Growing in Love: Our Call to Sacrificial Service
Summary
In our journey through Romans 12, we have been exploring the profound call to grow in love, a journey that is both our distinct calling and our greatest need. Love is the hallmark of our identity as followers of Christ, and it is through love that we are recognized as His disciples. In a world increasingly marked by anger and hostility, we are called to respond with a love that is genuine and sacrificial, reflecting the love of Christ.
The essence of love is sacrifice. Just as Jesus laid down His life for us, we are called to lay down our lives for others. This involves saying no to our own comfort and desires to bring help and blessing to others. Love is not merely an emotion but a deliberate choice to serve and bless others, even those with whom we disagree or who may persecute us. This sacrificial love is beautifully illustrated in Romans 12, where Paul describes a life of love as one that involves serving with our gifts, practicing hospitality, and living in harmony with others.
The key to growing in love lies in understanding that in Christ, we have already died and risen. This truth liberates us from being slaves to ourselves, enabling us to live for Christ and others. When we embrace this new life, we are no longer bound by the misery of living for ourselves, but are free to love as Christ loved us. This freedom is further enriched by the knowledge that we enjoy an endless life in Christ. With the assurance of eternal life, we are liberated from the fear of missing out and can fully give ourselves to the service of others.
As we conclude this series on growing in love, let us remember that love is the enduring fruit of our faith. It is through love that we become more patient, kind, and forgiving. Love empowers us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. In doing so, we shine as lights in this world, reflecting the love of Christ to all.
Key Takeaways:
- Love is our distinct calling as followers of Christ. It is through love that we are recognized as His disciples, and it is our response to a world filled with anger and hostility. Love is not just an emotion but a deliberate choice to serve and bless others, even those who may oppose us. [00:56]
- Sacrificial love is the essence of a life lived for Christ. Just as Jesus laid down His life for us, we are called to lay down our lives for others. This involves saying no to our own comfort and desires to bring help and blessing to others. [07:14]
- In Christ, we have already died and risen, freeing us from being slaves to ourselves. This truth liberates us to live for Christ and others, moving us away from the misery of living for ourselves. [12:41]
- The assurance of eternal life in Christ liberates us from the fear of missing out. With the knowledge of an endless life, we can fully give ourselves to the service of others, knowing that our ultimate joy is secure in Christ. [26:29]
- Growing in love transforms us into the likeness of Christ. As we grow in love, we become more patient, kind, and forgiving. Love empowers us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus, shining as lights in this world. [31:11]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:18] - Introduction to Growing in Love
- [00:56] - Love as Our Distinct Calling
- [02:08] - The Need for Love
- [02:42] - Love Comes from God
- [03:59] - The Holy Spirit and Love
- [05:05] - Romans 12: An Exposition of Love
- [06:28] - Love Involves Sacrifice
- [08:21] - Jesus' Sacrificial Love
- [10:03] - Presenting Ourselves as Living Sacrifices
- [11:46] - Dying and Rising with Christ
- [14:20] - The Love of Christ Controls Us
- [16:57] - The Misery of Living for Self
- [19:32] - Freedom in Christ
- [22:12] - Endless Life in Christ
- [28:32] - Calvary Love by Amy Carmichael
- [31:11] - Closing Encouragement to Grow in Love
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Growing in Love
Bible Reading:
- Romans 12:1-21
- 1 John 4:7-12
- 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
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Observation Questions:
1. According to Romans 12, what are some specific ways Paul describes a life of love? ([05:44])
2. How does the sermon describe the relationship between love and sacrifice? ([07:14])
3. What does it mean to present our bodies as a "living sacrifice" according to Romans 12:1? ([06:28])
4. How does the presence of the Holy Spirit enable believers to grow in love? ([03:59])
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Interpretation Questions:
1. In what ways does the sermon suggest that sacrificial love is central to the Christian life? How does this compare to the world's view of love? ([07:14])
2. How does the concept of having "already died and risen" in Christ change a believer's perspective on living for others? ([12:41])
3. What does it mean for the love of Christ to "control" us, and how might this manifest in daily life? ([14:54])
4. How does the assurance of eternal life in Christ free believers from the fear of missing out, according to the sermon? ([26:29])
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you chose comfort over helping someone else. How might you approach a similar situation differently in light of the call to sacrificial love? ([07:33])
2. Identify an area in your life where you feel enslaved to your own desires. How can the truth of having "died and risen" with Christ help you find freedom in that area? ([14:04])
3. Think of a person you find difficult to love. What practical steps can you take this week to show them genuine love, as described in Romans 12? ([05:44])
4. How can the knowledge of eternal life in Christ change the way you prioritize your time and resources? What is one specific change you can make this week? ([26:29])
5. Consider a time when you felt controlled by something other than the love of Christ. What changes can you make to allow His love to guide your actions more fully? ([14:54])
6. How can you practice hospitality in your community as an expression of love? Identify one person or family you can invite into your home this month. ([05:44])
7. Reflect on the idea of "Calvary love" as described by Amy Carmichael. What is one way you can embody this sacrificial love in your relationships this week? ([29:05])
Devotional
Day 1: Love as Our Distinct Calling
Love is the defining characteristic of a follower of Christ. It is not merely an emotion but a deliberate choice to serve and bless others, even those who oppose us. In a world filled with anger and hostility, love is our response and our distinct calling. This love is genuine and sacrificial, reflecting the love of Christ. As His disciples, we are recognized by our love, which sets us apart and shines as a beacon in a dark world. [00:56]
"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your life is difficult to love, and how can you choose to serve and bless them today despite any opposition or hostility?
Day 2: Sacrificial Love as the Essence of Life in Christ
Sacrificial love is at the heart of living for Christ. Just as Jesus laid down His life for us, we are called to lay down our lives for others. This means saying no to our own comfort and desires to bring help and blessing to others. Love is not just a feeling but a commitment to act in the best interest of others, even when it costs us something. This sacrificial love is a powerful testimony of Christ's love in us. [07:14]
"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13, ESV)
Reflection: What is one comfort or desire you can set aside today to serve someone else sacrificially?
Day 3: Freedom from Self through Christ's Death and Resurrection
In Christ, we have already died and risen, freeing us from being slaves to ourselves. This truth liberates us to live for Christ and others, moving us away from the misery of living for ourselves. Embracing this new life means we are no longer bound by self-centeredness but are free to love as Christ loved us. This freedom is a gift that allows us to live with purpose and joy, serving others wholeheartedly. [12:41]
"For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:3, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways are you still living for yourself, and how can you embrace the freedom to live for Christ and others today?
Day 4: Assurance of Eternal Life Liberates Us to Serve
The assurance of eternal life in Christ liberates us from the fear of missing out. With the knowledge of an endless life, we can fully give ourselves to the service of others, knowing that our ultimate joy is secure in Christ. This assurance allows us to live generously and selflessly, confident that our future is held in God's hands. It frees us to focus on what truly matters—loving and serving others. [26:29]
"And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life." (1 John 2:25, ESV)
Reflection: How does the assurance of eternal life change your perspective on serving others today?
Day 5: Growing in Love Transforms Us into Christ's Likeness
Growing in love transforms us into the likeness of Christ. As we grow in love, we become more patient, kind, and forgiving. Love empowers us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus, shining as lights in this world. This transformation is the enduring fruit of our faith, reflecting the character of Christ to those around us. [31:11]
"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another." (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV)
Reflection: In what specific ways can you grow in love today to reflect Christ's likeness more fully?
Quotes
We began by the with the question why should we grow in love and we saw that we must grow in love because love is our distinct calling Jesus said by this all people will know that you are my disciples if you love one another the natural response to Growing anger and hostility in the world is going to be growing anger and hostility in churches that's the natural response but you see Jesus calls us to something very very different this is our distinct calling that we will be marked as those who belong to Jesus because we love Love by this all people will know that you are my disciples that you love one another so we must grow in love because it is our distinct calling. [00:24:55]
Love is not something that we need to find in ourselves and sort of pull up from within no love God is love and love comes John says from God and we love because he first loved us God poured out his love for us in and through his son who he sent to be the propitiation for our sins that's how God's love was poured out and then we saw that God's love has been poured into our hearts by the presence of the Holy Spirit When You Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ the spirit of God himself comes to live in you. [00:55:57]
Love always involves sacrifice and a life of love is a life in which we learn to say no to ourselves so that we can bring help and blessing to others now this of course is what our Lord Jesus Christ so wonderfully did by far the easiest and by far the most comfortable choice for the Lord Jesus Christ would have been to remain in heaven and to enjoy the love he had always enjoyed there with the father but if he had done that we would have lived and died without hope we would have been utterly lost forever and forever. [00:42:31]
You can grow in love because having died you are no longer a Slave to yourself now what a wonderful truth this is because in Christ you have died already you are no longer a slave to yourself and that is why and how you can love you see this very clearly in second Corinthians chapter 5 and verses 14 and 15. [00:57:44]
The love of Christ controls us because we have concluded this that one has died for all therefore all have died and he died for all that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised now what a marvelous statement This Is The Love Of Christ controls us who would not want to be able to say that the love of Christ controls me. [01:02:52]
Living for yourself might sound attractive but actually if you think about it nothing could ever be more miserable think about this to live far yourself if you live for yourself you're the one that's doing the living and you're the one that's being lived for so if you live for yourself you are actually both the boss and the servant you're kind of both sides of the ledger so to speak the demands that you set are the demands that you must meet and so you're always in conflict with yourself. [01:03:37]
When you come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ you are actually delivered from the miserable existence of living for yourself you're now in your Creation in Christ you've been set free from this misery you've been brought into a new Liberty of living for Christ who loved you and gave himself for you and the good news is that a life of saying no to self in order to bring blessing to others goes with the grain of the new creation that you are in Jesus Christ. [01:16:06]
When you are in Christ you can say God made me to love and when you love you will feel his pleasure the last thing you want to do as a Christian believer is to live for yourself you died to that when you came to be in Christ you've risen to a whole new life in the power of the holy spirit of God and when you love love you are going with the grain of the new life that you now enjoy in Jesus Christ. [01:25:55]
Knowing that having risen you enjoy an endless life you will be delivered from The Haunting fear of missing out and if the life that you had hoped to enjoy is in some way harmed or spoiled or unexpectedly shortened you will grieve but you will do this knowing that you have an endless life of unclouded joy that stretches eternally in front of you and that makes all the difference in the world. [01:36:22]
We have life Everlasting Everlasting life inexhaustible never-ending Pleasures Greater by far than anything that we can know in this life and in this world at its very best they are stored up forever and forever for you in the presence of the father and knowing this puts you in an entirely different position throughout the days and months and years of your life in this world when you know you have eternal life you can offer yourself as a Living Sacrifice. [01:41:56]
Grow in love and you will be patient grow in love and you will be kind grow in love and you will always have hope grow in love and you will be freed from resentment grow in love and you will be able to forgive grow in love and you will deny yourself grow in love and you will take up your cross grow in love and you will be a disciple of Jesus grow in love and you will shine like a light in this world. [01:58:00]
Our Father we thank you for the love of the Lord Jesus Christ who loving us gave himself for us grow within us by the power of your spirit a true reflection of his great love for us that we too might grow in the life of love to which you have called us and may it be for your Praise Your Glory and your honor for these things we ask in Jesus name amen. [02:09:37]
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