Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus
and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you,
making mention of you in my prayers… (Eph 1:15-16)

This was the text I taught from last week in our home Bible study.
It seems like just the introduction to another thought (which it is) — but it is so vital.

In fact — it’s pretty much everything.
Faith in Jesus Christ and love for one another sums up the Christian life.

We can spend our entire life just figuring out these two.
To have a radical faith in Jesus that leads us to action– in every area and facet of life.
And to have a radical love for one another.

In greek “agape” — a sacrificial love, much love.

I was thinking about this radical agape love that we are called to have for other believers today.
I realized that I don’t really want to love other Christians.

Oh, sometimes ’cause I’m lazy or don’t really care about anyone else —
but alot of the time — it’s fear that  keeps me from loving people.

I don’t want to love people for the same reason I don’t want to invest in the Stock Market —
I don’t want to suffer loss.
I don’t want to experience rejection.
I don’t want to reach out for fear that the other person won’t reach back.

Friends — how selfish are we!

Radical Agape love hurts — because it says “I love you, whether you accept me or not.”
When we love each other in this type of way, we learn to love as we have been loved.
That’s exactly what Jesus commanded us to do:

A new commandment I give you, that you love as I have loved you. (John 13:34)

• How do I love? Selfishly. With reservation.
  
• How does Jesus love? Completely. With a full knowledge He would not be received. (Jn 1:11)

When we begin to love radically — we begin to understand more completely the grace of God.

“ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE.”
(Rom 10:21)

All day long — God stretches out His hands to people who don’t receive Him.

That — is how we must love.

Radically.
Without reservation.

When we do this we will begin to understand grace personally and be grace to one another.