2. Overview to resist temptations Empowers Empowers in right relationships Expressed Expressed as peace and joy Experienced Experienced as agape actions Explained Explained of Christian character Essence Essence LOVE

3. Introduction 6. Drunkard to his brandy bottle 6. Drunkard to his brandy bottle 5. Coach to star player after big win 5. Coach to star player after big win 4. Man to his dying wife of 50 years 4. Man to his dying wife of 50 years 3. Insecure person in the mirror 3. Insecure person in the mirror 2. Mother to her drug addicted son 2. Mother to her drug addicted son 1. Two teenagers making out 1. Two teenagers making out “I love you!”

4. 1. What is love? I love you and I serve you I love you and you love me I love me and I use you What can I do for you? What can we do for each other What can you do for me? Based on values Based on likes Based on needs God to man Between friends Between lovers Divine love Natural love Sexual love AgapePhiliaEros

5. 1. What is love? Agape Defined Agape is the spirit which says, “No matter what any man does to me, I will never seek to harm him. I will always seek nothing but his highest good.” Agape is a deliberate principle of the mind and a deliberate conquest of the will, not simply a wave of emotion.

6. 2. Who must I love? 1 2 3 God 1. Love for God Self 2. Love for Self Others 3. Love for Others

7. 3.1 How do I love God?Question What does the Bible consider as the main expression of love for God? Obeying his commands! John 14:15, 23-24 “If you love me, you will obey what I command…. If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching.” Who loves God more? 1. 1. Mary spends two hours in prayer each day. She is bold and witnesses to all her friends. 2. 2. Sipho has compiled a list of all the commands and laws of God. He has now memorized them and is rigorously disciplined in applying them each day.

8. 3.2 How do I love others? love expressed. We will study this topic in detail in lesson four of when we talk about love expressed. These four fruits related specifically to love for others: a. patience b. kindness c. goodness d. faithfulness

9. 3.3 How do I love myself? bad?  In what sense is self-love bad? In what sense must we not love ourselves? good?  In what sense is self-love good? In what sense must we love ourselves? (Keep the definition of agape in mind) Self-lovegoodbad Self-love can have good and bad meanings. The Bible teaches us to love ourselves and not to love ourselves.

10. 3.3 How do I love myself? selfishness 1. Bad self-love takes the form of selfishness stewardship 2. Good self-love take the form of stewardship

11. 3.3 How do I love myself?GodGreed Self-disciplineSelf-satisfaction PrinciplesPassions Real needs Felt needs HumbleHaughty StewardshipSelfishness

12. 3.2. How do I love myself? What comes first, love for self or love for others? Must I love myself so that I can love others or must I love others so that I can love myself? J J Jesus O O Others Y Yourself Godlovesme IloveGod Iloveyou Iloveme

13. 3.3 How do I love myself? Questions for Personal Application What things that God says are real needs do you not experience as felt needs? How does God want you to begin treating yourself with agape love? What specific steps are you going to take to apply to love yourself?