Following Jesus’s Lead – Love! Again the young man came over and begged Love Often Hurts! them to let him buy another meal for them. By: Richard Crisco This time the old woman said "No, thank you, we are used to sharing everything." "This is what marriage is really all about" As the old man finished and was wiping his He ordered one hamburger, one order of face neatly with the napkin, the young man French fries and one drink. The old man again came over to the little old lady who had unwrapped the plain hamburger and carefully yet to eat a single bite of food and asked "What cut it in half. He placed one half in front of his is it you are waiting for?" wife. He then carefully counted out the French She answered "THE TEETH." fries, dividing them into two piles and neatly placed one pile in front of his wife. Six Characteristics of a Healthy Marriage: He took a sip of the drink, his wife took a sip 1. Communication – and then set the cup down between them. As he 2. Consideration –Being considerate simply began to eat his few bites of hamburger, the means paying attention to what your spouse says, people around them kept looking over and showing common courtesy, and treating each whispering. You could tell they were thinking, other with respect. "That poor old couple - all they can afford is 3. Compromise – love does not demand its own one meal for the two of them." way” (1 Cor. 13:5, LB). As the man began to eat his fries a young 4. Courtship – If there was more courting in man came to the table. He politely offered to marriage, there’d be fewer marriages in court. buy another meal for the old couple. The old 5. Commitment – man said they were just fine - They were used When asked how they managed to stay to sharing everything. married for 65 years, the woman replied: The surrounding people noticed the little old “We were born in a time where if something lady hadn't eaten a bite. She sat there watching was broke, you fix it … not throw it away.” her husband eat and occasionally taking turns 6. Christ –.The greatest thing you can do for sipping the drink. your spouse is to become like Christ.

Rochester First Assembly’s Core Values: Excellence, Integrity, Family, Worship/Prayer, Servanthood, Outreach/Missions 1Cor 13:4 Love suffers long and is kind; love You will fight to the degree of your love! does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not Jn 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not he lay down his life for his friends. seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in Quotes: Momma Bear! the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love School Assembly – “Abortion Skit” never fails. 2. Love hurts, because it provides. Love is more than a good feeling. Love does not always feel good. Make personal sacrifices to meet the needs of others. When your love is tested with pain

you will be tempted to recoil from your love! Parents who lay down their personal comforts (Peter Did!) to meet the needs of their family!

We often overestimate our love! Ill. My Dad with my sister and brother in

prison. All of the disciples did!

Mt 26:33 Peter replied, "Even if all fall away Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer on account of you, I never will." 34 "I tell you at Stanford Hospital, I got to know a little girl the truth," Jesus answered, "this very night, named Liza who was suffering from a rare and before the rooster crows, you will disown me serious disease. Her only chance of recovery three times." appeared to be a blood transfusion from her Mt 26:35 But Peter declared, "Even if I have five-year-old brother, who had miraculously to die with you, I will never disown you." And all survived the same disease and had developed the other disciples said the same. the antibodies needed to combat the illness. 1. Love hurts, because it protects. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the boy if he would be Rochester First Assembly’s Core Values: Excellence, Integrity, Family, Worship/Prayer, Servanthood, Outreach/Missions willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him Damon Thompson: hesitate for only a moment before taking a Mk 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama save Liza." As the transfusion progressed, he sabachthani?"-- which means, "My God, my lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we God, why have you forsaken me?" all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile Lk 23:46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die When he had said this, he breathed his last. right away?" Being young, the boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was Going Deeper: going to have to give her all his blood. - Author unknown 1. Share an example when you overestimated your love for something (maybe an event) 3. Love hurts, because it embraces punishment. or someone. What was the painful cost that caused you to back out of your Jesus, not only bore our sin; commitment? He experienced the painful Dejection caused by sin. 2. Love Protects. Share a time when your love caused you to protect someone or some Mt 27:41 In the same way the chief priests, the organization. teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 "He saved others," they said, "but he can't 3. Love Provides. What are some of the many save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him ways that we sacrifice to provide for those come down now from the cross, and we will we love? believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now 4. Love embraces punishment. What practical if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of ways can we embrace the pain of those God.'" whom we love?

Rochester First Assembly’s Core Values: Excellence, Integrity, Family, Worship/Prayer, Servanthood, Outreach/Missions