iCrucified

Posts Tagged ‘Agape Love’

As I spend time in Scripture reading and prayerful meditation this morning, I am moved to pray for Haiti this passage from the writings of the Prophet Isaiah (chapter 62). God has promised healing and blessing to the nations from Abraham through Messiah Jesus. May it be so for our brothers and sisters in Haiti as the world watches. Spirit of the Most High God, help us to be revealing Light to the world for the glory of Your Name and Kingdom. Amen.

¹ Because I love Zion (Haiti),
I will not keep still.
Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem (Haiti),
I cannot remain silent.
I will not stop praying for her
until her righteousness shines like the dawn,
and her salvation blazes like a burning torch.
² The nations will see your righteousness.
World leaders will be blinded by your glory.
And you will be given a new name
by the Lord’s own mouth.
³ The Lord will hold you in his hand for all to see—
a splendid crown in the hand of God.
⁴ Never again will you be called “The Forsaken City”
or “The Desolate Land.”
Your new name will be “The City of God’s Delight”
and “The Bride of God,”
for the Lord delights in you
and will claim you as his bride.
⁵ Your children will commit themselves to you, O Jerusalem (Haiti),
just as a young man commits himself to his bride.
Then God will rejoice over you
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.

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This was a sermon I shared in yesterday’s continuation of our “One Church” Core Values teaching. My contribution to this was centered on our core commitments of Growing through Spiritual Development and Loving & Encouraging One Another. I am including the audio file as well as my sermon notes. I always enjoy feedback and discussion!

Sermon Transcript ||| Outline and Small Group Discussion Questions

2009SEPT06 OneChurch Pt2 by icrucified

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Over twenty-two years ago Laurie and I attended a small “revival” meeting in Start, Louisiana. The visiting evangelist was a man named Danny Stevenson. During that evening toward the end of the service, Brother Stevenson came to Laurie and I laying hands on us in prayer. During his prayer he spoke words that reflected a shared (Laurie and I) life in service and ministry for the Lord Jesus Christ. Through trials, turmoil, and many years of my own rebellion and selfishness we arrived today as one…Laurie and Jeff, sharing ministry side-by-side teaching about what marriage looks like in the eyes of the Creator of marriage. While ministry and serving Jesus is a joy to me beyond expression, today a memory was made that will stand as cherished for the remainder of my days.

I am including with the audio file, two .pdf documents:

• Sermon outline and small group study questions
• Sermon transcript

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Wrapping it up: 40 Days Living the Jesus Creed [Days 36-40]

LtJC – Days 36-40:

The way of Agape is not easy. More often than not, it is love that is dispensed and manifest in the faces of the unloved, in the lives of the broken, and in the hearts of the hateful…when those who are the loving are persecuted, despised, maligned and martyred. The way of Agape is selfless, sacrificial, and serving…the way of Agape is the highest calling of all. The way of Agape begins with loving God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength. The way of Agape ends with loving our neighbor as ourselves. Anything in between those two points is a distraction…

The final 5 days (leading up to Palm Sunday) were focused on living examples of Jesus Creed love (days 36-40). The first example given (mentioned in my previous entry) is support. Support is evidenced in many ways not the least of which is our finances. It can be seen in other ways as well; for instance, the sharing of material resources, time, and serving with our gifts and abilities. The bottom line is love for Jesus supports his teaching and his kingdom. Read the rest of this entry »

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and so it should be now too as we live for God’s Kingdom today…

40 Days Living the Jesus Creed [Days 34-35]

LtJC – Day 34:

“Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:8-12)

Jesus Creed Thoughts for the day…

• “What we do is not eternal. What is eternal is the relationships spiritual gifts establish”
  • Our gifts forge relationships
  • Our relationships will remain
  • The relationship with God and with others that “gifts” forge is what will remain
• “Exercise your gifts to establish those lasting relationships”

“Our spiritual gifts are given to nurture what will remain forever: Love” Read the rest of this entry »

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40 Days Living the Jesus Creed [Days 31-33]

LtJC – Day 31:

“Love does not insist on its own way…” (1 Corinthians 13:5-6)

Jesus Creed Thoughts for the day…

• “Jesus Creed love is AGAPE Love…”
• “Agape Love denies self…”

My takeaway/parting thoughts: icrucified = crucify self = deny self

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ…”

Luke 9:23

Mark 14:36

“To choose to live a life of loving others is to choose against a life of loving only ourselves.” (Scot McKnight) Read the rest of this entry »

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40 Days Living the Jesus Creed [Day 30]

Give us strength with changed heart, O Lord, to love You with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength…and help us, O Lord, for Your namesake to love our neighbor as ourselves. [Amen]

LtJC – Day 30:

“Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

Jesus Creed Thoughts for the day…

• “Love isn’t what you feel, it’s what you do…” Madeleine L’Engle
• “We are not happy with our lot in life or we are ticked with God for assigning our lot.” Scot McKnight

My takeaway: The thing about this (these) attributes of AGAPE love is the awareness that it cannot be lived to the full under the fuel of ourself (me). We cannot “will” this kind of attitude and behavior; at least with the expectation of sustaining it for a prolonged (forever) period (indefinite) of time. Loving enemies, remaining patient and longsuffering with lazy, immature people, being kind in the face of rude and boastful people…this is how love lives. This is the attitude of Christ…not me. Exactly. Not me. Therefore, the only way to live in sustainable God-Love (AGAPE) is for God to live in me. The only way for God to live in me is to for me to make room for Him. Jesus said; “You must be born again.” The inference of this statement is that I must first die or “deny self” in order for the “room” to be made. Indeed, the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-26) is budded, flowered, and matured from the seed of me that falls into the ground (John 12:24-26). I cannot love like God…but God in me can. If I am not loving like Him, is He living in me??? Or am I still living in me, occupying the space that God wishes to make for His room.

“You must be born again…” Jesus (John 3:3-8)

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40 Days Living the Jesus Creed [Days 28-29]

“If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” [1 Cor. 13] Give us strength with changed heart, O Lord, to love You with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength…and help us, O Lord, for Your namesake to love our neighbor as ourselves. [Amen]

LtJC – Day 28:

“God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean” Acts 10:28

Jesus Creed Thoughts for the day…

• Other people are listening for God
• Resistance to boundary-breaking is normal
• God is impartial
• God dwells with all who face God Read the rest of this entry »

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40 Days Living the Jesus Creed [Day 26-27]

“If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” [1 Cor. 13] Give us strength with changed heart, O Lord, to love You with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength…and help us, O Lord, for Your namesake to love our neighbor as ourselves. [Amen]

LtJC – Day 26:

We’re talking LOVE…AGAPE Love… “unflinching love” Read the rest of this entry »

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40 Days Living the Jesus Creed [Days 10-11]

“From the highest of highs to the depths of the sea…”

The last couple of days have been somewhat of a roller coaster for me; extreme highs and desperate lows have punctuated the last 48 hours of my life. I realize how dramatic that sounds, but it honestly sets the stage for where my heart has been and how God the Holy Spirit has been ministering to me…helping me to grow in His knowledge and mature in His image. Some of my experience is still very raw and has not been resolved-reconciled just yet. If you are reading this, I covet your prayers for the continuing illumination that comes only from God.

Briefly, some background story –

Two years ago I went from part-time volunteer ministry (associate pastor) to transitioning to full-time vocational ministry (which I am currently involved in). During this two year period, my family moved to a new state, new church, new friends…etc. We left our old life on faith that God would provide for our needs, and He has…in marvelous ways; however, our house had remained on the market for sale during this entire time. Month after month we saw our financial situation strain at its limits and month after month we saw the Hand of God meet our need, often in surprising and creative ways. While this had tendencies of bringing tension into the household, it also brought with it lessons of trust, favor, and reliance upon God. Yesterday, we sold our house. God provided in His timing. This was certainly a moment of celebration of the highest magnitude. JEHOVAH JIREH!!! There is more to this story and the amazing timing of God, but I’ll share more about that in future posts. Suffice it to say the “rest of the story” helps to shape why this event was such an emotional and spiritual high point…but we need to move on for now. Read the rest of this entry »

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