A
Sunday School teacher was teaching her children the benefits of unselfishness.
She concluded by saying: "The reason you are in this world, children, is
to help others."
After
a moment's silence, a little girl piped up: "Well, then, what are the
OTHERS here for?" From Bible
Illustrator.
“In the Jewish temple and tabernacle
there burned a lamp, a light of sacrifice that never went out.
Day and night summer and winter, it shed its soft and mystic glow
within the holy place. In the temple of the life our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ there was a lamp, a light that never went out.
The oil that supplied it was never exhausted. No scorn, no hostility, no hatred could ever quench it.
It was the light of love. In the church of God there is a lamp, and
light that must never go out. This
light is fueled by the love of God, and is attended by the presence of the
Holy Spirit. We must never allow scorn, hostility, hatred, or any other
ungodly thing quench the light of God's love in our church. . . .for when that
happens the darkness of God's disapproval will settle down on the church and
the presence of the Holy Spirit will quickly leave.” From Bible Illustrator.
Scripture Text:
John 3:16 (KJS) For God so loved the world, that
he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.
Luke 4:18 (KJS)
The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the
gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach
deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at
liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
20 And he closed the book, and he gave [it] again to the minister, and sat
down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on
him.
Got
Love? What
did you get for Christmas? Did
you get love? To love is to look after, take care of, tend to, nurse,
support, watch over, protect, provide for, and nurture.
The love that God gives is divine.
Since it is divine is goes beyond the natural abilities to love.
This is God’s love to all humankind.
Let’s unwrap God’s gift of love.
Love
takes the initiative.
It
goes first. It doesn’t wait
until someone else is ready or willing or deserving of it.
God took the initiative to move in our behalf.
He came for us. Will we take the initiative to love others?
Love is a verb
Like
Joy, we would have to say that love is a verb.
It may be used as a noun, but it describes the feeling we have when we
realize that someone is looking after us.
Someone is taking care of us. Someone
is tending to our needs, so that we might live.
Someone nursed us. Someone
supported us. Someone watched
over us and protected us. Someone
provided for our life needs. Someone
is continuing to nurture us. Someone
gave us life.
Love
is more than a good feeling it is an action performed on behalf of another.
God
moved to help us. He came to
bring us into his family and make us his children.
Jesus
came to make God ours. Even
though we put him into barn and into a feed trough, He still came to give us
himself.
A short story tells about
a fellow who was far away from home, and in a small town. He had in his
possession only one thing, a $1,000 bill, but nothing else, no small change,
no identification, nothing. He was famished for food, ravenously hungry, but
he could buy nothing, for no one would take his $1,000 bill. It was not until
he found a way to break that bill down into small change that he could spend
any of it. Our love for God, quite similarly, must be broken down into small,
spendable change.
Love
is unconditional.
Love
accepts you as you are. Love
doesn’t wait until you make the grade or perform the desired task.
Love loves you because you are you.
Love forgives you even if you don’t want to be forgiven.
Love
is God in flesh.
1Joh 4:7 Beloved, let us
love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of
God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
Love
is free.
He
preaches to the poor. He is born
in a barn. He born to parents of
humble estate.
Love
wants to heal and help.
Loves
sets the captives free. What
holds you captive today? Love
gives sight to the blind. He
wants you to be able to see the real meaning of life.
Love wants to give you the best possible life now and into eternity.
Love
says now is the time.
This
is the acceptable year of the Lord. Now
it is time you to unwrap God’s gift of love to you.
It is the gift of him. Now
is the time for you to accept Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Love
is lasting.
It
doesn’t give up or quit. It
says that we will always be together.
Love
demands a response.
Do
you want Him? Do you want to be
loved and accepted? Do you want
to be forgiven? Do you want to be
healed and helped? Do you want to
live forever? Do you want Jesus? Do you want to be loved?
Love loves you.
Do you love Him? He is
here for you.