How Do You Spell LOVE?

Love. It is one of those words that we use so much that is can easily lose its meaning. We are surrounded by it in culture- radio, movies, magazines, even the internet. We hear it, see it, feel it. Our local city (Philadelphia) is named after it- Philos (Love) and Adelphos (brother). Hence, city of brotherly love.

So in a teaching series focused on friendship, why spend any entire week talking about a topic so widely known?

Because I think we would all agree that our understanding of love is pretty important...especially as people who want to follow Jesus. John even tells us that people are going to recognize that we are followers of Jesus by our love. So here is why we need to focus on love for an entire week.

1. Because if our definition of love is wrong, then our witness of Jesus blown.

2. If our definition of love of correct, but the way we define love by our living is wrong, then our witness is dead.

So here is our goal for this week. First, I want you to focus on the definition of love that John gives us in 1 John 4:10. Remember the 3 types of love from Sunday..."eros", "philos" & "agape". The "this is love" that John talks about in this passage is agape love- selfless love motivated by a higher purpose.

And your second goal, with this definition of agape love in mind, is to think about the way you love others. Do people really know you are a follower of Jesus by the you love?

As you work through these ideas, passages, and thoughts, plan to join us Thursday night at Matt & Amanda's to dig deeper with this issue of love!

1. Read 1 John 4:7-12

- In verses 7 and verses 10, we are told that are example and our ability to love as Jesus loves, come from our understand of and relationship with God. Do you daily think about Jesus agape-sized love given to you?

- If not, how does this hinder or hurt your abilty to love others?

2. Think about your relationships. Do your friends, family, and classmates know that your definition of love is different than the world? Why or why not?

3. Why are we tempted to love with a "eros" or "philos" type of love instead of an "agape" love?

4. Are there people in your life that you need to forgive? Someone you need to ask forgiveness of?

- What is keeping you from giving/asking for forgiveness?

5. What is the context of John 13:34-35? What is about to happen that is causing Jesus to make sure that his followers know the importance loving others the way He has loved them?

6. "Our relationship with each other is the criteria the world uses to judge whether our message is truthful. Christian community is the ultimate apologetic."

- What do you think of this quote?

- How have you experienced this truth- both positively and negatively?

We hope to see this week at Matt & Amanda's to dive deeper into this issue of friendship and love!