Primary Scripture: John 3:16-17
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

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Sermon Notes

Greek Words for Love:
1.

- a feeling we get towards someone we hold in high regard or have a familial connection with.
2.

Reveal Answer

Eros

- A physical love (we get our word for erotic from this Greek word)
3.

Reveal Answer

Agape

- The active love God has for his son and his people. Also the active love God’s people have towards God, his Son, and God’s people.

God’s agape love is…
1.

– For God. love is a verb. It is something we choose to do. Jesus, in his conversation with Nicodemus expresses the action of God in response to the problem of sin. The first two words, “For God,” set up the response to the problem.
2.

Reveal Answer

Intentional

– so loved. Here we need clarification. That God, “so loved” is in not an indication of how much God loves, but how God chooses to love. The word “so” in this context does not mean “so much,” but rather it means “in this way.”
3.

Reveal Answer

Sacrificial

– that he gave. Giving signifies love because it means we are willing to part with something meaningful in order to bless another.
4.

Reveal Answer

Purposeful

– So that. Purpose and intent are often used interchangeably, but they have different meanings. Intention refers to something one plans or intends to do, while purpose is the reason or motivation behind that intention. Purpose gives meaning and helps us focus.

Helpful quotes to consider:
1. An act of

cannot also be an act of

Reveal Answer

condemnation

.
2. “God’s love doesn’t seek value, it creates it. It is not because we have value that we are loved, but because we are loved we have value.” - William Sloane Coffin, The Courage to Love

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Secondary Scripture Passage: 1 John 4:19
We love because he first loved us.