FunnyPicsClub@groups.io

God Is Love!

Today's Scripture: When Judas had left them, Jesus said: "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself and will glorify Him immediately." "My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. "I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. "This is how all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." --John 13: 31-33A; 34-35 Today's Scripture perfectly complements last week’s passage because it goes to the heart of its meaning. Two weeks ago, we reflected on the decisive moment when Jesus re-commissioned Peter by Lake Galilee, instructing him to “feed His sheep”—a call to show love, compassion, and care for those in need. As we emphasized last week, this commission extends to all of us. Each person is called to live a life of love, support, and encouragement, standing alongside those who feel frail and vulnerable. Today's Scripture beautifully complements last week’s message?,? highlighting the essence of following Jesus. He summarizes Christian teaching in a simple, straightforward command: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” So, what does this love look like? How do we embody our faith as a lifestyle of love? Here are three key characteristics: 1. Love is sacrificial At the very heart of the Christian faith is the fact that Jesus died on the cross; not some empty, meaningless, failing type of death, but a death that won a significant victory over the power of sin and death so that we could live in a beautiful relationship with God. But, of course, that death was immensely sacrificial. Jesus had to give up everything so we could live; to give up His birthright, His power, His majesty, His glory, His own life. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul had written that “Christ emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave…” The ultimate act of self-emptying so He could show sacrificial love towards us. There was no limit to Jesus’s sacrifice, because there was no limit to His love for us. In truth, Jesus didn’t just make sacrifices for us. He BECAME a sacrifice for us! So, the fact that we love God and others is a response. In another part of the Bible, also written by John, we read, "We love because He first loved us.” Christ has shown us sacrificial love; as a response, we model sacrificial love to others. I wonder what that means in your life and mine. How can we show truly sacrificial love toward others? What can we give of ourselves—who we are and what we have—to love better? Christ is the model for us to follow, and we have a lifetime to determine what that means for ourselves. So first, we love one another sacrificially. 2. Love is unconditional In the Sermon on the Mount, as recorded in Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus states: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. What reward do you have if you love those who love you? Don't even the tax collectors do the same? If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don't even the pagans do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." This brings the earlier commandments in Leviticus into greater context. This is no call to "love" that can allow for exceptions. It is a commandment to love as Jesus lived and demonstrated love! Recall that when Jesus washed His disciples' feet, he also washed Judas's feet. He treated His betrayer no differently than any of the others. Jesus also suffered the taunts of His enemies--their abuse of Him, their torture of Him, the