"Love Comes From God"
 "Agape Love: The Behavior Test of True Faith"

Sermon Resources


Title: "Love Comes From God – Agape Love: The Behavior Test of True Faith"

Sermon Summary: What does it actually mean to love the way God loves? In this message rooted in 1 John chapter 4, we dig into one of the most searched and least understood words in the Christian faith: love. But here is the thing -- not all love is the same. We explore the four distinct Greek words for love, three of which we are born with naturally, and one, agape, that can only come from God himself. Agape is not a feeling we work up or a sentiment we perform. It is a deliberate, sacrificial, unconditional choice to seek the ultimate good of another person regardless of whether they deserve it or respond to it. John uses this word 27 times in just 15 verses, which tells us something urgent is being communicated. The central truth is this: God is not merely loving -- God is agape love. He is the source and the supplier of it, and without him we simply cannot access it. This message challenges us to examine where our love is actually coming from and invites us into a daily rhythm of believing, receiving, and surrendering so that the same love that sent Christ into the world can flow through us into the lives of the people around us.

Key Points:
  • Chapter 4 of 1 John contains three tests for identifying the spirit of the Antichrist: the belief test (who Jesus is), the behavior test (what love looks like in action), and the heart test
  • The spirit of the Antichrist was already present in the world at the time John wrote his letter, and continues to operate today through false teachers and false prophets
  • The core belief test of Christianity centers on the identity of Jesus Christ as fully God and fully human, and any teaching that denies this fails the test
  • Jesus made at least six claims to divinity in the Gospels, including unity of essence with the Father (John 10:30), eternal preexistence using the divine name "I Am" (John 8:58), and the divine authority to forgive sins
  • C.S. Lewis's trilemma frames Jesus as either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord, and argues he cannot be dismissed as merely a great moral teacher
  • The Greek word agape appears 45 times across 1 John's five chapters, and 27 times in just 15 verses within chapter 4, underscoring love as the central theme
  • The three innate human loves are eros (romantic love), philio (friendship love), and storge (family love); all three are natural and inborn
  • Agape love is distinct from the other three in that it is not inborn but must be received from God; it is unconditional, sacrificial, and often a deliberate act of the will before feelings follow
  • False prophets and teachers are ultimately identified not only by their doctrine but by the fruit of their love actions
  • The pathway to agape love is summarized as believe, receive, and concede: believing in the atoning work of Christ, receiving his Spirit, and daily surrendering to his will

Scripture Reference:
  • 1 John 4:2-3, which describes how to recognize the Spirit of God and identifies the spirit of the Antichrist as that which does not acknowledge Jesus Christ come in the flesh
  • 1 John 4:7-16, the primary passage for the behavior test, describing God as the source of agape love and calling believers to love one another as evidence of God dwelling in them
  • John 10:30, in which Jesus claims oneness with the Father
  • John 8:58, in which Jesus claims preexistence using the divine name "I Am"
  • Matthew 7:15-27, in which Jesus warns about false prophets who will be recognized by their fruit, and cautions that not all who invoke his name will enter the kingdom of heaven

Stories:
  • The pastor uses the analogy of booking a flight to Hawaii to illustrate that just as there is only one way to reach the island within a week, agape love has only one source, which is God, and cannot be manufactured through human effort alone
  • The pastor uses the visual image of two candles merging into a cross to illustrate the dual nature of Christ as fully God and fully human, and how both natures were necessary for the atoning sacrifice
  • A story from the soup kitchen ministry is shared in which a person repeatedly made messes with their food and in the bathroom facilities; rather than immediately removing the person, the ministry chose to provide go-plates and set thoughtful boundaries, illustrating agape love as a reasoned, gracious, and boundaried response rather than a reactive one
  • The account of Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3 is referenced to explain the divine name "I Am" (Yahweh) and its connection to Jesus's claim in John 8:58
  • The healing of the paralyzed man lowered through the roof is referenced to illustrate Jesus's claim to divine authority to forgive sins, which he demonstrated by commanding the man to rise and walk
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Discussion Questions:
John writes in 1 John 4 that the spirit of the Antichrist was already present in the world shortly after Jesus died -- in what ways do you see that same spirit manifesting in the cultural, spiritual, or intellectual climate around you today?

The sermon presents C.S. Lewis's trilemma that Jesus must be either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord -- which of these options have you encountered most often in conversations with people outside the faith, and how has that shaped the way you talk about who Jesus is?

The belief test centers on whether someone acknowledges Jesus as fully God and fully human -- why do you think this particular truth has been such a consistent target of distortion throughout church history, and what is at stake if it is compromised?

The sermon describes agape love as a deliberate, willful choice rather than a feeling -- how does that understanding challenge or change the way you approach loving someone who is difficult, undeserving, or unresponsive?

John uses the word agape 27 times in just 15 verses in 1 John 4 -- what does that density and repetition suggest about what John believed was the most urgent need for the churches he was writing to?

The sermon draws a distinction between eros, philio, and storge as loves that are inborn and natural, and agape as a love that must be received from God -- in your own life, where have you tried to substitute one of the natural loves for agape, and what was the result?

Jesus warns in Matthew 7 that some who prophesy, cast out demons, and perform miracles in his name will still be told to depart because he never knew them -- what does this passage reveal about the difference between religious activity and genuine relationship with God?

The sermon uses the example of the soup kitchen guest to illustrate agape love in action, showing that it involves both grace and thoughtful boundaries -- how do you personally navigate the tension between showing unconditional love and maintaining wise limits in your relationships?

The pastor describes the daily need to believe, receive, and concede to agape love as an ongoing surrender rather than a one-time event -- what practices or habits help you return to that posture of surrender when you drift away from it?

If agape love is not merely a spiritual force or an emotion but God himself dwelling in a person, how should that truth reshape the way the church presents love to a watching world that often reduces love to tolerance, sentiment, or personal preference?
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5-Day Bible Reading Plan and Devotional Guide
Based on 1 John 4: Belief, Behavior, and the Love of God

Day 1: Who Is Jesus? The Belief That Changes Everything
Reading: 1 John 4:1-3; John 10:30; John 8:58

Devotional: Every generation faces the question Jesus himself posed: who do you say that I am? The answer is not merely theological trivia. It is the foundation on which all of Christian life is built. Jesus claimed unity with God in essence, eternal preexistence before Abraham, and divine authority to forgive sin. These are not the claims of a moral teacher. They are the claims of God in the flesh. C.S. Lewis was right that Jesus must be taken as liar, lunatic, or Lord. There is no comfortable middle ground. Today, examine what you truly believe about Jesus, not just what you say, but what your daily decisions reveal about who you believe him to be.

Reflection Questions:
  • What does your daily life reveal about who you believe Jesus to be?
  • Have you ever seriously wrestled with the claims Jesus made about himself?
  • How does believing Jesus is fully God and fully human change the way you approach prayer and obedience?

Day 2: The Source of All True Love
Reading: 1 John 4:7-10; Romans 5:8

Devotional: Agape love does not originate in human emotion, chemistry, or willpower. It originates in God alone. John makes this staggering claim: God is agape love. Not merely that God loves, but that love in its highest and purest form is an expression of who God is. This means that every genuine act of sacrificial, unconditional love points back to its source. You cannot manufacture agape on your own any more than you can walk to Hawaii. The only way to give this love is to first receive it. Today, consider whether you are drawing from the true source, or whether you are running on the depleted fuel of your own emotional reserves.

Reflection Questions:
  • In what relationships are you trying to love through your own strength rather than God's supply?
  • What would it look like today to ask God to fill you with agape love before you engage with a difficult person?
  • How does knowing that God is the source of love change how you think about your own capacity to love?

Day 3: Fruit That Reveals the Root
Reading: Matthew 7:15-24; 1 John 4:11-12; Galatians 5:22-23

Devotional: Jesus warned that false prophets would come dressed in the appearance of legitimacy. They would speak the right language, perform impressive works, and invoke the right names. But the test was never found in words or wonders. It was found in fruit. Agape love is the fruit that reveals the root. A life genuinely connected to God will produce sacrificial, patient, boundary-aware, other-centered love, not perfectly, but persistently. The soup kitchen example from this sermon is instructive. Agape love does not abandon wisdom or boundaries. It uses them as instruments of grace. Today, examine the fruit your life is producing and ask honestly what root it reveals.

Reflection Questions:
  • What fruit is most consistently visible in your life right now?
  • Are there areas where you have mistaken religious activity for genuine agape love?
  • How can you apply wisdom and grace together in a difficult relationship this week?

Day 4: The Daily Heart Transplant
Reading: 1 John 4:13-16; Ezekiel 36:26; Romans 12:1-2

Devotional: Salvation is a moment, but transformation is a daily journey. The ancient problem John addresses is not simply that people outside the church lack love. It is that even those inside the church must daily surrender to the renewing work of God's Spirit. A heart transplant happens once. But the daily renewal of the mind and will is a lifelong act of concession. As the sermon described it: believe, receive, and concede. Not once, but every morning. Not as a performance, but as a posture. When you wake tomorrow, before the noise of the day rushes in, pause and ask God to have free reign in every corner of your heart.

Reflection Questions:
  • What areas of your life have you not yet surrendered to God's agape love?
  • What would your day look like if you began it by conceding control to God rather than asserting your own agenda?
  • How does daily renewal differ from striving to be a better person through willpower alone?

Day 5: Perfect Love and the Life It Produces
Reading: 1 John 4:17-21; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; John 13:34-35

Devotional: John closes this section of his letter with a declaration that has the power to reorder an entire life: God first loved us. Not after we cleaned up. Not after we responded correctly. Not after we earned it. He loved us first, while we were still far off, still stubborn, still undeserving. This is the model and the motivation for how believers are called to love one another. The world will not primarily be convinced of the truth of the gospel by arguments, though truth matters. It will be convinced by the visible, sacrificial, persistent, agape love of people who have clearly been changed from the inside out. Go and be that evidence today.

Reflection Questions:
  • Who in your life needs to experience God's love through you this week, not through your words alone, but through a concrete action?
  • How does remembering that God loved you first change the way you approach people who have hurt or disappointed you?
  • What would it mean for your community, your family, or your workplace if you committed to living by agape love for the next thirty days?

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Small Group Guide
Based on 1 John 4: The Belief Test, The Behavior Test, and Agape Love

Overview
This week's sermon walked through 1 John chapter 4, focusing on two of three tests John presents for identifying truth from falsehood: the belief test (who is Jesus?) and the behavior test (what does love look like in action?). Central to the message is the concept of agape love, a sacrificial, unconditional love that originates not from human emotion or instinct, but from God himself. The group guide below is designed to help you process, discuss, and apply these truths together.

Key Takeaways
  • John presents three tests in 1 John chapter 4: the belief test, the behavior test, and the heart test. This week covered the first two.
  • The belief test centers on one question: who is Jesus? He claimed unity with God, eternal preexistence, and divine authority to forgive sin. Any teaching that denies the full humanity and full divinity of Jesus reflects the spirit of the Antichrist.
  • C.S. Lewis framed the options plainly: Jesus was a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. There is no neutral ground.
  • The behavior test asks what love looks like in practice. The answer is agape love, a deliberate, sacrificial, unconditional choice to seek the ultimate good of another person regardless of their response or merit.
  • The Greek language distinguishes four types of love: eros (romantic), philio (friendship), storge (family), and agape (sacrificial). The first three are inborn. Agape must be received from God.
  • Agape love is not primarily a feeling. It is a willful decision, often requiring boundaries, wisdom, and grace working together.
  • The pattern for receiving and living in agape love is believe, receive, and concede, meaning daily surrender to God's will and presence.

Discussion Questions

Opening
  1. What is one idea from this sermon that stayed with you this week? Why did it stand out?

The Belief Test
  1. The sermon described how false teachers in the early church tried to make Jesus more "palatable" or "reasonable" by denying either his full humanity or his full divinity. Where do you see similar tendencies today, whether in culture, media, or even within the church?
  2. Jesus made three significant claims discussed in the sermon: unity and oneness with God in essence, eternal preexistence as the great "I am," and divine authority to forgive sins. Which of these claims do you find most challenging to explain to someone who does not yet believe? How might you approach that conversation?
  3. C.S. Lewis argued that Jesus cannot simply be regarded as a great moral teacher because of the explicit claims he made. How does this reasoning help or challenge your own faith? Have you ever used this line of thinking in a conversation with someone?
The Four Types of Love
  1. The sermon described eros, philio, and storge as loves that are inborn and come naturally to us. Can you think of a time when one of these natural loves was stretched to its limit? What happened when it ran out?
  2. Agape love was described as "a deliberate choice to make ultimate good of another person regardless of their response or merit." How does that definition challenge the way our culture typically defines love?

The Behavior Test
  1. The sermon shared a real example from a soup kitchen where the response to difficult behavior was not removal but a creative boundary, offering go plates instead of allowing the person to eat inside. What does that story reveal about the difference between agape love and simply being a doormat? Where is the line?
  2. In Matthew 7, Jesus warns that not everyone who performs works in his name will enter the kingdom of heaven. He says the distinguishing mark is doing the will of the Father. How does this connect to the idea that agape love is the fruit by which true teachers and true believers are recognized?

Believe, Receive, Concede
  1. The sermon closed with three words: believe, receive, and concede. Believe that the God-man died for sin. Receive that life and forgiveness. Concede daily, surrendering finances, relationships, habits, and hidden struggles to God's will. Which of these three is most difficult for you personally right now, and why?
  2. Agape love was described as something that must be continually asked for and refilled, not a one-time transaction. What does a daily practice of asking for and receiving agape love look like in your life? What gets in the way?

Practical Applications

This Week, Choose One
  • Identify one relationship in your life where you have been relying on natural love alone, whether eros, philio, or storge, and it has started to run dry. Spend time this week asking God specifically to give you agape love for that person. Notice whether anything shifts in your attitude or actions.
  • Practice the believe, receive, and concede pattern each morning this week. Begin your day by affirming what you believe about Jesus, asking to receive his love and presence, and surrendering one specific area of your life to his will.
  • Think of one person in your life who holds a different view of who Jesus is. Rather than approaching the conversation with an agenda to win an argument, ask God for agape love toward that person first. Then pray for one natural opportunity to ask them what they think about Jesus.
  • Reflect on a situation where you are currently navigating a difficult person or relationship. Using the soup kitchen example as a reference point, ask yourself: What would a response look like that holds both truth and grace? What boundary might actually be an act of love rather than a withdrawal of it?

Closing Reflection
The sermon closed with this prayer. Read it aloud together as a group, or use it as a personal prayer to close your time:
"God, as we have gathered here, as we have heard about you being agape love, not a force, not a chemical mixture of things, but a person, the same spirit that was in Christ Jesus, the same spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead, was that agape love. It is you, God. We come and believe you, and we ask to receive it so, and we concede, we have been and surrender to it so that your agape love may be shed abroad in our hearts and every part of our life, one day at a time, in Jesus name."

Looking Ahead
Next week the sermon will cover the third and final test in 1 John chapter 4: the heart test. As you prepare, read 1 John 4:17-21 and consider what it means to have confidence before God, and what it looks like when love is made complete in us.

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