Charity … What comes to mind when we see that word?

Sermon Topic Sunday 4/13/13 Bradley Local Elder Dennis Trudgen (introduced by Adam Porter and Noah Jones) :-)
Charity … What comes to mind when we see that word? Dennis showed some pictures of what people associate charity with….providing food to the poor and needy etc.
1 Corinthians 12:28 God has set different callings and offices and gifts in the Church … we do NOT all have the same gifts. If someone tells you that all must, for example. speak in tongues, that’s not in accordance with this Scripture. (See also Ephesians 4:11-12, for the edifying [building up] of the saints)
These gifts and callings were lost for many years, restored in 1830.
Verse 31 … What is this “more excellent way”? This passage immediately precedes the chapter on charity!
1 Corinthians 13:3 … Though i bestow all my goods on the poor, and have not charity, i am NOTHING. What is charity? Strong’s G26 … agape … love, benevolence
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 … Charity is … kind, does not envy (wishing we have something that someone else has), does not vaunt itself (Strong’s G4068, perpereuomai, to be a braggart), is not puffed up (self-pride … we want to feel important and be recognized) … the opposite of charity is pride.
God wants us to take on His nature instead of our own human nature. Charity is not our love for God, it is our love for one another
Does not behave itself unseemly (Strong’s G807, aeschemoneo … indecency)
Seeketh not her own … see also Romans 12:10; Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour PREFERRING ONE ANOTHER. We should be rejoicing when a brother or sister receives a blessing or gift or calling from the Lord.
Is not easily provoked … James 1:19; slow to wrath
Thinketh no evil … in terms of brotherly love, thinks the BEST of people (Matthew 7:1-2 and Mormon 4:24; how you judge others is how you will be judged)
Rejoices not in iniquity … we are not to find pleasure in sinning ourselves, and we must not gloat or rejoice when a brother or sister sins (also refers to injustice) (or also, we should not be entertained and pleasured by the sins of others msl)
Rejoices in TRUTH (justice)
Beareth all things … Matthew 5:38-41; Turn the other cheek Alma 14:27-50; The Lamanites who became believers, who called themselves Anti-Nephi-Lehi, who buried their weapons of war so they would NEVER use them again … they were so appalled by their former behavior. When the enemy came upon them, they did not fight back. The early New Testament church in the Old World had that attitude, insomuch that it converted half the empire by the time of Constantine. They willingly walked into arenas with gladiators and lions, and suffered all kinds of torture and torment.
The Anti-Nephi-Lehis’ fellow Lamanites stopped killing them when they saw how they willingly gave themselves … their rage was stopped … and many of them were converted and grew the church even more.
Believeth all things … try to believe the best in all people
Hopeth all things … what are we to hope for? That the vilest sinner come to the Lord! We are to reach out to the world … 2 Peter 3:9, God is not willing that ANY should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance.
Endureth all things … again, the persecution the Church takes … John 15:18-16:3; Revelation 2 and 3, the letters to the churches, acknowledging the persecution they were enduring and would endure
Charity never faileth!!! The other gifts will pass away, but not charity. We know in part, but when that which is perfect shall come, that which is in part shall be done away. Now we see dimly, but when we are face to face with Jesus we will see fully. Faith will be replaced by knowledge and hope will end in fulfillment, but charity is eternal
Now abideth faith, hope, and charity … but the greatest is CHARITY.
Moroni 7: 52 … cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all …CHARITY IS THE PURE LOVE OF CHRIST … pray unto Father with ALL the energy of your heart to be filled with this Charity.
When we are born again, we are given this gift … we shall be like him … we have this hope
We are saved by hope, because it keeps us heading in the right direction. Not that hope is the only thing, but it is part of our salvation
Moroni 8:29 … firstfruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism cometh by faith, unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling of the commandments bringeth remission of sins (1 Peter 3:21, the like figure whereunto we are saved by baptism ) … ACTING NO HYPOCRISY … and then comes the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, who fills us with hope and love.
We have an obligation to pray daily, always … and be filled with His love by diligence of prayer, til the end come when all saints shall dwell with God.
Scriptures tell us that just because we give to the poor, it does not mean we have charity … and if we don’t have charity, our giving is good for NOTHING.
p.763 Moroni 7:3 Mormon on faith, hope, and charity … it’s what molds us. They don’t just come, we have to do our part
Mormon says he knows that the church are Christians because of their peaceable walk with mankind. It is given to man to judge between good and evil. If a man being evil gives a gift, it is GRUDGING … because he wants to be seen and admired (1 Corinthians 13:3,though I bestow all my goods …) our idea of charity can be totally wrong. The bitter fountain cannot bring forth sweet water, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit (Moroni 7:9 and Matt. 7:18 and 12:33-34)
Hebrews 5:12-6:9 You should be ready for strong meat, but you still need to be fed the milk of the Word!! 6:1, leaving the basic principles … not laying again the foundation! (once the foundation of the house is in place, you leave off building it and begin to build the house msl) true repentance, baptisms of water and Holy Spirit, laying on of hands, etc. The church practiced these things for 1000 years, then lost them. And it’s all for no good if there is no resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:19). Verses 4-6, on loss of salvation (the Greek terms used here show that the writer is not referring to someone who only got a small dose of Christ and was not actually saved, but to someone who was “all in” and then fell away). God is not going to do all the work … we must constantly maintain … to pray, to have charity
The earth drinks the rain and brings forth … that which bears thorns and weeds is rejected … but i think better things of you; for God is not unrighteousness to forget your WORK and LABOR OF LOVE (charity) … we DESIRE that you all show diligence (faithfulness) … be not slothful (faithfulness)
All of the acts shown in the pictures (feeding the poor etc) are acts of charity … which is the one that is out of place? The picture of Jesus on the cross … that is the ultimate act of charity.
Again, please remember that the words in all-caps are not being shouted, merely emphasized....thanks msl