Loving Othrs Like Christ Series

Prayer-

Introduction-

Good morning, we have been in a series “Love worth finding”

We have looked at loving God and God loving us.

We have looked at living our lives directed by the Holy Spirit of God helping us and leading us and empowering us to live the life that God intended for us to live.

I think we saw loving God and loving others this week in VBS. We love the Lord and shared that love with those that came through these doors.

This morning we are going to look at loving others-

I know our actions should show the love of God because God first loved us and we are to love others like God loves us. Amen.

This is a vertical relationship first with God and then that love horizontal to those we come in contact with.

Jesus gave us two action Commandments-

Love God with all your heart, mind, soul and body.

Love others like you love yourself.

Like I said from the start of this series- Everything thing hinges on God being first In our lives- it is not an option, it is a Commandment. Everything is out of place when God is not first.

He doesn’t suggest we love Him like that- We are commanded to live God like that.

There are certain things that we need to have active in our lives to Love others like God does. This morning we will spend time on about 3 of them because two of them are sessions on their own.

Question to get us thinking- Everyone thinking?

Do we love God and help others just so that we look good?

Do we love God and help just because it is a moral thing and we feel that we have to do?

Do we love God and help others as long as it does not interfere with our lives and what we want to do?

Do we love as long as it is not dangerous?

Do we love and help because we have a heart of compassion?

Do we love someone just because God said?

We can see by the questions, this is why some people will look at you and make their own decision on why you help?

Did you catch that? Why you do what you do or why you don’t do what they think that you should.

Jesus in Matthew 23 gives a stern warning against Hypocrisy- People have the habit of looking at others to make sure they are living the life they proclaim, but make excuses for their behavior and attitudes.

Read Matthew 23:1-4

Follow the law of God (Bible) Authority

Practice what you preach/ not a hypocrite

Be who you say you are/ No mask

As a believer, become a servant of God and a servant to others.

What is the difference between a true servant of God and a hypocrite doing the same thing?

Their heart, their motive of why they are doing it and who they are doing it for.

Brennan Manning

There is a beautiful transparency to honest disciples who never wear a false face and do not pretend to be anything but who they are.

Francis of Assisi

Most High, Glorious God,

enlighten the darkness of our minds.

Give us a right faith, a firm hope and a perfect charity,

so that we may always and in all things act according to Your Holy Will. Amen.

God loves you/ that is a fact wither you feel like it or not.

You must understand His love before you are able to give others His love.

You have to experience His love.

Regardless of who we are or who we are not-

Regardless of what we have done or what we have not done

Jesus loves us.

"He died for us while we were still sinners." (Romans 5:8)

There is nothing we can do or not do to make him love us more or less.

God loves because it's in his nature to love; God is love.

This unconditional love that God has for us isn't easy for our human nature to comprehend.

We better understand the concept of earning or receiving something good based upon our performance.

God's unconditional love is an act of generosity and should motivate us to love him back with a grateful heart of worship.

If we feel that we have to earn God love, we will love others with the same concept, they must earn our love before we would love them like Jesus.

Unconditional love is caring about someone without limitations; loving without conditions and doing something to make someone happy without any thought for what we might get for ourselves.

This type of love is rare; it's uncommon to receive kindness without strings attached. This kind of love includes risk and a willingness to fail as we give ourselves over with vulnerability.