Lancaster United Methodist Church - Sermon Resources

"Agape' Love"
The Gift of Agape Love: Batteries Not Included
–1 Peter 5:1-12

Sermon Resources

The Gift of Agape Love: Batteries Not Included

Sermon Summary: This sermon explores the three types of love found in Scripture—phileo (brotherly love), eros (romantic love), and agape (unconditional love)—with particular emphasis on agape love as the supernatural love that comes only from God. Unlike the natural loves we're born with, agape love requires intentional surrender to God's will and cannot be generated through human effort alone. The pastor illustrates how this divine love enabled Jesus to endure the cross and how believers today must daily seek God's empowerment to love enemies, forgive the undeserving, and persevere through suffering. The sermon emphasizes that agape love is not based on feelings or reciprocity but on a willful choice to seek another's well-being, enabled only through the Holy Spirit's power and received through humble surrender to God's will.

Key Points:

Three types of love exist in Scripture: phileo (brotherly love), eros (romantic love), and agape (unconditional divine love)
Phileo and eros love come naturally "with batteries included," but agape love requires calling on God as the source
Agape love is not based on feelings, harmony, or physical intimacy, but on a willful choice empowered by God
We access agape love through the prayer of surrender: "Not my will, but Your will be done"
God gives wisdom and agape love generously without finding fault when we humbly ask (James 1:5)
Agape love keeps no record of wrongs, is patient, kind, not easily angered, and always perseveres
Jesus demonstrated agape love through a lifestyle of daily surrender, culminating in the cross
Righteous anger (like Jesus cleansing the temple) is only truly righteous when accompanied by willingness to die for one's enemies
We must have an eternal perspective, looking to heaven's rewards to endure present suffering
Humility involves releasing judgment of others and casting all anxiety upon God

Scripture References:

1 Peter 5:1-11 (primary text about shepherding, humility, and suffering)
1 Corinthians 13 (the love chapter defining agape love)
James 1:2-5 (considering trials as joy and asking God for wisdom)
Romans 5 (God's love poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit)
Galatians 5:22 (fruit of the Spirit)
Matthew 5:10-11 (Beatitudes about persecution)
Luke 13:34 (Jesus weeping over Jerusalem)
Hebrews 5:7-9 (Jesus learning obedience through suffering)
1 John (God is love)

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Discussion Questions

How does understanding the difference between phileo, eros, and agape love change the way you approach loving difficult people in your life?

The sermon mentions that agape love requires calling on God like an 800 number for instructions. What does this practically look like in your daily walk with Christ?

Peter witnessed Christ's suffering firsthand and later wrote about it. How does witnessing or experiencing suffering transform our understanding of sacrificial love?

The pastor describes agape love as a gift that comes with batteries not included. In what areas of your life are you trying to love others in your own strength rather than asking God for His supernatural love?

Jesus said in the Garden of Gethsemane, not my will but your will be done, three times before agape love clicked. Why do you think surrender is often a repeated process rather than a one-time decision?

How can we distinguish between righteous anger motivated by agape love, like Jesus cleansing the temple, and anger motivated by pride or self-righteousness?

The sermon states that agape love keeps no records of wrongs. What records are you still keeping that God is calling you to release through forgiveness?

Corrie ten Boom pictured giving all her roses of praise back to God to combat pride. What practices help you remember that your ability to love sacrificially comes from God alone?

If agape love means seeking the well-being of another regardless of their response or merit, how does this challenge your expectations in relationships where love feels one-sided?

The pastor mentions looking to heaven's rewards to endure present suffering. How does an eternal perspective practically sustain you through current trials and persecution?

5-Day Devotional: Embracing Agape Love

Day 1: The Gift That Requires Assembly
Reading: James 1:2-8; Romans 5:5
Devotional: Like a Christmas gift that arrives without batteries, we are born with natural loves—brotherly affection and romantic attraction—but agape love requires something more. This supernatural love doesn't come naturally; it flows only from God's Spirit dwelling within us. When trials come and relationships strain, we discover our natural loves aren't enough. We must call on our Heavenly Father, asking for wisdom and the power to love as Christ loves. God promises to give generously without finding fault. Today, acknowledge where your natural love falls short. Dial that "800 number" through prayer, surrendering your will and asking God to install His agape love in your heart.

Day 2: Love Without Conditions
Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; 1 John 4:7-12
Devotional: Agape love keeps no record of wrongs. It doesn't depend on feelings, harmony, or reciprocation. This love is a willful choice to seek another's well-being regardless of their response or merit. Christ demonstrated this perfectly, dying for those who crucified Him. Without agape, even our greatest spiritual gifts and sacrifices mean nothing. This love is patient, kind, and never fails—but it only comes from God. Examine your relationships today. Where are you keeping score? Who do you love only when they love you back? Ask God to replace your conditional love with His unconditional agape. Remember: you can only give what you've first received from Him.

Day 3: Witnessing Christ's Suffering
Reading: 1 Peter 5:1-5; Philippians 2:5-11
Devotional: Peter witnessed Christ's suffering firsthand—the betrayal, the mockery, the cross. He saw agape love embodied in the One who could have called down angels but chose surrender instead. This same love calls us to shepherd others willingly, not because we must, but because God enables us. It requires humility, clothing ourselves in surrender rather than pride. Like Corrie ten Boom gathering roses only to lay them at Jesus' feet, we acknowledge that any love we show comes from Him alone. Today, consider someone difficult in your life. Rather than demanding they change, pray "not my will, but Yours be done." Let God's agape flow through your willing surrender.

Day 4: Righteous Anger, Tender Heart
Reading: Luke 19:41-44; Matthew 21:12-13; Hebrews 5:7-9
Devotional: Jesus overturned tables in righteous anger, yet the next day wept over Jerusalem, longing to gather them like a hen gathers chicks. His anger was righteous because it flowed from agape love—He was willing to die for the very people exploiting God's house. True righteous anger never contradicts sacrificial love. Jesus learned obedience through suffering, crying out with tears during His days on earth. His Garden of Gethsemane surrender wasn't a one-time prayer but the culmination of a lifestyle of submission. When injustice stirs your anger today, check your heart. Are you willing to suffer for those who wrong you? Let your anger drive you to prayer, not vengeance.

Day 5: The Ultimate Retirement Plan
Reading: Hebrews 12:1-3; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Devotional: For the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross. He looked beyond present suffering to eternal reward. This heavenly perspective sustained Him through betrayal, torture, and death. We too need this vision—a retirement plan better than any earthly investment. When persecution comes, when people falsely accuse us, when agape love requires more than we think we can give, we must fix our eyes on what's unseen and eternal. Jesus prayed three times in Gethsemane before agape love fully dropped into His heart. Perseverance in surrender brings maturity and completeness. Today, what suffering are you enduring? Look beyond it. Cast your anxieties on God, surrender your will, and trust that your reward in heaven far outweighs any present pain.

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Small Group Guide: Agape Love - Batteries Not Included

Opening Prayer
Begin by asking God to open hearts and minds to understand His agape love more deeply, and for the courage to surrender to His will throughout your discussion.

Icebreaker Question
Share about a time you received a gift that required "batteries not included" or some assembly. How did that experience make you feel, and what did you learn from it?

Key Takeaways from the Sermon

Three Types of Love:
Philio (brotherly love) - natural, based on commonality and harmony
Eros (romantic/physical love) - natural, based on attraction and chemistry
Agape (God's love) - supernatural, based on choice and God's empowerment

Agape Love is Different:
Not based on feelings or reciprocity
Requires God as the source ("batteries not included")
Based on a willful choice to seek another's well-being regardless of their response

The 800 Number - How to Access Agape Love:
James 1:5 - Ask God for wisdom
God gives generously without finding fault
The prayer of surrender: "Not my will, but Your will be done"

Jesus' Example:
A lifestyle of daily surrender, not just one moment in Gethsemane
Learned obedience through suffering
Demonstrated righteous anger paired with sacrificial love

Discussion Questions
Understanding Agape Love

Before this sermon, how did you understand the concept of "loving your enemies"? How has your understanding changed?
Why do you think the pastor emphasized that agape love "doesn't come with batteries"? What does this mean practically in our daily lives?
Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Which characteristic of agape love do you find most challenging? Why?

Personal Reflection
The sermon mentioned that we often pursue God's presence, power, and healing, but not His lordship. What's the difference? Which do you find yourself seeking most often?
Share about a time when you tried to love someone in your own strength. What happened? How might it have been different with agape love from God?
The pastor said, "We can't be like Christ unless we forgive those who don't deserve it." Who in your life is difficult to forgive? (You don't have to name them, but be honest about the struggle.)

Practical Application
What does the prayer "Not my will, but Your will be done" look like in a specific situation you're facing right now?
Jesus demonstrated a lifestyle of daily surrender with "fervent cries and tears." What would a daily practice of surrender look like for you?
The sermon mentioned that Jesus went to God three times in Gethsemane before agape love "clicked." What does this teach us about persistence in prayer and surrender?

Going Deeper
Read Luke 19:41-44 (Jesus weeping over Jerusalem). How does this passage demonstrate that Jesus' anger in cleansing the temple was actually an expression of agape love?
The pastor said pride comes from "being overly self-reliant" and "despising others." How does humility open the door to receiving agape love from God?
Corrie ten Boom's story about the roses illustrates keeping ourselves from pride. What practices help you remember that any good in you comes from God?

Personal Application Challenge
Choose ONE of the following to practice this week:

Option 1: The Daily Surrender Prayer
Each morning, pray: "Not my will, but Your will be done" about a specific situation
Journal what happens in your heart and circumstances

Option 2: Call the 800 Number
Identify someone you struggle to love (enemy, difficult person, etc.)
Ask God specifically for agape love for that person using James 1:5
Look for one opportunity to show them kindness this week

Option 3: The Roses Practice
When someone compliments you or you feel pride rising, imagine receiving it as a rose
At the end of each day, "give the roses back to God" in prayer
Thank Him for working through you

Option 4: Study Jesus' Lifestyle of Surrender
Read one Gospel account each day this week (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John)
Look for examples of Jesus surrendering to the Father's will
Note what you learn about His prayer life and dependence on God

Memory Verse
James 1:5 - "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

Closing Exercise
Group Prayer of Surrender:
Go around the circle and have each person complete this sentence in prayer (out loud or silently):
"God, I need Your agape love for _ (situation or person). Not my will, but Your will be done."

Close by having someone pray for the group, asking God to:
Reveal areas where we're relying on our own strength
Pour out His agape love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit
Give us courage to love those who don't deserve it, just as Christ loved us

For Next Week
Continue your personal application challenge
Share with the group (via text or group chat) one way you experienced God's agape love this week
Come prepared to discuss: "What's one thing God taught you about His love this week?"

Leader Notes
Be sensitive that some group members may be dealing with abuse or toxic relationships. Affirm the sermon's point that forgiveness doesn't mean staying in harmful situations.
Allow silence after difficult questions. Agape love is counter-cultural and challenging.
Share your own struggles with loving difficult people—vulnerability from the leader creates safety for others.
Celebrate small steps toward surrender and agape love. This is a process, not perfection.