Transformed By Love // “Love Is”
How can we, as a church and as individuals, live in our community in a way that reflects the grace and kindness of Jesus?
But What Is the Love of God?
Ephesians 3:14-19 (ESV)
“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
Agape - noun used 18x = benevolence, goodwill, flowing from God’s charter.
Agapáo - verb used 28x = The proof of love.
Love Is + Love Does
God is Love
What is the Love of God Like?
His Love Appears First
1 John 4:19 (ESV)
“We love because he first loved us.”
His Love Cannot be Earned
1 John 4:9-10 (NLT)
“God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.”
Romans 8:38-39 (ESV)
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
“The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” - Timothy Keller
His Love is Proven by the Cross
Romans 5:6,8 (ESV)
“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly… but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
John 3:16-17 (NIV)
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”
His love is revealed by the Holy Spirit
Galatians 1:11-12 (ESV)
“For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Ephesians 3:14-19 (ESV)
“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
“Holy Spirit, Give Me a Revelation of Your Love, I Need It!”
