Five Astonishing Qualities of Agape Love

Big Idea: Agape, a Greek verb for love which was used astronomically often in the New Testament depicting the astonishing massive love of God.

Agape Love is Astonishing Love 

Imagine winning the lottery and using all your winnings to shower a grumpy family that distains you because you’re an outsider, making them a scrumptious beautiful meal.

That is basically the plot of a Danish short story made into a movie, Babette’s Feast.

There is, perhaps, some kind of magic in a meal prepared with love. It might not heal everything. But it can go a long way. Alissa Wilkerson, Film Critic

Agape Love is Undeserved Love

Agape love is the highest form of love. It portrays unconditional extravagant love that the recipient does not deserve.

From blueletterbible.org

The Greek word, agape, is used most often in the Bible describing the incredible love of God. In non-Biblical early Greek literature such as writings of Homer and Aristotle, the word agape is used rarely, depicting beneficial honor to the undeserving.

This chart show how often agape occurs in each New Testament book. The Gospel of John and I John have more occurrences of agape than all the others. It was a special focus of the Apostle John.

Five Astonishing Qualities of Agape Love

1. Agape love comes from God

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7 NLT

2. Agape love is the ultimate. It is better than anything.

Three things will last forever – faith, hope and love – and the greatest of these is love. I Corinthians 13:13 NLT

3. Everyone is included in God's agape love.

God is so rich in mercy, and He loves us so much. Ephesians 2:4 NLT

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 NLT

4. Agape love is undeserved.

At one time you were far away from God and were his enemies because of the evil things you did and thought. Colossians 1:21 GNT

But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8 NLT

5. God’s agape love is a model for us to imitate.

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Romans 12:9 NLT

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. I John 4:11

 NLT

Astronomically massive study of love

Agape  is used so often in the Bible that this blog post is barely an introduction.  

To examine how agape defines our amazing God is in itself an expansive work, and has been the subject of thousands of books, papers, dissertations and Bible Studies.  

These major subjects in the Bible on love include:

• The core of who God is, with agape love defining His character and His work in the world.
• Jesus' teachings (such as the Sermon on the Mount and the Last Supper). 
• The example by Jesus' sacrificial death on our behalf.
• The emphasis that followers of Jesus should love like Jesus did.
• The importance of loving strangers and enemies because God loves them. 

Recently a Superbowl commercial from the "He Gets Us " series showed this concept.

All of this is agape love.

I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 NLT

God agape loves you. Live out agape love.

______________________

Up next: The When and Why of Lent
Previous post: Does Your Family Say I Love You: Storge Love

______________________

Reflect:

1. Have you heard the term “agape love” before? In what context?

2. Can you think of a human example of agape love? What might that look like?

3. How might you show agape love to someone else? Why should you?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

If you would like to receive Scripture Spy every Wednesday as an email, send your email address to DianeWido@scripturespy.com