LOVE LIFTED ME

 I JOHN 4:7-11

             Looking at the theme that you are using tonight and using the scriptural text that was given, there are two aspects of love given here that we will briefly talk about.  First we see in verses 7 and 11 an exhortation to love one another. (Read 7 and 11).  But in between these two verses we see an example of the love that we are to have for one another.  Our example is given in the manner in which God demonstrated or manifested His love to us. (Read 9 and 10).  I want to begin by looking at the example and then relating it to our relationships one to another.         

            Our example says that God manifested, demonstrated or showed His love for us.  In Greek there are several words that are in English translated as love. 

1.      Phileo - tender affection of friends

2.      Philadelphia - love for the brethren

3.      Philanthropia - love for mankind

4.      Eros - sexual desire or passionate longing (Not used in New Testament)

5.      Storge - familial love

6.      Agape - unconditional love, not drawn out of any excellency in the person being loved, but flowing directly out of the will and choice of the one doing the loving.  

In our text, God has manifested agape towards us.  Agape is the same word that is translated as charity in I Cor. 13 and anywhere else that charity is seen in the New Testament. The scriptural verse that can best help us understand the agape of God is Romans 5:8 (But God commendeth His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us).  Agape is a love based not on our being loveable, nice, friendly, obedient or any other good descriptor that we can use for ourselves.  It is a love that was demonstrated to us in spite of our degenerate, unappreciative, sinful state.

           But God did not just love us.  He revealed His love to us and He did not do it through sweet talk, or flattering words, but rather through His actions.  He sent His son, and if that were not enough, He gave His son as a sacrificial offering for us.  John 3:16 says that God so loved.... life.  God loved mankind so much that His love motivated Him to action.  Jesus Himself said in John 15:13, greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for His friends.  Jesus' death was no accident, it was planned.  It was not murder because in John 10:18 Jesus said "no man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself".  A thousand men could not have nailed Him to that cross if He did not want it to be so. Love nailed Jesus to the cross.  And all the spikes in the world could not have kept Jesus on that cross if He did not want to stay there.  Love kept Him lifted high and pinned on that cross.  Love lifted Him up to die.  But the same love that lifted Him up to die is the love that raises mankind from its sinful state. 

EPHESIANS 2:1-6 - God's love manifested through sending Jesus His son, and Jesus' love manifested through His sacrificial death has resulted in our being raised or lifted up.  God sees us in a raised and exalted position.  As saints of God He sees us seated with Christ in heavenly places.  He sees us not as sinners and not even as oftentimes the struggling saints that we are.  He sees us as His righteous children seated with their brother in the heavenlies.  His love has resulted in our being lifted up. 

            This example of love that God through Jesus has shown to us also should lift us to a new level of understanding of the love He expects us to demonstrate to one another.  In I John 4:11 where it says that "If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another, the word agape is used in both cases.  God expects us to show the same love for one another as He has shown for us.  Some would say that it is impossible for us to love one another in such a way and apart from God they would be right.  But Romans 5:5 says the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost.  If we have the Spirit of God indwelling us then the agape love of God is present in us and wants to rule our interactions with one another.  If we like God, are driven by agape love it will manifested itself in our actions toward one another.  Agape love will eliminate the divorce rate.  Agape love suffers long.  It is willing and able to endure the many struggles that relationships bring, and in the midst of enduring the struggles it still remains kind.  Agape love is not jealous of the accomplishments of others nor does it cause one to be puffed up or high minded about their accomplishments.  Agape love is never cruel or abusive, it is never selfish, thinking of its own desires, but seeks the highest good of others.  It does not get angry easily.  In love, it bears all things.  I Peter 4:8 says that agape love will cover a multitude of sins.  It will over look short coming and faults and continue to love.  Agape love will cause us to do as commanded in Phil. 2:3 and esteem or consider others better than ourselves. 

            The agape love of God that has been shed in our hearts will cause us to seek to lift others up as opposed to tearing them down.  It will seek to raise others to God's highest desire for them as opposed to our desires for them.  Agape love will never seek to tempt one to sin.  It will deny its own flesh, and suffer hurt rather than allow hurt to another.  This is what Jesus did for us.  He denied the desire not to go to the cross.  He suffered the hurt and shame rather than see us be lost and separated from God for ever.  He laid down His life that we might be lifted up.  This is agape love.  Love has lifted me and you and that same love expects us to lift one another.  In every day and in every way manifest the agape love of God that has been shed in your heart by lifting others up, because love has lifted you.