Love Has Been a Verb: Sermon Guide

The following blog post contains notes and application questions from our January 27, 2019 message, Love Has Been a Verb. For more from this series, check out How He Built This.

Discussing and Applying the Sermon

• When was the last time you saw an act of love that captured your attention? Share this with your community group, and then pick one way you can love someone—in action—this next week.
• What’s one way your community group can stand up and speak out against abortion?

Summary

What do you think of when you hear the word love? Scripture makes it clear that love is a verb. It’s a commitment to act a certain way, even when things aren’t going the way you want them to be. If you build something on faith and hope but don’t have love, your efforts will be in vain. Love seeks, love serves, love shares, love sacrifices, love shines, love saves, and love speaks.

Key Takeaways

• Faith is a big deal. Without it, you cannot please God. Hope is central to who we are. Without it, you will be sick. But greater than both faith and hope is love.
• The enemy uses love so effectively because it’s such a big deal. He clothes himself in what looks like love so he can get people to do what he wants them to do.
• One of the reasons we chose the name Watermark is that as God’s people, we hope we would leave a mark—a lasting impression—if we were to ever leave (just like water leaves a mark after a flood comes and goes).
• For every 100 people, one will read the Bible and 99 will read the Christian.
• We will do a lot of things with the cross—wear it, paint it, decorate with it—but we won’t pick it up and carry it.
• You can’t be biblical and not love.
• The very first principle of re|engage is all about love: We can’t do love on our own. Realize you are powerless to love your spouse the way you promised you would. The way they dreamed you would. The way God designed that you should.
• Love seeks (Romans 5:8), Love serves (Philippians 2:3-4), Love shares (Acts 2:45, 1 John 3:17), Love sacrifices (1 Corinthians 8:9,13), Love shines (Matthew 5:16), Love saves (John 3:16), Love speaks (Proverbs 31:8-9, 24:11-12, 27:5-6).
• This is a true story. Truth can be difficult. If your true story has difficulty and pain we want you to know you are LOVED and we want to help you. Please contact: healing@watermark.org.
• Christians must speak the Truth in love.
• Silence in the midst of sin is a sin.
• Kindness has converted more people than knowledge and zeal combined.

Mentioned or Recommended Resources

• Suggested Scripture study: Hebrews 11:6; Proverbs 13:12; Hebrews 10:23; 1 Corinthians 13; John 13:34-35; John 17:14–21; Ephesians 4:1-7; 1 John 4:7-21; Isaiah 2:2-4; Romans 5:8; Philippians 2:3-4; Acts 2:45; 1 John 3:17; 1 Corinthians 8:9,13; Matthew 5:16; John 3:16; Proverbs 31:8-9, 24:11-12, 27:5-6
• Real Truth Real Quick: Why Should Christians Care About Abortion?
• Real Truth Real Quick: Should Abortion Be Allowed in Cases of Rape?
• Real Truth Real Quick: Shouldn’t a Women Have the Right to Control Her Own Body?
• Real Truth Real Quick: What is an Easy Way to Defend the Pro Life Position?
• Real Truth Real Quick:Can You Give Me A Compelling Way To Talk With Others About The Difficult Issue Of Abortion?
• Sermon: The Pursuit of Happiness #4: Aborting Your Silence and Dealing With the Shame of Abortion
• Video: 1st Trimester Abortion - Aspiration Suction D & C (Dr. Levatino)
• Ministry: The Life Initiative
• Sermon Series: How He Built This