SN - notes from 11/20/10
LOVE - TRUTH - AWARENESS - ACTION
a 4 part SN study
LOVE
I. GOD IS LOVE - 1 John 4:8
A. This is verified by the person of God in terms of His trinitarian nature - He exists in the form of a Loving Community of sorts
1. John 5:20 - For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel.
2. John 14:30-31 - I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.
3. Rom. 15:30 - Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me…
II. LOVE IS FROM GOD - 1 John 4:7
A. This verse verifies that God is the Designer and Originator of love - with out Him, there would be no love.
III. GOD LOVES US.
A. John 3:16 - For God so loved the World…
B. John 3:16 - For God so loved the World, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.
1. God’s fundamental definition/example of love implies action, not feeling - therefore, we can conclude that love was always meant to be an action, not a feeling.
a. His plan - action
From Gen. 3:15, to Abe, Isaac and the near sacrifice, to Psalm 22 and Isa. 53, to the new heaven and new earth of revelation - God has left an action packed, scarlet thread of love throughout the bible.
b. His incarnation - action
The fact He became flesh = love.
c. His teaching - action
The parable of the Good Samaritan; the 2 debtors/the woman who was forgiven much; 5 sparrows for 2 cents; the lost sheep from the 100;
d. His conversations - action
The restoration of Peter, Zaccheus, the woman caught in the adultery, eating with Matthew, the restoration of James (1 Cor. 15:7), etc.
e. His prayers - action
To protect Peter from Satan; From the cross - “Father forgive them for they no not what they do…”
f. His crucifixion and resurrection - action
propitiation -> imputation = salvation - all actions based on His love for us!
g. His intercession - action
He prays for us from the right hand of God
h. His leaving of the Holy Spirit - action
To guide, help, seal, and empower us to respond to all of His love - all actions
In the realm of science, there are physical principles that are constant - energy can not be created or destroyed; electricity cannot be created or destroyed; the products of a reaction must be equal to the reactants; etc. In the spiritual realm, God has put
a similar principle into effect when it comes to love - it is meant to evoke change and response.
IV. OUR RESPONSE TO THIS LOVE.
2 Cor. 5:14 - For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
A. On the whole…
1. Love is action, not feeling!
1 John 3:18 - Dear brothers, let us not love with word or tongue, but with action and in truth.
2. Put on love - action
Col. 3:14 - But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection (the premise in the preceding verse is b/c Christ forgave you).
3. Pursue love (as in make it your goal to be more loving) - action
1 Cor. 14:1 - Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts…
4. Increase in love - action
1 Thes. 3:12 - And may the Lord make you increase and mabound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you,
5. Continue in love - action
Hebrews 13:1 - Let brotherly love continue.
6. Encourage one another in love - action
Hebrews 10:24 - And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works
7. Practice real love - action
Romans 12:9 - Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
8. Love fervently - action
1 Peter 4:8 - And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
B. We are to love Jesus.
1. By obeying Him - action
1 John 5:3 - For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
2. By spending time with Him - action
1 Thes. 5:16 - Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
3. By continuing with Him - action
Matt. 6:11 - Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.
4. By making Him the main object of our affection - action.
Matt. 10:37 - He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
C. We are to love others.
1. A genuine love for others occurs naturally as we grow in our love for Jesus.
Gal 5:20 - For the fruit of the Spirit is love…
It works itself out as we:
a. Share our lives with others.
1Th 2:8 - So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.
1Jo 3:16 - By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
b. Share our resources with others.
1Jo 3:17 - But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
Matt 25:35-37 - For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
V. OPPOSITION TO THIS LOVE
A. Idolatry – 1 John 2:15 - Loving the world
B. Hatred - 1 John 4:20 – Hating the people
C. Religion – Luke 11:42 – Forgetting the relationship
