This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers (1 John 3:16)
The cross is our ultimate model for Christian love. Christ loved us even when our backs were turned on him. He loved us even though we had done nothing to deserve his love. He loves us even though we have given him many excuses not to love us. He demonstrated his love for us so in that he was willing to lay down his life for us! Having experienced such wonderful, sacrificial love we are to show love expressed in sacrifice towards our each other.
Christian love is not simply measured by feelings—it is shown in a willingness to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters in the Lord. That doesn’t just mean that we would be willing to step in front of a gun and take a bullet for them. It means that we are willing to make sacrifices for their sake. It shows itself in our everyday attitude and actions. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in the truth (3:17-18).
Of course words matter, but words can be cheap. It can be easy to say that we care but are we willing to put our hands in our wallets and show that we care. We cannot claim to love God’s people if we are not willing to help with their material needs—they must mean more to us than our possessions.
They must also mean more to us than our comfort—are we willing to move beyond our cosy circle of friends and get to know others in the fellowship? Christian love seeks opportunities to get to know one another better that we might be more aware how to care for each other. Talk to people over coffee, join a small group, invite someone for an evening meal or Sunday lunch, and as you get to know them you may discover how you can serve them! Serving other Christians shows that we love them. Loving them demonstrates that we have been born again
The cross is our ultimate model for Christian love. Christ loved us even when our backs were turned on him. He loved us even though we had done nothing to deserve his love. He loves us even though we have given him many excuses not to love us. He demonstrated his love for us so in that he was willing to lay down his life for us! Having experienced such wonderful, sacrificial love we are to show love expressed in sacrifice towards our each other.
Christian love is not simply measured by feelings—it is shown in a willingness to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters in the Lord. That doesn’t just mean that we would be willing to step in front of a gun and take a bullet for them. It means that we are willing to make sacrifices for their sake. It shows itself in our everyday attitude and actions. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in the truth (3:17-18).
Of course words matter, but words can be cheap. It can be easy to say that we care but are we willing to put our hands in our wallets and show that we care. We cannot claim to love God’s people if we are not willing to help with their material needs—they must mean more to us than our possessions.
They must also mean more to us than our comfort—are we willing to move beyond our cosy circle of friends and get to know others in the fellowship? Christian love seeks opportunities to get to know one another better that we might be more aware how to care for each other. Talk to people over coffee, join a small group, invite someone for an evening meal or Sunday lunch, and as you get to know them you may discover how you can serve them! Serving other Christians shows that we love them. Loving them demonstrates that we have been born again
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