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Pastor Rob Carlson: 
"Real Love" 
series: Sage Advice for a Godly Life
Sunday, August 15, 2004 
1 Corinthians 13 
[page 1137 in pew Bible]

Greek words for love... 

• Phileo - is used to describe ones love for his friends, relatives, something or someone that is dear to him. Philosophia (philosophy) is the love of knowledge. Philadelphia is the city of brotherly love. 
• Eros - denotes the love between a man and a woman, romantic love. In our society today, eros has been defiled. God's idea is purity-in our world it often connotes impure fantasy. 
• Agape - This love is not known to the world outside of Christ. God who being rich became poor...emptying himself...humbling himself to the point of a servant...washing His disciples feet...dying on a cross (Phil. 2:5-11; 2 Cor. 8:9). 
  he uniqueness of this word agape, is seen in the fact of the very word itself is a late Greek construction. It was not in common use before the New Testament, but the Christians took it up and made it their characteristic word for "love". It is a new word for a new idea. This "love" was shown on the cross. 
  Romans 5:8--But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
  o It is a love lavished upon others whether they deserve it or not.
  o It flows from the nature of the lover, rather than from the nature of the beloved. 

Ephesians 5:1,2--Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 
²and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 

1. An agape relationship is superior in quality to all others. 

1 Corinthians 12:31--But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way. 

Matthew 5:43-48--"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 
⁴⁴But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 
⁴⁵that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 
⁴⁶If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 
⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 
⁴⁸Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. 

Matthew 22:34-40--Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 
³⁵One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
³⁶"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 
³⁷Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 
³⁸This is the first and greatest commandment. 
³⁹And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 
⁴⁰All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

If I have not discovered that the best way of life is giving and receiving His love unconditionally...or that the ultimate standard for relationships is agape, then I don't understand Calvary love. 

2. What you are in a relationship supersedes what you do. 

1 Corinthians 13:1-3--If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 
²If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 
³If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 

Galatians 2:20--I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 

1 John 4:11-21--Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 
¹²No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
¹³We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 
¹⁴And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 
¹⁵If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 
¹⁶And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 
¹⁷In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 
¹⁸There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
¹⁹We love because he first loved us. 
²⁰If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 
²¹And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. 

If I have not determined that my thoughts, words and behaviors, are useless unless they flow from agape love, convey its message and must be perfected in its quality, then I don't understand Calvary love. 

3. An agape relationship is intensely deliberate, practical, and personal. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-7--Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 
⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 
⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 
⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

If I relate to others in a way that does not specifically seek to build them up and effect their highest good, then I don't understand Calvary love-real love (and I am not living in the shadow of the cross). 

Small Group Discussion Questions: 

*Scripture is quoted from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.
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