Give Yourself As A Sacrifice Of Love.

PETER HAS 3 ACTS OF DENIAL. HE DENIED JESUS 3 TIMES… 3 TIMES JESUS ASK PETER: “DO YOU LOVE ME?”

The English language has some problems… for example. I love my car. I love my dog. I love my nation. I love my pastor. I love my sons. I love my wife. EACH TYPE OF LOVE IS DIFFERENT…

First time in John 21 Jesus asks Peter : Peter do you love me? (Feed my lambs.)

Second time: Peter do you love me? (Feed my sheep.)

Third time: PETER DO YOU LOVE ME? Lord you know… (Feed my sheep.)

Perhaps there are more levels of love than meets the ears.

*EROS: eye candy, pleasing to the senses/emotions, lust, desire.

*PHILEO: friendship, brotherly love, deeper love, lasting longer.

*AGAPEO: highest form of love , love of God for man, man for God, deep, profound, sacrificial.

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT? HOW WOULD YOU DEBATE: “LOVE IS A CHOICE?” HOW MUCH DOES LOVE COST? WHAT IS LOVE? COMPASSION? IS LOVE PERMANENT? IS IT TEMPORARY?

I fell out of love? Probably not. You probably fell in love with someone or something else… Love does not die… YOU KILL LOVE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO IMPROVE YOUR LOVE? LOVE? LUST?

Love is kept by faith and hope. Love never gives up. LOVE ENDURES.

I HEAR OFTEN I WOULD DIE FOR JESUS… JESUS SAYS I AM NOT ASKING YOU TO DIE FOR ME… I AM ASKING YOU TO LIVE FOR ME. WHAT SHALL I GIVE? TELL WE THE BENEFITS: CAN THE CHURCH AND JESUS GIVE ME? WHAT CAN YOU GIVE ME? TODAY WE FIND SELFISHNESS, EGOS IN SELF-ABSORBED DAILY LIVING. GIVE ME OR SACRIFICE?

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Romans 12:1 (MSG) So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.

A couple served on the pioneer China Mission Field. They died in serving as missionaries. They had a daughter born there in 1837 her name was Maria Dyer. There was no other choice but to ship Maria back to her Uncle in England to raise her. Maria always had a deep love for China and the people there. Maria’s parents gave their lives’ in China. Maria felt the call to return to China. When Maria was 16, her and her sister returned to China to work in missions at a girls’ school. After serving there for 5 years MARIA met and married the famous missionary HUDSON TAYLOR. Hudson gave his life to faith, love, ministry and SACRIFICE. HUDSON and MARIA decided to be the best missionaries they could be and give their lives as a LIVING SACRIFICE for missions. They had 9 kids. 5 of their kids died. At 43 MARIA DIED OF CHOLERA. She gladly made the LIVING SACRIFICE. MARIA had these words of sacrifice engraved on her headstone. “FOR HER TO LIVE WAS CHRIST, AND TO DIE WAS GAIN.”

LIVING FOR THE CROSS IS NOT WHAT WILL YOU GIVE ME… SERVING JESUS IS WHAT WILL I BE WILLING TO SACRIFICE FOR THE SAKE OF LOVE? When we find the presence of God more important than life itself… the importance of the things of this world slowly dim AND FADE AWAY.