The Essence of Love (Part One): God's Eternal Nature: Love

“But now abide faith, hope and love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Love is in the air! Valentines day is approaching, and many couples have romance on their mind. Flowers, candlelight dinner dates, chocolates and gifts will mark the day for many, but the real issue is what goes on the rest of the year. Procrastinating men like me will scramble to find some last minute token of love and appreciation for their wives. For many, this day will be a departure from the usual. One day out of the year to honor and celebrate love and marriage . . . while the reality of the other 364 days is a daily grind filled with the pressures on marriages today. Almost one half of marriages end in divorce, and there is a constant stream of childrearing, bill paying, apathy, anger, temptations, etc. wreaking havoc on our relationships. Valentines day for some people may also be a reminder of past loves gone wrong, as the pain of separation or divorce or infidelity will be magnified as they see other couples enjoying the moment together. The damaging effects on society are all around us. Former first lady Barbara Bush has been quoted as saying, “Your success as a family ... our success as a society depends not on what happens in the White House, but on what happens inside your house.”

How is life in your house on a daily basis? Is there a better way for us to maintain and flourish in our most important relationships?

A few of our local churches have joined together because we care about the health and long term strength of marriages. We invite you to join us for a free showing of the movie “Fireproof”. It is the story of a firefighter who is interested in saving lives, and turns his heart toward saving his own marriage. I have seen this movie and it helped me to see my own weaknesses and how God’s grace can heal our hearts and renew our struggling relationships. As a Pastor of a local church, I see almost weekly the strain upon relationships coming from the world, the flesh, and the Devil. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who is, has been, or will be married. It is God’s will for every couple to have an absorbing spiritual, emotional and physical attraction that continues to grow throughout their lifetime together. There is a better way!

“The Scriptures say that God designed and created marriage as a good thing. It is a beautiful, priceless gift. He uses marriage to help us eliminate loneliness, multiply our effectiveness, establish families, raise children, enjoy life, and bless us with relational intimacy. But beyond this, marriage also shows us our need to grow and deal with our own issues and self-centeredness through the help of a lifelong partner. If we are teachable, we will learn to do the one thing that is most important in marriage – to love. This powerful union provides the path for you to learn how to love another imperfect person unconditionally. It is wonderful. It is difficult. It is life changing.” (Quoted from “The Love Dare” by Stephen Kendrick)

Don’t give up! Discover God’s amazing, eternal love to transform your relationships.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

Upcoming Sermon Series: The Essence of Love
Feb. 1 (am) Part 1: God’s Eternal Nature: Love
Feb. 1 (pm) Part 2: God’s Historical Gift of LoveFeb. 8 (am)
Part 3: Bearing Witness to God’s LoveFeb. 8 (pm)
Part 4: God’s Love Made Complete (Jamie Wynn preaching)


This week’s Message:
The Essence of Love (Part 1) God’s Eternal Nature: Love
Ephesians 2:1-10: Rich in Mercy

God always has been, and always will be, love.

1. The Need for Love: (2:1-3)
a. Man’s condition is spiritual death apart from Christ.
b. Nothing in man could result in salvation;we deserve only wrath.
c. Man’s only hope is redeeming love.d. Related Scripture: Isaiah 64:6; Daniel 9:18; Romans 3:9-18; 6:23

2. The Source of Love: (2:4-5)
a. Two great words in Scripture : “But God”
b. Our solution is found in the eternal nature of God: John 17:23-24
c. The essence of love? Substitution, Christ in man’s stead.
d. Related Scripture: John 10:9-11; 15:13; 2 Cor 5:21

3. The Effect of Love: (2:6-10)
a. God’s love is regenerating, exalting, saving, amazing and working.
b. We will spend all eternity worshipping and discovering the depths of His love.
c. Related Scripture: Psalm 103: 17; Jeremiah 31:3; Romans 8:35-39

“He brought me to His banqueting house, and His banner over me was love.” (Songs 2:4)