The Marks Of A Great Christian - Loving Series

Loving one another is not easy sometimes. In fact sometimes it is hard sometimes. But it is what Jesus has called us to do.

Did you know that God never tells us to forgive and forget? He tells us to forgive. In fact I wish that there were things I could forget – but I can’t. The times someone has wronged me – the times someone has hurt me – the times that someone has let me down – I still remember some of those. But do you know what I can do? I can forgive that person and I can treat them as if it had never happened. That’s what love is about. In first Corinthians it says – “love keeps no records of wrongs.” Love is treating others – as if the wrongs you suffered had never happened. Love is hard sometimes but as Christians love is to become our second nature - because it is to be our new nature.

How many of you have ever ridden a bike? Were you able to just get on the bike the first time you saw it and ride it? No. It took work and effort. There were times you fell over. Some of us used training wheels but we still fell over many times. But with effort and practice eventually you were able to ride a bike. We could jump on the bike and just ride away. It became as natural as walking.

One of the fond memories I have of my grandfather was him riding a bike. We lived in Arizona and my grandfather lived in Ohio and one summer we went to visit my grandparents. They lived on a farm and they had some old bikes lying around. I pulled one out of the shed and was riding it down the dirt path between the fields. I remember my grandfather coming up to me and asking me to hand him the bike. I gave it to him and he got on – and rode it around. That amazed me – because he had to be over eighty years old at the time. He probably learned to ride a bike as a child – yet he never lost that skill - that skill never left him.

“Help me,” is a good prayer. Help me to love people – because that is to be my new nature. It takes practice to love. But once we learn it - we need to practice it - until it becomes second nature.

Just as natural as it is for an eagle soaring through the clear blue sky – so Christians aught to love one another. Just as natural as a fish swimming in water – so Christians are to love one another. Just as natural as human beings riding a bike – so Christians are to love one another. Folks if you’re a Christian prove it! Love one another. Practice it. Learn it. Make loving others a natural act. It’s what we do.

3. Loving one another is allowing God to work THRU ME.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8 (NKJV)

Love is more than a characteristic of God; it is His character. When you love others you allow God to love thru you.

How many of you remember the name, Ashley Smith. You may not remember the name but I’m sure many of you will remember the story. It was March 11th, 2005 that Ashley Smith was held hostage in her apartment in Georgia. Brian Nichols had shot four people in a Georgia courtroom and he was on the run from the law. At 2 am Brian Nichols took Ashley Smith hostage.