LOVE OF JESUS part 2

-Jesus came to show us how this agape love looks like
-what is God like and the kind of life He wants us to live
-if love is absent, our life will be unfulfilling and church will fail

2 characteristics of agape
1. patient
2. kind

8 characteristics common in man, but never on Jesus

1. love does not envy
-violation if the 10th commandment
-envy = desire of something tt belong to someone else
   -feeling / resentment when others are blessed / successful

-always making comparison
   -when others have, then we must have..if we don't have, will dislike and critise
-when we are envious, we are unable to love

*envy kills
   -envy is the murder of sins
      -friction in relation, jealousy & greed, resentment & bitterness, gossip & slender, theft & murder

-John's disciples got envious seeing Jesus got more followers than them
-Jesus' disciples got envious seeing others being able to cast out demons
-Jesus' disciples also became competitive, comparing who is better among themselves

-be happy for others who are blessed!

-just do our best at the place God has planted us in
-God is looking at our heart!
-when we are loving, God can entrust us more of His blessings

-don't criticize
   -we don't have to compete.. just stay faithful

2. love doesn't boast
-a boastful person is only wrapped up in him/herself

-underneath the boast lay a great fear of losing face
-agape love is never boastful

-love doesn't need the limelight / applause / be satisfied with the result

-this alone that God is pleased should be enough reward for us
-Jesus was never boastful

3. love is not proud
-proud = "puffed up" = self inflated, blown up opinion of ourselves on our abilities, accomplishments

3 sources tt easily leads to pride

pride causes us to not repent!

-faith only works through love
   -having great faith without love

-cleaning of feet is usually done by the lowest ranking servant.. but Jesus humbled Himself and became the lowest

-love means serving ppl, willing to do the menial / insignificant task

-very often, ppl thnink tt being humble will destroy our self-image
   -however, our image should be a reflection of God's image

4. love is not rude
   -polite, courtesy

love never express itself in gross language / action

don't interrupt / raise voice in a conversation

-Festus was very rude to Paul, but Paul answered politely

it is the love tt melts heart

clamor =speak loudly and insistently

presumptuous is the lowest form of knowledge

-always be polite, respectful and honoring!
   -royal manners
   -being impolite is not caring abt other's feeling

5. love is not self-seeking / selfish
   -tts why relationship is always shallow
   -self-seeking = do good only if it does not conflict others

2 mothers gave birth to their babies in the same room. 1 of the babies died and now both claim tt the alive baby is hers...
king Solomon offered to cut the baby into 2 and give each half
   -fake mother says fair, thinking if I cant have mine, neither can she
   -real mother pleaded with the king to not kill the baby but give to the fake mother as long as the baby lives

the love of Jesus looks out constantly for the ppl's interest

this is what it means to be unselfish