Introduction

Good morning, beloved. It is a joy to gather together in a place where we come to find solace from God who loves us beyond measure. We come, not because we are perfect, but because we are loved by a perfect God who calls us to love one another as He has loved us.

Charles Spurgeon once said, "A church in the land without the Spirit is rather a curse than a blessing. If you have not the Spirit of God, Christian worker, remember that you stand in somebody else's way; you are a fruitless tree standing where a fruitful tree might grow." Today, as we gather as a church, as a community of believers, we strive to be that fruitful tree, nurtured by the Spirit of God, bearing the fruits of love, respect, and mercy.

Our Scripture today comes from the Gospel of John, Chapter 13, verses 31-35: "When he was gone, Jesus said, 'Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.'"

In this passage, Jesus is speaking to His disciples, but He is also speaking to us. He's giving us a command, not a suggestion. He's telling us to love one another, just as He has loved us. How do we do that? How do we love like Jesus loved? These are the questions we will seek to answer today.

Let us bow our heads in prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, we come to You with open hearts, ready to receive Your word. We ask that You open our minds and our spirits to understand the depth of Your love for us, and how we can reflect that love to those around us. Guide us, Lord, as we seek to manifest more love, maintain mutual respect, and master mercy in our ministry. Fill us with Your Spirit, that we may be fruitful trees in Your garden, bearing the fruits of love, respect, and mercy. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Manifesting More Love

When we reflect on the teachings of Jesus, we find that love is at the very core of His message. It is the golden thread that weaves through every parable, every teaching, every interaction. It is the foundation upon which all other virtues are built. But how do we manifest more love in our lives? How do we embody this divine commandment in a world that often seems so devoid of love?

The first step is understanding what love truly is. In our society, love is often portrayed as a feeling, something that comes and goes, ebbs and flows. But the love that Jesus speaks of is not a fleeting emotion. It is a conscious choice, a deliberate action. It is a decision to see the inherent worth in every person, to treat them with kindness and respect, to seek their good above our own. This is the kind of love that Jesus demonstrated throughout His life, and it is the kind of love that He calls us to manifest in our own lives.

This understanding of love as a choice, not a feeling, is crucial. It means that we can choose to love even when we don't feel like it. We can choose to love even when the person in front of us is difficult to love. We can choose to love even when we are tired, stressed, or overwhelmed. This requires patience, perseverance, and a lot of grace. But it is possible, and it is what we are called to do.

Next is not just about our actions, but also about our attitudes. It's not enough to simply do loving things; we must also cultivate a loving heart. This means letting go of judgment, criticism, and negativity. It means replacing these harmful attitudes with compassion, understanding, and positivity.

Cultivating a loving heart is a lifelong process. It requires constant self-reflection and self-correction. It requires us to be honest with ourselves, to acknowledge our shortcomings, and to strive to do better. But as we cultivate a loving heart, we will find that our actions naturally become more loving as well.

Thirdly, it’s not just about our relationships with others, but also about our relationship with ourselves. We cannot truly love others if we do not love ourselves. This means taking care of our physical, emotional, and spiritual health. It means setting boundaries and saying no when necessary. It means forgiving ourselves for our past mistakes and letting go of guilt and shame.

Loving ourselves is not about being selfish or narcissistic. It's about recognizing our own worth and dignity, and treating ourselves with the same kindness and respect that we would treat others. When we love ourselves in this way, we are better able to love others. We are more patient, more understanding, more compassionate. We are less likely to lash out in anger or frustration, and more likely to respond with love and grace.

The final step is understanding that love is not just a personal virtue, but a social virtue as well. It's not enough to love those in our immediate circle; we must also love those in our wider community, and even those on the other side of the world. This means caring about social justice, environmental sustainability, and global peace. It means standing up for the rights of the marginalized and oppressed.

This kind of love requires us to step out of our comfort zones, to confront our prejudices and biases, to engage with people and issues that we might prefer to ignore. But it is also incredibly rewarding. It brings a sense of purpose and fulfillment that nothing else can. It allows us to be part of something bigger than ourselves, to contribute to the healing and transformation of our world.

Maintaining Mutual Respect

As we continue to reflect on the words of Jesus in the Gospel of John, we find ourselves drawn to the idea of mutual respect ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO