9/13 Ignite- All Greek to Me: Agape

Devotion by Jared

• Contrast “love” words. Eros= love between the sexes. Storge= family love, love for a ruler, love of a nation/household for their god. mainly for parent-child love. Philia- to cherish. Love of Jesus for Lazarus, and the beloved disciple. Friendship/husband & wife love

Agape/Agapan

• Not always, but mostly used to describe Christian love.
• Agape demands the exercise of the whole man. It extends to the Christian, the neighbor, the enemy, to all the world
• Agape has to do with the mind, it’s not simply an emotion.
• Agape has to do with the will. A conquest for victory

Matthew 5.43-48

• We are told to love our enemies.
• William Barclay: “Agape is the spirit which says: ‘No matter what any man does to me, I will never seek to do harm to him. I will never set out for revenge, I will always seek nothing but his highest good.”
• Agape is treating men as God treats them.

Challenge:

• To look through these characteristics of love, and see if it helps your understanding of what we are called to do, as well as the verses that you are reading.

M&M Discussion

What is the most exhausting thing you have ever done?

In your spiritual life, What is the hardest thing to do?

Have you ever been in love? If not, what does being in love look like?

• Consider the fact that “agape” refers to loving someone with all your heart and mind. It is a conscious effort to love someone with every bit of our being.

Love is very hard. It is looking past faults and disagreements and loving someone with your whole self.

Read Luke 6:27-36

Consider our discussion on love earlier, and talking about it, does this mean more to you now? Love is not just tolerating them, it’s truly loving them with everything you have.

Who are some people that you find hard to love (no names!)?

Think about it, love is at the center of our faith because everything comes from it. If you love God and others you don’t murder, slander, gossip, steal, lust, make fun of, persecute, talk about, ignore, etc.

Let’s take a couple minutes to pray that God will help us get better at loving people. You know those who you do not love, those you hate, those you are mean to. You are called to love that person, with everything you have. Pray that God will help you.

After prayer, please have everyone get an accountability partner. They are to make sure they don’t talk about others, say mean things, gossip, or treat others wrong. They are trying to help each other love everyone, and love God.