Love is Our Motivation: Understanding God’s Covenantal Love

Love is the foundation of everything God has done for us and calls us to do for others. This love is not the fleeting, emotional kind celebrated in movies or popular culture, but a deep, covenantal love that originates from God Himself. God’s love is steadfast, unearned, and sacrificial. From the very beginning, God established a covenant with Abraham, knowing that humanity, tainted by sin, could never uphold such a relationship on its own. In His mercy, God took the initiative, both in the Old Covenant with Abraham and in the New Covenant through Jesus Christ. Our only part is to receive this gift by faith, accepting Christ’s sacrifice and entering into a relationship with God that is based on His faithfulness, not our performance.

This divine love is not just for us to enjoy; it is meant to flow through us to others. Jesus summarized all the commandments into two: love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. The order is crucial—our love for others must be rooted in our love for God. When we surrender every part of our lives to Him, His love fills us and overflows to those around us. This is the motivation behind every act of service, every gesture of kindness, and every effort to build community. If loving others feels difficult, it is a call to return to God, to be filled afresh with His love, and to let that love transform our relationships.

True love is most powerfully demonstrated within the family of faith. We are called to love one another deeply, forgiving and honoring each other, so that the world will recognize us as followers of Jesus. Our love for each other is the greatest testimony to the reality of Christ. This love is not just words, but action—meeting needs, speaking truth, and covering faults with grace. It is a love that persists even when it is hard, a love that reflects the very nature of God.

The nature of love, as described in 1 Corinthians 13, is patient, kind, humble, and enduring. It is not self-seeking or easily angered. Love is the eternal bond that unites us with God and with each other. We are called to “clothe ourselves with love,” making it the visible garment of our lives. Yet, this is not something we can achieve by sheer willpower. It is the Holy Spirit who pours God’s love into our hearts, enabling us to love even those who are difficult to love. When we find ourselves struggling, we are invited to be honest with God and ask the Holy Spirit to fill us anew, so that His love—not our own—will be the source of all we do.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s love is covenantal and unearned God’s love for us is not based on our performance or worthiness, but on His own faithfulness and initiative. He established a covenant with us, knowing we could never uphold it ourselves, and fulfilled it through Jesus. Our role is simply to receive and rest in this love, which is steadfast and unchanging. [04:04]
• 2. Loving others flows from loving God Our ability to love others genuinely comes from first loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind. When we surrender every part of ourselves to Him, His love fills us and naturally overflows to those around us. This order is essential; without God’s love as the source, our love for others will be limited and conditional. [13:28]
• 3. The family of faith is the first place for love We are called to demonstrate deep, forgiving, and honoring love within the church family. This love is our greatest witness to the world, showing that we truly belong to Jesus. If we cannot love our brothers and sisters in Christ, our claim to love God is empty, and we miss the heart of the gospel. [18:47]
• 4. Love is action, not just sentiment True love is expressed in practical ways—meeting needs, speaking truth, forgiving faults, and enduring through difficulties. It is not just a feeling or a word, but a verb that requires intentional action. This kind of love covers a multitude of sins and builds unity and harmony among God’s people. [21:02]
• 5. The Holy Spirit empowers us to love We cannot love as God calls us to in our own strength. It is the Holy Spirit who pours God’s love into our hearts, enabling us to love even those who are difficult to love. When we struggle, we are invited to ask the Spirit for help, trusting that He will fill us with divine love that goes beyond our human capacity. [30:17]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:17] - Opening Prayer and Celebration
• [01:00] - Reflecting on Last Week
• [01:31] - Love Is Our Motivation
• [02:19] - God’s Covenantal Love Explained
• [04:04] - God’s Covenant with Abraham
• [05:47] - The New Covenant in Christ
• [06:52] - Entering the Covenant by Faith
• [08:57] - God Is Love: What It Means
• [11:26] - Commanded to Love Others
• [12:54] - Loving God First, Then Others
• [14:29] - Love in Marriage and Community
• [16:35] - Love as the Mark of Discipleship
• [18:47] - Loving Within the Family of Faith
• [21:02] - Love as Action, Not Just Words
• [25:05] - Love Covers a Multitude of Sins
• [26:13] - The Nature of Love (1 Corinthians 13)
• [28:20] - Clothe Yourself with Love
• [29:44] - How the Holy Spirit Helps Us Love
• [32:43] - Final Encouragement and Honesty in Love

Bible Reading

Genesis 15:1-6, 12-18 (ESV) — > After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” ... And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. ... As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. ... On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram...

2. Matthew 22:36-40 (ESV)
> “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

3. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV)
> Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Observation Questions

1. In Genesis 15, what was Abram doing when God made the covenant with him? What does this show about who initiated the relationship? ([04:04])
2. According to Matthew 22, what two commandments did Jesus say were the most important, and how are they connected? ([11:58])
3. In 1 Corinthians 13, what are some specific qualities that describe love? Which ones are mentioned as things love is not? ([26:13])
4. The sermon says, “Love is a verb. It’s an action word.” What are some examples given of how love is shown in action? ([21:02])

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon explains that God’s covenant with Abraham was one-sided, with God doing all the work while Abram was asleep. What does this teach about the nature of God’s love and our role in the relationship? ([04:04])
2. Jesus says to love God first, then love your neighbor. Why is the order important? How does loving God first affect the way we love others? ([13:28])
3. The sermon says that loving others, especially within the church family, is our greatest witness to the world. Why do you think this is so powerful? ([18:47])
4. 1 Corinthians 13 lists what love is and isn’t. Why do you think Paul describes love in such practical terms, instead of just calling it a feeling? ([26:13])

Application Questions

1. The sermon says God’s love is unearned and based on His faithfulness, not our performance. Do you ever find yourself trying to “earn” God’s love? What would it look like to rest in His love this week? ([04:04])
2. Jesus commands us to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. Are there any “compartments” of your life you haven’t surrendered to God? What is one area you want to give to Him more fully? ([13:28])
3. The sermon challenges us to love others in the church family first. Is there someone in our church you find it hard to love or forgive? What is one step you could take to move toward reconciliation or deeper love? ([18:47])
4. “Love is action, not just words.” Think of a practical way you can show love to someone in need this week—maybe meeting a need, speaking encouragement, or forgiving a fault. What will you do, and who will you do it for? ([21:02])
5. The sermon says when loving others feels hard, it’s a sign to return to God and ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with His love. Is there a relationship or situation where you need God’s help to love? How can you invite the Holy Spirit into that struggle? ([30:17])
6. 1 Corinthians 13 says love is patient and kind, not irritable or resentful. Is there a specific relationship where you need to grow in patience or kindness? What is one thing you can do differently this week? ([26:13])
7. The sermon encourages honesty about our struggles to love. Is there someone you find “unlovable”? How can you pray honestly about this and ask God to change your heart? ([31:19])