Mark 12:30-31
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Romans 12:9-10
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Romans 13:8
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
Ephesians 4:11-16
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
What is ministry all about?
If we are all SHAPED for ministry, what does that look like?
1. Build up the body of Christ to know Jesus and live by his spirit.
Ephesians 4:12-13
so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
2. To be freed from the destructive lies of this world and build our lives on life giving truth.
Ephesians 4:14
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
3. Again, so that we may know Jesus and live by his Spirit.
Ephesians 4:15
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
4. Explosion of people giving their first and best out of love for Jesus so we can love each other and those around us.
Ephesians 4:16
From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows, and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Start - We authentically love people full of joy and humble sacrifice. “Easter Egg Hunt”, Meals, shoveling snow, building decks, moving people, praying, visiting in the hospital, watching their kids, painting a bathroom, or watching their dog.
Listen - Love always includes listening - So many of you have been put into strategic positions to get to know people’s dreams, personality, pasts, perspectives, fears, convictions, questions and need for Jesus.
Invite - Love compels us to invite them to meet Jesus.
Teach - Godly love is always grounded in the truth.
Share Life - We grow in love by sharing our ups, downs, sins, and victories with each other.
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