Spirit Love

Introduction:

“Fan the Flame” [AP writes to spir. son, Rev. Timothy ofEphesus]

Writes all about ministry; chlg’s Tim on His boldness, reminds about faith/gifts

All this so that Timothy can better SERVE X!

2 Timothy 1:6–7 “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

WK1: “Spirit of POWER”— seek BotHS, seek Jesus!

WK2: “Fan into FLAME”—PB+me: give X ur time/attn, put 1ST (see His flame fan higher!)

God’s flame; God’s Spirit… cmd’d upkeep!

Reminder: “God has a heavenly purpose for every day of your life."

Not nec. huge or impressive or loud; can be quiet & mundane-feeling… NEVER INSIGNF!

Preparing you now for this divine task/resp. (no mat’r how sm.!)

TODAY: …spirit-empwr’d love!

4 Types of Love— by [monk], Bernard of Clairvaux

Lived ~900 yrs ago. 4 diff types of love in world (good, bad, ugly)

WORST "I love me for me." >

Do not even recognize others exist. They are a world unto themselves. They focus solely on self pleasure, objectives, choices, gain.

Few ever actually live w/in this category. God-complex.

BAD [yet most common] "I love you for me." >

Recognize others exist, only to serve me. Manipulation, verbal/physical/sexual abuse or codependency prominent.

GOOD "I love you for you." >

Understands others exist as people in their own right.

A relationship can display equity and reciprocity. "Love is a two-way street."

Desire to know each other, work w/, appreciate ea. Other.

Bernard considered to be rare, but freq among Christians.

BEST "I love me for you."

“I will be the best person I can be for your benefit.”

I am here to serve you.

"One way" street. Demonstrated best in one (only1) individual…

In his letr. to Philipi, AP calls us to:

Love Like Christ

Philippians 2:5–8 “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!”

Jesus should be the living example in our relationships as to what healthy sex, relat'l boundaries, desire, and yes, even sex, should look like.

WWJD

In our pssg today…

AP knew that Timothy would benefit from Holy-Spirit-fann’d LOVE to serve His people better/live God’s plan.

This goes for walking in God’s power (Spir. gift’gs) AND ev’day life

Leading AND following

World has a lot to say about love… and they get it wrong. >>

Culture Gives Love a Bad Name:

If we allow ‘selves to be shaped by/even PURSUE the love of this age, @best left disappointed or @worst worsh. evil!

Cult. says: Love = sex/F-word (music in radio edit ver.)

RomComs, realT tv, esp. Porn & erotic lit, sensualizes love, portray lust or desire as indicator for health—normalized

Openly parading “sexual health reso.” to the growing young minds in colleges

WHO/what attracted to actually dictates much of life—in culture’s eyes

And so ‘consent’ becomes buzzword/ultimate purity for sex-crazed culture

Even more innocently “Romance” treated selfishly [get what I want; feelings]

Apost. John goes as far as to say: can’t love correctly if we don’t have HS & foll’g JESUS!

1 John 4:7–8 “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

I don’t think it’s difficult to see that truth played out before us.

TODAY: Bust some myths that our culture tries to sell us as ‘truth’.

Myth 1: “Follow your Heart”

Love as a Feeling

In modern media and music, love is often described as an involuntary emotional state or a "spark."

World says: “follow your feelings wherever they lead".

Culture: You "fall" into love like a pit, and you can just as easily "fall out" of it. It suggests that if the butterflies stop fluttering, the love has died.

How many know: feelings make bad long-term barometer for… anything?

Comes down to "Love is just a chemical reaction or an emotional 'high' that is beyond a person's control.”

TRUTH: Love is a choice. It’s active.

Biblical love (agape) is a choice and an act of the will.

In his letr to the Colossians, he describes the character of priestly Christian.

What’s more, he commands US to walk into and CHOOSE to propagate these these things.

Pay attn to the last verse, as I read:

Colossians 3:12–14 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

“Putting on” love means making a choice to display Christ’s love publicly: like proudly sporting a new t-shirt or jersey.

It’s not just something you fall into or get ‘feelings’ about; love is a choice.

Elsewhere, Paul says >>

1 Corinthians 13:7 “[Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Perseverance is only necessary if the feeling of love can wax & wane…

It is described as "patient" and "kind"; traits that require commitment even when emotions are absent. No one FEELS like being patient. lol

True Godly Love is not something you just feel — it’s an action displayed with intention >>

Myth 2: “You Complete Me”

Love as Self-Gratification

Pop cult. often frames love as finding someone who satisfies your needs, validates your identity, or makes you happy.

This makes the "self" the center of the relationship.

World says: Love is a transaction where the goal is personal happiness, fulfillment.

This distortion of holy love turns the other person into a tool for our own benefit.

It may not seem that way at first—not even intentional—but when my emotional or sexual needs aren't fulfilled…

suddenly the relationship is at risk or one party feels justified in stepping out.

TRUTH: Divine love is not primarily concerned about my own needs, but others.

Jesus says himself:

John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Do you think Jesus went to cross bc it was the COOL thing to do? Bc it felt right? Bc everyone in Judea was SO good and SO HOLY that they deserved His sacrifice.

1. That’s a silly rhetorical though Xperiment, 2. That’s insane train of thought!

Yet… these are param. set on love in our lives.

Godly love takes the worldly self-fulfillment and turns it up to self-denial.

AP commands us this way:

Philippians 2:3–4 * “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Goes on to immediately describe the love of X (read above @start).

“Value others above yourself”

Not to the detriment of yourself; but to the lifting up of others.

If I were teaching Kidsmin & used words like “substitutionary atonement” or “political machinations” or tried to teach about “racial injustice” without considering my audience’s lvl of understanding… that would not be loving.

If I said “I’m only going to greet people that are smile at me”, that would not be Godly love.

We SHOULD NOT walk into ministry only concerned about MY things, but take into consideration those who I’m ministering to.

I've changed that about my sermon planning.

We don’t serve or teach or lead based on what we can get out of it—not a good basis for being consistent. Based on needs of others.

Biblical love focuses on the well-being of the other person OVER what one receives in return.

How many know: not considering your spouse when U gave your really smart and helpful opinion has come back to bite you before…

It isn't about finding someone to fill your "empty cup"; it is about being so filled by God that you can pour yourself out for others.

Love is an action. And it’s not just about you. Third myth >>

Myth 3: “Love is Love”

Love as Unconditional Affirmation

A common contemporary slogan suggests that love means accepting and affirming any behavior without judgment.

In this view, "judgment" is the opposite of love.

World Says: To love someone is to support their choices unconditionally.

If you’re a parent, you know that this isn’t true (kids run show, each choc all day)!

If you’ve ever experienced someone in your family walking through addiction, you know that this isn’t true.

Sometimes loving a person means putting up boundaries or restricting what they like doing… for their own safety.

TRUTH: Divine love pursues what is right and corrects what is wrong.

AP says: divine standard for what is right & love pursues that.

1 Corinthians 13:6 “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.”

True Godly love doesn’t neglect or gloss over what is wrong bc it’s inconvenient or messy, it carefully and thoughtfully takes a stand.

Here’s the key part: Love challenges sin… with the intention of rehabilitation and redemption (Ephesians 4:15)!

Ephesians 4:15 “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”

Xians know the truth; shouldn’t make us jerks.

We should speak out against injustice… for one oppressed (cmd’d over & over) but do so with great grace!

See, we should correct IN LOVE…

means going in understanding how it will be best received,

considering pers’ty of other person, &

judging based on other’s past, etc.

STILL CORRECTION. Never slander. Not being rude.

Big problem is… any correction is seen as bad today (see: judg’t comment above)

Go into confrontation knowing you did your best & considered THEM, offender…

Proverbs 27:6 “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.”

Scriptural love is tied to truth and holiness; it desires the best for someone, which often involves steering them away from harm or sin.

Bottom line:

Love like Christ.

Listen to someone else’s story and allow God’s love to grow in you.

Jesus didn’t just consider humanity… he BECAME one of us!

And he wasn’t self-righteous or conceited in his attitude.

He became a slave (δολος), Paul says…

James 1:19 “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,”

James: “quick to hear some1 else’s side of story” be4 we respond.

Instead of just railing on something we disagree with, we research and consider our brother or sister who’s affected first.

May we, like Christ, be well-versed in the group we’re condemning.

Jesus didn’t just love when he felt like it. In fact, over and over, he ministered and healed and helped even though he was exhausted.

He took time to rest though so he could be His best for the needy ppl around him.

He corrected and challenged and commanded people to change.

He loved most perfectly by dying on a cross (John 3:16). He died so WE can change and be more like Him…

Take a risk for love! Love your enemies. Show concern & offer help/ comfort to others in need.

Consider the needs of the person you are loving.

Even if we disagree on a matter… Ask “How did I show love when I disagree or corrected?”

How does my position on this issue demonstrate the Love of God? Am I being TOO cold or could my opinion better consider others’ takes before communicating?

Committal?

Altar time?

Salvation call?