A Christmas Love Story

What does love mean? How do you express love? When do you know that you are in love? Where do you find love? Who paid for your unconditional love? Every person is looking for something to satisfy them, and many times we fall for the counterfeit, because it appears to be so real. Today, I would like to share with you, a love story. A gift that will live eternally, don’t have to be wrapped, you just have to pass it on to save many generations. You can take this gift everywhere you go, satisfaction guaranteed, if you follow Genesis through Revelation the results will manifest without hesitation. You will experience a Christmas love story that will live through you all the days of your life.

What does love mean? Let’s define the four types of love in the Bible.

Agape love is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love, the highest of the four types of love in the Bible. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them. (John 14:21, NIV)

Jesus lived out agape love by sacrificing himself for the sins of the world.

What have you sacrificed for someone to know Jesus? On December 25th, someone will open presents they did not buy, and could not afford because someone loved them enough to work overtime, to purchase them a gift to make them happy. And some of them won’t even like their gift. They will give it to someone else, or exchange it for something else, or get cash. Love is an unconditional gift, not to be celebrated once a year, but as many times as you can demonstrate t in your lifetime.

Eros love is the physical, sensual love between a husband and wife. God created humans male and female and instituted marriage in the Garden of Eden. Within marriage, sex is used for emotional and spiritual bonding and for reproduction. The Apostle Paul noted that it is wise for people to marry to fulfill their godly desire for this type of love. Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. (1 Corinthians 7:8-9, NIV)

Philia means close friendship or brotherly love in Greek. As Christians we are exhorted to love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. (Romans 12:10 ESV) The way you outdo one another in showing love is to help them in any way that would bring God honor. Do we always have to give something to our friends, no. You can give them Jesus, faithfulness, and your trust, prayer for them to have a personal relationship and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

Storge is family love, the bond among mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers. As with eros, this Greek term does not appear in the Bible. However, many examples of family love are found in Scripture, such as the love and mutual protection among Noah and his wife, their sons and daughters-in-law in Genesis; the love of Jacob for his sons; and the strong love the sisters Martha and Mary in the gospels had for their brother Lazarus. The family was a vital part of ancient Jewish culture. In the Ten Commandments, God charges his people to. Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12, NIV)

Wouldn’t it be nice, if every person in your family, would come together, and set aside their differences? Every child, start respecting their parents, and parents respecting their children. What we must realize is that our lives are not going to be perfect, and the only way to be perfected is by the Word of God cleansing us daily. The reason we don’t know how to treat our family is because some of us don’t honor God or each other. We only need each other for things, things can’t save a family, a family is to be protected, grow from the challenges that are presented to them, and conquer the problem, don’t let the problem conquer you.

God is a functional God, and a dysfunctional family to God is nothing. God does not look at the dysfunction; He looks at the heart, when a person is teachable, and wants to change, God works with the heart of the person. Every day, God is changing families, and healing hearts.

Think about it? For those who celebrate Christmas, some of us have commercialized it so much where we celebrate Christmas and not the Savior. We place emphasis on things that will perish, but love is something that we will take to the grave. It is engraved in our hearts, you don’t have to see it, but you can feel it, it was displayed on the cross to save lost. Are you sharing God’s love only at Christmas or on special occasions? God’s love lives through us by things He did and is doing for us everyday:

a. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). b. Service marked Jesus’ life from start to finish. He served through sacrifice, putting the needs of others above his own. At the last supper, he put on a towel and washed his disciples’ feet (John 13:2-17). His life of service culminated at the cross, where the Son of Man died to pay our spiritual debt. c. He grants everlasting life (Gal. 6:8). d. He taught God’s Word e. Whether addressing curious crowds or the committed core, Jesus took advantage of every teachable moment. He was always helping people discover his Father. He lived and spoke the truth, a perfect expression of God’s character (John 1:14). f. He produces in us the fruit or evidence of His work and presence (Gal. 5:22-23).

Only what we do for Christ will last, and if we do nothing, our families, friends, will never know the real love that you only experience through God. What are you living through to bring God honor. We will always have things happening in our lives; let’s make something happen, with the things that are happening.

Sources:

dawnbible.com/1997/9712ib21.htm

https://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/TeachingSheets/keys-Love.aspx

christianity.about.com/od/glossary/a/Agape.htm

www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/articles/theology/cr-2003

frankviola.org/2010/11/18/50-things-the-holy-spirit-does/


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