Embracing Agape Love: Trusting God's Care and Presence

 

Summary

In today's reflection, we explored the profound nature of love, moving beyond the sentimental and romantic notions often associated with Valentine's Day. We delved into the concept of agape love, a self-giving love that reflects the heart of God and is available to everyone. This love is not about fulfilling our desires but about self-denial and taking our desires off the throne of our lives. It is a love that requires us to first receive from God before we can truly give it to others.

We discussed the idea of "experience-based confidence" in God's loving care, a concept introduced by Dallas Willard. This confidence is not just a belief in God's existence but a trust in His ongoing care and presence in our lives. It contrasts with the common tendency towards experiential avoidance, where we seek to avoid pain and discomfort at all costs. This avoidance can lead us to miss out on the fullness of life and the growth that comes from facing challenges.

The parable of the talents was used to illustrate how fear and a lack of trust can lead to missed opportunities for growth and contribution. The servants' differing perceptions of their master highlight the importance of developing a true understanding of God's character. By cultivating experience-based confidence in God's care, we can learn to see His presence in every moment and trust Him with our lives.

We concluded with a practical exercise, inviting everyone to meditate on the 23rd Psalm or the Lord's Prayer as a way to place ourselves in God's presence and care. This practice helps us to live without grumbling or disputing, trusting that God is in charge and will manage our lives for our good.

Key Takeaways:

- Agape love is about self-denial and taking our desires off the throne of our lives. It is a self-giving love that reflects the heart of God and is available to everyone. To truly give this love to others, we must first receive it from God. [01:55]

- Experience-based confidence in God's loving care is a trust in His ongoing presence and care in our lives. It contrasts with experiential avoidance, where we seek to avoid pain and discomfort, often missing out on the fullness of life. [02:21]

- The parable of the talents illustrates how fear and a lack of trust can lead to missed opportunities for growth and contribution. Developing a true understanding of God's character is essential for cultivating trust and confidence in His care. [03:39]

- By meditating on the 23rd Psalm or the Lord's Prayer, we can place ourselves in God's presence and care, helping us to live without grumbling or disputing. This practice allows us to trust that God is in charge and will manage our lives for our good. [06:06]

- God's love frames and supports our love for others, giving it direction and power. By experiencing God's care, we are freed from the burden of looking out for ourselves, allowing us to love others more fully and selflessly. [05:25]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:32] - Beyond Valentine's Day Love
- [01:02] - The Life of Saint Valentine
- [01:26] - Agape Love and Self-Denial
- [02:07] - Experience-Based Confidence
- [02:50] - Experiential Avoidance
- [03:39] - Parable of the Talents
- [04:04] - Perception of the Master
- [04:56] - Seeing God in Every Moment
- [05:25] - Love of God and Neighbor
- [06:06] - Daily Commitment to God's Care
- [07:08] - Guided Prayer Exercise
- [08:16] - Gratitude for God's Provision
- [09:20] - Overcoming Fear with God's Presence
- [10:50] - Confidence in God's Love

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
2. Matthew 25:14-30 (Parable of the Talents)
3. Psalm 23

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Observation Questions:

1. How does the sermon describe the nature of agape love, and how is it different from the love often celebrated on Valentine's Day? [00:32]

2. What does the sermon suggest is the key to truly giving agape love to others? [01:55]

3. In the parable of the talents, what were the differing perceptions of the master by the servants, and how did these perceptions affect their actions? [04:15]

4. According to the sermon, what is "experience-based confidence" in God's care, and how does it contrast with experiential avoidance? [02:21]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How might the concept of agape love challenge common societal views on love and self-fulfillment? [01:38]

2. What does the parable of the talents teach about the consequences of fear and lack of trust in God's character? [03:39]

3. How can meditating on Psalm 23 or the Lord's Prayer help individuals develop a deeper trust in God's presence and care? [06:06]

4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that experiencing God's love can free individuals from the burden of self-preservation? [05:25]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you prioritized your desires over self-denial. How might embracing agape love change your approach in similar situations? [01:38]

2. Identify an area in your life where fear has prevented you from taking action. How can you cultivate trust in God's character to overcome this fear? [03:39]

3. Consider your daily routine. How can you incorporate the practice of meditating on Psalm 23 or the Lord's Prayer to enhance your awareness of God's presence? [06:06]

4. Think of a relationship where you struggle to give selflessly. How can receiving God's love empower you to love this person more fully? [05:25]

5. Reflect on a recent challenge you faced. How did you respond, and how might "experience-based confidence" in God's care have changed your response? [02:21]

6. Identify a situation where you tend to grumble or dispute. How can trusting that God is in charge help you approach this situation differently? [06:22]

7. What practical steps can you take this week to shift from experiential avoidance to embracing the fullness of life, even in discomfort? [02:50]

Devotional

Day 1: Agape Love as Self-Denial
Agape love is a profound, self-giving love that transcends the sentimental and romantic notions often associated with love. It is a love that reflects the heart of God, characterized by self-denial and taking our desires off the throne of our lives. This love is available to everyone, but to truly give it to others, we must first receive it from God. Agape love challenges us to move beyond our own desires and to prioritize the well-being of others, embodying the selfless nature of God's love. [01:55]

"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: Who in your life can you show agape love to today by putting their needs above your own desires?


Day 2: Experience-Based Confidence in God's Care
Experience-based confidence in God's loving care is more than just a belief in His existence; it is a trust in His ongoing presence and care in our lives. This confidence contrasts with experiential avoidance, where we seek to avoid pain and discomfort, often missing out on the fullness of life. By trusting in God's care, we can face challenges with the assurance that He is with us, guiding us through every moment. This trust allows us to embrace life's difficulties, knowing that they are opportunities for growth and deeper reliance on God. [02:21]

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are avoiding discomfort? How can you invite God into that space and trust Him to guide you through it?


Day 3: Overcoming Fear with Trust in God's Character
The parable of the talents illustrates how fear and a lack of trust can lead to missed opportunities for growth and contribution. The differing perceptions of the master by the servants highlight the importance of developing a true understanding of God's character. By cultivating trust and confidence in God's care, we can overcome fear and embrace the opportunities He presents to us. Understanding God's character as loving and trustworthy allows us to step out in faith, knowing that He is with us and will provide for our needs. [03:39]

"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." (2 Timothy 1:7, ESV)

Reflection: What fear is holding you back from using your talents for God's glory? How can you remind yourself of God's trustworthy character today?


Day 4: Meditating on God's Presence
Meditating on the 23rd Psalm or the Lord's Prayer is a practical way to place ourselves in God's presence and care. This practice helps us to live without grumbling or disputing, trusting that God is in charge and will manage our lives for our good. By focusing on these scriptures, we can cultivate a sense of peace and assurance, knowing that God is with us in every moment. This daily commitment to God's care allows us to live with gratitude and confidence, free from the burdens of worry and fear. [06:06]

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul." (Psalm 23:1-3, ESV)

Reflection: Set aside time today to meditate on the 23rd Psalm or the Lord's Prayer. How does this practice change your perspective on God's presence in your life?


Day 5: God's Love as the Foundation for Loving Others
God's love frames and supports our love for others, giving it direction and power. By experiencing God's care, we are freed from the burden of looking out for ourselves, allowing us to love others more fully and selflessly. This love is not about fulfilling our desires but about serving others with the same selfless love that God has shown us. As we experience God's love, we are empowered to extend that love to those around us, becoming conduits of His grace and compassion in the world. [05:25]

"Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:11, ESV)

Reflection: How can you intentionally show God's love to someone in your community today, without expecting anything in return?

Quotes


"well this valentine's day happy valentine's day i'm not going to talk about valentine's day i'm going to talk about love but not the sentimental or romantic or mushy kind of experience that's often associated with valentine's day it's ironic that valentine's day often ends up by its nature excluding people who are hungriest for love who most need to hear that message you are deeply loved" [00:24:48]

"self-denial the death to self taking my desires off the throne on my life is a deep part of the agape self-giving love that lies at the core of reality and the heart of god and that love is available to anybody the only way that i can really give it to other people is if i'm first receiving it from god" [00:104:39]

"experience based confidence in god's loving care stop there that's an unbelievable phrase we are to have not just confidence in god but confidence in god's care god's loving care not just that we're to have experience based confidence in god's loving care that is from one moment to the next i learned to interact with god and to receive this moment this gift this word this food this thought as an evidence of god's care for me so that is a part of my experience" [00:130:95]

"experiential avoidance is when i say i'm going to make my goal to experience pleasantness and to avoid pain so anything that would cause me distress i will resist i will try to get out of my life i'm not going to think about it i won't have this difficult conversation with another person i won't enter into that situation if i've got a phobia if it causes a problem for me my goal is pleasantness and not pain and therefore people end up missing out on the life that they were called for living out their true values" [00:175:51]

"it's interesting in that parable of the talents all three servants served the same master but their perception of the master their felt experience of the master was night and day two experience and master who believed in them loved and loved them was incredibly generous to them commissioned them and the third one had the same master but perceived him to be hard and unloving and unsafe" [00:257:35]

"so developing experience based confidence in god's loving care is a learned skill i learned to look for him and see him in every moment this moment right here when i get to be with you in every thought in the wonder and beauty of creation in the greeting of a friend and food that comes to me in the clothes that i get to wear in the home in which i get to live even though i didn't merit any of these things" [00:285:44]

"only love of god dallas writes frames and supports love of neighbor giving it right direction and the power to carry out its aim in the goodness within the kingdom it is love of god admiration and confidence in his greatness and goodness and the regular experience of his care that frees us from the burden of looking out for ourselves what remarkable changes this introduces into our day-to-day life" [00:323:12]

"personally at the beginning of my day off and before arising i commit my day to the lord's care usually i do this while meditatively praying through the lord's prayer or possibly the 23rd psalm then i meet everything that happens as sent or at least permitted by god i meet it resting in the hand of his care this helps me to do all things without grumbling or disputing as paul writes because i have already placed god in charge and then trusting him to manage them for my good" [00:348:63]

"god i put you in charge of my life i am no longer trying to run the show i am grateful to live under your care i shall not want thank you god that today i don't have to live under the tyranny of unfulfilled unsatisfied desires today whatever is going on in my circumstances i look to your presence and care" [00:455:59]

"thank you god that even when anxiety comes it does not have to rule my life for you are with me you are with me this day you were with me your rod and your staff they comfort me you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies thank you god that i don't have to live in anxious fear even in the presence of enemies i can be calm enough to be hungry and ready to eat and maybe even share with them" [00:565:12]

"it's not mostly full it's not all the way full it's running over so that there is love that i can give to other people surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life delish used to say sometimes he would picture them as two little dogs behind him there's a little goodness and there's no mercy following me from one moment to the next i'm never alone" [00:620:48]

"thank you god for you and your love thank you that i can live in experience based confidence in your loving care in jesus name amen" [00:658:00]

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Transcript
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