The Wonder of Love
God of Wonder • Sermon • Submitted
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We are in the series the wonder of God
We have talked about the Wonder of Boundaries - Describe
We have also talked about the Wonder of Light - Describe
Today I want to consider the Wonder of Love
I remember a time in my life when I was so terrified of God I hoped I was saved.
The problem with my faith in God at that time was that it was not grounded in the love
There was very little hope because I did not feel good enough
Since by belief was grounded in works I felt that there was never anything I could do that would be good enough.
This is not want God wants for His people.
It is not about what I do but about what God did!
Today let’s talk about the wonder of love
Are you ready for the message God has for us?
Let’s dig in!
Love in the New Testament
Love in the New Testament
The Greek have four words for love
Storge
Eros
Phileo
Agape
Storge - Tender feelings that parents feel toward their children or children toward their siblings and parents. The bond that unites husband and wife. Also Sympathy towards friends or compatriots.
Its nearest usage in the New Testament is in a compound word with phileo, another word for love, philostorgia in Romans 12:10
10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor,
The word devoted here is that compound word and here it means as you might expect loving in a way characteristic of the relationship between husband and wife, parent and child
Eros - unreasoning passion or desire. This word is for a type of covetousness that does not inspire respect.
This word is not found in the New Testament
Phileo - friendship, sympathy marked by a kindly attitude, and good will.
When some came to Jesus about Lazarus John 11:3
3 So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”
Then agape the most frequent word used in the New Testament
The most rational kind of Love. Unlike other loves which can remain hidden in the heart, agape manifests itself, demonstrates itself and provides proofs.
The greatest definition is given by God - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 pew Bible pg. 769
4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant.
5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered,
6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away with; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away with.
Agape is the love displayed by God through the cross.
It is the love we are also to have for God.
This is a love that is given without expectation, man must decide for himself - John 3:14-17 pew Bible pg. 711
14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 so that everyone who believes will have eternal life in Him.
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.
Agape is an ancient word of the Greek language. When the Hebrew Old Testament was being translated into Greek in what we now know as the Septuagint the translators could not use any of the common words because they did not have the sentiment needed to explain the love God has for His people.
So they looked in ancient Greek and found Agape a word that would be used by Jesus through out His ministry to explain the love God has for us and what our love should be for God.
This is what makes 1 Corinthians 13 so powerful. This is a love unlike the loves of the world
It is a love of voluntary service and sacrifice, without expectation!
Why talk about Agape?
Why talk about Agape?
I want to show that this love is the center of the Kingdom of God
I don’t have to warp scripture to show it has the prominent place.
Let me explain
Consider Galatians 5:6
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.
Note again the phrase “faith working through love.”
NIV “ faith expressing itself in love.”
Some want to switch this phrase to read love expressing itself in faith.”
They say, “This switch begins with love then formulates beliefs in light of love. Love becomes the guide.”
In this passage the Greek does not allow for this switch.
They are not interchangeable as Paul is teaching that faith works in love.
John Wesley wrote, “Faith continually invests itself in loving service which is the length, and breadth, and depth, and height of Christian perfection.”
We cannot change scripture around to fit with our beliefs.
When we do we miss the point of what was written.
There is a specificity in the way the Greek was written.
If our belief doesn't fit Scripture then it is we who need to change not the scripture!
You see if we feel the need to change scripture then it is not Paul’s words we are changing, it’s God’s!
Love is the Center of the Kingdom
Love is the Center of the Kingdom
You see love is at the center of the kingdom
Faith is love in action!
I don’t need to change or ignore any scripture in the Bible!
Jesus himself taught this Mark 12:28-31 pew Bible pg. 679
28 One of the scribes came up and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”
29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘hear, israel! the lord is our God, the lord is one;
30 and you shall love the lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’
31 The second is this: ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Even Jesus didn’t change the passage from Torah he quoted it!
I do understand the struggle many have when they hear sermons teaching it’s all about what you do, and often the motivation behind the words and action is not love.
I’ve been there, I have taught it, I have preached, and brethren I was wrong!
Scripture wasn’t wrong, I was!
Jesus showed me a better way.
The Spirit helped me see that the most important thing is faith working in love!
Our mission statement “Building an authentic community of believers who love God and love people!”
Conclusion
This is the wonder of love, not that we loved God, but that He first loved us
God loves us even when we don’t love him back. Everything God has done, does, and will do is always motivated by love for those created in His image!
We need to deepen our love for God, when we do it overflows into every other relationship in our life.
That puts love at the center of the Kingdom
Let’s be willing to accept when our beliefs may not line up with scripture and be willing to change!
Let’s never seek to change the Scripture!