Welcome to the Paul Tripp podcast, where pastor and best-selling author Dr. Paul David Tripp connects the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life.

You may not be called to full-time vocational ministry, but if you are a child of God, you've been called to a lifestyle of love.

In today's episode, we're going to listen to a sermon from the archives, as Paul teaches from

1 John 4. In it, Paul explains one of the New Testament's most focused definitions of love.

If you're interested in hearing more sermons from Paul, visit paultrip.com slash sermons.

Here's Paul with an invitation to love.

I met Luella standing in a lunch line in college.

For me, it was love at first sight.

For Luella, it was decidedly not love at first sight.

I finally secured a date with her.

We went out on the first date, and she told me not to ask her out again.

I did.

She accepted. I continued.

She accepted.

We continued dated for several months and I thought the time was right.

I looked for the right moment.

I was expecting reciprocation.

When that moment came, I told her I wanted to tell her what I had been feeling for a while,

and I said those words, I love you. What happened next was not reciprocation. It was closer to anger.

Levala said to me, what do you mean you love me? What do you know about love anyway?

Please don't say this to me again. I look back at that moment, I was

17 years old. I think she was probably right. I didn't know a whole lot about what love actually meant.

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