Living a Life ofLOVENew Series

Ephesians 5:2

“Show It!”Today’s Topic

Spur-(paroxyismos)-stimulating a change in motivation or attitude—‘to cause, encouragement.’

“Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out,” (Hebrews 10:24 Message)

Steps to Make Your Church “Sticky”

•B.O.T (Be On Time)•Make you church friendlier (most church members are not “friendly”)•Teach on hospitality•Form a ‘guerrilla” greeting team•Adopt a “neighborhood”•Koinonia with a purpose

“Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.” (Ephesians 5:1-2 Message)

Ignore the slide afterwards

Other Agape features as seen in Jesus

1. Is not afraid to make itself vulnerable2. Helps others and seeks their highest good.3. Values others as worthy ends in themselves,and does not merely use them as a means to an end.4. Not merely emotional, but devotional

4 types of love in the first century

1. Storge-natural affection2. Philia-affection between friends3. Eros-erotic affection4. Agape- self-giving affection