Walking the Way of Love
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 5: 1, 2 (NIV)
Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5: 1, 2 (MSG)
Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.
Message: “Walk the Way of Love”
Definition of Love (Love thy neighbour?)
What is your definition of love?
How do you love?
Take a moment to think about this for a moment - it is Valentine’s day this week…
The Google dictionary says love is: “an intense feeling of deep affection” or “a great interest and pleasure in something”
Intense feeling and great interest… perhaps easy to identify with this definition of love when it comes to those who are close to you
Like in Greek word of “Eros” - meaning erotic love for your soul mate… intense and great interest - this week with Valentine’s day we will express and celebrate this intense feeling of love
But what about love for your neighbour?
That is something different - as expressed in the Greek word “Agape” (brotherly love)
Somehow we find it harder to define this kind of love as an intense feeling or a great interest…
We would say “it is just not the same…”
And you would be correct in saying that “Eros” and “Agape” are not the same
That does not mean “Agape” should not be an intense feeling or a feeling of great interest
Alas, this is where I often feel that we fall short in loving our neighbour… a lack of intensity and a lack of interest…
Jesus’ love is best described as “Agape” - as is also described by Paul in our Scripture reading…
The example of Jesus’ love is that of intense love and a love of great interest in the interactions He had with people…
When we say we are followers of Jesus, His way of loving is what we should aspire to…
Being a Christian is per definition loving those around you in a different way…
We are called to love differently!
Love = To see someone through the eyes of God
How did Jesus I do that?
How did He love so much intensity and with great interest?
I think the answer to this question lies in the way Jesus saw the people He interacted with…
Remember His Father sent Him because He loved the world so much
Remember that God is the God of love - He is love
I think Jesus saw the people He interacted with the love of His Father
He saw people through the eyes of His Father
In his interactions with people, Jesus showed the love of God
He changed the perception of God… God is an angry God Who is looking to find fault… God is a loving God Who is looking to save!
And it is with the loving eyes of God that Jesus saw the people around Him
Perhaps this where we can grow in following Jesus:
We can learn to see each other through the eyes of God!
We can re-define what it means to love our neighbour by seeing each other through the eyes of God
Take a moment to think about the person that irritated you most this week - see that person through the eyes of God!
Think about the person that made you angry this week - see that person through the eyes of God!
Think about the person that owes you - see that person through the eyes of God!
Think about the person that caused pain in your life - I know this is hard to imagine, but God loves that person deeply and you will do well to see even that person through the eyes of God (without condoning their behaviour)
I believe that there is healing to be found when we learn to see each other through the eyes of God
Let’s remind ourselves of Jesus’ words on the cross: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they're doing...” (Luke 23: 34)
How do I walk the way of love? (Practical)
So, how do I do that?
In the words of Paul, how do I walk the way of love?
Here’s a few ideas:
- Stop judging - remember that is not your right to judge, no matter what the other person have done - God will judges because God knows - you don’t know all that is going on that person’s life - don’t judge, because you don’t know
- Don’t say “if” - don’t say “I will love him/her if he/she loves me first” - when you insist on a condition on your love, it becomes selfish love - you’re looking to get something out of it - that’s not the way Jesus loved
- Know that we all need love - we are all beggars for God love - we can never do enough to come in a position where we have the right to claim God’s love - I need God to love me just as much as the murderer and the rapist, even if I haven’t committed terrible crimes
- Be vulnerable - stop pretending that you’re perfect and look down on others - all of us have our weaknesses - we could do well by accepting each other’s weaknesses and not letting weaknesses preventing us from loving each other
- Listen more - how about we take time to listen more intense to each other’s stories? I believe that listening will open our eyes for each other - listening will help us to see with different eyes… the loving eyes of God
Walk the Way of Love
This year Valentine’s Day falls on Ash Wednesday
What a great reminder for us all to love differently, deeper and more unconditional!
You are called to see the people around through God’s eyes
You are called to upon the person that cross your path with love - the love of God!
You are called to love with an intense feeling
You are called to love with great interest
Hear God calling today: You are called to walk the way of love, just as Jesus walked the way of love for you!
AMEN
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