Organisational Changes

• Ps Mike Endorsement by Pt Cook (29/7 to 5/8)

• Ps Nathan on USA internship (Dec to June 2013)

• Ps Rob has agreed to extend his Senior Pastor contract for 2 years (end 2014).

A reallocation of pastors’ portfolios will take place in time

A Hard Thing To Say: I Love You

Rob Keller

15th July 2012

New Testament Love

Agape: Not an emotional response to beauty, merit or kindness but a moral attitude dedicated to another’s good, whether or not that other is lovable, worthy or responsive.

There are two Greek words that occur in the NT which are translated love.

• It never means the cold religious kindness shown from duty alone.

New Testament Love

Phileo: • Tender affection;• Ardent affection and feeling;• Spontaneous natural affection, with more feeling than reason.

The second NT Greek word translated love.

New Testament Love

Descriptor Agape (146x) Phileo (25x)

Father’s love for Jesus

John 3:35 John 5:20

Father’s love for a believer

John 14:21 John 16:27

Jesus’ love for a disciple

John 13:23 John 20:2

Person’s love for God

Matthew 22:37 Never

Although the two primary words for love have distinct meanings there exists a degree of

interchangeability.

Ephesians 5:25-29

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Ephesians 5:25-29

In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church—

Practicing NT Love

From Ephesians 5:25-29, NT love is characterised by …

• Self-sacrifice (verse 25);• Interaction that enables another to become all God has purposed (vv26-27);• Being nourished and cared for (v29).

NT Love Exemplified

Looks like: • Generosity, mercy & hospitality;

• Avoidance of revenge;• Sympathy;

• Rejoicing with others;• Sharing of weakness, shame, & need;

• Restoring, supporting & edifying others;• Exercising honour, kindness & forgiveness.

Attitude => Behaviour, for good of another.

NT Love Actualised

Looks likeAction speaks louder than words!

But does that negate the need for ever saying

I love you?

God’s Love For Us …

Is demonstrated

• By Christ’s death on the cross for sin (Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:4-5; 2 Thessalonians 2:16)

• By His choosing and calling of believers (Ephesians 1:4-5; Romans 9:13, 15, 18, 21-24)

God’s Love For Us …

Is articulated

• Because of his great love for us, God … (Ephesians 2:4)

• … holy and dearly loved … (Colossians 3:12)

• I have loved you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3)

Application

1. Demonstrate and articulate your love for another (1 John 4:7-11; Matthew 5:43-48; Matt 22:35-40)

2. Loving the Unlovely• They’re made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26)

• In Jesus they’ve potential for character transformation (Ephesians 3:19)