1 JOHN 3:11-24 "Love Each Other"
Do you feel like we've been talking about a lot of the same thing. That's cause we have. Maybe that's cause we need to. We need to hear about how we can love people. How we've been loved. How we fail to love. 1 John talks a lot about love. It must've been a pretty important concept to John, huh? I love the heading of this section in the NIV, "More on Love and Hatred" It's simple, to the point. We need to hear this. It's important to God, and should be important to us.
Love for family.
We should love everyone. That's a command, love your neighbor as yourself. But, Jesus also gave us a more specific role as believers. While we should love our neighbor, we are also supposed to love our "family." By family, I mean other believers. He said, "This is how the world will know you are my disciples, if you love one another." We're supposed to love the brothers (and sisters) in Christ. Instead of getting theological, let's look at what this "love" would look like.
- TALKING TO PEOPLE you don't get along with, you disagree with, that annoy you, etc.
- SERVING PEOPLE by offering to help with Making meals, projects, yard work, nursery, Sunday School, work projects, doing dishes, etc.
- GOING TO CHURCH, yes this is one of the ways you love the church, by actually going. Hmm, how 'bout that. You mean I have to actually go to church to love people there? YES! Remember, this is a command from Jesus. We need to be at church.
- HELPING study the Bible, encouraging in their walk, to use their gifts, uplifting, complimenting, etc.
- SMILING, giving HUGS, HAND SHAKES, ACKNOWLEDGE people, etc.
This seems like a simple list, but it's hard to do! Isn't it? We're sinners, we're going to struggle with this. What about when we don't get along with people? Or don't know people? Or don't understand people? Or don't like people? The thing I have to remember is, "Jesus died for them too."
Jesus' love for us
Remembering Jesus' death for us, His love for us, His service for us, His sacrifice for us, His grace for us, His belittling Himself for us, His Mercy to us, His care for us, His compassion for us, His liking us, His listening to us, His communicating with us, His becoming like us, His outreach to us, His building us up, His praying for us, His fill in the blank. The ONLY WAY WE WILL BE ABLE TO LOVE ANYONE, IS TO UNDERSTAND CHRIST'S LOVE FOR US!! It's the over arching theme of love in 1 John, "That we love because He first loved us." I know I don't love well, I know i don't care for other believers well. But I'm not going to be able to conjure up love out of pure guilt. The only way I'll be able to love is by knowing Christ Jesus' love for me.
I repent Lord Jesus of my lack of love for my family, spiritual and physical. I don't serve people, I don't care about people, I don't talk to people, I don't pray for people, I don't even like people, it's not "convenient". Jesus, I'm weak. I'm a sinner. I can't do these things without You.
Please forgive me of my sins of selfishness and conceitedness, and convenience for myself. Wash away my sins by your blood, remind me of your forgiveness and your love for me. Restore unto the joy of my salvation.
Then shall sinners learn from me, and I will teach transgressors your ways. Then I can love my family and non-believers, then I can serve, not because of me but because of You, Jesus. Forgive me, wash me, and make me a new lover and liker of people by the power of Your Holy Spirit in me. Help me! Amen.
Kent Suits,
Youth Director
Next Week: 1 John 4:1-6 "Jesus, the GOD-Man"
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