IOI CHRISTIAN MEAL
TOPIC: Demonstrate the virtue of love
TEXT: John 3:16 KJV
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
How do we demonstrate the distinctiveness of Christian love? Because virtue is moral action we practice, How can we practice the glorious virtue of love?
A. Love values the other person
Let's not confuse Christian love with its modern counterfeits - lust, sentimentality, and gratification.
While love is a wonderful, warm feeling, it is not only a feeling. In fact, according to the Bible, love is primarily an active interest in the well-being of another person. Love acts for the benefit of others.
According to William Barclay love "is the spirit in the heart that will never seek anything but the highest good of its fellow man."
God loved us not because we had something to offer him, but rather because He had something to offer us. "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
God loved us so that He could demonstrate His mercy to us in the person of His Son.
A story was told of Dr. W.A. Criswell, officiated at a lot of weddings. The nervous groom would always say, "Dr. Criswell, how much do I owe you for this?" And he'd always smile and look at the groom and say, "Aw, just pay me what she's worth." Dr. Criswell made a lot of money from weddings, because to each man his new bride was of extravagant value.
In like manner, everyone around us is of incredible value to God as a potential object of His mercy. His one and only Son died in their place. Because people matter so much to him, they ought to matter to us. And, we, therefore, need to love them as he loves them.
PRAYER
THE POWER TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOUR WITH THE WHOLE OF OUR HEART MAY GOD GIVE IT TO US IN JESUS NAME, MAY LOVE REIGN IN OUR COUNTRY, IN THE HEART OF OUR LEADERS IN JESUS NAME.
HAPPY WEEKEND
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