Circuit Thoughts

In July of 1999 I did my first sermon as a pastor in the United Methodist Church. For the past 22 years I have had one sure belief; if the spirit is right, things will fall into place according to God’s will. But what I never addressed is what is the “right spirit”. Well, this past week, I have had a conviction.

I am convinced that the “right spirit” is Agape. Agape is one of the four Greek words for love. It is the only word for love that can describe God’s love for us. Phileo, Storge, and Eros are all loves that relate to the world. Phileo is that love that you feel for a true friend or comrade.

Storge is that parental and sibling love. Eros is what it sounds like, variations on romantic love. Agape, however, is a love that supersedes and overwhelms all these loves. While the world can offer the three loves, only Agape can be found in Christ.

In the King James version of the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13 talks of charity, that word is later translated into love, but charity in its true meaning is probably a better fit for Agape. You see, charity is love without strings attached. We have misnamed charity over the years so that we can get credit for our philanthropy. But a truly charitable person will help without anyone knowing.

1 John 4:19 tells us “We love because he first loved us”. As I read that, I realize that I have been reading it wrong for years. I always thought it meant that my love was in payment of the love he gave. I love him and will love him if he loves me. But that isn’t right. Maybe a better translation “I can love because He loved me first!”

God pours out his Agape love, not so that we can love him, but so we can know what true love is. Agape love is about others. It is Agape love that put Christ on the cross, and it is Agape love that continues to offer hope and forgiveness for all of us.

The problem is, we are in a world that is short of Agape. We have plenty of the other three loves, because they are of the world, but what we need is Agape. That is where you and I can make a difference.

First off, we need to recognize God’s Agape in our lives. Then we need to Live God’s Agape in our life, and finally we need to be God’s Agape in the lives of others. It all starts when we ask Christ into our hearts.

I know things look bad right now, but that can all change, if we simply let God’s Agape love work in us. If we can get the Agape right, everything else will fall into place. God is Agape; thus, we can know Agape because we know God.

Will you join me in letting Agape lead?

See you in church.