In this series we are looking at the ‘fruits of the Spirit’ mentioned in Galatians.
Today’s ‘fruit’ is love. I am reading from the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 13, verses 1-3 and verse 13 in the New International Version.
“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.”
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Someone once asked me – out of faith, hope and love, why is love the greatest? In this letter to the Corinthians, Paul tells us that love is crucial in everything we do. Faith and hope are important, but love underpins everything. Love is the foundation.
In the gospels Jesus tells his followers to love one another, to love God and to love their neighbours. There are different Greek words in the Bible that mean love. The word used by Paul and in these examples of Jesus is the Greek word agape.
Agape love is not a feeling, but is love shown by our actions – specifically when we choose to seek someone’s wellbeing above our own. In their video on agape love, the Bible Project team explain that just as God chose to love us by sending the Son into the world – a choice which put our wellbeing first – as followers of Jesus, the Holy Spirit enables us to show this charitable sacrificial love to others.
One of the ‘fruits of the spirit’ at work in our lives and in our church is this agape love. The Holy Spirit enables us to receive God’s agape love and to give this love out to others.
Let us pray.
God we thank you for your love for all of us. We thank you for Jesus.
Increase our love for You and for others. By your Spirit, grow this fruit of agape love in our lives, in our homes and in our fellowship.
In Jesus’ name we pray,
Amen.
Thank you for listening and for praying with me. I hope you will join us again next Friday, when we look at the fruit of peace.
The Bible Project video on agape can be found here: https://youtu.be/slyevQ1LW7A
Written by Rev Angela Rigby
