The Lost Art Of Loving (love)

Fulfilled (The Fruit of the Spirit), part 2 of 10
Love is something we hear a lot about but see very little of. We all know that love is important! After a touching opening story, we’ll raise the questions: 1) What is love? (Myth vs. reality) 2) “Why don’t we love?”.. . The answer is we don’t let God love through us by his Spirit. Then 3) We’ll talk about “I know that I love when…” ideas. Guest Speaker
Pastor Matt Eisenhower

Download the notes.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love…” (Galatians 5:22a)

I. The Bible has a great deal to say about love

Fact #1. The NIV Bible uses the root word of love nearly 700 times

Fact #2. We know that God is love

” Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (I John 4:8)

Fact #3. The Greatest Commandment is to Love God.

“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matthew 22:37-38)

Fact #4. In the original language of the New Testament, there are three Greek words in which Bibles translate into “love”

1. agape– unconditional
2. phileo– friendship
3. eros– intimate

“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love (agape) me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love (phileo) you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love (agape) me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love (phileo) you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love (phileo) me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love (phileo) you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” (John 21:15–17)

II. Become a “cat” lover

Choice love is a choice

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.” (Ephesians 5:25–28)

Action. Love is expressed in action

“If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. “ (I John 3:17–18)

Take time Love takes time to develop (Quantity==Quality)

“I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—- that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.” (Romans 1:11–13)
h2. III. True agape love

True Christian love is only present when the supernatural power of God flows through us to others.

The Source of unconditional love is Holy Spirit/God

“So I say live by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16a)

This kind of love is not in our human nature

“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious” (Galatians 5:19a)

This kind of love can be in our renewed nature)

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love (Agape)…” (Galatians 5:22)