AGAPE: YOU ARE MY FRIENDS… NO LONGER SERVANTS?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
FAITH IS AN ACTION WORD… Is this real? I place a metal chair in front of the crowd. I talk about how strong the chair appears to be? Then I ask the crowd do you think this chair is strong enough to hold one of us? We discuss why we think this chair could possibly hold a human’s weight. What would happen if the chair is not capable of holding a person? They could fall and get hurt? Now, we conclude: I THINK THIS CHAIR COULD HOLD YOU? THAT IS HEAD KNOWLEDGE? Somehow we must get beyond head knowledge into the reality… THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO KNOW FOR SURE IF THIS CHAIR CAN HOLD A HUMAN… WE MUST GO BEYOND THINKING THE CHAIR CAN… WE MUST FIND SOMEONE THAT WILL TRUST THE CHAIR ENOUGH TO SIT IN IT… ONCE WE SIT DOWN AND GET COMFORTABLE, WE TRUST THE CHAIR AND IT NO LONGER REQUIRES FAITH…
LOVE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT JESUS DOES… FOR WE KNOW THAT GOD IS GOD… LOVE IS WHO GOD REALLY IS… GOD IS LOVE… LOVE IS GOD.
1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
USE THE WORD LOVE IN ENGLISH:
I love my car? My dog? My son? My wife? God? EACH WORD IS THE SAME YET SO DIFFERENT.
*EROS LOVE: PLEASING 5 SENSES, PASSION, DESIRE, EYE CANDY, LIFE INSTINCTS, flirt, wink.
*PHILEO LOVE: friendship, affection, brotherly love, respect, romantic relationship.
*AGAPE LOVE: (agapao) highest form of love, love in action, desires best, give, helping, caring, reciprocal.
REAL LOVE IS NOT ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD MY MAN. JESUS HAS THE PAIN OF FORE KNOWLEDGE HE KNOWS WHAT IS AHEAD. JESUS TRIES TO PREPARE HIS STUDENTS THAT ON HIS 7TH ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM HE WILL BE CRUCIFIED.
The disciples refuse to accept that Jesus will be on his FINAL JOURNEY into the great city of Jerusalem for this life. They have changed their lifestyles and given up their material dreams to follow Jesus. The boys are looking forward that their ministry will so grow that they will shake off Rome’s cruelity.
Peter rebukes Jesus for they refuse to imagine JESUS WILL BE GOING TO THE CROSS AND DIE… BUT LOVE
Matthew 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
THE DISCIPLES COULD ONLY SEE TODAY… JESUS KNEW THE CROSS WAS COMING BUT JESUS ALSO KNEW THERE COMES A THIRD DAY BEYOND THEIR IMAGINATIONS … IT MAY BE FRIDAY, BUT REST ASSURED SUNDAY IS COMING… THE BOYS JUST CAN’T UNDERSTAND GOD’S PLAN. BUT LOVE.
Luke 24:7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
WHY THE CROSS? DO WE UNDERSTAND PERFECT LOVE? JESUS’ PLAN ADVANCES LOVE’S STANDARD FROM BEING A SERVANT TO BECOMING A DIVINE FRIEND… JESUS GIVES HIS LIFE… BUT LOVE.
God’s standards are far above human awareness. The world defines lust as love. GOD’S LOVE WINS.
John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. 16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should
remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. 17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
John 15:13 (MSG) This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. 14 You are my friends when you do the things I command you. 15 I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father. 16 "You didn't choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won't spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you. 17 "But remember the root command: Love one another.
WE HAVE GOOD NEWS WE CAN USE IF WE CHOOSE… JOHN 3:16 IS THE GOSPEL IN A NUTSHELL… WE FIND THE MOST FAMOUS VERSE OF THE BIBLE IN JOHN 3:16. THIS VERSE CONTAINS 25 WORDS IN THE KING JAMES VERSION… THESE 25 WORDS ARE STRAIGHT FORWARD AND CONCISE.
Son is the middle word of this verse… twelve words to the left of son, 12 words to the right of son…
John 3:16 (KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16 (MSG) "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.
*GOD: IS OUR FATHER AND HE LIVES IN HEAVEN. God is love, and he loves each one of us… God created by the power of the spoken word…
*SO: to shout it out, extreme, to such a great extent, high degree, immensely, intense, true.
*LOVED… intense feeling of deep affection, pleasure, enjoy, tender mercies.
*THE WORLD…earth, all the people, inhabitants, creation, life, death, a place where humans live.
*HE GAVE--- Love gives, the greatest gift ever known through all eternity. Willingly offered, to hand over, transfer, allow, provide, deliver, GIVING IS A REMINDER OF BLESSINGS. Love gives.
*HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON--- we see the affirmation that Jesus is God’s only son.
*THAT WHO SO EVER: available to all, choice, anyone.
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
*BELIEVES: accepts as true, feel sure, confidence, reliable, faith, confident attitude, trust.
James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
*SHOULD NOT PERISH: suffer spiritual death, destroy, to die, be damned, to be lost.
*HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE: eternal, forever, starts on earth and moves to heaven, positive, FOREVER, to continue after death.
CONCLUSION: LOVE NEVER FAILS… WE KNOW CONDITIONAL LOVE HERE ON EARTH… GOD’S LOVE IS UNCONDITIONAL…
YOU CAN NOT BUY THE LOVE OF GOD… YOU CAN NOT DO GOOD WORKS ENOUGH TO EARN GOD’S LOVE… Why the cross? Proves the love.
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 (MSG) But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.
PETER DENIED JESUS 3 TIMES, JESUS ASKED PETER THREE TIMES DO YOU LOVE ME?
Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
LOVE KNOWS YOU MUST DIE TO YOURSELF, DENY THE FLESH, LOVE WITH NO EXCEPTION… WHY THE CROSS? THE CROSS ONCE AND FOR ALL REVEALS THE ULTIMATE LOVE OF GOD TO A LOST AND DYING WORLD.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
