Sermon Summary
For Mother’s Day, Pastor Chris continued in our healthy church series with a powerful word out of 1 Corinthians 13. Chris shared about the agape love that mothers extend each day. This kind of love cannot be produced in and of ourselves— It is given and extended to us by God. Agape love is an overflowing stream from the throne of grace. Chris encouraged each of us to open our hearts to the agape love of God so that we can extend it to those in our lives
1 Corinthians 13:4–7 (ESV)
4 Love is patient and kind…it rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Agape love is…
• Self-giving that demands something of us.
• Concerned with giving more than receiving.
• A sacrificial act of the will.
• The willing, joyful desire to put the welfare of others above our own.
1 John 3:18 (ESV)
18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
A Mother’s Love is…
- Patient
- Kind
- Rejoices with Truth
- Bears All Things
- Believes All Things
- Hopes All Things
- Endures All Things
Discussion Questions
- What is “agape” love? How is it different from other types of love (Ex: phileo, eros, worldly)?
- For those who aren’t mothers, how can you grow in manifesting and extending agape love to those in your life?
- Share a story about how a mother’s love has enriched your life through one of the attributes Pastor Chris shared (a love that was patient, kind, rejoiced in truth, bore with you, believed for you, hoped for you, or endured for you).
- Are you a mother? Did Michelle Nicholson’s exhortation (via James 1:2-4) on endurance and maturity encourage you? Share your thoughts with the group.
Application Questions
- Can you grow in understanding of agape love? Do a word study this week on what “agape” means in the Greek language. Ask the Lord to expand your heart and understanding of His agape love over you so that you can pour it out to others.