Level: 2, Lesson: 13
GOD'S KIND OF LOVE II
OUTLINE

Jesus was the greatest expression of love. It is not recorded in the Bible that Jesus ever said the words, "I love you."

I John 3:18: "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." Love is more in action than in words. Ninety-five percent of all love is non-verbal.

Matthew 25:4-5: "But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept." Love is an action. It is something you do.

Hebrews 6:10: "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister." We show our love to God by helping people.

Matthew 22:37-39: "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38This is the first and great commandment. 39And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." The greatest commandment is love for God and for our fellowman. We can love Jesus in a practical way by loving others.

Jesus sought our welfare and benefit regardless of how He felt, when He went to the cross. God’s love expresses itself when we reach out and seek another’s welfare.

GOD’S KIND OF LOVE II
Lesson Text

I John 5:3 says, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments . . . ."

II John 6 says, "And this is love, that we walk after his commandments." If I was to ask someone to describe love he might say, "Love is a warm feeling, it’s tender affection, it gives me goose bumps." But God says, "Brothers and Sisters, this is love: You live and you walk in My principles and My commandments." Then you have to learn the principles. Romans 13 says those principles of love will never harm anyone: "Love does no wrong to anyone. Therefore love is a fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10). When you walk in God’s principles, you’ll be walking in love. Love is kind - that means generous, that means giving, that means being unselfish, that means seeking the best for someone else. God says, "This is love. Walk after these principles."

Someone might say, "I’ve never seen it in my home. I don’t know what God’s talking about." Well, I’ll show it to you right here. Matthew 7:12 says, "therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. . ." Here it is in written form. When Jesus said, "It is written," in the Greek it meant, "Say it again." God’s telling us, "I’m saying it to you again. And this is what I’m saying, "Whatever you want someone to do for you, that’s what you do for them."

Why can’t we love? Because we’re caught in this principle of sin, and this principle of sin is selfish. If someone sitting there says, "They don’t love me. If they love me why don’t they come over here and visit me? Don’t they know I’m hurting? Why don’t they come over here and pray for me? They’re a bunch of hypocrites down at that church. Why don’t they do something? Don’t they know I’m hurting? I’m hurting so bad, why doesn’t anybody care?"

What has God said? God said, "That is the way it works. He says to get up out of your pity party and think about what you would want done to you, and then put it into action. Would you want someone to be kind to you? Would you want someone to give a gift to you? Would you want someone to be loving and say kind words to you—not jokes that put you down, but words that say, "This is what I like about you?"

Put those principles into action, and do you know what will happen? The love you’ve been desiring will be generated in those people you’ve been ministering to, and it will come back to you in good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over (Luke 6:38). To have friends, you have to be friendly (Proverbs 18:24). To have love, you have to give love. God so loved He gave (John 3:16). Love is a verb. Love is an action word. Love can only be seen by what it does, not by the words that are said. I John 3:18 says, ". . .let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." It’s good to say that I love you. But if I say, "I love you" yet do things opposite of love in deed, then I’m lying. Love is an action, it has to be seen.

Titus 2:4-5 (NIV) says, "Then they can train (or teach) the younger women to love their husband . . . to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind." This says that love is not a feeling, but it’s a principle to be taught by the older women to the younger women in the church. Love is something that’s taught.

Even though you’ve been given these principles, do you know what it’s going to take to be able to walk in them? It’s going to take getting down on your knees and saying, "Hey God, I can’t do it in my own strength or ability." It goes against the grain of my flesh to honor someone else above myself. It goes against the grain of my flesh to give to another person rather than meeting my own selfish needs. It takes God, who is the source of love, the author of love, and the One who’s saying, "Brothers, I wrote it down because I wanted to show you that if you’re walking in these principles you’re on the right path. Keep looking to Me; I’ll give you divine ideas. I’ll give you creative ideas on how to love others, how to be in love, and how to stay in love, even when you don’t feel like it."

GOD’S KIND OF LOVE II
(Additional Information)

Love (to man):

1. Is of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I John 4:7
2. Commanded by God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I John 4:21
3. Commanded by Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John 13:34, 15:12; I John 3:23
4. After the example of Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John 13:34, 15:12; Ephesians 5:2
5. Taught by God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Thessalonians 4:9
6. Faith works by . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Galatians 5:6
7. A fruit of the Spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Galatians 5:22 Colossians 1:8
8. Purity of the heart leads to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Peter 1:22
9. Explained . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Corinthians 13:4-7
10. Is an active principle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Thessalonians 1:3; Hebrews 6:10
11. Is an abiding principle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Corinthians 13:8, 13
12. Is the second great commandment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Matthew 22:37-39
13. Is the end of the commandment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Timothy 1:5
14. Supernatural gifts are nothing without . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Corinthians 13:1, 2
15. The greatest sacrifices are nothing without . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Corinthians 13:3
16. Especially enjoined upon ministers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Timothy 4:12; II Timothy 2:22
17. Saints Should. . .
    1. Put on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Colossians 3:14
    2. Follow after . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Corinthians 14:1
    3. Abound in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Philippians 1:9; I Thessalonians 3:12
    4. Continue in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Timothy 2:15; Hebrews 13:1
    5. Provoke each other to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .II Corinthians 8:7, 9:2; Hebrews 10:24
    6. Be sincere in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Romans 12:9; II Corinthians 6:6, 8:8; I John 3:18
    7. Be disinterested in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Corinthians 10:24, 13:5; Philippians 2:4
    8. Be fervent in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Peter 1:22, 4:8
18. Should be connected with brotherly kindness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Romans 12:10; II Peter 1:7
19. Should be with a pure heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Peter 1:22
20. All things should be done with . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Corinthians 16:14
21. Should be exhibited toward:
    1. Saints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Peter 2:17; I John 5:1
    2. Ministers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Thessalonians 5:13
    3. Our families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ephesians 5:25; Titus 2:4
    4. Fellow-countrymen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Exodus 32:32; Romans 9:2, 3; 10:1
    5. Strangers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Leviticus 19:34; Deuteronomy 10:19
    6. Enemies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Exodus 23:4,5; II Kings 6:22; Matthew 5:44; Romans 12:14, 20; I Peter 3:9
    7. All men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Galatians 6:10
22. Should Be Exhibited In. . .
    1. Ministering to the wants of others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Matthew 25:35; Hebrews 6:10
    2. Loving each other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Galatians 5:13
    3. Relieving strangers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Leviticus 25:35; Matthew 25:36
    4. Clothing the naked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Isaiah 58:7; Matthew 25:36
    5. Visiting the sick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Job 31:16-22; James 1:27
    6. Sympathizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Romans 12:15; I Corinthians 12:26
    7. Supporting the weak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Galatians 6:2; I Thessalonians 5:14
    8. Covering the faults of others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Proverbs 10:12; I Peter 4:8
    9. Forgiving injuries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13
    10. Forbearing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ephesians 4:2
    11. Rebuking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Leviticus 19:17; Matthew 18:15
23. Necessary to true happiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Proverbs 15:17
24. The love of God is a motive to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John 13:34; I John 4:11
25. An Evidence Of:
    1. Being in the light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I John 2:10
    2. Discipleship with Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John 13:35
    3. Spiritual life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I John 3:14
26. Is the fulfilling of the law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8
27. Love to self is the measure of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mark 12:33
28. Is good and pleasant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Psalms 133:1-2
29. Is a bond of union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Colossians 2:2
30. Is the bond of perfectness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Colossians 3:14
31. Hypocrites, devoid o . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I John 2:9, 11, 4:20
32. The wicked devoid of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I John 3:10
33. Exemplified
    1. Joseph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Genesis 45:15
    2. Ruth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ruth 1:16, 17
    3. Jonathan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Samuel 20:17, 41, 42
    4. Obadiah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Kings 18:4
    5. Centurion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Luke 7:5
    6. The Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Acts 2:46; Hebrews 10:33, 34
    7. Lydia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Acts 16:15
    8. Aquila . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Romans 16:3, 4
    9. Paul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .II Corinthians 6:11, 12
    10. Epaphroditus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Philippians 2:25, 26, 30
    11. Philippians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Philippians 4:15-19
    12. Colossians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Colossians 1:4
    13. Thessalonians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I Thessalonians 3:6
    14. Onesiphorus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .II Timothy 1:16-18
    15. Philemon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Philemon 1:7-9
    16. Moses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Hebrews 11:25

(Information adapted from The New Topical Text Book)

Here are some questions to think about for this lesson

Level 2 Lesson 13 Questions
GOD'S KIND OF LOVE II

1. What does love do according to Matthew 7:12?
2. What does Proverbs 18:24 say about having friends?
3. If you told your spouse, "I love you." and then went out and committed adultery, what is she going to believe - your words or your actions?
4. If you told your spouse, \"I love you.\" and then went out and committed adultery, what is she going to believe - your words or your actions?
5. Look at Romans 5:6-8—do you think Jesus Christ felt like dying?
6. How does Galatians 5:22 show us our need for dependence upon God to manifest love?
7. According to I John 3:18, how must we practice love?

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