1. Acts 4:32-35
INTENTIONAL LOVE

2. Romans 5:8
“8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Love the unlovable
Intentional act of love

3. John 13:34-35 “34A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

4. Acts 4:32-35
INTENTIONAL LOVE

5. Acts 4:32-37
“32 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them.

6. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. 34 For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales 35 and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.”

7. INTENTIONAL LOVE
INTENTIONAL LOVE has 4 traits L O V E

8. INTENTIONAL LOVE INTENTIONAL LOVE has 4 traits
LIVE in unity with one another
Verse 32: “And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul…”

9. How do you LIVE in unity? Have a Heart!
Colossians 3:12-13(a) “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart…
of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another…”

10. How do you LIVE in unity? Be quick to forgive and slow to complain
Colossians 3:13 “…forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.”

11. How do you LIVE in unity? Be quick to forgive and slow to complain
Colossians 3:13 “…forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.”

12. How do you LIVE in unity? Be quick to forgive and slow to complain
Colossians 3:13 “…forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.”

13. How do you LIVE in unity? Be quick to forgive and slow to complain
Colossians 3:13 “…forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.”

14. How do you LIVE in unity?
Remember the Lord has forgiven you for far more than you will EVER forgive anyone else!

15. How do you LIVE in unity?
Colossians 3:14 “Beyond all these things put on love,
which is the perfect bond of unity.”
LOVE is the glue of unity

16. When you LIVE in unity
John 17: “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me…”
DEMONSTRATES to the world that Jesus was truly sent by God

17. When you LIVE in unity
John 17: “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.”
DEMONSTRATES to the world that God loves you

18. INTENTIONAL LOVE INTENTIONAL LOVE has 4 traits
LIVE in unity with one another
OPENLY share your possessions

19. OPENLY share your possessions
Verse 32(b): “…and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them.”

20. OPENLY share your possessions
UNDERSTAND THE SACRIFICE
Sharing has a cost
Luke 3:11(b) “… ‘The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.’”

21. OPENLY share your possessions
UNDERSTAND THE SOURCE
Everything you have belongs to God
Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.”
Psalm 50: ““For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountains, And everything that moves in the field is Mine.”

22. OPENLY share your possessions
Two parties involved that need to Understand the Sacrifice and the Source:
LENDER
RECEIVER

23. What if you need this one day?
LENDER:
Your flesh is going to say “What if you need this one day?”
But remember: 2 Corinthians 9:10 “Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness;”
What if you need this one day?

24. RECEIVER: Understand and Appreciate:
The lender’s struggle with his own flesh
The lender’s sacrifice and victory over the flesh
That the lender has pleased God
“And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” (Hebrews 13:16)

25. OPENLY share your possessions
WATCH your motives:
Luke 6: “If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you?”
“...lend, expecting nothing in return…”
Share WITHOUT EXPECTING anything back

26. INTENTIONAL LOVE INTENTIONAL LOVE has 4 traits
LIVE in unity with one another
OPENLY share your possessions
VERY generous spirit

27. VERY generous spirit
Verse 34: “For there was not a needy person among them…”

28. VERY generous spirit
A VERY generous spirit STIRS other believers and makes them want to follow your example
2 Corinthians 9:2 “for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the Macedonians, namely, that Achaia has been prepared since last year, and your zeal has stirred up most of them.”

29. VERY generous spirit
The churches in Philippi and Macedonia gave generously to the Apostle Paul and other believers: “..and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord,” (2 Corinthians 8:2-3) “But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied,” (Philippians 4:18)

30. VERY generous spirit
Even though the people of Philippi were in deep poverty, the Apostle Paul did not refuse their gift because he did not want to deny them the experience of God’s blessing! “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

31. VERY generous spirit
A VERY generous spirit causes God to be generous to YOU.
“You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings.” (Deuteronomy 15:10)

32. INTENTIONAL LOVE INTENTIONAL LOVE has 4 traits
LIVE in unity with one another
OPENLY share your possessions
VERY generous spirit
EMBRACE opportunities to meet the needs of each other

33. EMBRACE opportunities to meet needs
Verse 34: “for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them…”
No hesitation
The early believers looked for opportunities to help others and then seized it

34. EMBRACE opportunities to meet needs
LISTEN, OBSERVE, AND ACT
“Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch…Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world… And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea.”(Acts 11:27-30)

35. EMBRACE opportunities to meet needs
LISTEN, OBSERVE, AND ACT
1 John 3: 17 “But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?”

36. EMBRACE opportunities to meet needs
LISTEN, OBSERVE, AND ACT
James 2:15-16 “If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?”

37. EMBRACE opportunities to meet needs
Be sure it is a legitimate need 2 Thessalonians 3:10 “…if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.”

38. INTENTIONAL LOVE INTENTIONAL LOVE has 4 traits
LIVE in unity with one another
OPENLY share your possessions
VERY generous spirit
EMBRACE opportunities to meet the needs of each other

39. INTENTIONAL LOVE Love has to be intentional
It has to come from the heart
It has to be voluntary
It has to be done willingly and not against your will

40. RESULT OF INTENTIONAL LOVE
Verses “And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. For there was not a needy person among them…”

41. RESULT OF INTENTIONAL LOVE
Because their love was intentional:
Great Power
“And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, …”
Abundant Grace
“…and abundant grace was upon them all.”

42. INTENTIONAL LOVE
From INTENTIONAL LOVE flows:
Great Power
Abundant Grace

43. INTENTIONAL LOVE
Verse 32 “And the congregation of those who believed…”

44. INTENTIONAL LOVE

45. Happy Birthday!