Agape Love
“So, I give you now a new commandment: Love each other just as much as I have loved you. For when you demonstrate the same love I have for you by loving one another, everyone will know that you’re my true followers.” John 13 Jesus, the Anointed One, the High Priest, Savior of the Cosmos gives very clear instructions here about how we should carry on in the earth after his resurrection. Love each other just as I have loved you. How did Jesus love?
Agape. What does this word mean? This is a Greek word meaning brotherly love or charity. It is the highest form of love there is because of its characteristics. Agape love is selfless. Meaning you choose to love someone without expecting anything in return. Agape love is unconditional. It is not based on contractual love. Unconditional is absolute without question. Agape love is sacrificial. You make sacrifices for others to show your concern and care. Agape love is pure. There is no boasting, envy or pride in your heart. Agape love is patient. You extend grace and mercy to others even when it is not returned. Agape love is forgiving. You don’t hold grudges, and you give people the benefit of the doubt.
How do we extend this agape love to others like Jesus extended it to us? The beginning of this circle of perfect agape love starts with allowing Abba to love us with this highest form of love and us returning this same love back to Him. We love Him not for what He can do for us but because of WHO HE IS. There are eyes of fire coming alive in our Kingdom family because we are learning to be loved by Him, and we are loving Him for who He is. From this circle of perfect love, we extend this beautiful agape love to others. We all have people in our lives we know need to have a relationship with Jesus but preaching to them and pointing out their faults will not usher them into His presence. This can only be done by the way we love them. Pastor Tim mentioned Sunday about the reward of Jesus’ suffering. How we love others gives Jesus His due reward for all He did for us.
I will end this Walk with a passage we are all very familiar with so please take some real time to let the Holy Spirit speak to you as you read this passage. How are we loving others? Are we displaying the TRUE MESSIAH, OUR BEAUTIFUL JESUS? Agape Love.
“Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up. Love never stops loving. 1 Corinthians 13