Practical Steps to Becoming a Better Lover Romans

Practical Steps to Becoming a Better Lover Romans 12: the “Love Series” 2/23/2021 1

The Centrality of Love 1 Tim. 1: 5 But the goal of our instruction is love. . . 2/23/2021 2

Thus Romans 13: 8 -10 n [8] Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. n [9] For this, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet, " and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself. " n [10] Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 2/23/2021 3

Various Words for Love: n Eros “The Passion that overwhelms” (Erotic!!!!!) 2/23/2021 4

jileo (Phileo) n “Brotherly Love”, “Family Love”, Philadelphia ess n i p ap H om d s Wi 2/23/2021 A Typical American Family 5

Agape Love “A commitment to give of myself in every area for the good of another” n Agape Makes ALL Relationships Work ! ! ! n 2/23/2021 6

“Love” Usually Means: ME ! ME ! 2/23/2021 Self-Centered, Conditional 7

Agape Love Means: You You Other-Centered, 2/23/2021 UNconditional 8

Areas of Investment: Common Experience q Personal Inner Workings q Investing Time spent together… Investing Communication: knowledge about the other person. Emotional Sharing q Human relationships have emotional ties. Having so fond an affection for you, we were wellpleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become 2/23/2021 very dear to us. 1 Thes. 2: 8 9

How many of your acquaintances are actually “friends”? How many people count as “intimate” relationships ? 2/23/2021 10

Common Experience Casual þ þ þ Emotions Personal Inner Workings þ þ þ Close Sporadic Short-Term. “Fun” times. þ A General knowledge þ interests, dreams, background, … þ Requires Interest Real warmth, Enthusiasm 2/23/2021 þ þ þ Planned time Quality time Shared Goals Intimate þ þ þ Extensive time commitment Availability Shared worlds Pointed questions… Promote potential Problem. Solving! þ Completely Loyalty, Affection, Thankfulness Encouraging þ Affectionate Open þ Safe to be Intimate þ Accountability (2 -way!) Often þ Verbal expressions 11

So What ! ? n Identify a problem area q n Appropriate God’s Power q n Reject Fatalism! Deepen Your Relationships to the Next Level: q q q n Commitment, Emotional Warmth, etc… What relationships do you have? What relationships do you want to have? You need relationships at ALL levels! Open Up and let the Body of Christ HELP! 2/23/2021 12

3 Levels of Relationships Casual n Close n Intimate* q 2/23/2021 Your Support n We need relationships in all three categories. Tonight: God has insight to make all three levels work… The goal: to increase love at all 3 levels of relationships. 13

How many of your acquaintances are actually “friends”? How many friends are “close” ? 2/23/2021 14