Love and Truth: Understanding God's Covenant Relationship

Today’s gathering was a celebration of God’s faithfulness and the beauty of community. We rejoiced in seeing so many faces, both familiar and new, and gave thanks for the many ways God is moving among us. We honored those who serve tirelessly behind the scenes, especially our connect group leaders, who are the living pillars of our church family. Their commitment to love, prayer, and shepherding is a vital part of our spiritual growth and discipleship journey. We also reflected on the importance of being connected—not just in large gatherings, but in smaller groups where real relationships and spiritual growth can flourish.

A central focus was the biblical understanding of love. It’s easy to be influenced by the world’s definition of love as mere feeling or unconditional acceptance, but Scripture calls us to something deeper. God’s love is covenantal—rooted in His promises and faithfulness, not in fleeting emotions. This covenantal love is active, sacrificial, and always intertwined with truth. We are reminded that love without truth becomes soft and permissive, while truth without love becomes harsh and unyielding. The call is to hold both together, speaking the truth in love, even when it’s uncomfortable, so that we can help one another walk in the fullness of God’s purpose.

We explored the story of Abraham and God’s covenant, seeing how God alone walked through the pieces, signifying His unbreakable commitment. Our relationship with God is not based on our perfection, but on His faithfulness. Yet, covenant comes with stipulations—our response is to remain within the relationship, to repent when we stray, and to actively love God in return. Love, in the biblical sense, is not just a feeling but an action—a daily choice to pursue God, to serve others, and to walk in obedience.

Finally, we invited those who have not yet entered into this covenant relationship with Jesus to do so, knowing that God’s love is always reaching out, ready to welcome us as His children. As we closed, we worshipped together, asking God to make our hearts clean and to teach us to love as He loves.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Love and Truth Are Inseparable Biblical love is not a soft permissiveness that ignores sin, nor is it a harsh truth that wounds without care. True love is always intertwined with truth; to love someone is to desire God’s best for them, which sometimes means speaking hard truths in a spirit of gentleness. When we separate love from truth, we either enable destructive patterns or become unloving in our correction. [70:01]
• 2. Covenantal Love Is Active, Not Passive God’s love for us is rooted in covenant—a binding, active commitment, not a fleeting feeling. The Hebrew understanding of love is always action-oriented: God gave, God sacrificed, God pursues. Our response is to remain in that covenant, not by mere sentiment, but by living out our faith in obedience and repentance when we fall short. [86:20]
• 3. Discipleship Requires Intentional Community Spiritual growth does not happen in isolation. Connect groups are not just a church program; they are spiritual families where we forge friendships, build disciples, and care for one another. In these smaller communities, we find accountability, encouragement, and a place to be known and loved as we pursue God’s purposes together. [43:16]
• 4. Our Motives Matter More Than Our Actions God is not impressed by outward acts alone; He looks at the heart behind what we do. The motivation for our service, giving, and relationships must be love for God and others, not self-promotion or religious duty. When our motives are aligned with God’s heart, our actions become pleasing to Him and bear lasting fruit. [60:37]
• 5. Entering and Remaining in Covenant with God Becoming a child of God is not automatic for everyone; it comes through entering into covenant with Jesus Christ. This relationship is initiated by God’s grace but requires our response—repentance, faith, and a willingness to walk in His ways. When we stray, God’s love calls us back, inviting us to return and remain in the security of His covenant. [84:56]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [36:09] - Opening Praise and Fellowship
• [36:52] - Tithes and Offering Prayer
• [37:32] - Church Life Updates & Alpha Finale
• [38:13] - Ladies Conference Highlights
• [39:34] - Honoring Conference Volunteers
• [40:09] - Pregnancy Problem House Fundraiser
• [40:42] - Christmas Volunteers & Youth Announcements
• [41:20] - Men’s Breakfast and Upcoming Events
• [42:36] - Connect Group Focus & Leader Introduction
• [43:59] - Commitment Statements for Leaders
• [45:56] - Vision for Connect Groups
• [47:18] - Discipleship and “Forge” Movie
• [49:57] - The Need for Teamwork in Church
• [51:59] - Prayer and Anointing for Connect Leaders
• [56:06] - The Importance of Connect Groups
• [59:59] - Prayer and Introduction to the Word
• [60:37] - Motives and the Meaning of Love
• [70:01] - Love and Truth: A Biblical Perspective
• [77:29] - God’s Covenantal Love Explained
• [84:56] - Repentance and Returning to Covenant
• [90:09] - Rethinking Our Definition of Love
• [92:19] - Invitation to Enter Covenant with Christ
• [94:12] - Closing Worship and Benediction
• [96:38] - Farewell and Announcements

Bible Reading

1. Ephesians 4:15 (ESV) — > “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.”

2. Genesis 15:1-21 (ESV) [selected verses] — > “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. … When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram…”

3. John 1:12 (ESV) — > “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

Observation Questions

1. In Ephesians 4:15, what does Paul say is the result of “speaking the truth in love”?
2. According to Genesis 15, who walked through the pieces of the covenant, and what did this action mean?
3. In John 1:12, what is required for someone to become a child of God?
4. According to the sermon, what is the difference between the world’s definition of love and the biblical definition of love? [[01:02:32]]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Paul connects “truth” and “love” together in Ephesians 4:15? What might happen if we separate them? [[01:10:01]]
2. The sermon described God’s covenant with Abraham as “unbreakable” on God’s side, but with stipulations for us. What does this teach us about God’s faithfulness and our response? [[01:22:07]]
3. The pastor said, “God loves everybody, but not everybody are the children of God.” What does this mean, and how does it challenge common assumptions about God’s love? [[01:28:50]]
4. The sermon emphasized that love is an action, not just a feeling. How does this understanding affect the way we relate to God and others? [[01:26:20]]

Application Questions

1. The sermon said, “Love and truth need to go hand in hand.” Think of a recent situation where you had to choose between being loving or being truthful. How could you have combined both? What would it look like to “speak the truth in love” in your relationships this week? [[01:10:01]]
2. The story of Abraham shows that God alone walked through the pieces, making the covenant unbreakable on His side. When you fail or fall short, do you tend to run from God or return to Him? What would repentance and returning to covenant look like for you right now? [[01:24:56]]
3. The pastor said, “Our motives matter more than our actions.” Think about a time you served, gave, or helped someone. What was your real motive? How can you check your heart before serving this week? [[01:00:37]]
4. The sermon challenged the idea that love is just a feeling. Is there someone in your life you need to actively love, even if you don’t “feel” like it? What is one practical action you can take for them this week? [[01:26:20]]
5. The importance of connect groups was highlighted as a place for real spiritual growth and accountability. Are you currently connected to a smaller group of believers? If not, what is holding you back? If yes, how can you be more intentional in building relationships and discipleship? [[43:16]]
6. The pastor said, “God’s love is always reaching out, ready to welcome us as His children.” If you have never entered into a covenant relationship with Jesus, what is stopping you? If you have, how can you help others take that step? [[01:32:19]]
7. The sermon mentioned that when we separate love from truth, we either enable destructive patterns or become unloving in our correction. Can you think of a time when you’ve done either? What would you do differently now? [[01:10:01]]