Building relationships in Love Galatians 5: 13-15; John 15:9-10, 12
Introduction: The concept of love seems to be an ever changing picture if we were to develop our beliefs based on what we see described and depicted in the world around us. Now even in marriage the idea of love has been twisted to conform our expectations of love in marriage. We so easily loose God's plan for lifelong loving commitment not only in marriage but in our Christian walk unless we regain a biblical perspective of Love in both our hearts and mind.
Scriptures tell us that "God is love" (1 John 4:16). It should come as no surprise that love is the first fruit for us to look more closely at, hold it and get a sense for how it feels, and even venture to taste and see the difference in God's love with what we may have settled with before this encounter. May great man have said that "love for others is the first sign that we have been born again." For it is not enough for you to say, "I love God." Props for you if you can. (1 john4:7-12) But God says, Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. What's up with that? If you don't love (others) than you don't really love God. And if you don't love others you haven't been born again. So what is it with us? Are we lovers of others? As believers we are brothers /sisters of another mother but if God lives in us we are brothers and sisters of the same father.
What's up with that? In short, you walk with Jesus and you become interconnected to Jesus. But his heart taking over yours is an inside job. Only you can choose to yield NO! pursue His will for you. It's no longer what you want but what He wants. It's no longer, what should I do? But what would Jesus do?
Now just because you wear a WWJD bracelet doesn't mean you can do this. It's impossible. Remember it's impossible for you to bear God's fruit in your life if you're not connected/attached to Him. Because God's love is the agape love. It's the pure untainted love. Not self serving, not self promoting, not self empathizing, but it's the love that's out there it's the love that gets abused; it's the love that goes unappreciated but gives anyway. Its gives because it's there. It goes out because it flows out.
I. AT the Core of Christianity is relationship.
But for us its not natural we have to choose to practice agape love. The more you hang with Jesus you get it that you should love people the way He loves you. And you realize you could love people, because He has loved you. But somehow, it's your _______ to choose to do acts of love.
Your real life Christianity all goes back to Jesus. I mean it depends on whether you have really spend time with him. Is His hearts seeping into yours? Is compassion growing in you? Can you risk loving others? Or more importantly do you risk loving others? Do you? I'm reminded of a song we use to sing in our home church
I'm loved, I'm loved I can risk loving you, because the one who loves me most loves me best, I'm loved I'm loved I can risk loving you. We can learn to love each other we are loved.
II. Three Common Misunderstandings about Love.
- Love develops automatically. The word is prolific when it comes to telling us to love. It never assumes we even know how to love. Rather were told to love and further more we're explained why.
- Knowing the definition of love doesn't =LOVE. It's the difference between understanding and acting on. I can understand the details of cleaning my room, I can understanding to benefits of, but I can still choose to ignore it.
A couple weeks ago I told you I would look up the 4 greek words I could only remember three. Here's where they fit in:
Eros- sexual/sensual love
Storge- family/natural love
Phile- friendship love
Agape- God's love
Biggest mistunderstanding Love is a feeling.
Love is not just a feeling, more correctly. Love is an action. Love is a choice. As a matter of fact, Love should often go the opposite direction of your feelings. Love. God's love is an act of will.
To quote or butcher of nursery rhyme:
Mary mary quite contrary how does your garden grow?
Well for us, our roots grow deeper are connection grows stronger when we consistently condition our hearts to choice to love, especially when it's the last thing we feel like doing. In fact, as you choose loving others, you will often develop the "want to." "Your emotions will catch on."
Instead, as you grow your spiritual life to where your feelings fall in line.
- We don't always realize how hurtful our words and actions can be to others.
Find article (girl suicide-internet web site) Some maybe tempted to say- she was mentally weak, what loser, But I dare say that kind of person is exactly who jesus had in mind when he climb onto the cross.
III. Biblical Love
- Love is possible. But it is only possible when we encounter Jesus. I mean when your drenched in His love for you, when you know deep in your bones. He loves you totally unconditionally. Then and only then can you love Him and then and only then can you love others like He loves you.
- Love forgives. Col 3:13. Just like love is possible. Forgiving is possible only if you have experienced. I mean really experienced God's forgiveness. When he takes off the sin stained shame we carry. Like the prodigal son returning to home from the pig pen. His father doesn't say, uuuu! You stink! Give him the coat ring and shoes but only after you clean yourself up. No He wraps his arms around the son, calls for the designer coat to be drapped over his stinky son. The son must have been overwhelmed felt bad, he was going to ruin his fathers coat it would stink forever. But under the washing of the father's tears and his fathers love melts away his shame.
- Love compels. John 12:32 quote when I'm lift up. Draw all to myself. His drawing power is His unconditional & sacrificial love. People hunger to be cared for and loved. Sometime we find foolish ways to creatively get love, but once you experience God's pur merciful love. They are drawn to it.
- Love is resilent. (Acts 7:60)What conditions should we attach to love? NONE. Doesn't matter how crappy they treat us, we must keep on loving, forgiving, & praying for them. We must not hold grudges, refuse to "get over it" or attach conditions before we forgive someone. Even when we are shocked hurt disappointed by their behavior; but we regain our strength because were attached to the vine. 2 cor 4:8-9) We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
Conclusion: Once we gain an understanding of God's love for us, and only than, can we truly begin the journey of being used by God to love others in such a way that would "cover sins" that we begin to raise up the truest image of the God who has loved us.
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