Well, let me invite you to turn in your Bibles this morning to Romans 12. Romans 12 for our time of study. In the word this morning, we are doing a study through different sections in the book of Romans. We studied Romans 5 through 8 and then a few verses in 9.
and 10 and 11, and we, have really hunkered down in Romans chapter 12, and we'll be savoring like every phrase and verse of this, chapter by the time we're, we're done with it. And we're in a section of Romans 12, where Paul's teaching us how to live out the gospel and unleash the power and the glory of the gospel and to implement it. In a gospel way in our lives and in Romans 12:9 and following, we encounter a very rich and dense section. of Romans 12, where Paul is telling us one of the ways to live out the gospel is by walking in agape love.
And beginning in verse 9, Paul unfolds for us what agape love looks like in beautiful broad strokes of the brush. Here's what love looks like. And in verse 9 in the Greek text, the first word that you encounter is the word agape or the word love, and then everything that follows, as one writer has said, is Paul's recipe for agape. This is all the ingredients of agape love.
Beginning in verse 9. He says, Let love be without hypocrisy, abhor what is evil, cling to what is good, be devoted to one another in brotherly love, give preference. To one another in honor, not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse....
