Abiding in Christ: The Power of Agape Love

Today marks a special milestone—one year of gathering as Arrows Church in our current building. Reflecting on this past year, it’s clear that God has been at work among us: through acts of service, generosity, and spiritual growth, we’ve seen lives changed, relationships deepened, and our community blessed. As we continue our series on the fruit of the Spirit, we focus on love—the foundational fruit from which all others grow.

The world often sees the struggle between good and evil as a battle of equals, like the parable of the two wolves. But in Christ, the Spirit has already won the victory. Life in the Spirit is not about striving to feed the “good wolf” more than the “bad,” but about living from the victory Christ has secured. The fruit of the Spirit, including love, is not a list of commands to strive for, but the natural byproduct of abiding in Jesus. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit unless it remains connected to the vine, we cannot produce true love apart from Christ.

Love, as described in Scripture, is not merely a feeling or a set of actions we muster up. The New Testament uses the word “agape” to describe the selfless, sacrificial love that God has for us—a love that is extended even to those who do not deserve it. This is the love we are called to embody, not by our own strength, but as a result of God’s love poured into us. Without this kind of love, even the most impressive spiritual gifts or acts of service are empty.

Love is foundational to every relationship and is the visible evidence of Christ in us. Like the seeds on the outside of a strawberry, love is meant to be seen by others. It covers a multitude of sins, not just our own, but also those of others, as we extend grace and forgiveness. This kind of love is active, stretching us to love even those who are difficult or opposed to us. The way we fight for what is right is by loving our enemies, just as Christ loved us when we were undeserving.

The practical application is not to try harder to be loving, but to abide more deeply in Jesus. As we spend time with Him, love will naturally grow in us and overflow to those around us. In a world filled with anger, division, and pain, our strategy is to humble ourselves, seek God’s face, and let His love transform us and our community.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Life in the Spirit is not a battle of equals; the Spirit has already won the victory. We do not live in constant uncertainty about whether good or evil will prevail. Instead, we are invited to walk in the victory Christ has secured, letting go of striving and embracing the freedom that comes from being led by the Spirit. [06:42]
• 2. The fruit of the Spirit, including love, is not a checklist of commands to accomplish, but the natural result of abiding in Christ. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit apart from the vine, we cannot produce true love by our own effort. Our focus should be on remaining connected to Jesus, trusting that His life in us will bear fruit. [09:09]
• 3. Agape love is distinct from all other forms of love because it originates with God and is given to us, not generated from within ourselves. This love is selfless, sacrificial, and extended to those who do not deserve it. Only by experiencing God’s agape love can we begin to love others in the same way, moving beyond what is natural to what is supernatural. [17:01]
• 4. Love is active and often requires effort, especially when directed toward those who are difficult, unloving, or even hostile. The call to love deeply, earnestly, and fervently is not about ease or comfort, but about stretching ourselves to reflect God’s love in challenging circumstances. This is how love covers a multitude of sins—not by ignoring wrongs, but by choosing grace over retaliation. [22:13]
• 5. The most effective way to grow in love is not to focus on loving more, but to focus on abiding in Jesus. As we spend time with Him, His love transforms us from the inside out, making love a visible and tangible reality in our lives. In a world that is quick to anger and slow to forgive, our greatest witness is the love that flows from our relationship with Christ. [28:14]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [02:00] - Celebrating One Year at Cedar Hollow
• [04:31] - The Parable of the Two Wolves
• [05:28] - The Spirit’s Victory Over the Flesh
• [07:45] - Fruit of the Spirit: Not a Checklist
• [09:09] - Abiding in Christ Produces Fruit
• [12:53] - The Foundation of Love
• [14:27] - Four Greek Words for Love
• [16:22] - Agape: God’s Selfless Love
• [18:11] - 1 Corinthians 13 and the Necessity of Love
• [19:53] - Love Covers a Multitude of Sins
• [20:58] - Loving Deeply Requires Effort
• [22:13] - Loving the Unlovable
• [25:10] - Love as Visible Proof
• [27:11] - Love Grows Where Jesus Lives
• [28:14] - Application: Abide, Don’t Strive
• [29:30] - Practical Steps for Growing in Love
• [32:52] - Weekly Resource and Closing Prayer

Bible Reading

Galatians 5:16-25 (ESV) — > 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
> 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
> 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
> 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

John 15:4-5 (ESV) — > 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (ESV) — > 1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Observation Questions

1. According to Galatians 5, what is the difference between living by the flesh and living by the Spirit? What are the results of each? ([07:45])
2. In John 15, what does Jesus say is necessary for a branch to bear fruit? What does this mean for us as followers of Jesus? ([09:09])
3. In 1 Corinthians 13, what does Paul say about the value of spiritual gifts or good deeds if they are not done with love? ([18:11])
4. The sermon described four Greek words for love. Which one is used in the New Testament to describe God’s love for us, and what makes it different from the others? ([16:22])

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon said that life in the Spirit is not a battle of equals, but that the Spirit has already won the victory. How does this change the way a Christian should view their daily struggles with sin? ([06:42])
2. Why is agape love described as something that comes from God and not from ourselves? What does it look like to receive and then give this kind of love? ([17:01])
3. The sermon compared love to the seeds on the outside of a strawberry—something visible to others. Why is it important that love is seen, not just felt or believed? ([25:10])
4. Peter says, “love covers a multitude of sins.” How does loving others deeply help us deal with the wrongs done to us or by us? ([19:53])

Application Questions

1. The sermon said the fruit of the Spirit is not a checklist to accomplish, but a natural result of abiding in Jesus. What are some practical ways you can “abide” in Jesus this week? ([28:14])
2. Think of a relationship in your life that is difficult or strained. What would it look like to show agape love in that situation, even if the other person doesn’t “deserve” it? ([22:13])
3. The pastor encouraged us to “put your phone down” and spend less time on social media to make space for God’s love to grow in us. Is there a specific distraction you need to set aside this week to focus more on Jesus? ([30:11])
4. When you think about loving your enemies or those who have hurt you, what is the biggest barrier for you? How can you ask God to help you stretch and love more deeply, as Peter describes? ([22:13])
5. The sermon said that love is the visible evidence of Christ in us. If someone watched your life this week, what would they see? Would they see the “seeds” of love on the outside? ([25:10])
6. The pastor mentioned that love covers not just our own sins, but also the sins of others. Is there someone you need to forgive or show grace to this week? What step can you take toward that? ([19:53])
7. The strategy for healing and transformation was to humble ourselves, seek God’s face, and pray. What is one way you can practice humility and seek God this week, either alone or with others? ([32:52])