Be Loved!

Understand the importance of belonging, believing in Jesus, and becoming more like Him by learning to be loved by God and experiencing His love through other Christians. It highlights that true belonging within the church community fosters a supportive environment where individuals can grow in their faith and love for one another. The key is understanding that we are created to be loved by God, and this transformative love empowers us to reflect His character in our relationships, ultimately leading us to love others as He loves us. This journey of learning to be loved not only enriches our personal spiritual lives but also strengthens the collective witness of the church to the world around us.

Pastor Jason invites us to reflect on how we experience and express love in our lives, emphasizing that we were created to be loved by God and to share that love with others. It delves into the eros love, highlighting its significance in romantic relationships and the divine design behind attraction and desire, while also cautioning against the pitfalls of allowing it to become idolatrous. Additionally, the sermon explores storge love, the familial bond that shapes our connections with those around us. By understanding both of these forms of love—eros, which celebrates romantic intimacy, and storge, which fosters deep familial affection—we can better appreciate the multifaceted nature of love as a divine gift. Ultimately, the message encourages us to embody these forms of love in our interactions, recognizing that true love reflects God's nature and calls us to a deeper relationship with Him and one another.

This week, we explored the profound nature of love as depicted in key scriptures from Matthew and Mark, where Jesus redefines familial relationships through the lens of faith and community. The message highlights the two gifts God provides to help us learn to be loved: His People (the Church) and His Table (Communion), emphasizing that genuine love should always point us back to God. By examining the four Greek types of love—Eros, Storge, Phileo, and Agape—we gain insight into how these forms of love are designed to enrich our lives and relationships. Ultimately, the sermon challenges us to understand that we were created to be loved and to love others in a way that reflects God's unconditional and sacrificial love.

In this sermon, Pastor Derek explores the profound connection between communion and God's love, emphasizing how the act reminds us of Christ's sacrifice and nourishes our spiritual hunger. By drawing a parallel to the film Hook, he likens communion to the imaginative faith that helps us perceive God’s presence, even when it may seem invisible. The message centers on how communion offers community, reflects the cross, and strengthens our faith, serving as a tangible reminder of God's love and grace. Ultimately, it challenges believers to approach the table with faith, knowing they are deeply loved by God.