The Challenge Of Radical Love Series

This Sermon and Series based on sermon Series by Nelson Searcy and the Journey Church.

The Challenge of Radical Love

Slide

Good morning.

I hope everyone has been keeping up with the New Testament Challenge.

If you missed last week, it is not too late to jump in.

What the New Testament Challenge is, is a challenge to

1. Read through the New Testament over 9 weeks.

a. We just finished the first week, but if you start now, you can try to catch up or just finish a week later. Add a chapter a day and you will be caught up in a month

b. We have a reading plan on our website to help you keep on track.

c. We also have the mp3’s of each chapter of the New Testament on our website that you can download and listen to on your computer or ipod so you can even keep up as you are working out or cleaning the house.

2. Attend service over these next 8 weeks (now) where you will here some of the main teaching of the New Testament

3. Allow God to speak into your life through His word and the messages

4. Seek to take any steps, by the power of the Holy Spirit, that the Lord reveals to you during this challenge.

So if you would like to jump on and be committed to striving to do this, you can sign an acceptance slip and have your slip added to our New Testament Challenge wall.

Transition

This morning, we are going to be talking about one of the primary teachings of the New Testament and the challenge that it is.

And that is the Challenge of Radical Love.

Slide

Now love is a big topic and love carries with it a lot of shades of meaning in English.

If I say I love chocolate and then I tell you I love my wife, you would understand that those are not the same types of love.

In the Greek language, however, there are 4 words that are used that the English language would translate as love, but they carry different meanings.

“Philia” – Brotherly Love

First we have the word “philia”

That is where we get the word Philadelphia which is known as the city of “brotherly love”

“Philia” is a love that friends would have for one another.

It means to have affection for. It is something that most human being experience in their lives. They have friends that they love, in a friend manner.

This is not a radical love.

Many people, Christians or non Christians experience this type of love.

Two other words in Greek that are used to describe love, but are not found in the Bible are

Storge (store gay)– Familial Love

This is a familial type of love. It is strong, like the love of a mother for a child.

This is not a radical love either because most people who have ever had children experience this type of love.

Eros – Romantic love

A third Greek word that can be translated love is eros.

This is a romantic, passionate type of love. This too can be strong, but this is not a radical type of love.

Agape – Unconditional, selfless love

The last Greek word that is translated love is used in the Bible it is Agape.

This is an unconditional, selfless love like God has for us.

This is the love that God wants us to have for others.

Jesus tells us in

Slide

John 13:34-35

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."

The Greek word used in this passage is agape.

This is a radical love.

This is not a suggestion, it is a command. Jesus says a new command I give you.

Jesus shows us just how radical this love is when he showed his love by dying on the cross when we didn’t deserve it

Romans 5:8

8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

This is challenging because it calls us to love when there is every reason not to love.

Ok, we can understand that Jesus wants us to love this way, but practically speaking, how does the New Testament Challenge us to do this?

In this weeks readings we read through the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7.

This morning we are going to take a look at a few of the teachings of Jesus in theis Sermon to find a few specific things that will show us how we can love radically.

Turn with me to Matthew 5