Program: Agape Love: Reflecting God’s Heart

 

This program is suitable for the month of love.

Materials: Strips of paper, markers, tape, scenarios 1-3 written on papers, small card or paper for your love notes.

Program Structure:

Welcome & Opening prayer

Song service

Opening Song: (A song focusing on love)

Aim/motto/pledge/song:

Scripture Reading: John 15:13/ Romans 5:8

Devotion: Living Out Agape Love

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” – John 15:13

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8

Agape love is the deepest and most selfless form of love. It is sacrificial, unconditional, and entirely focused on the well-being of others. These two scriptures capture the essence of agape love—both in how God demonstrates it to us and how we are called to reflect it in our lives.

1. Agape Love is Sacrificial

In John 15:13, Jesus sets the ultimate example of sacrificial love: laying down His life for us. This love isn’t about convenience or comfort—it requires giving up something of value for the sake of others. Jesus didn’t hold back; He gave His very life so that we could be saved.

 In our lives, sacrificial love might mean giving our time, energy, or resources to help someone in need, even when it’s inconvenient. It’s about putting others before ourselves.

2. Agape Love is Unconditional

Romans 5:8 reminds us that God’s love isn’t based on our worthiness. Christ didn’t wait for us to be perfect or deserving—He loved us while we were still sinners. This is what makes agape love so extraordinary: it doesn’t depend on what someone else has done or can give in return.

In our families and friendships, this means loving others even when they disappoint us or don’t meet our expectations. It’s about forgiving, understanding, and continuing to show kindness, regardless of circumstances.

3. Agape Love is an Action, Not Just a Feeling

Unlike worldly love, which often depends on emotions, agape love is a choice. It’s not about how we feel in the moment but about our commitment to act in love. True love requires effort and intentionality.

In our communities, this could look like serving the less fortunate, reaching out to someone lonely, or being a peacemaker in difficult situations. Agape love seeks to make a difference through action.

Living Out Agape Love

Agape love is not something we can achieve on our own. It requires us to draw closer to Christ and allow His love to flow through us. As we reflect on these scriptures, let us strive to demonstrate agape love in practical ways:

-In our families: Show patience, kindness, and forgiveness.

- In our friendships: Be present, supportive, and selfless.

-In our communities: Serve those in need, speak truth in love, and be a light for Christ.

Agape love transforms lives because it points people to the heart of God. When we love as Jesus loves, we become His hands and feet in the world.

Introduction to program:

Good evening AYs and welcome to this evening’s program entitled “Agape Love: Reflecting God’s Heart.”

As we meet to celebrate love, we’re not just talking about the kind of love we see in movies or hear about in songs—the romantic, conditional, or fleeting emotions we often associate with Valentine’s Day. Instead, today we are focusing on a much deeper, purer, and more powerful love: Agape love.

The word “Agape” comes from the Bible, specifically the Greek language, and it refers to the kind of love that God has for us. A selfless, unconditional, and sacrificial love—a love that gives without expecting anything in return. It is the love that sent Jesus Christ to the cross for our sins and the love that calls us to serve and care for others.

In a world where love is often misunderstood and misrepresented, we are here today to explore what true, Christ-like love looks like. Through songs, activities, and reflections, we will learn how to live out agape love in our relationships, our communities, and our daily walk with God.

As 1 John 4:7-8 reminds us:

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

So, as we journey through this program, let’s open our hearts to better understand God’s love and reflect on how we can share that same love with the world around us. May this evening inspire us to live lives that echo His heart.

Special music- (A song reflecting God’s love)

 Icebreaker: Love Link

Materials: Strips of paper, markers, tape.

-Activity: Each person writes a way they have experienced love (e.g., “When someone helped me,” “When Jesus forgave my sins”).

- Link the strips together to form a chain symbolizing how love connects us all. Hang the chain as a decoration for the rest of the program.

Main Feature

 Stories of Agape Love (feel free to add more stories)

Share 2-3 short, inspiring true stories of selfless love (can be Bible-based, historical, or modern-day examples, like the Good Samaritan, a missionary’s sacrifice, or someone forgiving a deep wrong).

Story 1:

Immaculée Ilibagiza's Journey of Forgiveness in Rwanda

During the 1994 Rwandan genocide, Immaculée Ilibagiza spent 91 days hiding in a tiny bathroom with seven other women while Hutu killers hunted for them. She lost nearly her entire family - her parents, two brothers, and countless other relatives were murdered. During those terrifying days in hiding, she prayed constantly and felt God calling her to forgive. Despite the overwhelming hatred and violence around her, she chose to forgive her family's killers.

Years later, she actually met one of the men who had killed her family. She looked at him and said, "I forgive you." The man, who had expected hatred, broke down crying. Immaculée went on to work with the United Nations and establish a foundation helping Rwandan children. She travels the world sharing her story of how God's love enabled her to choose forgiveness over revenge, breaking cycles of hatred and violence.

Story 2:

The Story of Elizabeth Morris: Forgiving Her Son’s Killer

Elizabeth Morris and her husband were devastated when their teenage son, Ted, was killed in a car accident caused by a drunk driver. The driver, Tommy, was just 18 years old, and his actions had shattered their family. Elizabeth was filled with anger, grief, and a desire for justice.

Tommy was convicted and sent to prison, but Elizabeth couldn’t find peace. She struggled with bitterness and realized that her anger was consuming her. As a Christian, she knew she needed to forgive, but the pain made it feel impossible.

One day, Elizabeth prayed for strength and began writing letters to Tommy in prison. Over time, the letters turned into a correspondence that allowed her to see Tommy’s remorse and sorrow. Eventually, Elizabeth visited Tommy in prison and told him, face-to-face, that she forgave him for what he had done. Tommy broke down in tears, overwhelmed by her grace.

Elizabeth’s forgiveness not only changed Tommy’s life, but it also brought healing to her own heart. She later worked to help other families impacted by drunk driving, sharing her story to show the power of forgiveness.

*Ask congregation if they want to share a personal story. Have a discussion on how story 1, 2 and the congregations’ stories reflect Christ’s love.

Group Activity: Love in Action

Divide members into small groups and assign each a scenario 

Scenario1: helping someone in need

Scenario 2:  forgiving a friend 

Scenario 3: welcoming a stranger.

-Have groups discuss how they would show agape love in that situation and present their responses to the congregation through short skits/ discussion or any other format.

Love Reflection Ceremony 

To sum up the evening, have members write an encouraging note or Bible verse on paper or card and give it to another member of their choice. 

 Closing Remarks & Call to Action 

As we come to the close of this evening’s program, I want to thank each of you for being a part of this journey into understanding and reflecting Agape love—the unconditional, selfless, and sacrificial love of God.

We have seen through the activities, stories, and messages shared that Agape love is not just an ideal but a call to action. It is the love that led Jesus to the cross, the love that forgives even the deepest wrongs, and the love that compels us to serve, forgive, and care for others, no matter the cost.

As 1 Corinthians 13 reminds us:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud… Love never fails.”

This is the kind of love God has for each of us, and it’s the kind of love He calls us to extend to others.

Also, this program was not just about learning or feeling inspired; it’s about committing to live out this love every day—in our families, friendships, church, workplaces, and communities. Let us not leave Agape love here in this program, but take it with us and let it transform how we treat one another.

So as we go forth, let’s reflect Christ’s love in all that we do, knowing that the world will see Him through the way we love.

Let’s close with a song and a prayer, asking God to fill our hearts with His love and guide us to share it with the world.

Closing Song: They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love/ Can the world see Jesus in You?

Closing Prayer:

Pray for strength to love selflessly and follow Christ’s example.