1 John 4:19-21
God loves us bedcause that's who He is -- He is Love.
We've received a lot from God.
Sometimes it's hard to receive.
Sometimes it's easier to give.
Sometimes it's hard to receive God's love.
Not everyone has accepted God's ultimate gift -- Jesus Christ. Many have refused Him.
How do we respond to God's love?
9 "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." 1 John 4:9-11
#1 Love one another.
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35
God's love is given to us. So we then give it to others.
26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28
#2 Serve one another.
To be a true servant you have to give it all willingly.
Slavery was common. Be the best where you're at. Choose to give all.
Be a servant -- we all serve someone. Being a servant is a reality. You got to choose who your master was (in Bible times and now).
Either you serve God or money.
There's God or Not-God.
We were meant to be servants of God.
God doesn't need us.
It's for our benefit to be His servant. It's the best thing for us.
12 "When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." John 13:12-17
Be a servant.
Love enough to be a servant.
If I do what GOd has told me to I will be blessed (see verse 17).
Everyone has opportunity to give. Give time. Give money.
We have received much. Do we give all we have?
God has given us each spiritual gifts for the common good.
"If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poorand give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
It's all about the why.
If you don't do it all out of love it doesn't count.
Sometimes it's not easy to love. Sometimes it's not easy to turn the other cheek.
It's a hard thing to love others. It's not easy but it's right.
God is continually offering you opportunities to love others.
Sometimes we blind ourselves to the very people who need love from us.
Greatest blessing is for us to succeed at loving others.
10 "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10
We're created by God to love others. God has prepared the jobs for us to do.
Do what we can do.
Easy to get burned out. That's why we have the Holy Spirit and the Word. Jesus says we're never alone. He's always with us.
9 "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[a] 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God," Colossians 1:9-10
What can we do for each other?
We can pray for each other.
We can support each other.
Verse 10 (above) is a great prayer to pray for each other.