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
We are all familiar with John 3:16, "For God so loved the world..." But fast forward to I John and in the same spot you find another powerful verse on love, and again the focus is the only begotten son, Jesus Christ and his example of love.
The world often asks the question "What is love?" Yet finding the answer is difficult in a world with half Iles and empty promises. In one rock song the singer cries out "I want to know what love is." The problem is too often we are looking in the wrong places, and the truth is we have no idea what it is we are really looking for.
The scripture paints a clear picture of love. If you want to know what love is, look to Jesus. He is the very definition of love, and he showed it by giving his life for us. How do we know then that we are loving? Are we acting like Jesus? Verses 17 & 18 give us our part of the equation. We love when we act in love, when we meet needs of those around us. We love not just when we say loving things, but when we act with loving acts.
On facebook this past week someone had posted some pictures that made this point. Each picture showed a person in need and a lot of hands around them with a thumbs up, in other words, we wish you the best. But no real help was being offered to the person in need. Brothers and sisters let's not just love with words, but in action and truth.
We are all familiar with John 3:16, "For God so loved the world..." But fast forward to I John and in the same spot you find another powerful verse on love, and again the focus is the only begotten son, Jesus Christ and his example of love.
The world often asks the question "What is love?" Yet finding the answer is difficult in a world with half Iles and empty promises. In one rock song the singer cries out "I want to know what love is." The problem is too often we are looking in the wrong places, and the truth is we have no idea what it is we are really looking for.
The scripture paints a clear picture of love. If you want to know what love is, look to Jesus. He is the very definition of love, and he showed it by giving his life for us. How do we know then that we are loving? Are we acting like Jesus? Verses 17 & 18 give us our part of the equation. We love when we act in love, when we meet needs of those around us. We love not just when we say loving things, but when we act with loving acts.
On facebook this past week someone had posted some pictures that made this point. Each picture showed a person in need and a lot of hands around them with a thumbs up, in other words, we wish you the best. But no real help was being offered to the person in need. Brothers and sisters let's not just love with words, but in action and truth.
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