The Selflessness of Love

Love Like Jesus Loved

The Selflessness of Love

1 Corinthians 13:5 & Matthew 26:36-46

“It does not insist on its own way;” (1 Corinthians 13:5)

The Example of Jesus

1. Seeking the will of God

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” (John 6:38)

It has been said that the story of the Bible is the story of two gardens:

• The garden of Eden - Ruined us

• The garden of Gethsemane - Rescued us

2. Struggling with the will of God (36-39)

“And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:44)

What Jesus struggled with was not physical death, but the taking of the Cup

“For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”” (John 10:17–18)

Cup – represented the Wrath of God (Isaiah 51:17 & Jeremiah 25:15)

While it is always Best to do the will of God, it is not always Easy to do the will of God

Fight your greatest battles in your strongest position:  On your Knees! (40-41)

3. Surrendering to the will of God (42-46)

I will surrender to God’s will when I truly…

• Trust in God’s Wisdom - He always knows what is best for me

• Trust in God’s Love - He always desires what is best for me

• Trust in God’s Power - He always has the ability to bring about what is best for me

Why Did Jesus Go Through Gethsemane and Calvary?

Answer: Love

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

“And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:2)

“Beloved, let us love.

Lord, what is love?

Love is that which inspired My life, and led Me to My Cross, and held Me on My Cross. Love is that which will make it thy joy to lay down thy life for thy brethren.

Lord, evermore give me this love.” Amy Carmichael, IF

Love Like Jesus Loved

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” (John 13:34)

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12–13)

It is a new commandment, not because they had never been told to love before, but because we now have a new Enabling and empowering to love through Jesus Christ

Loving like Jesus loved is to be Toward others as Christ has been Toward us

This Will Include My:

• Time

• Words

• Actions

• Resources

• Attention

Loving the way Jesus loves means being less Insistent on having our own way and more Consistent in putting others first

Making It Personal:

• How have I responded to the selfless love of Jesus toward me? Have I personally repented of my sin and placed my faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross and surrendered my life completely to Him as my Lord?

• Where in my life today do I need to say to the Lord anew and afresh, “nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will”?

• Who is God directing me to love with a selfless love? What specifically will I do this week to express the love of Christ toward them?

• Who can I share these truths with?