Matthew 22:34-40 (NLT)
(34) But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducee with his reply, they met together to question him again. (35) One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: (36) “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
(37) Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ (38) This is the first and greatest commandment. (39) A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (40) The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
Last December I was in Wichita at my dad’s house. When I am at dad’s I watch TV because he has cable and I do not. So I was catching up with my ESPN and Fox Soccer Channel watching, but of course the day that I am there watching TV there was no soccer or relevant games on TV. So I am surfing the guide and I stumble on this TV show on MTV called: A Shot a LOVE with Tila Tequila. Now being absent from the MTV scene for a lone time, I had no idea how far MTV would take a ‘reality’ TV show. But the theme of this show is that 16 people, 8 men and 8 women, would have a shot at love with this beautiful Asian woman.
After watching this show and how ridicules it was seeing how MTV displays love by people fighting to be in a relationship with this one woman. I wanted to know what did Tila Tequila thought of Love. I found this quote on her myspace:
"In my life I have seen it all. If God came down and granted me one wish, I would wish to find happiness and hold on to it forever and take it with me to my grave. All the money in the world, all the glitz and glamour of fame, could never amount to the joy that I feel when I am happy. I would give it all up; money, fame, success, in a second for the only thing in life that truly matters to me.....love. People tend to throw that word around loosely and amidst all the hustles and bustles of life....we forget how beautiful love really is. Life is not worth living without love and happiness. Love heals all. Love is a mysterious and powerful force that is the key to all that is...and all that ever was. With that said.....I have a heart inside of me that is ready to explode. I have suppressed my desires to love for so long that I feel my heart cannot retain this anymore. I am no longer afraid to admit that I am a hopeless romantic and all I want to do is fall in love, and be in love for the rest of my dying days. I was given one life to live and that is exactly what I plan on doing......living my life to the fullest! Filling it with positive things and doing my best to heal those who are also lost and broken....just as I once was. There is always enough room for love and hope in everyone's life. You just have to have faith that it is there........you don't have to search for love when love has always been searching for you all this time. Love, Tila (From her myspace.com site)"
Interesting, Tila Tequila has a strong view of love and wants to be in love. Does this not sound like the cry of the culture? So what does Tila do? She goes to MTV and has them put on a show for 16 people to show that they love her most.
How messed up is this? Can anyone who goes on a reality TV, which is purposely set up for people to ‘find love’, really find true genuine love?
What is genuine love?
Jesus commands us to love God and love other. But is it the same kind of love that Tila and the rest of the culture are communicating?
How do we use love today?
What do you say ‘you love?’
I love Tacos?
I love Clothes?
I love Facebook?
I love School?
I love Lamp? (from the movie Anchorman)
(34) But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducee with his reply, they met together to question him again. (35) One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: (36) “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
(37) Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ (38) This is the first and greatest commandment. (39) A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (40) The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
Last December I was in Wichita at my dad’s house. When I am at dad’s I watch TV because he has cable and I do not. So I was catching up with my ESPN and Fox Soccer Channel watching, but of course the day that I am there watching TV there was no soccer or relevant games on TV. So I am surfing the guide and I stumble on this TV show on MTV called: A Shot a LOVE with Tila Tequila. Now being absent from the MTV scene for a lone time, I had no idea how far MTV would take a ‘reality’ TV show. But the theme of this show is that 16 people, 8 men and 8 women, would have a shot at love with this beautiful Asian woman.
After watching this show and how ridicules it was seeing how MTV displays love by people fighting to be in a relationship with this one woman. I wanted to know what did Tila Tequila thought of Love. I found this quote on her myspace:
"In my life I have seen it all. If God came down and granted me one wish, I would wish to find happiness and hold on to it forever and take it with me to my grave. All the money in the world, all the glitz and glamour of fame, could never amount to the joy that I feel when I am happy. I would give it all up; money, fame, success, in a second for the only thing in life that truly matters to me.....love. People tend to throw that word around loosely and amidst all the hustles and bustles of life....we forget how beautiful love really is. Life is not worth living without love and happiness. Love heals all. Love is a mysterious and powerful force that is the key to all that is...and all that ever was. With that said.....I have a heart inside of me that is ready to explode. I have suppressed my desires to love for so long that I feel my heart cannot retain this anymore. I am no longer afraid to admit that I am a hopeless romantic and all I want to do is fall in love, and be in love for the rest of my dying days. I was given one life to live and that is exactly what I plan on doing......living my life to the fullest! Filling it with positive things and doing my best to heal those who are also lost and broken....just as I once was. There is always enough room for love and hope in everyone's life. You just have to have faith that it is there........you don't have to search for love when love has always been searching for you all this time. Love, Tila (From her myspace.com site)"
Interesting, Tila Tequila has a strong view of love and wants to be in love. Does this not sound like the cry of the culture? So what does Tila do? She goes to MTV and has them put on a show for 16 people to show that they love her most.
How messed up is this? Can anyone who goes on a reality TV, which is purposely set up for people to ‘find love’, really find true genuine love?
What is genuine love?
Jesus commands us to love God and love other. But is it the same kind of love that Tila and the rest of the culture are communicating?
How do we use love today?
What do you say ‘you love?’
I love Tacos?
I love Clothes?
I love Facebook?
I love School?
I love Lamp? (from the movie Anchorman)
And I love my wife?
What is love? To quote from Rob Bell, "I love my wife and I also love tacos?!?"
We are so confused about this word 'love' and we use it all the time! What is it? What does it look like? When are we suppose to use it? How is it suppose to feel? Is love sex?
1st John 4:7-21 gives us the answer of question: what is love?
1st John 4: 7-21 (NLT)
(7) Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. (8) But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
(9) God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. (10) This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
(11) Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. (12) No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.
(13) And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. (14) Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. (15) All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. (16) We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. (17) And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the Day of Judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.
(18) Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. (19) We love each other because he loved us first.
(20) If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? (21) And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters.
(7) Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. (8) But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
(9) God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. (10) This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
(11) Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. (12) No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.
(13) And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. (14) Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. (15) All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. (16) We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. (17) And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the Day of Judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.
(18) Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. (19) We love each other because he loved us first.
(20) If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? (21) And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters.
If God is love, than what is love like?
There are many views of God how there, right?
One of my teachers told me (and the rest of the class too) the story of his daughter’s birth. His daughter was born with major health complications. Actually his daughter was never to be born and her living until she was two years old is a miracle to itself. But it was stressful and worrisome time of his life.
To try to find answers, my teacher went to a friend. He sat down to pore out his heart about this situation about his daughter to his friend. After my teacher was done poring out his heart, his friend said that he must have sinned for God to have done this to his baby girl. My teacher was shock after what his friends said and for a moment asks himself, “What did I do?”
But does a God that calls himself love do this?
Is there any love in a God that allows babies to have problems or even die before having a chance of living a full life?
Luckily for my teacher he has more than one friend.
The next friend called my teacher on the phone and said, “Man praise God!” My teacher answer answers, “Why?” His friend answers, “Because God has blessed you with a child that he knows that you will love and take extra care of and this child will stretch and bring you joy.”
To understand love we must understand who God is. God loves, cares, and forgives. That is who He is and cannot be outside of this.
But what does this look like?
John 21:15-17 (NLT)
(15) After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
(16) Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
(17) A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
To fully get the essence of what is going on here between Peter and Jesus, we must look at the original language that the Apostle John used to communicate this encounter. We all here know that the Bible was not written in English. The manuscripts that we have today, from which we get these precious words, were originally written in Kione Greek and Hebrew. This is important to note because words in different languages can have a different meaning than what it is translated in our Bibles.
For an example, lets take the word snow. We associate snow with every type of snow, but the Eskimos have 50 or more different words for all the different types of snowfalls. When translating from Eskimo a type of snowfall, just using the snow or snowing just does not cut. To properly translate this, it is a full description of what type of snowfall it is.
In the original manuscript there are two different words for love: agape and phileo
To try to find answers, my teacher went to a friend. He sat down to pore out his heart about this situation about his daughter to his friend. After my teacher was done poring out his heart, his friend said that he must have sinned for God to have done this to his baby girl. My teacher was shock after what his friends said and for a moment asks himself, “What did I do?”
But does a God that calls himself love do this?
Is there any love in a God that allows babies to have problems or even die before having a chance of living a full life?
Luckily for my teacher he has more than one friend.
The next friend called my teacher on the phone and said, “Man praise God!” My teacher answer answers, “Why?” His friend answers, “Because God has blessed you with a child that he knows that you will love and take extra care of and this child will stretch and bring you joy.”
To understand love we must understand who God is. God loves, cares, and forgives. That is who He is and cannot be outside of this.
But what does this look like?
John 21:15-17 (NLT)
(15) After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
(16) Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
(17) A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
To fully get the essence of what is going on here between Peter and Jesus, we must look at the original language that the Apostle John used to communicate this encounter. We all here know that the Bible was not written in English. The manuscripts that we have today, from which we get these precious words, were originally written in Kione Greek and Hebrew. This is important to note because words in different languages can have a different meaning than what it is translated in our Bibles.
For an example, lets take the word snow. We associate snow with every type of snow, but the Eskimos have 50 or more different words for all the different types of snowfalls. When translating from Eskimo a type of snowfall, just using the snow or snowing just does not cut. To properly translate this, it is a full description of what type of snowfall it is.
In the original manuscript there are two different words for love: agape and phileo
I. Let’s look at phileo.
The Greek word phileo is defined as to have a special interest in someone or something; with focus on close association, have affection for, like, or to consider someone a friend.
Today this is how we would use the word phileo:
I phileo ice cream.
I phileo soccer.
phileo is the first stage in a relationship.
This is where relationships today start and like to linger. phileo likes to be at the surface and goes no deeper. There is no comment in phileo and it more on a full name bases and not first name. It likes to come in the living room but not the kitchen. It rather go to a move instead on dinner. It stays on the surface and goes not further until it turns to… agape!
II. Now let’s look at agape.
The Greek word agape is defined as to have a warm regard for and interest in another, cherish, have affection for, or love.
But the best definition of agavph is found in 1st Corinthians 13.
1st Corinthians 13:1-8 (NLT)
(1) If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. (2) If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. (3) If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
(4) Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud (5) or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. (6) It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. (7) Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
(8) Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!
Let’s change the word love here too…
God is patient and kind. God is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. God does not demand His own way. God is not irritable, and He keeps no record of being wronged. God does not rejoice about injustice but God rejoices whenever the true wins out. God never gives up; He never loses faith, He is always hopeful, and He endures through every circumstance. God will last forever.
Let’s the change the word love again too…
Jesus is patient and kind. Jesus is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Jesus does not demand His own way. Jesus is not irritable, and He keeps no record of being wronged. Jesus does not rejoice about injustice but Jesus rejoices whenever the true wins out. Jesus never gives up; He never loses faith, He is always hopeful, and He endures through every circumstance. Jesus will last forever.
Now for the last I time, let change love to…
A Christian is patient and kind. A Christian is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. A Christian does not demand his or hers own way. A Christian is not irritable, and he or she keeps no record of being wronged. A Christian does not rejoice about injustice but he or she rejoices whenever the true wins out. A Christian never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. A Christian will last forever.
This is what Love looks like.
Love is deeper that like. Love wants all of you. It wants to deep inside of your soul and living there. Love can hurt and yet be the most wonderful thing you ever had. Love is more than sex because it hits you in the spot where you know that this person is all the things in 1st Corinthians 13.
Conclusion
Let’s look at John 21:15-17 and I am going to put in the right words.
John 21:15-17 (NLT)
(15) After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I like you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
(16) Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I like you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
(17) A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you like me?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I like you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
Peter finally got the picture later and communicated to the thousands.
But do we as a 21st centenary 1st world people get it?
We need to check the relationship with God, that is more important than every other relationship that we are in.
What is it… like or love when it comes to Jesus?
Because Jesus already loves you.
You will not understand love until you understand that God is love and all love comes from Him.
The Blessing
May you go and fall in love is Jesus.
May you realize than there is more to the word love that meets the eye.
May you treat your relationship just like the one you are in with Jesus.
The Greek word phileo is defined as to have a special interest in someone or something; with focus on close association, have affection for, like, or to consider someone a friend.
Today this is how we would use the word phileo:
I phileo ice cream.
I phileo soccer.
phileo is the first stage in a relationship.
This is where relationships today start and like to linger. phileo likes to be at the surface and goes no deeper. There is no comment in phileo and it more on a full name bases and not first name. It likes to come in the living room but not the kitchen. It rather go to a move instead on dinner. It stays on the surface and goes not further until it turns to… agape!
II. Now let’s look at agape.
The Greek word agape is defined as to have a warm regard for and interest in another, cherish, have affection for, or love.
But the best definition of agavph is found in 1st Corinthians 13.
1st Corinthians 13:1-8 (NLT)
(1) If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. (2) If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. (3) If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
(4) Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud (5) or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. (6) It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. (7) Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
(8) Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!
Let’s change the word love here too…
God is patient and kind. God is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. God does not demand His own way. God is not irritable, and He keeps no record of being wronged. God does not rejoice about injustice but God rejoices whenever the true wins out. God never gives up; He never loses faith, He is always hopeful, and He endures through every circumstance. God will last forever.
Let’s the change the word love again too…
Jesus is patient and kind. Jesus is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Jesus does not demand His own way. Jesus is not irritable, and He keeps no record of being wronged. Jesus does not rejoice about injustice but Jesus rejoices whenever the true wins out. Jesus never gives up; He never loses faith, He is always hopeful, and He endures through every circumstance. Jesus will last forever.
Now for the last I time, let change love to…
A Christian is patient and kind. A Christian is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. A Christian does not demand his or hers own way. A Christian is not irritable, and he or she keeps no record of being wronged. A Christian does not rejoice about injustice but he or she rejoices whenever the true wins out. A Christian never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. A Christian will last forever.
This is what Love looks like.
Love is deeper that like. Love wants all of you. It wants to deep inside of your soul and living there. Love can hurt and yet be the most wonderful thing you ever had. Love is more than sex because it hits you in the spot where you know that this person is all the things in 1st Corinthians 13.
Conclusion
Let’s look at John 21:15-17 and I am going to put in the right words.
John 21:15-17 (NLT)
(15) After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I like you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
(16) Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I like you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
(17) A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you like me?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I like you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
Peter finally got the picture later and communicated to the thousands.
But do we as a 21st centenary 1st world people get it?
We need to check the relationship with God, that is more important than every other relationship that we are in.
What is it… like or love when it comes to Jesus?
Because Jesus already loves you.
You will not understand love until you understand that God is love and all love comes from Him.
The Blessing
May you go and fall in love is Jesus.
May you realize than there is more to the word love that meets the eye.
May you treat your relationship just like the one you are in with Jesus.
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