YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT: Part 8 LOVE

LOVE IS THE GOAL

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT Part 8: LOVE

“Rhythm of Life” Series

ME All of us can remember a memorable multi-course meal. It could have been a dinner party or a progressive dinner or a holiday meal at Grandma’s house. Oftentimes those dinners saved the best for last.

Illustration Alba and I celebrating our anniversary at P. F. Chang’s…

We have reached the end of Peter’s 8 course feast and he has truly saved the best for last. Let’s look at our text again…

2 Peter 1:5–7 (NKJV) But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

Today, I want to talk about the last course: love.

WE How do you define love? Just think about all the songs you’ve heard about love.  If we are to add love to our life, what kind of love was Peter talking about?

GOD The Greek Word used here is agape. This is the ’God’ type of love that is described as self-sacrificing, giving, accepting, serving. It is one of the essential expressions of God’s nature.

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.

It is such a part of God’s nature that it is the first fruit that God’s Spirit produces in our lives.

Galatians 5:22 (NKJV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love…

The most used description of this love was written by Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians. Paul speaks about the superior excellence of ’agape’ love.

1 Corinthians 13:1–3 (NKJV) Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Then Paul lists several adjectives describing ’agape’ love.

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 (NKJV) Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Paul’s conclusion is in verse 13.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NKJV) And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

If we look at Peter’s list, it begins with faith and ends with love. The middle is filled with hope: hope that does not disappoint, hope to have fellowship with God, hope to make a difference. Love is where we are headed!

1 Timothy 1:5 (NASB) But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

YOU How can you operate in ’agape’ love?

Allow me to make several observations…

First: love is not an emotion; it is an act of the will.

Let’s look first at how this love operated in the OT. The closest word to describe ’agape’ love in the OT is the word ’hesed’. It is the word most used to describe God in the OT.

Hesed means faithfulness and covenant loyalty. It is often translated as mercy, grace, loving kindness, kindness, and love. It is a commitment to a promise we have made.

God always keeps His promises.

Deuteronomy 7:9 (NKJV) Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;

2 Corinthians 1:20 (NKJV) For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

Illustration Dr. Dobson’s dad’s promise to his bride…

When we live in ’agape’ love, we keep our promises!

Second: we will do things because of love that we would never do because of law!

I have watched people do things for loved ones that most people would not do for anyone.

Illustration ESPN story about USC’s right tackle, Austin Jackson, possibly sacrificing his football career to give a bone marrow donation to his sister suffering from Diamond Blackfan Anemia (DBA), an exceedingly rare genetic disorder that keeps her bone marrow from producing red blood cells.

Third: we can’t love God without loving people…

1 John 4:20 (NKJV) If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

But we can love people without loving God!

Jesus said this…

Luke 6:46 (NKJV) But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?

John 14:15 (NKJV) If you love Me, keep My commandments.

John says it this way…

*1 John 5:3 (NKJV) For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome (they are in our best interests)!

WE Are we walking in love by walking in His commandments?

There is such a great emphasis today on love. That all we need to do is just love everybody. But we cannot let our love for people override our love for God!

I really hesitate to talk about this for fear of being misunderstood. But in order to be faithful to God’s Word I need to.

Illustration Tract in college: Mourn: God Hates You!

The Bible clearly teaches that God hates a few things.

Proverbs 6:16–19 (NKJV) These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.

These are tough verses but can be instructive to us if we apply them in the context of ’agape’ love. The entire idea rests on covenant. When I am in covenant with someone, we share everything. Your battles are my battles; your blessings are my blessings. When I am in covenant with God, I love who He loves, and I hate what He hates.

Illustration David, Jonathan, and Mephibosheth…