LOVE
1. In Jn. 13:34-35 Jesus gave an identifying mark for His people.
2. The Lord said His people would be known for loving one another.
THE PEOPLE WHO FIRST HEARD THIS STATEMENT KNEW A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT LOVE.
A. The Greeks had four different words for love.
B. They had a word which became the basis for our English word “erotic.”
C. This type of love described intimacy between a husband and wife.
D. This term was also used to describe passionate ambition and intense patriotism.
E.
It is this form of love which is now visible in the war
with
F. There are people involved with the current conflict because of patriotism.
2. The Greeks had a second word for love.
3. This word (storge) was associated with what we might call natural (family) love.
4. This is the type of love that should exist between parents and family members or close relatives.
5. We can see or have this type of love, but we do not have a specific word for it.
6. English has one word that is used in a wide variety of ways.
7. The Greeks were more exact with their language.
8. Their attention to detail is further indicated by a third word.
9. Phileo love was a friendly love; it meant something like “cherish.”
10. We can think of it as concern, care, and a desire to be hospitable towards someone.
11. All of the concepts expressed by these three terms have a rightful place in society.
12. When Jesus and Christianity came along, they brought something new to the world.
13. Jesus said He had a “new commandment.”
14. He said this command involved “loving” one another.
15. The Lord was right.
16. Christianity brought a type of love into the world which was unique.
17. This love is known as agape love.
18. Erotic love would not have been useful in saving man.
19. Natural love is good but it is insufficient to do what is described in the gospel.
20. Phileo love is also good, but God could not cherish people who are sinful and unforgiven.
21. Thus, there was a need for a new and different kind of love.
22. The final type of love is known as agape.
23. The first three kinds of love I described have to do with emotions and feelings.
24. Agape love deals with the mind, will, and intellect.
25. Agape love sees someone or something as worthwhile and then takes action.
26. This is what we find in Jn. 3:16.
27. God saw something worthwhile (man) and then “took action.
28. When we look at the word agape as a noun, verb, and adjective, it occurs about 320 times in the NT.
29. This means this form of love is very, very important.
30. This is the type of love Jesus described in Jn. 13.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHO CHRISTIANS ARE, WE MUST SAY THEY ARE PEOPLE WHO POSSESS AND DEMONSTRATE AGAPE LOVE.
A. To help us understand this love I want to do a brief study of 1 Cor. 13.
B. One of these days I may preach through this chapter quality by quality.
2. For this morning the descriptions given by Paul will be treated rather quickly.
3. 1 Cor. 13 describes agape love.
4. The first description is found in verse 4 – READ
A. Love “suffers long.”
B. This word describes patience with others.
C. We all know someone who is good at losing his or her temper.
D. There are times when all of us are short on patience.
E. According to this verse, a Christian is generally patient with others.
F. One source says “suffers long” describes “controlling wrath which easily boils over.”
5. When we know someone who lives in this type of way, we appreciate him or her.
6. This quality makes a person stand out from the rest of the crowd.
7. New Testament Christians have agape love and this form of love results in this trait.
A. The second point about love is described by the word “kind.”
B. This may look like an adjective but it is a verb (i.e. it describes action).
C. This single word means agape love motivates Christians to engage in acts of kindness.
D. One ancient writer described this as “being sweet to all.”
E. This is the attitude which says we want to help and aid others.
F. When pagans saw this quality demonstrated in the first century they were stunned.
G. The unsaved could not believe that others could be so good and decent.
8. The third point is described by the word “envy.”
9. This word has different senses in the New Testament.
10. It can be used positively or negatively.
11. Here it means the people with agape love do not berate or malign others.
12. This quality even eliminates resentment.
13. These items are now so common in the world they are accepted and expected.
14. When a Christian avoids these things there is a stark contrast between the saved and the unsaved.
15. This difference is like night and day, and the basis for it is agape love.
16. This form of love means prevents “vauntings.”
A. This term is found only here in the New Testament.
B. A good definition for the word is “a windbag.”
C. This kind of person boasts, exaggerates, and exalts himself.
D. In many instances there is also an attempt to wound or criticize others.
E. This type of individual pays tribute to himself or herself while trying to bring others down.
17. The person who has agape love says, “I refuse to live like that.”
18. “This may be the way the ungodly live, but this will not typify my life.”
19. The saved also avoid “being puffed up.”
A. Of the 7 times this word is used in the New Testament, 6 are found in this letter.
B. This word describes someone who puts on an air.
C. Robertson said such a person is “puffed up like a pair of bellows.”
D. No Christian with agape love is every full of himself.
20. In verse 5 we come to the word “unseemly” – READ
21. Synonyms for this would be dishonorable, indecent, disgraceful.
22. Some translations use the word “rude.”
23. Those with agape love try to keep others from blushing/being humiliated/embarrassed.
24. Christians with agape love are not interested in what is indecent or disgraceful.
25. Agape love means that we adhere to God’s standard of and for decency.
26. This type of love also means we are not out for ourselves (“seeks not its own”).
27. There are people in the world who are selfish. It is them first, them second, and them last.
28. Those with agape love have a desire to help and serve others.
29. Right after this Paul said it “is not provoked.”
A. The KJV adds the word “easily.”
B. Agape love helps people avoid flying off into a fit of rage.
C. This quality helps keep violent tempers in check.
D. It has been suggested that the KJV translators added “easily” because the king had a bad temper.
E. Whether this is right or not, this additional word clarifies the point.
F. Those with agape love are not easily provoked.
30. At the end of verse 5 we learn something else about agape love.
31. It “takes no account of evil.”
A. This may be explained in one of two ways.
B. It may mean that people do not keep track of the offenses committed against them.
C. It may also mean that people do not dwell on the evil done to them.
D. In either case, this quality is again in contrast to what is found in the world.
E. Verse 6 – READ
32. Agape does not allow people to be happy about wickedness and evil (6a).
33. There is no delight in sin or injustice.
34. For the Christian, sin in any form is not a joke.
35. Agape love is associated with “truth.”
A. We spoke about this last week.
B. If people are not involved with the truth, they have an imperfect love.
C. Truth must encompass every aspect of our lives.
36. Agape love leaves others with an example that is both good and true.
37. This type of love also helps those who practice it – verse 7 – READ
38. In verse 7 Paul said it helps us “bear all things.”
A. Agape love sustains the Christian.
B. This quality helps us continue going when we become distressed, annoyed, or discouraged.
C. This quality helps us resist all onslaughts against our faith.
39. Agape love also allows us to “believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things.”
A. The “belief” of agape love does not mean that we let people lie to us.
B. It means that we believe people unless there is evidence to the contrary.
C. We have confidence in the goodness of others.
D. Unfounded doubts and suspicions are rejected.
40. At the end of verse 7 we find that love “endures all things.”
A. The word “endure” was a military word.
B. It meant “sustain the assaults of the enemy.”
C. During the worst of times this quality helps Christians stay faithful.
41. When we think about who a Christian is we have another answer.
42. A child of God is guided by agape love.
43. This love encompasses all the qualities described in 1 Cor. 13.
44. This type of person is special—completely different from others found in the world.
45. Is agape love part of our day to day lives?
46. Are we living the qualities described in 1 Cor. 13?
47. Jesus said all men will know we
are His disciples because we possess agape love?
Is this love evident to the world?
48. The beginning point for each person is entry into Christ.
49. The Bible says salvation is “in Christ” (2 Tim. 2:10).
50. Faith puts us on the right road. Repentance brings us a little closer.