Love

Love is our life purpose.

37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

- Matthew 22:37-40

Love is a motive.

14 Let all that you do be done in love.

- 1 Corinthians 16:14

Sin is what breaks relationship.

but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

- Isaiah 59:2

The law describes love.

9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

- Romans 13:9-10

Maturity is seen in the ability to freely give and receive love.

…You received without paying; give without pay.

- Matthew 10:8

God fulfills our life purpose.

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

- Acts 2:38

How to Love People Who Hurt You

Jesus was hurt.

37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

- John 13:37-38

21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 

- John 13:21

Jesus loved those who hurt Him with grace, truth, and service.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

- John 1:14

…He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him… 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

- John 13:4-5, 10-11

The standard that Jesus set might seem like an impossible standard.

14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 

- John 13:14

25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also.

- John 12:25-26

We can take the next step toward grace, truth, and service.

We rest assured in God.

3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist…

- John 13:3-4

How to Love Difficult People

4 So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone. 5 The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.” 8 And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. 9 And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

- Exodus 34:4-9

Look inward.

2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

- Matthew 7:2-3

Extend outward.

19 Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.”

- Numbers 14:19

31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

- Ephesians 4:31-32

Go upward.

8 And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. 9 And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

- Exodus 4:8-9

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

- Isaiah 40:31

How to Love When You're Drained

13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself.

- Matthew 14:13

Life can drain us.

10 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, 11 and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.

- Matthew 14:6-12

13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.

- Matthew 14:13

Jesus loved well even when He was drained. 

14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

- Matthew 14:14

How can we learn from Jesus and love well even when we’re drained?

1. We can shift our focus from our needs to the needs of others.

15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” 16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

- Matthew 14:15-17

2. We can pause and look up.

17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. 18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven…

- Matthew 14:17-19

3. We can choose to bless.

…he looked up to heaven and said a blessing…

- Matthew 14:19

…Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

- Matthew 14:19-21

4. We can rush to rest in God.

22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone…

- Matthew 14:22-23

God can meet our needs and multiply our ability.