DIGGING DEEPER ON THE SUBJECT OF LOVE

SUNDAY 8TH MARCH

PASTOR AFOLABI OLADELE

HABBAKUK 2:14

»HOW LORD?»HEB 1:1,2

CONSIDER THESE THOUGHTS:JOHN 17:25,26 (KJV,NIV,MESS)

• O RIGHTEOUS FATHER, THE WORLD HATH NOT KNOWN THEE: BUT I HAVE KNOWN THEE, AND THESE HAVE KNOWN THAT THOU HAST SENT ME.• AND I HAVE DECLARED UNTO THEM THY

NAME, AND WILL DECLARE IT: THAT THE LOVE WHEREWITH THOU HAST LOVED ME MAY BE IN THEM, AND I IN THEM

JOHN 17:25-26 contd

• CONTINUOUS MANIFESTATION OR REVELATION OF THE NATURE OF THE FATHER-EPH 4:11-13

• JESUS KNEW THAT AFTER HIS RESURRECTION, WHEN HE WAS SEATED AT HIS FATHER'S RIGHT HAND, HIS PRIORITY WOULD BE TO CONTINUE REVEALING THE FATHER'S NAME OR HIS PASSIONS, DESIRES, AND PLEASURES TO AND THROUGH HIS CHURCH. AT THE SECOND COMING, HE WILL COME TO THE CHURCH IN REVELATION AND POWER. HIS INDESCRIBABLE LOVELINESS WILL BE REVEALED TO HIS PEOPLE IN A FAR GREATER MEASURE IN THE GREAT REVIVAL BEFORE HIS SECOND COMING

JOHN 17:25-26 contd• THE CONSEQUENCE OF ACCEPTING AND

EXPERIENCING THE CONTINUED REVELATION OF THE FATHER’S (MESSAGE TRANSLATION):– NAME,– NATURE –PASSIONS;AND– ATTRIBUTES IS OUR MATURING INTO THE

SAME NATURE;• A CLEAR CONDITION FOR THE LOVE OF THE

FATHER TO BE IN ME! 2COR 3:18.

QUESTIONS…WOULD YOU BE FOUND BY HIS LOVE?

• WHAT ABOUT YOUR AVAILABILITY TO HIS RELENTLESS LOVE-PSALM 23:6 (NLT/MESSAGE)

• WHAT ABOUT THE SELF PROMOTED, PERMITTED INHIBITOR CALLED SIN EPH 4:30 (LUPETE);PROV 14:9-10; JOHN 8:11;ROMANS 8:32,35,39 (NIV);HEB 7:24-26

• IS THERE DESIRE FOR THIS LOVE WHEN IT IS EXPRESSED IN CHASTISEMENT-LAM 3:22-33

JOHN 17:4-6 (KJV,NLT,MESS)

• I HAVE GLORIFIED THEE ON THE EARTH: I HAVE FINISHED THE WORK WHICH THOU GAVEST ME TO DO.

• AND NOW, O FATHER, GLORIFY THOU ME WITH THINE OWN SELF WITH THE GLORY WHICH I HAD WITH THEE BEFORE THE WORLD WAS.

• I HAVE MANIFESTED THY NAME UNTO THE MEN WHICH THOU GAVEST ME OUT OF THE WORLD: THINE THEY WERE, AND THOU GAVEST THEM ME; AND THEY HAVE KEPT THY WORD.

JOHN 17:22-23

• THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE; AS THOU, FATHER, ART IN ME, AND I IN THEE, THAT THEY ALSO MAY BE ONE IN US: THAT THE WORLD MAY BELIEVE THAT THOU HAST SENT ME.

• AND THE GLORY WHICH THOU GAVEST ME I HAVE GIVEN THEM; THAT THEY MAY BE ONE, EVEN AS WE ARE ONE:

• I IN THEM, AND THOU IN ME, THAT THEY MAY BE MADE PERFECT IN ONE; AND THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW THAT THOU HAST SENT ME, AND HAST LOVED THEM, AS THOU HAST LOVED ME.

JOHN 17:4-6;22-23 contd.

• WHEN IT WAS ALL OVER, JESUS SUMMED UP HIS ENTIRE EARTHLY MINISTRY BY SAYING TO HIS FATHER, "I'VE MADE YOUR NAME KNOWN TO THEM.“

• MINISTRY AT ITS MOST BASIC DEFINITION IS THE MANIFESTATION OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND THE RESIDENT LOVE THROUGH OUR LIVES.

THE LOVE CYCLE

JESUS CHRIST REVEALS THE FATHER

TO DISCIPLES

DISCIPLES REQUIRED TO REVEAL THE

FATHER TO OTHER BELIEVERS AND THE

WORLD

WORLD

LOVE LOVE

ROMANS 5: 1 - 6

LOVE

RESPONSIBILITY DEFINED

WHEN PEOPLE HEARD JESUS'S:– WORDS, – OBSERVED HIS LIFESTYLE, AND– BEHELD HIS PERFECTLY BALANCED PERSONALITY AND

FLAWLESS CHARACTER, THEY RECEIVED A GLIMPSE OF THE BEAUTY OF WHAT GOD THE FATHER IS LIKE. IT WAS CHRIST'S GREAT JOY TO REVEAL HIS FATHER. YOU AND I HAVE THE SAME PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY. 2COR 2:14-15

– A SWEET AROMA IS OFTEN THE MANIFESTATION OF THR PRESENCE OF GOD

RESPONSIBILITY DEFINED contd

• WORDS LIKE MONEY ARE AMORAL DEPENDING ON THE USER-PROV 18:21. WORDS:– HURT;– PIERCE;– POISON AND CAN – REVEAL OUR CHARACTER BECAUSE WE TEND TO SPEAK

WHAT WE LOVE• BEYOND WORDS THINK OF THE TONE, THE TIMING AND

THE TEMPERATURE OF YOUR WORDS. MOST ARGUMENTS GRADUATE FROM ANGER TO HATRED OR DISGREMENT TO VIOLENCE BECAUSE OF THESE THREE.

RESPONSIBILITY DEFINED contd

• THE TONGUE IS PREGNANT WITH THE POTENTIAL TO GIVE BIRTH TO LIFE, VITALITY, HOPE AND PEACE; AND

• THE FRUIT OF OUR WORDS WILL HELP OR HURT, ELEVATE OR SUBJUGATE, LIBERATE OR IMPRISON.

• HOW WILL YOU USE THIS WEAPON, A DIMENSION IN CONVEYING AROMA? MATH 12.

REALITY CHECK FOR PRESENT DAY BELIEVERS AND MARKET PLACE LEADERSHIP

• 2 KINGS 5:1-20• JOHN 21:15-17, WHY THE QUESTION REPEATED

THRICE? WHAT WENT WRONG HERE?• WHAT IS THE RIGHT KIND OF LOVE SOUGHT BY

THE LORD? WHICH DO YOU PROVIDE AS LEADER, CHURCH, OFFICE, HOME OR MARKET PLACE?– EPH 3:10, 14-19– GAL 4:19 (GNT,NLT,MESS)– DEUT 6:6-7 (AMP)

REALITY CHECK FOR PRESENT DAY BELIEVERS AND CHURCH LEADERSHIP contd

WHERE DO YOU LOOK FOR LOVE TO FILL YOUR HEART? IN– STATUS– MONEY– PEOPLE– CAREER– POSSESSIONS– POWER OR POSITION

• REMEMBER THE QUESTION IN JOHN 21:15…..

CONCLUDING

TIME TO REFLECT AND TIME TO PRAY