Love is mentioned often in the New Testament. Jesus spoke a lot about love. When he was restoring Peter his question 3 times was: Simon, son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" John 21:15 This is a question for all of us. Just how much do we love Jesus? Of the many words in Greek for love, this is agape---God's love, higher than any other love.
John 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (NIV)
Our love for others is our proof that we follow Jesus. Nothing else can replace love in the life of a disciple of Christ. It is the identifying mark that people can use to recognize us.
John 13:1 "...he now showed them the full extent of his love" (NIV)
Jesus used foot washing as an example of how our service is evidence of our love for others and our obedience to God.
John 3:16-17 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (NIV)
Jesus loved us by dying for us, but he also taught that serving others is what our love should be about, just as he was willing to serve his disciples and all of mankind. Love makes us willing to give in every way.
1 John 3:18 "Dear children, let us not love with words and tongue but with actions and truth." (NIV)
Again, our actions and service are evidence of our love. We want to love as Christ loved us. It is a command from Jesus to us to love others.
1 John 3:1 "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. and that is what we are! (NIV)
Jeremiah 31:3 I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness." (NIV)
Love comes first from God as he lavishes his love on all of us calling us his children. We are loved by the one who is the embodiment of love.
Tomorrow: LOVE continued
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