Agape Love
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1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
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This Sunday, Pastor John continued our sermon series in First Thessalonians. This series is about how the Thessalonian church practiced their faith while under intense persecution by their community.
How did Jesus Agape Love Others?
He cared for others (Matt.25:45), talked with others (Matt.11:2-3), walked with others (Luke 24:13-35), listened to others (John 4:1-42), ate with others (Mark 2:15), cried/mourned with others (John 11:35), fed others (Mark 6:30-44), healed others (Luke 8:47), taught others (Matt. 5:1-12), forgave others (John 8:11), sacrificed for others (Eph.5:2), died for others (Rom. 5:8)As followers of Christ, we are to reflect Jesus’ agape love to the people around us. We will be asked to do many of the same things that Jesus did. Who is God calling you to care for? Who has he called you to sit and have a conversation with? Who will you have over for a meal? These are a small ways we can extend agape love to people God has placed in front of us to minister to.
SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
Read Scripture:
Read 1 Thessalonians 3 & 4, notice the three kinds of love talked about in 1 Thessalonians and what Paul has to be say about each of them:
Agape Love ( 1 Thess. 3:12), Eros Love (1 Thess. 4:3), Phileo Love (1 Thess. 4:9)
Memorize Scripture:
Together we are memorizing 1 Thessalonians 5:8
Here are a few wallpapers for this series.
Here's a helpful guide we put together for memorizing Scripture: https://faithe.org/memorize/
DISCUSSION GUIDE
Questions:
1) What is one word or phrase that they Holy Spirit highlighted for you during this teaching? Why?
Journal your thoughts and/or share this with someone else.
2) Decide on one thing you can do to show agape love to someone this week. Share this with someone who can help you follow through with action.
Prayer:
God, help me to see others the way you see them. Help me to see them as your children, loved by you. Help me to extend agape love to those around me.
Amen.
