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Agape | Four Loves | Week 1
CJ Ward
Agape Love
At New Life, the message from the first week of the Four Loves series focuses on the heart of Christian living: agape love. This foundational type of love is the essential ingredient that transforms mere belief into a life-changing relationship with God and others.
Setting the Stage: Easter Celebration and a Simple Illustration
Following a powerful Easter weekend where nearly 4,000 people attended services and 71 made first-time commitments to Christ, the message kicks off with an illustration about bread. Two loaves were made, but one was missing a key ingredient: salt. Though similar in appearance, the taste was drastically different. Just as bread without salt falls flat, the Christian life without agape love is incomplete.
Jesus himself made it clear that love is the essential ingredient. In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus responds to a question about the greatest commandment:
You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.
Everything in the Old Testament—the Law and the Prophets—is summed up by love. Jesus radically redefined the way we are to view God’s commands through the lens of agape love.
The Problem: Missing the Key Ingredient
Many people have encountered Christians whose words and actions don’t match. The missing piece? Agape love. Without it, our faith can become cold, self-centered, and prideful.
Even obedience, if motivated by pride, misses the heart of God. Sanctification, or spiritual growth, isn’t about performing better. It’s about becoming more like Jesus, who is love. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3:
If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal... If I had such faith that I could move mountains but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.
Without agape, all spiritual gifts, all righteous acts, and all knowledge amount to nothing.
Understanding Agape
Agape love is different from how our culture often defines love. It’s not an emotion or feeling based on mutual benefit. Agape is a decision to seek the best for others without expecting anything in return. It’s sacrificial. It’s patient. It’s kind. It endures through every circumstance.
The clearest example of agape is Jesus on the cross—loving, forgiving, and giving even to those who were actively hurting Him (Luke 23:34). His ultimate demonstration of agape love invites all believers to love the same way.
As 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 describes:
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.
Why Agape Is Essential
Without agape, the Christian life loses its meaning. Following rules, attending services, even serving others becomes hollow if not rooted in love. Talent without agape is noise. Good deeds without agape are empty.
Paul reminds believers again in 1 Corinthians 13:13:
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
When believers truly embody agape love, the church becomes a community of grace, generosity, and transformation. No marriage would end in divorce. No broken friendships would persist. The world would see a glimpse of heaven on earth.
How Agape Transforms Us
- Agape teaches us patience with others’ flaws.
Everyone has difficult people in their lives. Some are selfish. Some are needy. Some are negative. But agape calls believers to be patient and kind, even when it’s hard (Colossians 3:12-14). - Agape enables tough love. Sometimes real love requires hard conversations. Agape doesn’t mean enabling harmful behavior. It means seeking someone’s ultimate good, even if it’s uncomfortable.
- Agape grows as we receive God’s love. Zephaniah 3:17 reminds us:
For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears.
God’s agape love is like a warm jacket during a blizzard. It may not change our circumstances, but it changes us from within, giving us the strength to love others even when it’s hard.
Our Response to God's Agape
Receiving God’s agape love isn’t passive. It calls us to action:
Trust God’s goodness even when life is hard.
Even when God’s commands seem difficult, they are rooted in His love and infinite wisdom (Romans 8:28).Pursue spiritual growth through relationship with God.
Spiritual disciplines like prayer, Bible study, and confession aren’t about rule-following but about relationship. They help us learn God’s heart and become more loving.Assess and take next steps.
At New Life, attendees are encouraged to take a Personal Spiritual Assessment (PSA) to identify next steps toward growth. Learning how to better love God and people is a lifelong journey fueled by agape love.
Conclusion: Will We Love Like Christ?
The central question each believer must ask is simple:
Am I learning to agape like Christ?
We won’t love perfectly this side of heaven, but the goal is constant growth. As we live in relationship with the God who is love (1 John 4:7-8), His agape love rubs off on us and transforms our relationships, our families, our churches, and our communities.
Jesus didn’t come to build rule-followers. He came to create a community built on agape. As the series Four Loves continues, the foundation will always be this:
Without agape, nothing else matters.
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