2. THE SPIRIT FRUIT OF LOVE

3. Agape love

4. The definition of agape is a gracious, giving, self-sacrificing love that has its source in Christ’s self-giving love.

5. Matthew 5:44-45, “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and

6. persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

7. Jesus COMMANDED us to do it.

8. Jesus would not command us to do something without providing us the means to do it!

9. First Truth: Jesus expects us to fulfill this verse.

10. John 15:12, “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

11. 1 Cor. 13:1-3, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging

12. cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith,

13. so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but

14. have not love, it profits me nothing.”

15. nothing.”

16. Jesus taught us that if we have agape love toward our Heavenly Father then it is possible to fulfill all the other commands of the Bible.

17. Agape love is to be the spring that overflows into all the good works that the Lord desires for us to do.

18. Second Truth: We are NOT able to produce this type of love on our own.

19. Third Truth: Jesus never intended for us to produce this type of love on our own!

20. Romans 5:5, “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

21. Agape love affects the way we treat God and results in things like: Honor, worship, trust, adoration, obedience, acknowledgment of His greatness, gratitude

22. Agape love for God overflows and causes us to treat others with: justice, truth, unity, humility, honor, contentment, gentleness,

23. no bitterness, no quarreling, forgiveness, mercy, rejoicing with them in victory, crying with them in defeat and pain,

24. Fourth Truth: The life of a Christian who puts these truths into action will enjoy a MOST EXCELLENT way of life.

25. We will enjoy the excellent blessing of loving God and being loved by Him.

26. We will enjoy the excellent blessing of loving others and seeing their lives changed by that love.

27. Dr. Dean Ornish writes about love, “Love and intimacy are at the root of what makes us sick and what makes us well, what causes sadness and what brings

28. happiness, what makes us suffer and what leads to healing. If a new drug had the same impact, virtually every

29. doctor in the country would be recommending it for their patients. It would be malpractice not to prescribe it....”

30. 1 Thess. 3:12-13, “And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may

31. establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.”

32. What about your love for God? What about your love for others?