DAY 1 - LOVE
MAIN POINT
The entire earthly life of Jesus was based on love. We see it in every aspect of His human existence from beginning to end. Out of all of the instructions to live by, one of the clearest is love. I pray that as we delve into God's word for insight on this subject, that we will have receptive hearts and minds to see His truth, even if it means that we need to work harder to show the love of Jesus to others.
SCRIPTURE
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9 (NIV)
The above verse shows that Jesus was sat in Heaven at the right hand of God the Father. Yet He knew that the only way to save us was to leave Heaven and come here to be a servant and die a torturous death to save us from Hell. He wasn't born into royalty and wealth, He was born in a manger to a woman that had no wealth. She simply said yes when God asked her to trust Him. The part of the verse that says "for your sake" means that He did it solely for us, out of love so that we can have fellowship with God.
I don't know very many people that would leave the comfort and security of prosperity and wealth to become poor and considered "less than" so that someone else might experience something good. Especially knowing that the very people that they sacrificed for would laugh at, beat, and crucify them. Jesus knew everything that He would endure and still chose to come and save us. His love trumped all.
We are born with a sinful nature and therefore destined to an eternity of fire and gnashing of teeth. He came to save us from ourselves and when He ascended to Heaven after His resurrection, He left us with a newfound hope and an example of how to live in order to be right with God the Father.
Read John 13:1-17.
Jesus had already predicted His own death. He was headed toward the end of His earthly ministry and was fully aware that He was about to be betrayed by one of His own disciples. Yet once again, Jesus took on the role of a servant and washed ALL of the disciples feet. This was not a prestigious job. This was a lowly, dirty, and smelly job. And Judas was still part of the group at this point. So, Jesus chose to show love even to the one that He already knew would hand Him over to those that would kill Him.
"You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. "If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. "For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you." John 13:13-16
He is giving us instructions here that if the Savior of the World can show unconditional love, forgiveness, and humility, then certainly we should do so. We have no authority, He has been given authority over all of Heaven and Earth by His Father in Heaven. (Matthew 28:18) Jesus should be praised and called Holy, not be in a position of servitude. And yet, He chose to be because He loved us.
These next verses are a clear indication of what Jesus says is important and we see a glimpse of the heart that Children of God should have.
1 John 4:7-8 (ESV) "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love."
Matthew 22:37-39 (ESV) "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."
These aren't just suggestions. These are commands!
I love this next verse from 1 Corinthians. It tells us that we can do all of the good works that we want, but if we don't do them out of love, then they mean nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (ESV) "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 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; ... "
JESUS TAUGHT LOVE. EVERYWHERE HE WENT, HE SHOWED LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE. HE DIDN'T SHY AWAY FROM TALKING ABOUT SIN, BUT HE CHOSE TO HATE THE SIN, WHILE LOVING THE SINNER.
GOD WANTS US TO FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS. HE IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH, THE SAVIOR OF OUR SOULS, AND HE ENCOUNTERED THE SAME OBSTACLES IN LIFE THAT WE DO, ONLY HE NEVER GAVE IN TO THE TEMPTATIONS OF THE WORLD. HE WAS FULLY HUMAN, WENT THROUGH HUNGER AND THIRST, HAPPINESS AND SADNESS, AND JOY AND GRIEF. HE WAS MOCKED AND RIDICULED FOR WHO HE WAS AND HOW HE SPOKE, AND YET HE REMAINED HOLY.
HOW MANY TIMES IN OUR OWN LIVES DO PEOPLE MAKE FUN OF HOW WE LOOK, TALK, OR WHERE WE ARE FROM? HOW OFTEN ARE CHRISTIANS CALLED OUT OR LEFT OUT BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE STAND FOR? JESUS WENT THROUGH ALL OF THAT AS WELL. HE ENDURED HARDSHIP AND STRIFE, AND WAS KILLED FOR WHO HE WAS, BUT YET HE NEVER WAVERED.
THE VERY PEOPLE THAT TORTURED AND KILLED HIM ARE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT HE CAME TO DIE FOR. HE NEVER CALLED DOWN THE ANGELS TO HELP HIM. AND LET'S BE REAL, JESUS CHRIST IS PART OF THE HOLY TRINITY. HE COULD HAVE VERY EASILY TAKEN HIMSELF DOWN OFF THAT CROSS. BUT HE LOVED US SO VERY MUCH AND KNEW THAT DYING FOR US WAS THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE US.
LIFE APPLICATION
WE SIT IN CHURCH ON SUNDAYS AND WE SING THE SONGS AND SAY THE PRAYERS, BUT DO WE ACTUALLY REALIZE WHAT WE ARE PREACHING ABOUT? DO WE UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS LOVES US EVEN THOUGH WE SPAT ON HIM AND HE GAVE ALL OF HIMSELF TO THOSE THAT WOULD HARM HIM? EVEN NOW, 2,000 YEARS LATER, HE STILL LOVES US AND FORGIVES US FOR THE THINGS WE DO WRONG. HE NEVER TIRES OF US! HE NEVER GIVES UP OR LEAVES US! HE STILL STANDS BETWEEN US AND GOD, CLAIMING US AS HIS OWN, EVEN THOUGH THE WORLD SEEMS TO BE STRAYING FARTHER AND FARTHER AWAY FROM WHAT THE HE TAUGHT.
WHAT AN AMAZING LOVE!
GOD DOESN'T NEED US! GOD WANTS US! IF WE WERE NEVER CREATED, GOD WOULD STILL BE GOD AND HE WOULD STILL CONTROL EVERYTHING. BUT HE WANTED OUR LOVE. HE DESIRES A RELATIONSHIP WITH US.
ARE WE SHOWING HIS LOVE NOT ONLY IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM BUT IN HOW WE TREAT OTHERS. FRIEND OR FOE, JESUS LOVED EVERYONE. SHOULDN'T WE?
PRAYER
Lord, this week I pray that you will open our eyes to see where and to whom we need to show more love. Teach us how to show patience to those that mean to betray us, and how to love them through it. Give us a servant's heart to give even when we will not receive in return. Help us to be more like Jesus. Amen.
The entire earthly life of Jesus was based on love. We see it in every aspect of His human existence from beginning to end. Out of all of the instructions to live by, one of the clearest is love. I pray that as we delve into God's word for insight on this subject, that we will have receptive hearts and minds to see His truth, even if it means that we need to work harder to show the love of Jesus to others.
SCRIPTURE
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9 (NIV)
The above verse shows that Jesus was sat in Heaven at the right hand of God the Father. Yet He knew that the only way to save us was to leave Heaven and come here to be a servant and die a torturous death to save us from Hell. He wasn't born into royalty and wealth, He was born in a manger to a woman that had no wealth. She simply said yes when God asked her to trust Him. The part of the verse that says "for your sake" means that He did it solely for us, out of love so that we can have fellowship with God.
I don't know very many people that would leave the comfort and security of prosperity and wealth to become poor and considered "less than" so that someone else might experience something good. Especially knowing that the very people that they sacrificed for would laugh at, beat, and crucify them. Jesus knew everything that He would endure and still chose to come and save us. His love trumped all.
We are born with a sinful nature and therefore destined to an eternity of fire and gnashing of teeth. He came to save us from ourselves and when He ascended to Heaven after His resurrection, He left us with a newfound hope and an example of how to live in order to be right with God the Father.
Read John 13:1-17.
Jesus had already predicted His own death. He was headed toward the end of His earthly ministry and was fully aware that He was about to be betrayed by one of His own disciples. Yet once again, Jesus took on the role of a servant and washed ALL of the disciples feet. This was not a prestigious job. This was a lowly, dirty, and smelly job. And Judas was still part of the group at this point. So, Jesus chose to show love even to the one that He already knew would hand Him over to those that would kill Him.
"You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. "If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. "For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you." John 13:13-16
He is giving us instructions here that if the Savior of the World can show unconditional love, forgiveness, and humility, then certainly we should do so. We have no authority, He has been given authority over all of Heaven and Earth by His Father in Heaven. (Matthew 28:18) Jesus should be praised and called Holy, not be in a position of servitude. And yet, He chose to be because He loved us.
These next verses are a clear indication of what Jesus says is important and we see a glimpse of the heart that Children of God should have.
1 John 4:7-8 (ESV) "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love."
Matthew 22:37-39 (ESV) "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."
These aren't just suggestions. These are commands!
- LOVE GOD FIRST
- LOVE PEOPLE SECOND
I love this next verse from 1 Corinthians. It tells us that we can do all of the good works that we want, but if we don't do them out of love, then they mean nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (ESV) "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 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; ... "
JESUS TAUGHT LOVE. EVERYWHERE HE WENT, HE SHOWED LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE. HE DIDN'T SHY AWAY FROM TALKING ABOUT SIN, BUT HE CHOSE TO HATE THE SIN, WHILE LOVING THE SINNER.
GOD WANTS US TO FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS. HE IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH, THE SAVIOR OF OUR SOULS, AND HE ENCOUNTERED THE SAME OBSTACLES IN LIFE THAT WE DO, ONLY HE NEVER GAVE IN TO THE TEMPTATIONS OF THE WORLD. HE WAS FULLY HUMAN, WENT THROUGH HUNGER AND THIRST, HAPPINESS AND SADNESS, AND JOY AND GRIEF. HE WAS MOCKED AND RIDICULED FOR WHO HE WAS AND HOW HE SPOKE, AND YET HE REMAINED HOLY.
HOW MANY TIMES IN OUR OWN LIVES DO PEOPLE MAKE FUN OF HOW WE LOOK, TALK, OR WHERE WE ARE FROM? HOW OFTEN ARE CHRISTIANS CALLED OUT OR LEFT OUT BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE STAND FOR? JESUS WENT THROUGH ALL OF THAT AS WELL. HE ENDURED HARDSHIP AND STRIFE, AND WAS KILLED FOR WHO HE WAS, BUT YET HE NEVER WAVERED.
THE VERY PEOPLE THAT TORTURED AND KILLED HIM ARE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT HE CAME TO DIE FOR. HE NEVER CALLED DOWN THE ANGELS TO HELP HIM. AND LET'S BE REAL, JESUS CHRIST IS PART OF THE HOLY TRINITY. HE COULD HAVE VERY EASILY TAKEN HIMSELF DOWN OFF THAT CROSS. BUT HE LOVED US SO VERY MUCH AND KNEW THAT DYING FOR US WAS THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE US.
LIFE APPLICATION
WE SIT IN CHURCH ON SUNDAYS AND WE SING THE SONGS AND SAY THE PRAYERS, BUT DO WE ACTUALLY REALIZE WHAT WE ARE PREACHING ABOUT? DO WE UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS LOVES US EVEN THOUGH WE SPAT ON HIM AND HE GAVE ALL OF HIMSELF TO THOSE THAT WOULD HARM HIM? EVEN NOW, 2,000 YEARS LATER, HE STILL LOVES US AND FORGIVES US FOR THE THINGS WE DO WRONG. HE NEVER TIRES OF US! HE NEVER GIVES UP OR LEAVES US! HE STILL STANDS BETWEEN US AND GOD, CLAIMING US AS HIS OWN, EVEN THOUGH THE WORLD SEEMS TO BE STRAYING FARTHER AND FARTHER AWAY FROM WHAT THE HE TAUGHT.
WHAT AN AMAZING LOVE!
GOD DOESN'T NEED US! GOD WANTS US! IF WE WERE NEVER CREATED, GOD WOULD STILL BE GOD AND HE WOULD STILL CONTROL EVERYTHING. BUT HE WANTED OUR LOVE. HE DESIRES A RELATIONSHIP WITH US.
ARE WE SHOWING HIS LOVE NOT ONLY IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM BUT IN HOW WE TREAT OTHERS. FRIEND OR FOE, JESUS LOVED EVERYONE. SHOULDN'T WE?
PRAYER
Lord, this week I pray that you will open our eyes to see where and to whom we need to show more love. Teach us how to show patience to those that mean to betray us, and how to love them through it. Give us a servant's heart to give even when we will not receive in return. Help us to be more like Jesus. Amen.
"IF YOU LOVE THOSE WHO LOVE YOU, WHAT CREDIT IS THAT TO YOU? FOR EVEN SINNERS LOVE THOSE WHO LOVE THEM. AND IF YOU DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO DO GOOD TO YOU, WHAT CREDIT IS THAT TO YOU? FOR EVEN SINNERS DO THE SAME."
-JESUS CHRIST-