Resurrection Life of Jesus Church

WHAT IS LOVE?
Jesus immediately revealed Himself when Adam was created. Adam spoke face to face with His Creator and developed a relationship that slowly grew in familiarity. Jesus showed up every day to spend time with Adam.

Love is not instant; it takes time and is the foundation for a strong friendship. This is true in any relationship – romantic or not.

Anything less than friendship is merely an acquaintance which is a contextual relationship linking two people together through a mutual contact, work, going to the same school, living in the same neighborhood, or children on the same sports team.

Love can be defined as a set of emotions and behaviors characterized by intimacy, passion, and commitment. It involves care, closeness, protectiveness, attraction, affection, and trust.

Love can vary in intensity and can change over time. It is associated with a range of positive emotions, including happiness, excitement, gratification, and bliss, but it can also result in negative emotions such as jealousy and stress.

LOVE IN THE BIBLE
Eros: romantic love

Storge: love between family members

Phileo: brotherly love, something most Christian’s practice toward each other.

Agape: unconditional love; immeasurable and incomparable divine love.

GOD IS LOVE
God the Father loves you. John 3:16-17

Because there is no better example, God defines Himself as love. 1 John 4:7-8

Jesus came to the earth to be the payment for your wrongdoings as a manifestation of God’s love. verses 9-10

No one has seen God the Father, but when you choose to love other human beings, the unconditional love of God is carried out to completion. verse 11-12

The Holy Spirit is given to you at the moment of salvation. verse 13

The apostle John was an eyewitness that the Son of God took on human form, died on the cross, and rose from the dead. verse 14

Anyone who repents will be forgiven and made righteous. verse 15

John experienced this divine love. verse 16

We take on the same character traits as Jesus when we operate in unconditional love. The love of God gives us boldness when we have to give an account of our lives. verse 17

Fear and love are not compatible. God will never bring you fear; anyone tormented by fear is being ministered to by Satan and his minions. verse 18

John sums it with the simple reason for loving Jesus. We love Him because He loved us first. verse 19

LOVING JESUS
What does it mean to love Jesus? It starts with loving those around you. The apostle John says that you’re a hypocrite if you claim to love God, whom you have not seen, but hate your brother, neighbor, or co-worker – fellow human beings with whom you interact. verse 20

To love Jesus, means loving your fellow man. verse 21

Jesus wants you to love God with every fiber of your being. Don’t forget your neighbor; be sure to treat your neighbor just like you treat yourself. Mark 12:28-31

MEASURE OF LOVE
Love is patient and kind. It is not envious, boastful, filled with pride, disgraceful, selfish, prone to violent anger, or malicious. It does not celebrate wrongdoing, but rejoices in virtue. Divine love overlooks the faults of others, has a disposition to believe in good motives, holds on to possibility, and does not complain in the midst of adversity. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

A healthy relationship occurs when both parties are compassionate and empathetic. There is honesty, trust, respect and open communication. No one deliberately hurts the other. This is true for all relationships – human and divine.
Jesus associates love with obedience. John 14:15

The only reliable means of measuring your love for Jesus is to examine whether you are living in obedience to Him. You can dress, act, and talk the part of being a Christian, but none of these things actually prove your love for the Son of God. John 14:21-24

The relationship between love and obedience is easy to discern. If you truly love Jesus, you will seek to identify and keep His commandments. Matthew 5:17-19

This is the only reliable way of measuring your love for Jesus. Actions speak louder than words and you prove your love through what you do.