VF: Love/Loving Others

Love

Loving others

A lot of people say they love God. The Bible has a simple test for whether that’s true.

1. 1 John 4:20 - “If anyone says, ‘I love God’, and hates his brother, he is a liar.”
2. Scripture doesn’t let love stay invisible. It shows up in how we treat people.

Love Has a Direction

1. Matthew 22: 37-39 - “​​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. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

1. 1. Love for God always spills outward.
2. 2. You cannot separate loving God from loving people.
3. 3. If love doesn’t move toward others, it’s incomplete.
4. 4. Love for God that never leaves your heart isn’t biblical love.

What Loving People Actually Looks Like

1. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 - “ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;  it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

1. 1. Love is not a vibe or a personality.
2. 2. Love is patient when you want to snap.
3. 3. Love is kind when being sarcastic would be easier.
4. 4. Love is measured by behavior, not intention.

The Hard Part

1. Luke 6:27 - “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.”
2. Matthew 5:44 - “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

1. 1. Loving people doesn’t mean liking everyone.
2. 2. Love shows up most clearly when it costs you pride.
3. 3. Jesus sets the bar where we don’t feel comfortable.
4. 4. Anyone can love people who are easy. Christ calls us to love people who aren’t.

Call to Action

1. Think of one person you’ve been avoiding, resenting, or quietly disrespecting.
2. This week, choose one act of love toward them.

1. 1. Speak respectfully instead of sarcastically.
2. 2. Include someone you normally ignore.
3. 3. Forgive instead of replaying the offense.
4. 4. Pray for someone you don’t like.

1. John 13:35 -”By this all people will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, help me this week to love others in the way you've called me to love. Give me the humility to approach other people with a heart of forgiveness, respect, and love. Help me to see others in the way in which you see them and to be active in finding the moments you are providing me opportunities to love them.