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Love

Big Idea: Earthly love is based on feelings, but a godly love is rooted in faith.
Big Question: What does a godly love look like?
Main Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. —Matthew 1:18a

Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. —Matthew 1:19

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. ²¹ And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ²² All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: ²³ “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” ²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. ²⁵ But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus. —Matthew 1:20-25

What does a godly love look like?

1.) A godly love is a surrendered love

Is there something I know God wants me to do that I’ve been putting off?

What does a godly love look like?

1.) A godly love is a surrendered love

2.) A godly love is a sacrificial love

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. —1 John 3:16

What parts of my life are hardest for me to sacrifice in order to love others, especially those who are considered “unlovable”?

What does a godly love look like?
1.) A godly love is a surrendered love

2.) A godly love is a sacrificial love

3.) A godly love is a selfless love

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. ⁵ You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. ⁶ Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. ⁷ Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, ⁸ he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. ⁹ Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. —Philippians 2:3-11

If you have surrendered your life to Jesus today, we’d like to celebrate that with you! Please text Life to 63566.