Pursue Love! 要追求愛! 林前 1 Cor 14:1a; 13:1-3 約壹 1 John 4:7-21

Tagore (泰戈爾) “行人雖擁挤, 路卻是寂寞的; 因為沒有人愛它.” “Although the pedestrians are crowded, the road is lonely… because nobody loves it.”

“人生只有一件真正的幸福, 愛人与被愛.” - 喬治善德 "There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved." - George Sand “人生只有一件真正的幸福, 愛人与被愛.” - 喬治善德

林前 1 Cor 13:1-3 1If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3And if I give all my possessions £to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. 1我若能說萬人的方言，並天使的話語卻沒 有愛，我就成了鳴的鑼，響的鈸一般‧2我若 有先知講道之能，也明白各樣的奧秘，各樣 的知識‧而且有全備的信，叫我能夠移山， 卻沒有愛，我就算不得什麼‧3我若將所有的 賙濟窮人，又捨己身叫人焚燒，卻沒有愛， 仍然與我無益‧

約壹 1 John 4:7–21 (NIV) 7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

約壹 1 John 4:7–21 (NIV) 7親愛的弟兄阿，我們應當彼此相愛‧因為愛是從 神來的‧凡有愛心的，都是由 神而生，並且認識 神‧8沒有愛心的，就不認識 神‧因為 神就是愛‧9神差他獨生子到世間來，使我們藉著他得生，神愛我們的心，在此就顯明了‧10不是我們愛 神，乃是 神愛我們，差他的兒子，為我們的罪作了挽回祭，這就是愛了‧11親愛的弟兄阿，神既是這樣愛我們，我們也當彼此相愛‧12從來沒有人見過 神‧我們若彼此相愛，神就住在我們裡面，愛他的心在我們裡面得以完全了‧13神將他的靈賜給我們，從此就知道我們是住在他裡面，他也住在我們裡面‧14父差子作世人的救主，這是我們所看見且作見證的‧15凡認耶穌為 神兒子的，神就住在他裡面，他也住在神裡面‧16神愛我們的心，我們也知道也信‧神就是愛‧住在愛裡面的，就是住在 神裡面，神也住在他裡面‧17這樣愛在我們裡面得以完全，我們就可以在審判的日子，坦然無懼‧因為他如何，我們在這世上也如何‧18愛裡沒有懼怕‧愛既完全，就把懼怕除去‧因為懼怕裡含著刑罰‧懼怕的人在愛裡未得完全‧19我們愛，因為 神先愛我們‧20人若說，我愛 神，卻恨他的弟兄，就是說謊話的‧不愛他所看見的弟兄，就不能愛沒有看見的 神‧﹝有古卷作怎能愛沒有看見的 神呢﹞‧21愛 神的，也當愛弟兄，這是我們從 神所受的命令‧

I. “Pursue Love” is God’s command. “要追求愛”是神的命令 I. “Pursue Love” is God’s command. “要追求愛”是神的命令. (林前 1 Cor 14:1a; 提前 1 Tim 6:11; 提後 2 Tim 2:22; 約 John 13:34-35) 林前 1 Cor 14:1a Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does. (Message) Pursue love! (NASB) 你們要追求愛!

II. The meaning of love 愛的意義 (約壹 I John 4:7-21; 林前 1Cor 13:1-13) “He that does not love does not know God; for God is love.” (約壹 I John 4:8) 沒有愛心的，就不認識 神‧ 因為 神就是愛‧

A. Four kinds of “love” in NT Greek 新約原文的四種”愛” Eros (sexual, 情愛) - 0 Sturge (family, 家人之爱) - 0 Phileo (brotherly, others, 友愛) - 35+ Agape (God’s selfless, 聖愛) - 315

B. The descriptions of agape love 爱的定義与描述 (agape) (林前 1 Cor 13:4-13; 約壹 1 John 3:18) A decision (一個決心) Unconditional (無條件, 不求回報) Create value (創造价值) Self-sacrifice (自我牺牲) Depending on the giver (靠給愛者的品格) Based on God’s love (本於神的愛) In deed and in truth (用行為和誠實表達)

III. The importance of Love 愛的重要性 (Agape) Essence of God. (约壹 1 John 4:8) 神的本貭 Basis of Our Security and Significance. (林前 1 Cor 13:1-3) 肯定生命价值与安全感 3. Distinctive of Christians (约壹 1 John 4:12; 约 John 13:34). 基督门徒的特徵 Greatest Spiritual Gift (林前 1 Cor 13:13). 最大的属灵恩賜 Greatest Commandment (太 Matt 22:37-40). 最大的誡命

Love defines our value 愛肯定我們的價值 (林前 1 Cor 13:1-3) Life – Love = 0. 生命 – 愛 = 0.

約 John 13:34–35, NIV 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” 34 我賜給你們一條新命令，乃是叫你們彼此相愛‧我怎樣愛你們，你們也要怎樣相愛‧ 35 你們若有彼此相愛的心，眾人因此就認出你們是我的門徒了‧

太 Matt 22:37-40 37Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” 37耶穌對他說，你要盡心，盡性，盡意，愛主你的神‧38這是誡命中的第一，且是最大的‧39其次也相仿，就是要愛人如己‧40這兩條誡命，是律法和先知一切道理的總綱‧

Love is the greatest gift. 愛是最大的属灵恩賜. (林前 1 Cor 13:13) And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 如今常存的有信，有望，有愛，這三樣，其中最大的是愛‧

IV. The consequences of love 愛的果效 (林前 1 Cor 13:13; 12:12-27; 弗 Eph 4:11-16; 罗 Rom 12:3-8; 約壹 1 John 4:7-21; 5:3; 約 John 13:34-35; 14:21-24; 彼前 1 Peter 4:8)

A. Love enables you to enjoy the people in your life. 愛使你能享受你生命裡的人 A. Love enables you to enjoy the people in your life. 愛使你能享受你生命裡的人. (彼前 1 Peter 4:8) Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 最要緊的是彼此切實相愛‧因為愛能遮掩許多的罪‧

B. Love enables us to live a life without fear 愛能除去我們生命中的懼怕 約壹 1 John 4:18a There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear. 愛裡沒有懼怕‧愛既完全，就把懼怕除去‧

C. Love affirms our value 爱能肯定我們的價值 林前 1Cor 13:3b (Message) No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. 無論我說什么, 信什么, 或做什么, 若沒有愛, 我就是破产的.

D. Love helps fulfill church’s purpose 愛能幫助教会達成它的使命 以弗所 Eph 4:15-16 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. 15惟用愛心說誠實話，凡事長進，連於元首基督‧16全身都靠他聯絡得合式，百節各按各職，照著各體的功用，彼此相助，便叫身體漸漸增長，在愛中建立自己‧

E. Love makes a more fulfilled life 愛能使生命豐盛 約二 2 John 6 And love means living the way God commanded us to live. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is this: Live a life of love. 我們若照他的命令行，這就是愛‧你們從起初所聽見當行的，就是這命令‧

F. Love will last forever 愛能延續到永恒 林前 1Cor 13:13 So these three things continue forever: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love. 如今常存的有信，有望，有愛，這三樣，其中最大的是愛‧

V. How to pursue love. 如何去追求愛 V. How to pursue love? 如何去追求愛? (約壹 1 John 4:7-21; 3:17-18; 腓 Phil 4:8; 雅 James 2:14-26)

A. Soak up God’s love first 先吸飽神的愛 (約壹 1 John 4:8,19; 3:24; 約 John 15:1-10) We love because he first loved us. 我們愛，因為 神先愛我們‧ You can’t give what you don’t have. 你不能把自己没有的給別人. Abiding in the Lord (住在主裡面) Obedient to His word (順服神的話)

Abide in God’s love 住在主愛裡 (約 John 15:1-10) 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 5我是葡萄樹，你們是枝子‧常在我裡面的，我也常在他裡面，這人就多結果子‧因為離了我，你們就不能作什麼‧…9我愛你們，正如父愛我一樣‧你們要常在我的愛裡‧10你們若遵守我的命令，就常在我的愛裡‧正如我遵守了我父的命令，常在他的愛裡‧(15:5,9,10)

How Do We Abide in Him? 如何能住在神的愛裡? (約壹 1 John 3:24) Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. 遵守 神命令的，就住在 神裡面‧神也住在他裡面‧我們所以知道 神住在我們裡面，是因他所賜給我們的聖靈‧

B. Saturate your heart with good things from God 心裡被神美好的事物充滿 (腓 Phil 4:8-9; 雅 James 1:16-17; 提前 1Tim 6:17-19) 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. 8弟兄們，我還有未盡的話‧凡是真實的，可敬的，公義的，清潔的，可愛的，有美名的‧若有什麼德行，若有什麼稱讚，這些事你們都要思念‧9你們在我身上所學習的，所領受的，所聽見的，所看見的，這些事你們都要去行‧賜平安的神，就必與你們同在‧

C. Let the Spirit work in us and through us. 讓聖靈在我們身上並透過我們作工 C. Let the Spirit work in us and through us. 讓聖靈在我們身上並透過我們作工. (加 Gal 5:22-23; 約 John 15:1-10; 弗 Eph 2:10) Love is a fruit of the Spirit. 愛是聖灵的果子. Abiding relationship enables us to be fruitful. 与神親密的関係能使我們多結果子 Love God = Obey God (Obey the Spirit) 愛神 = 順服神 (約 John 15:9-10; 14:21-23) No fruit in disobedient people 不順服的人不能结聖灵的果子

Love is the fruit of the Spirit 愛是聖灵的果子 (加 Gal 5:22-23) 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 22聖靈所結的果子，就是仁愛，喜樂，和平，忍耐，恩慈，良善，信實，23溫柔，節制‧這樣的事，沒有律法禁止‧

D. Live out love: Love God and love man 活出愛:愛神与愛人 太 Matt 22:37-40 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’b 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (太 Matt 22:37-40) 37耶穌對他說，你要盡心，盡性，盡意，愛主你的神‧38這是誡命中的第一，且是最大的‧39其次也相仿，就是要愛人如己‧40這兩條誡命，是律法和先知一切道理的總綱‧

Learn the skills of love via fellowship 要在肢体团契関係中操練愛 Love cannot be learned in isolation. 愛不能在孤獨中学到. 徒 Acts 2:41-42 林後 2 Cor 6:14-15 林前 1 Cor 13:3b

Priority: Love fellow believers 要优先愛別的基督徒 (彼前 1Pet 2:17b; 加 Gal 6:10) When we have the opportunity to help anyone, we should do it. But we should give special attention to those who are in the family of believers. (NCV) 所以有了機會，就當向眾人行善‧向信徒一家的人更當這樣‧

E. We must love in actions and in truth 愛必須用行為和誠實來表達 (約壹 1John 3:17-18; 約 John 3:16; 雅 James 2:14-17) 約壹 1 John 3:18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 小子們哪，我們相愛，不要只在言語和舌頭上‧總要在行為和誠實上‧

F. Perfect love by constant practice 愛要習練得通達 (來 Heb 5:14) But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. 惟獨長大成人的，才能吃乾糧，他們的心竅，習練得通達，就能分辨好歹了‧

G. Try not to become other people’s pain. 不要成為別人的痛苦. 代上 1 Ch 4:9-10 9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez,s saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” 10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request. 9雅比斯比他眾弟兄更尊貴，他母親給他起名叫雅比斯，意思說，我生他甚是痛苦‧10雅比斯求告以色列的 神說，甚願你賜福與我，擴張我的境界，常與我同在，保佑我不遭患難，不受艱苦‧神就應允他所求的‧

VI. Personal response 個人回應