Craig Smith • Love • November 13, 2022
A Holidaze tragedy: It’s “
” but “
at home”…
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Rom. 12:18)
💣
love: Do one to others who do one to you – “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person.” (Matt. 5:38-39a)
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love: Do all for you at the expense of others – “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” (James 3:16)
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love: Do only for those you want to love – “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable…‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men – robbers, evildoers, adulterers – or even like this tax collector.’” (Luke 18:9, 11)
This Holiday Season try on a “new” kind of love…
“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.” (John 13:34-35)
• Demonstrated in
– “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:18)
•
in motive – “Love is not…self-seeking.” (1 Cor. 13:5a)
•
in effect – “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8)
Give the gift of
this year and
– “Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but provocation by a fool is heavier than both.” (Prov. 27:3)
•
to all – “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?…But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.” (Luke 6:32a, 35a)
When we love God
, we love others
…
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7)
