Imago Dei [In the Image of Love]
/Pastor Daniel Cormier shares a message entitled “Imago Dei - In the Image of Love”.
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Sermon Notes
Reflection & Discussion
Warm-up. When have you felt most loved lately?
Pray for your Bible study time together.
Observation
Read: John 14:16-17; 15:26; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6. What distinct roles do the Father, Son, and Spirit play? What words show unity? What words show distinction? Is there competition or hierarchy of worth among the persons? Read: John 15:12-13; Philippians 2:5-11. How is love defined in these passages? What actions demonstrate love? What do you learn about love by watching the Son’s obedience? Read: Romans 5:6-8; 1 John 4:19. What condition were we in when God loved us? What does this say about the nature of God’s love? How does this differ from how love often works in human relationships?
Interpretation
Why does the Trinity matter for understanding love? Why is it important that God did not need creation in order to love? Read: John 17:20-23; Ephesians 4:4-6. What kind of unity does Jesus pray for? Does unity require uniformity? How does Trinitarian unity challenge individualism and conformity? Read: Ephesians 1:3-5; Romans 8:14-17. What do believers receive before they are called to obey? How does adoption reshape how we relate to God and others? Why is love distorted when it becomes performance-based?
Application
Where are you tempted to withhold love until it is earned? How does God’s prior, unconditional love free you to love without needing control or approval? What relationship in your life most needs grace-first love right now? Read: Ephesians 2:18-22; Colossians 3:12-15. How does the Trinity create the church? How would church conflict change if love reflected Trinitarian grace, patience, and humility? Read: Ephesians 5:1-2; Galatians 2:20. How does the cross redefine what loving others looks like? Where is God calling you to self-giving rather than self-protection? What would it look like to love without expecting immediate return (1 John 4:19)?