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Overview

Overview. LOVE. Essence. of Christian character. Explained. as agape actions. Experienced. as peace and joy. Expressed. in right relationships. Empowers. to resist temptations. Introduction. “I love you!”. 1. Two teenagers making out.

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Overview

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  1. Overview LOVE Essence of Christian character Explained as agape actions Experienced as peace and joy Expressed in right relationships Empowers to resist temptations

  2. Introduction “I love you!” 1. Two teenagers making out 2. Mother to her drug addicted son 3. Insecure person in the mirror 4. Man to his dying wife of 50 years 5. Coach to star player after big win 6. Drunkard to his brandy bottle

  3. 1. What is love? Eros Philia Agape Sexual love Natural love Divine love Between lovers Between friends God to man Based on needs Based on likes Based on values What can you do for me? What can we do for each other What can I do for you? I love me and I use you I love you and you love me I love you and I serve you

  4. 1. What is love? Agape Defined Agape is the spirit which says, “No matter what any man does to me, I will never seek to harm him. I will always seek nothing but his highest good.” Agape is a deliberate principle of the mind and a deliberate conquest of the will, not simply a wave of emotion.

  5. 2. Who must I love? 1. Love for God 2. Love for Self 3. Love for Others 1 2 3

  6. Question What does the Bible consider as the main expression of love for God? Obeying his commands! John 14:15, 23-24 “If you love me, you will obey what I command…. If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching.” 3.1 How do I love God? Who loves God more? • Mary spends two hours in prayer each day. She is bold and witnesses to all her friends. • Sipho has compiled a list of all the commands and laws of God. He has now memorized them and is rigorously disciplined in applying them each day.

  7. 3.2 How do I love others? We will study this topic in detail in lesson four of when we talk about love expressed. These four fruits related specifically to love for others: a. patience b. kindness c. goodness d. faithfulness

  8. 3.3 How do I love myself? • In what sense is self-love bad? In what sense must we not love ourselves? • In what sense is self-love good? In what sense must we love ourselves? (Keep the definition of agape in mind) Self-love can have good and bad meanings. The Bible teaches us to love ourselves and not to love ourselves.

  9. 3.3 How do I love myself? • Bad self-love takes the form of selfishness • Good self-love take the form of stewardship

  10. 3.3 How do I love myself? Selfishness Stewardship Haughty Humble Felt needs Real needs Passions Principles Self-satisfaction Self-discipline Greed God

  11. 3.2. How do I love myself? What comes first, love for self or love for others? Must I love myself so that I can love others or must I love others so that I can love myself? JJesus OOthers YYourself God loves me I love me I love God I love you

  12. 3.3 How do I love myself? Questions for Personal Application • What things that God says are real needs do you not experience as felt needs? • How does God want you to begin treating yourself with agape love? • What specific steps are you going to take to apply to love yourself?

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