Memorise:
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13.
Read: John 15:7-13 :
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Message:
God is love; He dwells in love; He acts in love; He judges in love. Everything around God is love. In our text for the day, we are confronted with God's kind of love demonstrated through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ affirms the quality of God's kind of love that He represents when he said:
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" John 15:13.
Now, as beneficiaries of this great love, we are obliged to show this kind of love to our Maker and most importantly to our neighbours.
It is wisdom for us to love the One who loves us at least for two reasons. One; when we love someone that loves us, he keeps on loving us the more. Secondly, the love that is not reciprocated will grow sour. Even God stops loving those who do not return His love. Proverbs 8:17 says:
"I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me."
How can we love a God that we do not see? We can, by loving our neighbours, Matthew 25:35, 37, 40 says :
"For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in... Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
John the beloved apostle went further to teach us how to love our God in practical terms 1 John 4:19-21 :
"If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?"
May the good Lord give us the grace to show our love to Him through our neighbours.
Prayer Point:
Father, give me your own kind of love. I want to live for you and Your Church.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : GENESIS 46 - 47 AND PSALMS 107 : 33 - 43
Author: Pastor E. A. Adeboye.
HYMN 6 : WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.
What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield thee
thou wilt find a solace there.
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