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Love
How easy is it for you to express love? Love is a popular subject in
Christendom even though in today’s world, examples of hate seem to be what
we hear more about. Unfortunately, we do not preach enough about love.
Today I want to look at love in our society, explore the several
meanings of love, look at some reasons why there sometimes can be too
little true love in the Church, and consider how we can change our habits
so that we can have more true love for others.
Lets begin by turning to 2 Timothy 3:
2 Tim 3:1-7 (NKJV) But know this, that in the last days perilous
times will come: {2} For men will be lovers of themselves,
lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy, {3} unloving, unforgiving,
slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, {4}
traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than
lovers of God, {5} having a form of godliness but denying its power.
And from such people turn away! {6} For of this sort are those who creep
into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with
sins, led away by various lusts, {7} always learning and never able to
come to the knowledge of the truth.
Jesus also predicted this would happen:
Mat 24:12 (NKJV) "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of
many will grow cold.
The KJV uses the word "iniquity" instead of "lawlessness." Does
iniquity abound today? It abounds in every level of society, and not just
in the United States. It abounds in our homes, on the streets, in every
level of government.
As I speak, we see the physical results of iniquity in the bombing of
busses and trains in London. Even eighteen years ago we saw Irish
Republican Army bombings in Britain, bombings in Atlanta, what many saw as
the shooting down of TWA flight 800 off New York. In the loss of that
plane and its occupants in the early 1990s we spent millions to
investigate the cause of this destruction of 230 human beings and the
multi-million dollar aircraft but were left with only the explanation by
government investigators that it was caused by a wiring problem. No
explanation for the sightings of a missile seen at the same time as the
loss of the plane. The possible causes of this tragedy may have been
numerous, but many feel that one cause was the deception of the public by
government leaders for political reasons.
Congress investigated this tragedy and discovered that the money for
the president's free college program was drained out of the airport
security fund. Apparently little or none of the airport taxes collected to
provide for airport security had been spent on airport security, a program
that was authorized about 1991. Had it been, JFK airport might well have
had the new bomb-sensing equipment and tightened security procedures the
nation's main international airport and other airports should have had to
possibly prevent this tragedy and the much greater tragedy of September
11, 2001 (9-11). Instead, these taxes were spent on non-aviation related
public programs in order to deceive the public into reelecting the
president via another government hand-out. Deception is iniquity.
There are many other examples of government deception but the greatest
deception in my mind is the deception being created today by the secular
Israeli Prime Minister in his determination to trade God-given, covenant
land to the enemies of Israel in exchange for the promises of one
of Israel’s enemies, the Palestinian Authority (PA), to stop terrorism
against Israel. It is a payment for extortion. The United States and most
other nations supports the PA both verbally and monetarily, despite the
fact that after 9-11, the president vowed to attack all countries involved
in or supporting terrorism. This, despite the fact that so-called
Palestinians publically also supported Saddam Hussein and condemned the US
for removing him from office. No longer does the PM lead a pure democracy
when he is now firing elected officials who disagree with him and who is
using dictatorial methods reminiscent of the Nazi’s forced removal of Jews
from their land under the direction of Judenrat. Judenrat were Jews who
managed the forced transfer of other Jews to concentration (death) camps.
In fact the Prime Minister’s actions are worse than the Judenrat because
the Judenrat were forced to do their heinous jobs. All this
occurring in what the US still calls a democracy. Regretfully our present
president must be labeled as a deceptive or at least a deceived leader.
Again, deception is iniquity.
Sorry to get off the subject of love but we are all suffering under
horrendous Satanic influences today and I have a duty to shout truth from
the house-tops as best I can.
Mat 24:12 (KJV) And because iniquity will abound, the love of
many will grow cold.
Iniquity (lawlessness) most certainly does abound in our society today.
Our disappointment in leaders can certainly cause our love for them to
grow cold. But, is it only through disappointment in government leaders
that people's love has grown cold today? The media is full of love stories
and pictures. Lustful love is seen everywhere around us - on TV, in
magazines, on the beaches, in our parks, in our schools, parking lots, on
billboards, ... everywhere. Obviously, Jesus was talking about a different
kind of love; just as Paul was.
Do we love others in the sense that Jesus and Paul described, in these
last days? Do we find "lovers of themselves" in our world today - people
who are hard-hearted, caring only for themselves? Do people today love
pleasure more than God? Many people today love pleasure more than anything
or anyone, don't they? Today there is more and more and more pleasure.
Nothing else seems to matter - certainly not love and care for other
people. E.g.: Some of you may be familiar with the lack of consideration
shown to other drivers by skiers on their way to the snow. This attitude
of doing what we want to do, regardless of any principle is even reflected
in our elections. Today there are many who believe that character and
principle doesn't matter; that what does matter is a ruling party's
willingness to support the selfish desires of citizens who look only at
what they can get from government handouts of public money. They are
lovers of themselves. Experience has taught us that even the most
unprincipled can now rule a nation.
Even within the Body of Christ we have people who are "ever-learning
but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth of God" (2 Tim 3:7).
Too many in the Body have picked up worldly traits. Today there is too
little true love, both in and out of the Church.
How important is love? Jesus tells us in the book of John:
John 13:34-35 (NKJV) "A new commandment I give to you, that you love
one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one
another. {35} "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you
have love [agape] for one another."
What does this say again? This is a new commandment. We are
Christ's disciples if we have the same love for each other that
Christ has for us. The identifying sign of our brotherhood with Christ is
love for one another. If we don't have love, we will not be recognized as
a disciple of Jesus Christ. Sounds pretty important, doesn't it? Notice He
didn't say "a replacement commandment", though in a sense, that is what it
is, because all the commandments could be summed up as instructions about
love. Here's some more scriptures about the importance of love, this time
from the love chapter:
1 Cor 13:1 (NKJV) Though I speak with the tongues of men and of
angels [angels have their own language], but have not love [agape -
Strong’s # G26 - from G25], I have become sounding brass or a clanging
cymbal [just a noise].
verse 3 (NKJV) And though I bestow all my goods to feed <the poor>,
and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love [agape], it
profits me nothing.
The KJV translates the Greek word agape as "charity" but it still means
"love," as we'll see.
When we first came into the Church, we gave whole-heartedly. We
couldn't do enough for the Body - setting up chairs, parking, ushering,
whatever. Are these love? What is love? To listen to talk shows or movies
or modern music, the world must be full of love. Again, what is love?
Where does it come from and how did we learn it?
Love is learned from parents and how they have treated you. Love comes
from friends and how they have treated you. Children's friends are often
very cruel and show little if any love. Love is taught to us by society
and other cultural influences. You can see why people have such differing
ways of expressing their love, when they express it at all. The media's
perception of love is usually just plain wrong. True love can be found in
the Bible, which is now outlawed in many public schools, the book from
which they should be learning about true love. It is, of course Satan's
world, so you would expect essential subjects to be outlawed, but it is
more than that: When you force God out, Satan comes in. Love is not
just how you feel - a fuzzy feeling. When you say, "I love this person",
it's a feeling. Many marriages are begun over just such a feeling. But
feelings can come and go; and so do marriages.
Let’s define love. There are three kinds of love:
1. Erotic love - Erotic love, which comes from the Greek word "eros",
is not used in the New Testament. Erotic love is the pleasure of sexual
relations. But eros is lust when it is experienced outside of marriage.
Eros helps build a marriage, but outside marriage, eros is totally
destructive. There is an old, but true saying, "Love can wait, but lust
cannot." Eros is the kind of love promoted all around us for our
temptation in these end days.
2. Brotherly love - Brotherly love, comes from the Greek word "Phileo"
[fil-eh'-o] - Strongs’ # G5368. Phileo means to be a friend. The names of
two cities named Philadelphia come from this word: one is in Pennsylvania;
the other in Turkey. The names mean "city of brotherly love", though the
meaning is lost on many of the citizens of these cities. The word "phileo"
means a fondness or affection for another person, of either sex. It
describes a warm, human feeling for that person; even to things or
pleasure.
3. Agape [ag-ah'-pay - Strong’s # G26] love - Agape is love from a
moral or social sense. Charity is agape love because it is doing something
for someone else without expecting anything in return. Agape love is not
self-seeking. The verb form, "agapeo", implies embracing as a sense of
duty. Agape involves a judgment to set your will because it
is the right thing to do. Agape must be an action, not a feeling.
While phileo centers on ourselves, our mate, a friend; agape centers on
another for their benefit. Again, agape love is not a feeling. It
is an act of your own will. John 21:
John 21:14-17 (NKJV) This <is> now the third time Jesus showed
Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead. {15} So when
they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, <son> of
Jonah, do you love [agape] Me more than these?" He said to Him,
"Yes, Lord; You know that I love [phileo] You." He said to him,
"Feed My lambs." {16} He said to him again a second time, "Simon, <son>
of Jonah, do you love [agape] Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord;
You know that I love [phileo] You." He said to him, "Tend My
sheep." {17} He said to him the third time, "Simon, <son> of Jonah, do
you love [phileo] Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him
the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know
all things; You know that I love [phileo] You." Jesus said to
him, "Feed My sheep.
Notice the different rendering of the word "love". What was the purpose
of these verses? Notice that Jesus asked twice if Peter agape-d him,
served him, and the third time if Peter phileo-d, liked, him. Peter always
answered that he phileo-d, liked, Jesus. At the time this conversation
occurred, the Holy Spirit had not yet been given. The disciples could not
have really understood agape love.
Gal 5:22 (NKJV) But the fruit of the Spirit is [agape] love,
joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ...
By the time the book of Galatians had been written, the Holy Spirit had
been given and agape love was the first of its fruits. There are over 100
New Testament scriptures referring to agape love, but all but seven of
them occur in scriptures written after the Holy Spirit was given. Some of
these scriptures describe the Father's, the Eternal’s, love of man, some
Christians love of Christians, some Christians love of non-Christians,
some the Father's love of Christ, some the love of Christ toward man, and
some the love of man toward God. Of the seven agape scriptures written
before the Holy Spirit was given, all of them were words of Christ
who certainly had the Holy Spirit and certainly understood the true
meaning of agape love.
Let's compare this with phileo love:
In 1 Samuel 18:1-4 we see a good example of supreme phileo human
friendship.
1 Sam 18:1-4 (NKJV) Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the
soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him
as his own soul. {2} Saul took him that day, and would not let him go
home to his father's house anymore. {3} Then Jonathan and David made a
covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. {4} And Jonathan took
off the robe that <was> on him and gave it to David, with his armor,
even to his sword and his bow and his belt.
Can you see the difference between phileo love and agape love? Here was
Jonathan, the crown prince, the heir to Saul's throne, who knew that David
had been anointed to take his place, giving his valued possessions to
David in an act of brotherly, phileo, love.
Now let me give you some New Testament examples of phileo love:
Mat 10:37 (NKJV) "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not
worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not
worthy of Me.
We must phileo love Jesus Christ more than family. Do we? Do you feel
closer to Jesus Christ than you do to your children, your parents, your
closest friend?
Mark 14:44 (NKJV) Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying,
"Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead <Him> away safely."
The word "kiss" is "phileo". Did he really kiss Jesus or did he just
show brotherly affection? Matthew 26:49 shows that he displayed brotherly
love with a kiss, an act which was acceptable in that society, although it
would be frowned upon by our western society. It demonstrated phileo to
the servants of the High Priests.
John 5:20 (NKJV) "For the Father [phileo] loves the Son, and shows
Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works
than these, that you may marvel.
The Father loves Jesus in the same way we love our children and very
close friends.
John 11:36 (NKJV) Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!"
Jesus loved [phileo-d] Lazarus very much, so much that He groaned and
wept with grief over his death... before raising him from the dead.
John 16:27 (NKJV) "for the Father Himself loves you, because you have
loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.
'Nuf said. The Father [phileos] us because we [phileo] Jesus. Do we
really? Or do we just agape Him? Do we love Him like the closest of
friends - or do we just agape Him out of a sense of duty because we have
always been told to serve him?
Acts 28:2 (NKJV) And the natives showed us unusual kindness [phileo];
for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain
that was falling and because of the cold.
Here is an example of total strangers, real gentiles, loving Paul.
We do not have these warm feelings for everyone in the church. If we
had phileo love for everyone in the church, we would not have an
opportunity to learn agape love for others in the church. The church is
like a family. But there is a saying that applies to the church as well as
to the family. "Relatives are people you wouldn't have anything to do with
if you weren't related to them." Hopefully, this is not true in either
your church family or your regular family, but families have to learn how
to get along. When the chips are down, they come to each other's aid.
There is a bond there that goes deeper than just whether you feel good
about this person or not.
There are personality clashes between church people too, and that's
alright, because God has made us as different personalities. We don't
always see eye-to-eye because of our different viewpoints. But we have to
learn how to love one another - in the church or not. We are still
brethren. But it often can not be given as phileo love. If it is not agape
love there will not be any love. Sometimes we will downright dislike a
brother or a sister in the Body of Christ. That's the real test of whether
we have the love of Christ in us - the agape love. You have to learn to
say, "no matter what this person has said or done to me, I am going to
agape them. I am going to love them and treat them with love and respect."
It doesn't mean we have to agree with their point of view or condone their
sins, but it does mean that we have to learn how to love them. We are not
going to receive the warm feeling of phileo love from them. Agape is the
kind of love that Jesus expressed as He hung on the stake, but was able to
state and truly mean, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they
are doing." After the trial, beating, scourging, betrayal, He could still
express agape love. When others malign us, hate us, try to destroy or hurt
us, can we still express agape love for that person? Or do we rationalize,
"I'll wait to love that person until he asks for forgiveness?" Did Christ
take that position?
Mat 18:21-22 (NKJV) Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often
shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
{22} Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up
to seventy times seven.
Jesus was essentially saying that there was no limit to how many times
one should be forgiven. The number "7" is a meaningful number in the
Bible. It denotes spiritual perfection. Just keep forgiving. We can't
always have a feeling of phileo, but with enough agape we will find that
in time we will begin to feel a phileo for those people. If you practice
agape, phileo will often follow. Let's look at a scriptural principle of
this:
1 Th 4:9 (NKJV) But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I
should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one
another;
In this verse, the Greek word for "brotherly love" is, as you would
expect, "philadelphia" while the Greek word for the verb "love" is "agapa'o".
What Paul is saying here is, "I don't need to write to you to tell you
how to have brotherly affection, for you are taught by God to agape one
another." If we will accept the instruction of God to let agape freely
flow through us in an agape manner, one of the rewards will be to receive,
in time, phileo love where we never expected it.
When we are friends with someone, at some time that phileo may be
injured by some act or comment. That's when agape must step in and get us
over the rough spots so phileo may continue.
In our marriages we need all three kinds of love. We need the warm
phileo affection for each other. We need agape to get us over the rough
spots when the phileo feelings are gone or injured. We have the eros love
to bind the couple together physically.
God also has phileo love.
Rev 3:19 (NKJV) "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore
be zealous and repent.
The world's love for certain other people (in a non-sexual manner) is
phileo - affection. God has agape for all mankind but He has phileo for
His children. It began as agape but once you were called and chosen and
became part of His family, He not only has agape love for you, but phileo
too. He cares for and will chasten us.
1 Cor 16:22 (NKJV) If anyone does not love [phileo] the Lord Jesus
Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!
We too need phileo for Christ, not just agape. We need to have warm
feelings for Christ.
You can tell who Christ's disciples are because they do have love for
each other. However, many have not been taught how to love - not by their
parents, not by their friends - those who they grew up with, not by the
media, and not by the Church either. One of the biggest reasons people
have left the Church over the years has been over a lack of love in the
Church. Charges of hypocrisy, callousness, and autocracy were common. We
need to make a big change in that matter. We must begin today to learn how
to love one another. If we do not, we are not the disciples of Jesus. Love
is the central thing we must all learn, but particularly, love is the
central thing Christians must learn to do. We all need to be taught
and teach others how to love others. Do you know how to agape
others?
Rom 13:10 (NKJV) Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love <is>
the fulfillment of the law.
Again, the word for "love" is agape. The verse says that agape works no
ill to his neighbor; therefore agape is the fulfilling of the law. The
word "law" might be better rendered "God's instructions". We don't need to
have warm fuzzies while we're expressing agape love. That's what agape
love is - the love for others without any reward.
Let's look at two other verses which describe love without any reward,
agape love:
1 John 4:16 (NKJV) And we have known and believed the love that God
has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and
God in him.
1 John 5:3 (NKJV) For this is the love of God, that we keep His
commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
God pours out His love to us. One example of His love is in the
commandments (instructions) He gave to us. By keeping those commandments,
we can benefit from His love and at the same time please Him. They are not
impossible to keep, as some will tell you. If we keep His commandments we
will be exhibiting love for God and our fellow man and, as 1 John 4:16
just said, we will then be dwelling in God, and God in us.
Eph 3:14-19 (NKJV) For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, {15} from whom the whole family in heaven and
earth is named, {16} that He would grant you, according to the riches of
His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner
man, {17} that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you,
being rooted and grounded in [agape] love, {18} may be able to
comprehend with all the saints what <is> the width and length and depth
and height; {19} to know the [agape] love of Christ which passes
knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Here we have kind of a cause and effect regarding the use of agape. If
we are rooted and grounded in agape, the agape of Christ which passes
knowledge and all understanding will fill you. Again, agape love is not a
feeling. It's an act of your will. We need to learn how to set our
will to agape others.
Let me conclude by quoting a verse from a song, "What the world needs
now is love sweet love. That’s the only thing that there’s just too little
of."
What the church needs now is the same thing. All true Christians must
demonstrate a generous amount of agape love, even for erring leaders.
When you pray, ask God to teach you how to love - to love the way He
loves. If you do, you will have made that first step toward renewing the
Body of Christ.
Sermon given by
Wayne Bedwell
June 7, 2008 |