Wednesday Service | What Is Love? | Part 2: The Cost

[1] Real love isn’t … it is

Ephesians 5:1-2 (LB)

Follow God’s example in everything you do just as a much loved child imitates his father. ² Be full of love for others, following the example of Christ who loved you and gave himself to God as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased, for Christ’s love for you was like sweet perfume to him.

[2] Jesus calls his followers to level up their love

Luke 10:25-37 (AMP)

²⁵ And a certain lawyer [an expert in Mosaic Law] stood up to test Him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ²⁶ Jesus said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”²⁷ And he replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” ²⁸ Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this habitually and you will live.” ²⁹ But he, wishing to justify and vindicate himself, asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

³⁰ Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he encountered robbers, who stripped him of his clothes [and belongings], beat him, and went their way[unconcerned], leaving him half dead. ³¹ Now by coincidence a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ³² Likewise a Levite also came down to the place and saw him, and passed by on the other side [of the road]. ³³But a Samaritan (foreigner), who was traveling, came upon him; and when he saw him, he was deeply moved with compassion [for him], ³⁴ and went to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them [to sooth and disinfect the injuries]; and he put him on his own pack-animal, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵ On the next day he took out two denarii (two days’ wages) and gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I return.’ ³⁶ Which of these three do you think proved himself a neighbor to the man who encountered the robbers?” ³⁷ He answered, “The one who showed compassion and mercy to him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and constantly do the same.”

• If we’re going to level up our love… we must

• If we’re going to level up our love… we must feel

• If we’re going to level up our love… we must

• If we’re going to level up our love… we must care for their

• If we’re going to level up our love… we must cover the

[3] God loves acts of kindness that cannot be

Luke 14:12-14 (AMP)

¹² Jesus also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or wealthy neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment.¹³ But when you give a banquet or a reception, invite the poor, the disabled, the lame, and the blind, ¹⁴ and you will be blessed because they cannot repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous (the just, the upright).”

[4] Because that’s how he

• He us

Mark 6:34 (NIV)

³⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

• He to us

John 1:14 (NIV)

¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

• He had for us

Matthew 9:36-38 (NIV)

³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. ³⁸Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

• He binds up our

Psalm 147:3 (AMP)

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [healing their pain and comforting their sorrow].

• He paid our

Colossians 2:14 (NIRV)

¹⁴ He wiped out what the law said that we owed. The law stood against us. It judged us. But he has taken it away and nailed it to the cross.

[5] Those who have received God’s love are to pass it on

1 John 4:16, 19 (AMP)

¹⁶ We have come to know [by personal observation and experience], and have believed [with deep, consistent faith] the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides continually in him… ¹⁹ We love, because He first loved us.