Love Is the Way
Dr. Mark Foster
Part of 50 Days of Kindness
October 13, 2024

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. —1 John 4: 7-11

Week 1: Kindness is not weakness.

Kindness is good for you, good for others, and has the power to change the world.

Kindness is contagious.

Week 2: Kindness is not always nice.

Niceness is about being pleasant while true kindness is focused on the needs of the other.

Week 3:

Kingdom kindness (hesed) in Hebrew has to do with willing the good for others.

The problem is that we are living in a time of cultural contempt, where others are demonized for their difference.

Week 4: How Can I Love My Enemies If They Are Immoral? (Jonah 4:2)

The Assyrian empire was cruel and destroyed cities and relocated, tortured, and enslaved men, women, and children.

God called the prophet Jonah to go to the capital city of Assyria, Nineveh and preach a message of repentance to them anyway.

The Book of Jonah shows God as forgiving, showing grace and mercy to even the worst and cruelest of people.

God’s mercy is for

, not just for some.

Biblical kindness never seeks anything but the best, even for those who seek the worst for us.

This Week:

Love Is the Way! (1 John 1:5)

Love is “the commitment of my will to your needs and best interest, regardless of the cost.” —Tim Kimmel (1 John 4:21)

Fear

apart. (1 John 1:6-9)

Denial of sin is self-deception, while

brings forgiveness.

“The choice between either political ideology or our friends and family, so often peddled by leaders today, is a false choice.” —Arthur Brooks in Love Your Enemies

Your political party cannot and will not

you or the country. (1 John 2:1-2)

“It is simply not enough for the church to resemble the Democratic Party at work or the Republican Party at prayer. The church knows what love looks like only because the authentic Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, gave his life in love for us and for the world.” —Clifton Black, New Testament Professor, Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University

Jesus and his loving-kindness saves you and the

! (1 John 2:8-11)

God’s love for us is the

of our power to love God and to love others. (1 John 3:16-18)

Love is

of God’s Spirit and presence.

Loving-kindness is the

to our polarization and division. (John 15:12-13)

God loved us

we could do anything! (1 John 4:19-20)

What We Can Do! Don’t be

. (1 John 4:4)

Refuse to think the

of others.

Refuse to

others.

“We can’t make progress as a society when both sides believe that they are motivated by love while the other side is motivated by hate.” —Arthur Brooks

Recognize and highlight areas of

. (Romans 14:19)

Love

other. (1 John 4:7-11)

“Would to God that all the party names and unscriptural phrases and forms which have divided the Christian world were forgot, and that we might all agree to sit down together, as humble, loving disciples, at the feet of our common Master, to hear His word, to imbibe His Spirit, and to transcribe His life in our own!” —John Wesley

Action Steps:

Today, Sunday, Day 23: Give to

Relief through the United Methodist Committee on Relief.

Monday, Day 22: Send a

to check in on a friend.

Tuesday, Day 21: Send a

to a college student.

Wednesday, Day 20: Offer to help someone older than 50 with

.

Thursday, Day 19: Refuse to engage online

. Love requires us to be in relationship with real people.

Friday, Day 18: Bless your

worker with a cold drink or kind note.

Saturday, Day 17: Offer to water your

plants while they’re on vacation.

My additional notes:

”.