What's Love Got To Do With IT? | Learning Guide

December 11th, 2022

10:15m I Facebook Live & Zoom

Watch last week's message here

Worship Lyrics

Title

What's Love Got To Do With It?

Text

​John 3:16-18; Galatians 5:14-21(MSG)

Introduction:

“Enjoy getting to sit down for supper while you can, because soon you won’t!” “Catch up on your sleep, you’re going to need it!” “Forget about getting a shower after, you’ll be lucky to even brush your teeth!” These, and many other comments like them were common responses we heard when we started letting people know Jane was pregnant with our first child. Honestly, I wasn’t quite sure how to take them. After a while we started to wonder what we were getting ourselves into. And all those warnings were legit. There were countless meals eaten standing up while rocking a baby or wolfed down during nap times. Sleep? What was that? And I remember the first time Jane got an uninterrupted shower she nearly cried.

But here’s the thing, so what? We had this child! We were parents! And sure it was overwhelming and exhausting and confusing and stressful, but all of that was nothing compared to having this little girl as part of our family. All those warnings just seemed so silly, they seemed to completely miss the point.

As people, we are really, really, really good at missing the point, aren’t we? This is especially true when it comes to understanding and following Jesus. That’s why we need the regular reminders we get in our Advent season. Let’s dig in this week and see what we need to understand about love.

Grace and peace y’all,

John Ray and the teaching team.

Prayer/Practice:

Pray this “Abba, teach me to love as I am loved by You.”

Big Idea:

Love has everything to do with everything.

Take Away:

Love is to be our default operating posture. Period. Love is to be the core of our personal and corporate identities. Everything, every affection, attitude and allegiance needs to be evaluated in light of God’s love for us and our love for our others. Love isn’t a big deal, it’s the whole deal.

How does this fit with Belong, Become, Believe?

At Grace we practice radical hospitality as a reflection of God’s sacrificial and all encompassing love for us. As we practice this, we are invited to become more and more like Jesus. This both forms and informs the confession of what we believe.

What's Next?

Joy!

Resources:

• NT Wright talks about love as the ultimate way of knowing

• Honest Advent

• The Advent Project

• Watch for the Light

• Resources from Seminary Now

• Spotify Advent Playlist

Contact Grace Church NWA here