16 August 2017
ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE
Key Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
There are many expressions of love that are going around in the world today. Some examples of this are: I love ice cream, I love my cat, I love my car, I love banana bread, I love my dog and so forth. The greatest call on our lives is to love God firstly and foremostly. What is the love God wants us to demonstrate to others, how important is love in an unloved culture, and how do we demonstrate God’s love to those outside the church or the unloveable in our society?
1. Definition of love
There are four words that the Greek language uses to define love. They are
1. Agape. This love is a product or fruit of the Holy Spirit and it is only possible for a person to possess this kind of love as the Holy Spirit takes possession in a person’s life. (Romans 5:5). It is the atmosphere of the Christian life and before it can manifest itself in Christian ministry, it must begin in the house. Love is displayed despite circumstances, adversities or setbacks and when there is disappointment and heartache in the relationship.
2. Phileo. This is more of an affectionate type of love. God loved the disciples based on their love for and belief in Jesus Christ. (John 16:27)
3. Eros. This word is not used at all in the Scripture. Its primary meaning in the Greek is sexual love and passion. It is mainly used to describe the love between husband and wife. (Hebrews 13:6)
4. Storge. It is not used in the Bible except as a negative or as a conjunction. It is more of the love a family should have for one another. The needs of family are to loved and cared for and in the secular world it plays an important role in a person’s survival. (Romans 1:31, 12:10, 2 Timothy 3:3)
The love God displayed for us when He sent Jesus is agape love. It is an unconditional love. It is a love that says I love you in spite of your shortcomings. (John 3:16). Too often in our lives we love based on our terms and conditions. God’s love is deeper than what we can comprehend.
2. How important is love in an unloved culture?
Romans 5:5
But God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
We all have been in a place where it is easier to not love or to say I’ll love you on condition that you do something in return for me. The way the world will know that we are Christians is by our love for those outside the church. In fact, Jesus said that the people that we should invite to our table are the poor, the blind, the maime and the lame, because God is looking at the heart and He will reward it at the resurrection of the just or at the judgment seat of Christ. (Matthew 25:35-46, Luke 14:12-14)
3. How do we love the unlovable in society?
3.1 Have a meal with them. (Luke 14:12-14, Hebrews 13:2).
3.2 Share your testimony with them (Revelation 12:10). There is power in testimony, because it is personal and nobody can doubt it because you have been there and experienced transformation by experiencing God's love for you. You cannot give something to somebody that you have not experienced.
3.3 Invite them to church. (Matthew 25:35-46).
3.4 Get them to Jesus. (Revelation 3:20)
Love in its broadest sense is God personified. He came down to our level when we couldn’t reach up to His and Jesus wants us to love those and invite them on a journey to Him for salvation. Love has nothing to do with if you are a good person or not, it is an attitude that says my heart to the unlovable has changed because I met Jesus and the Holy Spirit has given me a love to share with those society calls unloved and unlovable.
