Do we Agape Him?
1. BRIDE
Ephes. 5:25-27
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. [KJV]
• Bride
o Why did God use this metaphor?
God is longing for a deep love and intimacy with the church. Just like a husband and a wife are to be “in one flesh” God desire that the church be one with Him as well.
1 Cor. 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
o God desires a relationship with mankind.
o 1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives or the brethren. [KJV]
o He went through all the sufferings just the have a relationship with mankind.
o Expound on the word AGAPE
AGAPE – UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, HIGHEST FROM OF LOVE – IT IS DIVINE!
I have hear great preachers expound on the word “the love of God” or “AGAPE-LOVE”
o GOD DESIRE TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH US THAT HE PURCHASED US WITH HIS BLOOD.
o BUT FOR A MARRIAGE TO WORK OUT, IT INVOLVES TWO PERSONS NOT JUST ONE.
o GOD DESIRES US TO LOVE HIM TOO.
o IS THIS BIBLICAL?
Mark 12:29-30 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: [30] And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
o The word love here is agapao, Agape came from this word, which has the same meaning.
o God’s eternal purpose is to bring into existence a group of people who have willingly chosen to love God and serve Him in holiness, and have a fellowship, friendship and love relationship with Him.
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
• I John 4:19 “We love him, because he first loved us” It is only as we realize how much God loves us that we will truly love Him.
2. DO WE REALLY LOVE HIM?
Too often we treat God for our self-fish purpose.
• A lot of people say they love God, but this love is based on what He can do for them: He makes them happy; He gives them peace; He supplies all their needs; therefore they love Him. But if there is a condition to this love, it is basically self- orientated. Since it is entirely self-oriented , in actuality it is not love at all. It is simply an affection for the One who can pour forth blessing, not because of who He is, but because of the blessing. It is a love for the blessing, not the one who blesses. This motive is revealed when blessings are suddenly withheld or delayed. If our motives are pure, we will love God just as much in the hard times as we do in the times of blessing.
• Let me us you one question do you really agape Him.
• Many times I find myself loving him with a condition.
o We give tithes as premiums for insurance for protection. (with a condition)
o We pray (with a condition)
o We serve in the ministry (with a condition)
o We come to cell (with a condition)
• Isn’t sad if your wife married you only for your money.
• Expound on Job
• Job 1:20-22 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21And he said: "Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD." 22In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. [NKJV]
• Until we have Job attitude then we can say we really love God.
• Children of God let’s not loose focus on God eternal purpose.
• Man’s agape-love for God is at best only a response to God’s agape love for man, a love that was manifested once for all at Calvary. Jesus Himself said, “ If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). We are not obedient in order the win His love; we are obedient as a demonstration of His love..and our love for Him.
3. HOW DO WE TELL HIM WE LOVE HIM (OBEDIENCE).
o 1 John 5:30 “For this is the love (agape) of God, that we keep his commandments”
o There is no greater response man can make to God’s love apart from willing and joyful obedience to His commandments. And this is not distasteful thing as the world would have us believe, for John adds, “and his commandments are not grievous.” Those who will not obey the commandments of God are simply demonstrating that they do not really perceive God’s agape-love. They are still blinded to it by their own self – centered disposition.
I have heard many times people say don’t pressure me! Again nobody is pressuring you.
Romans 14:23 for whatever is not from faith is sin. [NKJV]
4. AGAPE LOVE IS IT POSSIBLE?
o But if agape-love is uniquely divine, how is it possible for mere humanity to obey this command. The answer is that God is able to place His own love within us.
Romans 5:5 ……. the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. [KJV]
2 Tim. 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. [KJV]
• When we received the Holy Ghost, we received the potential to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.
5. THE REASON WHY SOMETIMES WE ARE FEELING CONDEMNED IS BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE FLESH.
• Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [KJV]
• “In the flesh” means self-independent. We are running our own lives.
o If you want a life that is pleasing to God we cannot be self-independent.
• Romans 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. [KJV]
6. JESUS IS GOING TO SANCTIFY AND CLEANSE US. NOT ON OUR WILL STRENGTH.
• Let’s take a quick look at Ephesians 5:26-27 again.
• 26That he (Jesus) might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he (Jesus) might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
• HOW?
• That is why He has given all who believes, the Holy Spirit (His Spirit). And the Eternal Purpose of The Holy Spirit in Us Is To Bring Us Home to Jesus Christ as His Eternal, Spotless Bride.
• The Holy Spirit has come to dwell in you and me to seal, sanctify, empower and prepare us all for the bridehood of Christ.
Eliezer
• For us to understand our relationship between believers and the Holy Spirit let us look back at an Old Testament type of this relationship found in Genesis 24.
• Abraham sent his eldest servant Eliezer to find a bride for his son Isaac.
• Eliezer’s name means "mighty, divine helper" - a type of the Holy Spirit. And just as surely as this mighty helper came back with Rebekah to present her as a bride to Isaac, likewise the Holy Spirit will not fail to bring back a bride for our Lord Jesus Christ.
• God chose Rebekah as a bride for Isaac - and the Lord led Eliezer right to her.
• The servant’s entire mission and purpose was focused on one thing: to bring Rebekah to Isaac - to get her to leave all she had, and to be in love with of Isaac and espoused to him.
• So it is with you and me! God chose us to be His bride. Our salvation - our being chosen for Christ - was done by the Lord. He gave us His Spirit to lead us to Himself -and if we trust Him, the Spirit will bring us safely home as His own eternal bride!
Israelites
• In Deuteronomy 7:6 "For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth" Moses told Israel they were a special, chosen people:
• Oh, how the Israelites loved this message! They loved being chosen, being special in God’s eyes. But they wanted to enjoy the benefits of this without taking on the obligation and discipline of becoming worthy of their Master!
• You see, Eliezer had told Rebekah, "You’ve been chosen. Now I will bless you with many blessings!" And Rebekah put on the gold bracelets and earrings, jewels, silver and expensive clothes he’d provided for her. Then Eliezer said, "Come, go with me!"
• Yet suppose Rebekah had answered, "Thank you for choosing me, and for all these blessings. But I can’t go now - I’m enjoying my present place too much!" I ask you, don’t we respond the same way? We take all the blessings - all the gold and silver - and we accept the "chosenness." But there comes a time when we must get up and go! We have to go with our Eliezer, the Holy Ghost. He tells us, "I have a divine purpose. I came with a mission from God - and I’m going to complete it!" And just as Eliezer came home with a bride for Isaac, the Holy Spirit will not come back empty-handed.
Illustration:
Every good thing comes from the Lord. And sometimes we get caught up with the gift. The purpose of this good thing is to draw us to Jesus Christ.
Postman.
• The nation of Israel never got up and followed the Lord’s leading to the Promised Land. They never followed the Spirit at all costs. They continued in stubborn rebellion, backsliding, spiritual harlotry and idolatry. They were chosen, but not cleansed! They were special, but they never separated themselves unto Him. And when it was time to go into Canaan, they were not ready. Instead, they were turned aside, having learned nothing in the wilderness. They were as backslidden as they had been at the beginning. What a tragedy! Forty years of no growth - of only living for self!
• This is truly a picture of modern-day Christianity. We gloat in being chosen and called of God, but we do not want the discipline of the Holy Ghost to prepare us for the holiness of the bridehood. We take all His blessings, His gold and silver and His great provision. But when the Holy Spirit says, "Let’s get up and go, it’s time to get prepared as a bride for the Master" - then it’s a different story!
• If you were to tell me you are saved, that you are chosen in Christ and that you love Him, I would have to ask: "Do you have a ’Rebekah heart’? Is Jesus the Lover of your soul? Is your love for Him growing and consuming your heart?" Rebekah was asked, "Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go" (Genesis 24:58).
7. THE KEY IS THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US
• Ephes. 1:13-14 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. [KJV]
o Paul describes a people of God who are "sealed with that holy Spirit" (Ephesians 1:13).
o The word “sealed” means to stamp with a mark serving as visible evidence of something.
• WHAT IS THAT MARK?
o The whole scripture speaks of a people specially marked by a work of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit has produced in them a distinguishing mark, a glorious inner work - something supernatural that has changed them forever.
o They are not ordinary believers anymore. They are no longer "of this world," since they have set their affections on things above, not on the things of this earth. They are not moved by the world’s events; rather, they are unshakable. They are no longer luke-warm or half-hearted. Instead, their hearts cry out night and day, "Come quickly, Lord Jesus...."
• What happened to change them? What did the Holy Spirit do in these believers? What marked and sealed them forever as the Lord’s possession? Simply this: The Holy Ghost gave them a foretaste of the glory of His presence! He came to them, rolled back heaven - and they experienced a supernatural manifestation of His exceeding greatness!
o They met Jesus when they met encounter Jesus face to face. They are change.
o 1 Cor. 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. [KJV]
• Right now the Holy Spirit is opening the eyes of His chosen ones - "the eyes of your understanding being enlightened" (Ephesians 1:18). The Holy Spirit comes to a church that wants Him and is praying...to shepherds who are broken before God...to believers who have no concern other than to see the body of Christ conformed to the image of heaven.
• God is sealing such people right now! You can go to meetings where Jesus is so real that you taste a little bit of heaven in your soul. You come away with such a sense of eternal reality that your problems no longer bother you, the lapsing economy doesn’t shake you, and you’re especially not afraid of the devil. God puts a holy fire in your soul, and you say, "This is supernatural. This isn’t me - this is God’s Spirit working in me!"
• He gives us "a little heaven" to go to heaven with - a whetting of our appetite. He opens the windows of heaven and lets us look into the glory that will be ours. We get a taste of His holiness, His peace, His rest, His love - and we are forever spoiled for this earth, because we yearn for the fullness of what we have tasted!
The Spirit’s Mission Is Not Complete Until He Creates In Us a Passionate, Ever-Increasing Yearning For Christ!
• What kind of bride do you think the Spirit will present to Jesus Christ on that day of Revelation? One who is half-hearted? Whose love is lukewarm, or cold? Who is not devoted to Jesus? Who does not want intimacy with Christ?
• If you truly love Jesus, He’s never out of your mind. He is present in your every waking moment.
2 Cor. 5:2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: [KJV]
• The Holy Ghost is here today, He’s alive and working in you - to produce in you a passionate love for Christ. What is this groaning of the Holy Spirit deep inside the heart? What is this emotion that is so profound there are no words to express it?
• The Hebrew word used for groaning means a yearning - a longing for more of Christ. You can yearn after Jesus so much that you sit in His presence and nothing comes out but a deep groaning - something that cannot be uttered. It says, "Jesus, You’re the only happiness there is in this world. I’ve tasted and seen that You’re good - and I want all of You."
• This is the deep, inner cry of someone who hungers for holiness and is anguished over his iniquities. Yet he admits, "I don’t know how to pray. I don’t know what to pray for, or as I should." His heart’s cry is: "Holy Spirit, come! You know the mind of God. You know how to pray according to the will of the Father. Walk with me - take control!"
• This is the mark of one who is walking in the Spirit: He has an insatiable appetite for Jesus. Yet it’s not just because he’s sick of all the garbage he sees in the world -all the filth, crime, drugs and unemployment. No, rather, it’s something very positive. Like Paul, he’s just anxious to depart and be with the Lord!
• This person is being moved upon by the Spirit to go after Christ with such passion and emotion that He is overwhelmed. His heart so longs for Christ, no words can express his hunger and love. It is a marvelous, powerful experience - yet it is also painful, because he cannot yet come into the fullness that awaits him!
• Matthew 5:3-6 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. [KJV]
• Sadly, few today have this passionate groaning after Christ. There is no hungering or thirsting, and so little passion. Each Sunday churches are packed with Christians who never question or examine their love for Christ!
• What has happened in your life since you got saved? Are you just going through the motions? Are you lukewarm? Are you afraid to get "on fire" for the Lord because you’ll be considered a fanatic? Can you say right now you’re ready to go be with Him, that you want Him more than your very life? You may say that often - but do you mean it when you sing, "He’s more than life to me"? Are you more passionately in love with Jesus than when you first met Him?
• Would you allow the Spirit to take control? Why don’t we just yield to Him - and the more they do, the more His inner groaning comes forth.
• Ask the Holy Ghost to so reveal Christ to your heart that you’ll be totally weaned from this world. That’s what happened to Abraham. He said, "I’m only passing through here." He was looking for a city whose builder and maker was God. He had a vision, and his eyes were opened to eternity.
• Right now, the Holy Spirit is poking at the dying embers of your love. It is because He is desirous of setting your heart on fire. Are you allowing the Spirit of God to convict you of sin and unbelief? If so, rejoice! He wants you to be cleansed from every spot or wrinkle on that day when you meet your Bridegroom!
• So yield to His leading. Let Him do His work in you completely - and you truly will know what it means to walk in the Spirit!
