Get Connected
Click here to fill out the Get Connected Card
Message Notes
“Beloved, let us love one another.” —1 John 4:7
Why are we commanded to love one another?
- Fellowship with God
“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.” —1 John 4:7-8
“Fellowship with God is demonstrated and attained when Christians love one another.” —Tony Evans
“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” —1 John 4:9-10
“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” —John 15:12
- Reciprocation
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” —1 John 4:11
- It’s a practical reason
“No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” —1 John 4:12
Practical ideas on how we can express love to one another:
- Call a friend right now.
- Eat local.
- Meet with your group.
- Write a note to someone.
- Shop for someone
- Post positive things on social media.
- Encourage someone every day.
- Be generous
- Pray for each other
“Do for one what you wish you could for everyone.” —Andy Stanley
What has God done to equip us to love one another?
“By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.” —1 John 4:13
He has given us His Spirit!
What happens in our lives when we grow in our love towards one another?
- We become more confident.
“By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.” —1 John 4:17
- We are freed up from fear
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” —I John 4:18
- We continue to grow in our love towards one another
“We love because he first loved us.” —I John 4:19
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” —Romans 5:8
“The brother or sister in Christ right before our eyes should be the first, natural object of our mercy, grace, charity, affection, and unconditional love. God is invisible, intangible, and unreachable. No amount of mediations and mantras will be able to bridge the gap between our physical world and the heights of heaven. If we can’t love the ones whom God has placed in front of us, how we can we seriously claim to have a genuine love for the invisible God.” —Chuck Swindoll