| 1 John 4:10-12 "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." Before Jesus left the world, He left two commandments to His disciples; first one is the Great Commission, to preach the gospel to all nations, and second one is to love one another. Jesus wanted us to love the brothers and sisters just like how He loved us, but it easier said than done. Some can't understand why church is filled with people so different from us, but that is actually the reason God established the church on earth. If everyone else is same as you and me - think the same, eat the same and like the same things - the church would be tremendously boring. God established the church so that people of the world can see that, because of the love of Jesus Christ, different types of people can be united as one. This would convince them that Jesus is truly the Son of God. So, how are we supposed to love one another? We ought to love one another like how the Lord loves us. Love of the Lord is a sacrificial love, surpassing love of mankind; He loved us even when we were sinners, and thus set an example of selfless love for us. This sacrificial love is different from the love out of our human nature. According to our nature, our love is a self-benefiting love; we are self-centered and we love in order to satisfy our physical desires. Our love and caring often have a purpose. Sometimes we like to ask why someone didn't show up at Sunday service; perhaps they are dating, or they are looking for a job, but we seldom truly care about what they care about and talk about what they like to talk about. Instead of constantly pushing people to come to church, we need to learn to pray for others and ask God to touch them according to His will. May God help us, let us love one another starting from within the church, and then we will be able to pass on this love to people around us. Pray with Pastor Tong Liu 
Lord, I thank you, for you have first loved us so that we can love, and we ask that you fill us with your love. Let us not always blame the people around us, but to start loving and blessing them, because you died for us when we were still sinners. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen! |
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