Series: Reactive Love
Message: A Message from 1 Corinthians 13
Preacher: Jessyka Albert

Refresh: Open with prayer. Read or listen to Psalm 28:1-5.

Read: 1 Corinthians 13 - Re-read in the ESV translation for new insights/questions.  

Reflect: What is love? You have just read of Paul’s definition to the Corinthians, but I want you to take a minute to reflect and ask yourself what your definition of love is. Now take another minute and ask yourself why that is your definition. 
Paul’s definition of love here in 1 Corinthians 13 stems not only from Corinth’s lack of pure love, but his understanding of The Spirit, Jesus, and God’s agape love. In the original Greek there are four different words for love: agape, phileo, stroge, and eros. Three of these four are used in the New Testament and agape is the word used in 1 Corinthians 13. It is the highest and best of loves in the Greek language. A few examples of agape love in the New Testament are:
John 3:16 - “For God so agape(d) the world…”
Ephesians 5:1-2 - “Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in agape, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.”
Galatians 5:14 - "For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: 'Agape your neighbor as yourself.'"
1 John 4:8 - “…God is agape.”
Romans 13:10 - “Agape does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore agape is the fulfilling of the law.”

Recalibrate: 

1. What are the different kinds of love you have experienced?
2. What is something new you have learned about God’s love?

Respond: Pray for a soft heart.

Research: Look up 5-10 Bible texts with the word “love” in them and find out what kind of love is referenced.