Embodying Agape Love: A Call to Discipleship

 

Summary

In today's reflection, we delve into the profound message of love as articulated by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13. The essence of this passage is not merely about romantic love, often highlighted in weddings, but a deeper, agape love that should permeate every aspect of our lives, especially within the church community. Paul emphasizes that without love, all our actions, no matter how noble, are just noise. This love is patient, kind, and devoid of envy or pride. It does not dishonor others, is not self-seeking, and keeps no record of wrongs. It rejoices with the truth and always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres.

Reflecting on the life of Jesus, we see this love in action. Jesus healed the leper, forgave the woman caught in adultery, and taught through parables like the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan. These stories illustrate the heart of Jesus, which is rooted in love. As a church, we are called to embody this love, not just in our marriages or personal relationships, but in our interactions with the world. This is a challenging task, akin to learning a new language, but it is essential for our witness as followers of Christ.

The world is watching us, and our ability to love one another is a testament to our discipleship. In John 13:34-35, Jesus commands us to love one another as He has loved us, stating that this love will show the world that we are His disciples. This is not an easy task, especially in a world filled with hurt and brokenness. However, it is in these difficult moments that we have the opportunity to choose love over fleshly reactions.

To truly love in this way, we must first experience the transformative love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. It is only through the Holy Spirit's work in our hearts that we can extend this supernatural love to others. This requires an ongoing process of being in God's Word and allowing it to transform us. In challenging situations, we must pause and ask God what He is teaching us, using these moments as opportunities to practice forgiveness and love.

Key Takeaways:

- Agape love is the foundation of our Christian life. Without it, our actions are meaningless noise. This love is patient, kind, and selfless, reflecting the heart of Jesus in all we do. [15:11]

- Jesus exemplified agape love through His actions and teachings. His interactions with the marginalized and His parables teach us the depth of love we are called to embody. [17:37]

- Love is not just for personal relationships but is a command for the church. Our love for one another is a testament to the world of our discipleship and faith in Christ. [20:05]

- Experiencing God's love and forgiveness is essential for us to extend agape love to others. It is a supernatural love that requires the Holy Spirit's transformation in our hearts. [29:21]

- In difficult situations, we have the choice to act out of love or flesh. These moments are opportunities for growth and to practice the love that God calls us to. [30:55]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[15:11] - The Noise Without Love
[16:10] - Spiritual Gifts and Love
[17:37] - Jesus' Example of Love
[18:13] - Understanding 1 Corinthians 13
[19:00] - Applying Love in Marriage
[20:05] - Love's Relevance to the Church
[20:59] - Love is Patient and Kind
[22:00] - Love's Forgiving Nature
[23:21] - Learning the Language of Love
[24:28] - The Command to Love One Another
[26:08] - Love in Difficult Times
[27:28] - The Church's Witness to the World
[29:21] - The Source of Agape Love
[30:55] - Opportunities for Growth in Love

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
2. John 13:34-35
3. Mark 1:40-42

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Observation Questions:

1. What characteristics of love are highlighted in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, and how do they contrast with common human behaviors? [18:44]

2. How does Jesus' interaction with the leper in Mark 1:40-42 exemplify agape love? [17:37]

3. According to John 13:34-35, what is the significance of loving one another as Jesus has loved us? [24:28]

4. In the sermon, what examples are given to illustrate how love should be applied within the church community? [20:05]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. Why does Paul emphasize that without love, our actions are just noise? How does this relate to the use of spiritual gifts in the church? [15:11]

2. How does the sermon suggest that experiencing God's love and forgiveness is essential for extending agape love to others? [29:21]

3. What challenges might arise when trying to embody the love described in 1 Corinthians 13 within a church setting? [20:05]

4. How does the sermon describe the process of learning to love as akin to learning a new language? What does this imply about the effort required? [23:21]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a recent situation where you acted out of frustration rather than love. How could you have responded differently, and what steps can you take to choose love in similar future situations? [30:55]

2. Identify a person in your life who is difficult to love. What specific actions can you take this week to show them patience and kindness as described in 1 Corinthians 13? [18:44]

3. How can you incorporate the practice of forgiveness into your daily life, especially when dealing with challenging relationships? [22:35]

4. In what ways can your small group support each other in embodying the love that Jesus commands in John 13:34-35? [24:28]

5. Consider the areas in your life where you might be keeping a record of wrongs. What steps can you take to let go of these grievances and embrace a more forgiving attitude? [22:18]

6. How can you make time for regular reflection on God's Word to allow it to transform your heart and actions? What specific changes can you implement in your daily routine to facilitate this? [30:37]

7. Think about your interactions on social media or in public settings. How can you ensure that these interactions reflect the love and grace that Jesus exemplified? [27:28]

Devotional

Day 1: The Foundation of Agape Love
Agape love is the cornerstone of Christian life, without which our actions are meaningless. This love is characterized by patience, kindness, and selflessness, reflecting the heart of Jesus in all we do. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13, emphasizes that love is not just an emotion but a deliberate choice to act in ways that honor others and seek their well-being. This love transcends personal gain and is not swayed by envy or pride. It is a love that rejoices in truth and is committed to protecting, trusting, hoping, and persevering. As followers of Christ, we are called to embody this love in every aspect of our lives, making it the foundation upon which we build our faith and actions. [15:11]

"Let all that you do be done in love." (1 Corinthians 16:14, ESV)

Reflection: In what specific ways can you demonstrate agape love in your daily interactions this week, especially towards those who may be difficult to love?


Day 2: Jesus' Example of Agape Love
Jesus exemplified agape love through His actions and teachings, providing a model for us to follow. His interactions with the marginalized, such as healing the leper and forgiving the woman caught in adultery, demonstrate a love that transcends societal norms and expectations. Through parables like the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan, Jesus teaches us the depth of love we are called to embody. This love is not limited to those who are easy to love but extends to all, regardless of their status or past actions. As we reflect on Jesus' life, we are reminded of the transformative power of love and our responsibility to mirror this love in our own lives. [17:37]

"By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers." (1 John 3:16, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a time when you felt marginalized or overlooked. How can you use that experience to empathize with others and extend Jesus' love to them today?


Day 3: Love as a Command for the Church
Love is not just for personal relationships but is a command for the church. Our love for one another is a testament to the world of our discipleship and faith in Christ. In John 13:34-35, Jesus commands us to love one another as He has loved us, stating that this love will show the world that we are His disciples. This is not an easy task, especially in a world filled with hurt and brokenness. However, it is in these difficult moments that we have the opportunity to choose love over fleshly reactions. As a church, we are called to embody this love, not just in our marriages or personal relationships, but in our interactions with the world. [20:05]

"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." (1 Peter 4:8, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively contribute to creating a loving and supportive community within your church this week?


Day 4: Experiencing God's Love and Forgiveness
Experiencing God's love and forgiveness is essential for us to extend agape love to others. It is a supernatural love that requires the Holy Spirit's transformation in our hearts. To truly love in this way, we must first experience the transformative love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. This requires an ongoing process of being in God's Word and allowing it to transform us. In challenging situations, we must pause and ask God what He is teaching us, using these moments as opportunities to practice forgiveness and love. [29:21]

"And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." (Romans 5:5, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a recent situation where you struggled to forgive. How can you invite the Holy Spirit to help you extend forgiveness and love in that situation?


Day 5: Opportunities for Growth in Love
In difficult situations, we have the choice to act out of love or flesh. These moments are opportunities for growth and to practice the love that God calls us to. Choosing love over fleshly reactions is a testament to our discipleship and faith in Christ. It is in these challenging moments that we have the opportunity to grow in our capacity to love and to reflect the heart of Jesus. By pausing and seeking God's guidance, we can transform these situations into opportunities for spiritual growth and deeper love. [30:55]

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a current challenge you are facing. How can you choose to respond with love and grace, turning it into an opportunity for growth?

Quotes


"Again, it's like, yeah, I mean, we can preach, we can do, but really if the heart and motivation behind isn't agape love, we are just noise. Vaa great job. I see a future for you and now you have to stay for second service as well. But it is we, the motivation can be or we can brag about many things as a church and all of the great things that we do and support, but if the heart behind and the motivation behind it isn't love, then really it is just noise." [00:15:11]

"I mean, even when we look at the life of Jesus, I mean, Jesus was such a good example for us when it comes to this agape love. I mean, we see it with him healing the leper Mark chapter 1, right? Like here you have an outcast, um, nobody wants to hang out with them and Jesus goes in right to the heart and ministers to him. What about forgiving the woman caught in adultery? We see this example and then we see even in his teachings just think about The Parables of the the parable of the prodal son or think about the good samaritan." [00:17:37]

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrong. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." [00:19:00]

"Imagine how much better our world will look like if we actually love the way that God wants us to love. Imagine what our marriages will look like if we actually take all of these attributes and ways that God is telling us how to love and we apply it to our families. That would be amazing world. Imagine the church and here's kind of the the kicker this morning, this passage has really nothing to do with marriages." [00:20:59]

"Love is patient. It can be translated as longsuffering, a fruit of the spirit, a quality that does not seek revenge but endures wrong in order to express Grace. So love is patient and when we even think about this chapter, what I an aspect that we don't always think about is yes, we are called as a church to love this way, but I believe when we look at this, we also see how God loves us." [00:22:00]

"Love does not keep a record of wrongs. The word literally refers to bookkeeping mathematics. Some people say this means that love always sees the best in people. No, it's more. More love doesn't remember the worst in people. This means that love always forgives wrongdoing. So when you look at these descriptions this morning and we just think about, again, how Paul is kind of calling out the church but again how relevant it is to us." [00:23:21]

"Paul is saying as a church our task is to almost learn a new language and that language is love. And here we have the definition, here we have the how to do it. So why is that important? Well, if you have, again, your Bible in front of you, turn to John 13:35 because now we're going to see why this is important." [00:24:28]

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another. I kind of wondered this, you know, this morning and stuff just reading through the message again and kind of thinking about my own life and areas that I fall short in this area, um, kind of wondering why is it so hard and then secondly just kind of the question about okay Lord how do we experience more of that in our lives." [00:26:08]

"When we go through hard times, right, when we experience hurt, when somebody impacts our heart, um, when there's painful stuff because it's in that moment that you and I get to pick if we're going to act out in the flesh or are we against going to say let me look at scripture and figure out how do I address this, how do I live this out." [00:27:28]

"You and I can only give that agape love because this is a supernatural love. It doesn't come out of the flesh, it's not easy for us. I cannot do this in My Own Strength. I will fail every time. So the only way that this will be able, that I will be able to be successful in this area is when I have had an encounter with Jesus Christ." [00:29:21]

"I can only give agape love if the Holy Spirit has actually transformed my love and my heart when I have experienced that when I have experienced his forgiveness because how can I forgive if I have not experienced forgiveness in my own life, right? And so I think a key piece to growing in this area because it's not going to come natural, it has to be Supernatural." [00:30:55]

"When you're dealing with trials, when you're dealing with difficult people and challenging situations to look at that situation and to say Okay God what are you doing in this moment, what are you teaching me? CU a lot of times we just want to act out right and we want to act out of pain instead to say a step back and to say here is an opportunity for me to forgive to let go I'm going to practice this." [00:31:55]

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Transcript
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