DIGGING DEEPER

WEEKEND OF FEBRUARY 7 & 8, 2026

SERMON NOTES

Learning to Love

Build on Something Better


Matthew 7:24–27

The rock in our relationships is _______________________ 

More specifically _________________   _______________.


Big Idea: We can find deeper connection and commitment in our relationships when we mirror God's covenantal love.


Covenants in the Scripture:

  1. Noah
  2. Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3)
  3. Isaac (Exodus 19:3–6, Deuteronomy 5-6)
  4. David (2 Samuel 7:8–16, Psalm 132:11–12)
  5. The New Covenant 
  • Hebrews 8
  • 1 John 4:8
  • 1 John 4:16


Covenant love is different from contract love.

  • Contract love says: “I love you if / because.”
  • Covenant love says: “I love you the way God loves you.”
  • John 3:16
  • Rom 5:8 
  • Phil 2


Challenge: What relationship might God be inviting you to rebuild on something better? What would it look like to practice covenant love this week?



DIGGING DEEPER

Contract love says, “I love you if / because,” while covenant love says, “I love you the way God loves you.” Where do you most clearly see “contract love” show up in your own relationships or in our culture?


Read Romans 5:8 and 1 John 4:9–10. What stands out to you about God taking the first step in love, and how does that challenge the way we typically love others?


Our relationships often reveal our selfishness. What have your closest relationships revealed about your selfishness or other areas where God is still shaping you?


Read Romans 5:6–8. God moves toward us when we are weak and undeserving. What would it look like to take the first step toward love or repair in a relationship rather than waiting for the other person to change?


Read Hosea 2:19–20. God describes covenant love in terms of commitment, mercy, and faithfulness. Which of these qualities is hardest to live out in close relationships, and why do you think God includes it in His covenant promises?


Read 1 Corinthians 13:4–7. Which phrase in this passage feels most challenging in your current season, and how might covenant love call you to respond differently than instinct would?


What is one practical step you could take this week to live in a more covenantal relationship with someone around you?



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