Love is a gift that is freely given.
We have been exploring Hope, fun and happiness. The Fruit of the Spirit, Joy – is where we landed.
We can cultivate hope by telling our stories and pointing people to Jesus. While we can not always change our circumstances, we can choose healthy alternatives rather than destructive choices. We can choose joy or patience or even fun over negativity. While happiness is not guaranteed, we have hope that when we choose positive paths, we create an environment where we are more likely to be happy – Joy.
This leads me to Love. – More Fruit of the Spirit.
How about Holy Love? Holy Love is love that reflects the character of God. – The Fruit of the Spirit.
What does Holy Love look like?
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Holy Love flows as a gift when it is freely given. Holy Love must come from the heart. Jesus always loves us freely first – Holy Love. His love draws us towards Him – the work of the Holy Spirit. His love produces a love within us that produces a natural flow of love outward. When we love, we are called to love Jesus first. When we love Jesus first, Holy Love flows from our heart and can be freely given to others. The free love we give to others is the Jesus example – Holy Love. Free love given, points others to Jesus – Holy Love.
You can not force someone to give love. The hope that we express with our joy and love, provides a path for others to find Jesus with the hope that they too might express joy and give freely of their love as well.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NIV
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing…
Hope – Joy – Love
Hope is found when we point others to Jesus.
Joy is how we can respond in our circumstances.
Love is what flows when we give to others.
Point and Case
Love starts with God:
1 John 4:19 NIV
We love because He first loved us.
There it is: God loves us first.
John 13:34 NIV
…Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
There it is again: Give love back. – First we love God, then we love others. When we give love to others, we are loving God back and we are pointing others towards Jesus.
We don’t have to do anything in order for God to love us. He just loves us – first. When we are open to receiving His love, something happens inside us (in today’s world we might call this an algorithm) and we are able to respond – in love – Holy Love.
Jesus takes this one step further:
Mathew 22:37-39
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Jesus loves us – We love Jesus back – His love works through us – We give love to others – Our love allows others to see Jesus.
The Free Gift of Holy Love.