Real Love, Part III: Tough Love

Romans 12:9-21

• Our natural inclination is to retaliate when attacked.  The body's physiological "fight or flight" response is an automatic defense mechanism.  Regardless, we maintain control over our actions, and are accountable for them.
• "Bless" is derived from the Greek word "eulogeus," meaning "to speak well of, praise, give thanks."  When God blesses us, He grants favor and confers happiness upon us.

Luke 6:27-38

• "Love" is based upon "agape," meaning "undefeatable benevolence, unconditional goodwill, always seeks highest good of others, no matter what they do, gives freely without asking anything in return, does not consider the worth of its object."  Agape = love by choice, act of the will.
• "Enemy" means "an adversary or foe," and refers to someone who is purposefully belligerent to you, not merely indifferent.
• Verse 35 touches upon the qualities of the Father as reflected through us when we act as His children, and reveals more of His own attitudes toward us.  He is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked, and it is this kindness that "is intended to turn you from your sin.”  (Romans 2:4)
• We often think of verse 38 in terms of finances, but in this context, it is applicable to the love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness we give to others.

Romans 5:1-11

• Always remember that our standing in Christ is an "undeserved privilege," one He has also extended to others.
• God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love, which illustrates just "how dearly God loves us," a love that sent Christ to His death on our behalf, making us right with Him.
• We were once God's enemies, but have now become friends of God.  Who, then, can really be considered OUR enemy?

Colossians 1:3-23

• The Holy Spirit gives us love for others.
• This passage beautifully elaborates upon the reconciliation that God worked through Jesus' shed blood while we were still His enemies.

Philippians 2:1-11

• Our attitude must be the same that Jesus had, as articulated in verses 6-8.  "… no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."  (John 15:13)

Luke 23:34

• This attitude is expressed in Jesus’ words and actions upon the cross.
• The Greek word for forgiveness means "to do a favor, show kindness unconditionally, give freely," and is based on the same root as "charis" (grace), "the free and unmerited favor or beneficence of God"

Matthew 6:12-15

• We know the Lord's prayer by heart…

Matthew 18:21-35

• In the parable of the cancelled debt, it is important to note that when the servant pleaded for an extension, the king took pity on him and forgave him the entirety of his debt.
• Our debt was cancelled before we even recognized and acknowledged that we owed it.  Pay it forward.

Real Love, Part II: The Law of Love

Commandments.  Laws.  The mere words evoke imagery of rules, of restrictions, of a “do this, don’t do that” system of control.  Ten Commandments?  How about 613?(http://www.gospeloutreach.net/613laws.html)

• Matthew 22:37-40

Two commandments fulfill the requirements of the entire law.  How do we love God with all our heart, soul, and mind?

• 1 John 5:1-4

In addition to worshiping Him, loving God means keeping His commandments.

• John 13:34-35

Christ calls us to love one another just as He loved us.  Such love is definitive proof that we are His disciples.

• Romans 13:8-10

Love turns the concept of “law” on its head.  It is not about God exerting control over us, micromanaging our lives, but providing relational boundaries and guidelines to protect us and to provide for us.  Consider the analogy of the fence… 

And who is my neighbor?

• Luke 10:25-37

In this story, Jesus commends the Samaritan over the so-called “religious” men.  Despite their titles, they missed the point.  Our neighbors are the ones we encounter every day, beyond the walls of the “church.”

• Matthew 25:31-46

When we minister to “the least of these,” we are in actuality ministering unto the Lord Himself.  There is no real distinction between “each other” and “our neighbors,” as the latter are God’s children as we are, and in loving them, we exemplify and extend the love of the Father to them.

• John 15:9-17

As the Father has loved Jesus, so He loves us, and so we are to love others in the same way, even laying down our lives for them. 

• Romans 12:9-10

Love is so much more than a feeling, but a mindful choice.

• 1 Corinthians 8:1-3

Love is one of the pillars of the church.  God recognizes us when we love Him.

• 1 Peter 4:8

Love does not highlight sins, but covers them.  Love chooses to see the best.

• 1 Corinthians 13:1-3,13

Love is the foundation upon which all our other Christian works and deeds should be built.  Love should continually be our underlying motivation in all things.

• Colossians 3:12-14

Again, love is a choice.  Being clothed in love is akin to being a finely tuned instrument, in perfect harmony (“a consistent, orderly, or pleasing arrangement of parts; congruity.”) with others.  Dissonance, on the other hand, is “a simultaneous combination of tones conventionally accepted as being in a state of unrest and needing completion.”

• 1 John 3:16-24

Real love demonstrates itself in action, not just words.

Real Love, Part I: The Love of God

What do you think of when you hear the word "love"?

• Agapaō is defined as “To esteem, love, indicating a direction of the will and finding one’s joy in something or someone.”  (Complete Word Study Dictionary)
• Phileō is defined as “To have to have affection for someone, to be fond of, to like, indicating feelings, warm affection.”  (Complete Word Study Dictionary)

What is the first verse that comes to mind when you think of God's love?

• John 3:16

Sometimes, words become so familiar, they lose their impact and meaning.

• Romans 5:8
• Ephesians 2:4-10

Not only are we God's masterpiece, destined for good works in this present life, but we will serve as examples of His love to future generations.  Think of people have spoke into your life through the years, of people who have been "the hands and feet of Jesus" to you, of people whose testimony , whose faith, whose lives as living witnesses stirred something in you.

• 1 John 4:7-21

Multiple times we read of God's demonstration of love for us while we were still sinners-- not only that we may gain eternity, but that our relationships with Him would be fully restored.  Love is not defined by our love for Him, but by His love for us.  God Himself IS love.

Our earthly experiences with love have ill prepared us for the kind of all-encompassing, self-sacrificing, perfect love that God the Father has for us.

• 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Even our closest friends and family may let us down, fail us, or even walk away from us, but what can separate us from the love of God as expressed in Jesus Christ?

• Romans 8:35-39

The Father's love is exemplified in the parable of the prodigal son:

• Luke 15:11-32

Let us always remember our testimony, our personal stories of how we once were lost, but became found.  We may trace that moment to a decision to "come home,” but the story began long before that.  While we were still "in the world,” the Father was waiting and watching for us.

Closing Prayer:

• Ephesians 3:14-19

The Father's Love Letter - http://www.fathersloveletter.com/

What is the Church?, Part 3

“A pile of rocks ceases to be a rock when somebody contemplates it with the idea of a cathedral in mind.” ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Isaiah 28:16 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

   “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem,[d]
      a firm and tested stone.
   It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on.
      Whoever believes need never be shaken.[e]

Matthew 21:42 Then Jesus asked them, “Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures?

   ‘The stone that the builders rejected
      has now become the cornerstone.
   This is the Lord’s doing,
      and it is wonderful to see.’[i]

1 Peter2:4 You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor.

5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests.[a] Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. 6 As the Scriptures say,

   “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem,[b]
      chosen for great honor,
   and anyone who trusts in him
      will never be disgraced.”[c]

7 Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him,

   “The stone that the builders rejected
      has now become the cornerstone.”[d]

8 And,

   “He is the stone that makes people stumble,
      the rock that makes them fall.”[e]

   They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.

9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests,[f] a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

10 “Once you had no identity as a people;
      now you are God’s people.
   Once you received no mercy;
      now you have received God’s mercy.”[g]

• Jesus is referred to as "the living cornerstone of God's temple".

• We are "living stones" of that temple.

• We are "His holy priests", "His royal priests", "chosen", "holy nation", "God's very own possession"
• Purpose: to "show others the goodness of God"

1 Corinthians 3:5 After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. 9 For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.

10 Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.

12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

16 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in[d] you? 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

• God's field is used here in an agricultural sense, but it also makes me think of the piece of land upon which a building is built.

• Although Paul has laid the foundation, as he relates to the Corinthian church, the foundation itself is Jesus Christ.
• We all have a part in building upon the foundation, and are responsible for using proper material (imperishable vs. perishable) and making the most of the individual and corporate resources that God has entrusted to us.

• "All of you together are the temple of God."

• The very Spirit of God inhabits the temple that we are building.

1 Timothy 3:14 I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon, 15 so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.

16 Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith[f]:
   Christ[g] was revealed in a human body
      and vindicated by the Spirit.[h]
   He was seen by angels
      and announced to the nations.
   He was believed in throughout the world
      and taken to heaven in glory.

• The church of the living God is "the pillar and the foundation of the truth".

What are the recurring elements of these word pictures?

• Field
• Foundation
• Cornerstone
• Stones
• Pillar
• Capstone (some translations)
• Temple
• Living

The church is a living temple, God's masterpiece, built by and upon Jesus Christ, our firm foundation, established with the placement of the Living Cornerstone, comprised of living stones carefully and perfectly fit together, inhabited by His Spirit.  We serve as priests within that temple, ministering to God, and called to show others the goodness of God.