#1 - Unrequited Love

Opening

New Series today

Baby Dedications 9/16 - we have some big surprises for you and your guest on that day

Preliminaries

Unrequited Love

Romans 8

Foundation verse is set just 2 verses before the end of chapter 8

39 verses total, to this awesome, sweeping chapter that outlines what God has done for us

Starts with no condemnation - when they lived by the law, condemnation and death were what happened

But God - but God - did an unbelievably awesome thing and made an alternative - something that can’t be defeated

The Spirit

Then he gave us His spirit to keep us there

Since Adam and Eve, man had followed his sinful nature - the human nature

But God gave an alternate way - the way of the Spirit

When we follow the way of the spirit, we become His children

Foundation Text for Series

Romans 8:35–37 NKJV

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

“More than conquerors” comes from Greek word: hypernikao which has a broad meaning. For that reason it is translated differently in bible translations:

“more than conquerors” - NKJV, KJV, NIV

“overwhelmingly conquer” - NASB

“more than victorious” - HOLMAN

“overwhelming vicory” - NLT, GW

The idea is of a crushing victory, one in which the opponent is absolutely annihilated AND one in which those around you SEE that it has happened

I want that! Don’t you?

And according to Paul, there is nothing that can separate us from that love - it is and will always be poured out on us.

BUT does that automatically mean that we become more than conquerors?

I think not - for Paul says we become more than conquerors THROUGH Him who loved us.

Its His love for us that makes us more than conquerors, that causes Him to do what He does for us.

His love is there, its available, its openly given, BUT to experience the benefits of that love, we have to go THROUGH Jesus Christ.

The one thing that can keep you from being more than a conqueror is YOU!

You can’t go THROUGH something if you don’t go TO it!

Remember Pastor Morgan’s message: mutuality - look at someone and say that. There has to be mutuality.

So today I want to talk to you just a little bit about:

Unrequited Love

Ever loved someone without them loving you back?

Explain UNREQUITED Love

You would do anything for them - even give your life for them - but if they don’t love you back, they never get in a position to receive the benefits of your love.

Love poured out but not returned is Love wasted.

A WHOLE lot of God’s love for us is wasted, because a whole lot of people never return His love.

And here is what most people - even most Christians - don’t understand today: It doesn’t matter how much love God pours out on us - if we don’t learn to receive it and return it, we will never received the fullness of the things that we can receive THROUGH him.

We can only become MORE THAN CONQUERORS by learning to return the love that He gives so freely.

Look at this text:

Ephesians 3:17–19 HCSB

and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

If it surpasses knowledge, how can I know it?

Know - to experience

Knowledge - comprehend, understand, figure it out

To become established in God’s love, you must experience it.

To truly experience God’s love you must return it.

THEN you will be filled with all the fullness of God.

THEN you will receive the fullness of what He has had in store for you from creation.

THEN you will be come more than a conqueror in every situation.

So, where do we start?

Mark 12:28–31 HCSB

One of the scribes approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked Him, “Which command is the most important of all?” “This is the most important,” Jesus answered: Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. “The second is: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.”

Comes from deut 6:5 , but look at:

Deuteronomy 6:6 HCSB

These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart.

Didn’t call them commands - just words, exhortations, instructions.

God isn’t telling us what to DO, He’s telling us HOW to receive the fullness of what He’s already DONE.

He’s telling you HOW to experience His love

He’s telling you HOW to be filled with all the fullness of life and power that comes from Him.

He’s telling you HOW to become more than a conqueror!!

That is the case throughout the Bible. You can read it as a book of commands, or you can read it as the key to opening God’s storehouse. One way brings death, and one brings life.

As for me and my house, I choose life!!

If I return His love with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind and all my strength I will become more than a conqueror THROUGH Him who loved(s) me

How its Done

One word precedes each part of the person named:

ALL

Not some, not part, but all

ENTIRE - every part

Its not exclusive, but it is primary. Its not only, but its always first. lts not exclusive, but it is always what you choose.

Heart

The heart is where our emotions and desires dwell.

Know God

Repentance - turn from one thing to another

What makes me happy

What I long for

The heart must be turned to God.

Jeremiah 29:13 HCSB

You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

Soul

The soul is that eternal part of us that is shaped by our life experiences.

Find freedom

Site of all the psychological facilities

Soul is that part of us that gets damaged by our past

Surrender our past

The soul must be restored to innocence.

Except you become as children

James 5:16 HCSB

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.

Small groups

Mind

The mind is repository of our will.

Our decision making power

Basis upon which we make decisions

Discover purpose (can only do that when we submit to His calling)

The mind must be submitted to God.

James 4:6–7 HCSB

But He gives greater grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, submit to God. But resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.

Strength

Strength refers to the ability to accomplish things.

Make a difference

What we DO physically

Our strength must be committed to God.

Colossians 3:23–24 The Living Bible

Work hard and cheerfully at all you do, just as though you were working for the Lord and not merely for your masters, remembering that it is the Lord Christ who is going to pay you, giving you your full portion of all he owns. He is the one you are really working for.

Matthew 5:16 NLT

In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.