 Thessalonians 5:15 KJV –See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
NIV –Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 KJV –See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
NIV –Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
1 Timothy 1:5 KJV –Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
NIV –The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
Paul continues with the description of what Unconditional Love contains with this next verse.
Romans 12:10 KJV – Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
NIV – Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Did you know that there are many views of the commandment that Jesus gave us in the Vine and Branches parable found in John 15? We find another one earlier on in the Gospel of John the Beloved. In this case His greater love proves to us that we can learn the ingredients of unconditional love no matter who we are, what language we speak, or even where we live.
John 13:34-35 KJV – A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
NIV – “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Love one another takes practice, and lots of it. Paul and the other Apostles and Disciples of Jesus knew this one well. All of them had to learn these elements themselves. Here, Paul is demonstrating those lessons with the churches at Philippi and Thessalonica.
Philippians 2:3 KJV – Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
NIV – Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
1 Thessalonians 4:9 KJV –But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
NIV –Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.
Paul adds to this with the insight of the Hebrew prophets and the Apostle Peter’s words as well.
Hebrews 13:1 KJV – Let brotherly love continue.
NIV – Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.
1 Peter 1:22 KJV –Let brotherly love continue.
NIV –Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.
1 Peter 2:17 KJV –Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
NIV –Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.
Paul continues with his description of the components that help us develop and maintain unconditional love in our lives.
Romans 12:11 KJV – Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
NIV – Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Zeal, spiritual fervor, these are special components of unconditional love. Remember, zeal is a description of the spiritual fervor, it simply stresses that we need to use our whole hearts, minds, spirits, souls, and voices to share that love one another is more than three words. It’s more than anything and everything we could possibly think of. Here we see some influences for discovering our abilities toward sharing, caring, believing, and receiving all that Jesus provides us with.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 KJV – Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
NIV – Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
Acts 18:25 KJV – This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
NIV – He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.
Acts 20:19 KJV – Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
NIV – I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.
Revelation 3:15 KJV – I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
NIV – I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
Our next two verses from Paul’s letter to Rome proves that unconditional love has a whole lot of benefit for each and every person who pursues it honestly. This is what Paul says.
Romans 12:12-13 KJV – Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
NIV – Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Notice, Paul doesn’t say this will be easy. Jesus didn’t either. In fact, unconditional love takes all parts of your heart, mind, spirit, and soul to manage successfully. That can be one of the hardest things our faith will ever manage. You see, faith is the epicenter, the mustard seed, that needs us to nurture and allow it to blossom. Paul draws inspiration from these Old Testament examples.
2 Samuel 17:29 KJV –And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.
NIV –honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become exhausted and hungry and thirsty in the wilderness.”
2 Kings 4:10 KJV –Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
NIV –Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.”
Proverbs 31:20 KJV – She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
NIV – She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
He adds to this with the words of our Savior Jesus Christ as well.
Matthew 25:35 KJV – For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
NIV – For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
Paul shares more than these with his letters to Corinth.
1 Corinthians 16:15 KJV –I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)
NIV –You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the Lord’s people. I urge you, brothers and sisters,
2 Corinthians 9:1 KJV –For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:
NIV –There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord’s people.
Now comes the hardest lesson of Unconditional Love. This is a lesson that Jesus taught as well. We must listen carefully to how Paul shares this.
Romans 12:14 KJV – Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
NIV – Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Paul’s influence is obviously the Words of our Savior Jesus Christ. This is that most difficult lesson that even the Apostles wrestled with. It is not easy to forgive, especially those most egregious of situations that we hear about in the news every day. Sin sells well in this world. It’s the toughest lesson for us to learn, forgiveness and faith are each a part of one another. Just as we are part of the Church that Jesus built. Each of us is an important piece of the Church, and that is the reason Paul wrote all these letters to the Christian churches throughout Italy, Asia Minor, and Greece as well as all of Israel. Paul’s lessons had a source, and still do, that source is our Savior Jesus Christ. Here are His words in this situation.
Matthew 5:44 KJV – But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
NIV – But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Luke 6:28 KJV – Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
NIV – bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
Paul adds to this with this from his first letter to Corinth and also the words of Peter.
1 Corinthians 4:12 KJV –And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
NIV –We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
1 Peter 3:9 KJV –Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
NIV – Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
Our last verse from Paul’s letter to Rome today is this one.
Romans 12:15 KJV – Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
NIV – Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
This world has been consumed by terror, trials, and tribulations for many years now. There has been a lot of weeping, mourning, this is true. However, it doesn’t overshadow those things that make this world great. Love is the greatest healer of all, because it is the gift that God gave us through the life of our Savior Jesus Christ. These are some bright spots through the Old Testament poetic scrolls.
Job 2:11 KJV – Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.
NIV – When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.
Job 30:25 KJV – Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?
NIV – Have I not wept for those in trouble? Has not my soul grieved for the poor?
Ecclesiastes 3:4 KJV – A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
NIV – a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
We also gain more influence from the Gospel writer Luke here.
Luke 1:58 KJV – And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
NIV – Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
Luke adds this from our Savior Jesus Christ.
Luke 15:5-10 KJV – And when he
hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and
neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which
was lost.
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that
repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no
repentance.
Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not
light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?
And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours
together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God
over one sinner that repenteth.
NIV –And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Paul then tacks this last one on for our thoughts and understanding of his letter to the church at Rome as shared by the Hebrew prophets.
Hebrews 13:3 KJV – Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.
NIV – Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
Every person on this earth has their own view of unconditional love. Does that mean they are the wrong views if they are different from mine or yours? No, it is just how their individual mind, heart, spirit, and soul define them. This is something God intended. He wants us to think for ourselves, to find our own personal faith and help it to grow by sharing that faith with others. It’s a tall order, but we can all share that small amount of unconditional love because as it is shared it grows just like that mustard seed. Faith and belief in God go hand in hand, and all of us have the opportunity to walk in the faithful steps of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The ability to do this requires us to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. If you are willing to do so, please leave me a note in the comments and I’ll be in touch. Now that’s something to think about as we pray in the prayer that Jesus taught us saying:
Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13)
Closing Song: He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ0crxOVEEQ
~ Shalom ~
Rev. Laura A. Neff
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Evangelist Calvin Jennings
Covenant of Hope Ministries Main Site: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Scripture Excerpts: The New Open Bible Study Edition: Copyright © 1990: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright © 1982: E. E. Gaddy and Associates, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright ©circa 1890-1910: International Bible Press, The John C. Winston Co.; Philadelphia, PA, USA
Sermon or Study Copyright © 2024 http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Our mission for Covenant of Hope Ministries is not to
exploit fear, but to conquer it, and overcome all that is
created through fear
together as the bringers of the
light of Jesus found in the midst of darkness.
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